Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy - Janice Lynn Page 0,16

“He’s more the strong, silent type. That’s all. Besides, he’s been through a lot.”

Sophie glanced toward Sarah for help. If anyone should understand what Cole had been through, Sarah should. Although her fiancé now worked for the sheriff’s department, in addition to acting as Sarah’s handyman at her bed and breakfast, Hamilton House, Bodie had endured some rough times during his own military career. Sophie didn’t know the details, but Bodie’s emotional recovery had taken much longer than his physical one from an explosion where he’d been the sole survivor.

As she had hoped, Sarah joined them where her friends now circled Sophie.

Sarah gave an empathetic nod and patted Sophie’s back. “Sophie’s right. Our brave military sacrifice a lot.”

She’d known she could count on Sarah.

“I’m sure Carrie didn’t mean any disrespect to Cole or his service,” Sarah continued. “But I have to agree with Maybelle. Watching you with Cole surprised me, too. He’s nothing like any of the guys you’ve gone out with over the years. He’s cute, though.”

There Sarah went with the “cute.” What was up with everyone calling Cole cute? He was so much more.

Besides, in and of itself, that Cole wasn’t like any of the other guys she’d dated wasn’t a bad thing. Obviously, none of them had been all that amazing, which was why, for one reason or another, she wasn’t with any of them now.

“I’m not interested in Cole,” Sophie insisted. Then, realizing no one was buying her quick retort, she added, “Not like any of you are implying or trying to set up. I don’t want to date him.” She didn’t. “Nor does he want to date me.” That was the understatement of the year. “But I do feel badly for him after all he went through when he was deployed. He’s still new to Pine Hill and it can’t be easy making a life for himself here.” She shrugged. “I wish I could make things better for him.”

Which was the absolute truth. Her heart broke for the things he’d suffered during his time in Special Ops and wished she could take away his inner turmoil.

Just like Dad.

Sophie gulped back the thought.

Sarah’s brow rose. “Did he tell you something about his past or do you know about it because of what you read in his journal?”

“What journal?” Carrie asked as she bent to pick up a stray piece of wadded-up paper off the floor.

Sarah glanced over the room to make sure they’d restored it to pre-meeting cleanliness, then said, “Sophie found Cole’s journal in a box of donated books when we were getting ready for the church rummage sale. She returned it to him.”

Sophie started to tell her friends that Cole had refused to take the journal, but then decided to continue to keep that to herself and hope her sister did the same.

If she told them, they’d be more curious about what he’d written, might even ask to read it, and she had no intentions of telling anyone the things she’d read or of sharing the book.

“He’s easy on the eyes, but not much of a talker,” Carrie mused, putting her hand on the back of a chair. “Jeff volunteered with a group of kids to wash the firetrucks for a community project over the summer.” Jeff was her teenaged son. “I was one of the parent volunteers, and I remember noticing how quiet Cole was. Polite, but quiet. Is he more expressive as a writer?”

Not meeting her friend’s eyes, Sophie shrugged. Cole’s story wasn’t hers to tell, and he obviously didn’t want anyone to know about it, including Sophie.

“I’d like to make him a quilt for him,” she said to distract them, knowing bringing up their shared passion should do the trick. Carrie wasn’t a quilter, or even a seamstress, which was why she had Sophie making the bandanas to sell at her pet store. That didn’t keep Carrie from volunteering with them during sew-ins to help in other ways, though.

An avid quilter, Sarah’s face shone with excitement. “Oh, that would be wonderful. We could…”

Sophie shook her head. “You, my friend, have a wedding to plan. Christmas Day is barely over a month away and will be here before you know it.”

Sarah had chosen to become Bodie’s wife on her favorite day of the year, which Sophie found perfect for the couple as their romance had started during the Christmas season a year ago.

“So,” Sophie continued, “‘we’ won’t be doing anything.”

Happily in love, Sarah laughed. “Okay, you’re right, but I do think it’s