From Heartbreak to Mate

Chapter 4

John Evans was in his home office, finishing the last bit of work he needed to complete before Christmas. His annual holiday party was that night, and he was excited about it as always. The holiday parties were something he and his late wife, Helen, had started before they were even married. They began by inviting only a few friends and family to their home. As John’s success had grown, so had the size of the parties.

Helen had been the mastermind behind the celebrations. She loved planning every detail. Helen planned the menu to include a favorite food of each of the guests. That always led to far more food being prepared than needed, but it was important that their friends and family were happy.

John stared into the fire roaring in the fireplace opposite his desk. His mind drifted to Helen’s last party. Her cancer had reached a point where they knew that nothing else could be done, and her time was short. Helen had made John promise to keep up with the tradition of the parties. It was the last thing he wanted to do, but he kept his promise.

Carissa’s parents had come to his rescue after Helen’s death. They had supported him and Hailey and helped them navigate the world without the love of his life. Carissa’s parents were the ones who helped him put together the holiday parties after Helen’s passing, giving him more responsibility with each passing year. This was the first year they had not helped him in some way, but since they had retired and moved to Louisiana, he could not expect them to return to help. The couple had called and given him suggestions and words of encouragement, but that was all they could do.

John sniffed and wiped his eyes. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and return to the present, rather than staying in the past, where he would be filled with sadness. As if on cue to help him focus on other things, his cell phone rang. He picked it up off the desk and smiled when he saw his daughter, Hailey, calling him.

“Hello, sweetheart. Are you leaving Carrie’s house?” John asked his daughter when he answered the call.

“Already left. We are at that little coffee shop we like in town. You want me to get something for you? It might be cold when we get there, but you should be able to nuke it,” Hailey said.

John chuckled, “Thanks for the offer, but have you seen the new coffee machine? It can make anything, and there are rarely lines to get it.”

“Oh, I did forget about that. It was put in the day before yesterday, so I haven’t had a chance to try it out yet. Can we use it today? Like, can people have fancy coffees at the party along with the bar and nonalcoholic stuff?” Hailey asked.

“I am counting on it,” John said, looking outside at the snowy landscape. “Hail, I want you, Carrie, and Kyle to be careful driving to the house. The roads are still a mess. If you have any problems, promise me that you will go back to Carrie’s until it is safe. Getting to the party is not worth losing your life.”

“I promise we will be careful, Dad. We checked the weather reports and the Department of Transportation maps to see how bad the roads are. They still have a little snow on them, but they have been cleared for the most part. As long as we are careful and drive a little slower, we should be fine,” Hailey assured her father. “Ope, I’m almost up to order. Be there soon. Love you!”

Before John could reply and tell Hailey he loved her, she had ended the call. He frowned at the phone in his hand. A knot was forming in the pit of his stomach. Hailey would be driving on snowy roads, which led his mind to worst-case scenarios.

A light tap on the open door made him look up to see Alice walking in with a smile. Alice had been hired to help with the household and Hailey when Helen had become ill. She had become family, and John would be lost without her.

“I’m sorry to disturb you, John,” Alice said softly. “Would you like a cup of coffee? Jaz is trying to teach me how to use that fancy machine you bought. I have already made coffee for everyone in the kitchen and for those setting up for the party. That leaves the two of us, and if I have anymore, I will turn into a hummingbird.”

“Thank you. Alice. Coffee would be wonderful,” John replied, thankful for her interruption in his thoughts.

“What would you like?” Alice asked, her eyes twinkling as she smiled.

“Something Christmassy,” John grinned. “I trust you to surprise me.”

“I will be in with it in a few minutes,” Alice said with a nod before turning and strolling from the room.

John smiled and shook his head as Alice left the room. The woman looked like the quintessential grandmother in her mid-length dresses, cardigans, and her gray hair piled in a bun. However, she was anything but that. Alice was possibly more proficient with computers and electronics than John was. She ran several miles daily and, when the weather permitted, was often outside gardening or even playing basketball with household staff. Over the years, Alice had been a nurse, nanny, cook, housekeeper, accountant, driver, and had even helped with maintenance from time to time when no one else was available.

His cellphone rang again, making him jump. He sighed, then looked to see it was his friend Andrew Fenn. Drew’s family owned the largest construction company in Montana and often used John’s law firm. Drew was invited to the party every year, but he rarely attended.

“Hello, my friend!” John exclaimed as he answered the phone. “How are you this fine morning now that the snow has stopped falling?”

“Hey, John,” Drew replied, sounding tired. “The blue sky is making my view of the mountains even more beautiful than usual.”

“You sound like something is wrong,” John said softly. “I take it you are once again standing me up at my own party.”

Drew sighed and said, “I am. Snow filled at least one of the passes overnight, which means I am not going anywhere for a while.”

“I was hoping you would be here. The last time we talked, you mentioned doing some type of private school for your employees’ children. My daughter’s best friend, Carissa, will be here later and most likely spend the night here at the house before driving home in the morning. She is a kindergarten teacher and the perfect person to bounce your ideas off of,” John said. “Carrie is like my second daughter. I’ve told you about her and her parents before. If you came to visit more often, I’m sure you would have met all of them by now.”

“I get it,” Drew chuckled. “I have been neglecting my friend duties.” He sighed loudly and asked, “If I fly into the Bozeman airport, do you think Alice could pick me up?”

“I’m sure she would, and if she can’t, I’ll find someone else to pick you up,” John grinned as Alice walked in with his coffee and placed it before him on the desk. “Hey, she just walked in, let me ask her.”

Alice raised an eyebrow at her boss and folded her arms over her chest.

John smiled at the woman and asked, “Alice, if Drew Fenn can fly into the Bozeman airport, can you pick him up?”

“Of course,” Alice replied, dropping her arms to her side and taking on a serious expression. “When do I need to be there to meet him?”

John grinned at Alice as he spoke into the phone. “Alice says she is happy to do it and just needs to know when to be there.”

Drew sighed again. “It will take a little while to get the plane ready. How about I call you with an ETA before we take off?”

“That would be fine. We will see you later today,” John said, not hiding his happiness at his friend finally attending a party he hosted.

“Yeah, see you later,” Drew said before he ended the call.

“Is Drew finally coming to one of your famous holiday parties?” Alice asked with a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.

“He is,” John said as he picked up his coffee and took a sip. He was hit with mocha and peppermint. It was delicious and exactly what he had asked for. He pointed to the mug and said, “This is amazing. I hope you remember how you did this because it might be my new favorite coffee.”

“I remember. I also wrote it down,” Alice said with a warm smile. “Would you like me to prepare a room for Drew before I pick him up? He might not want to fly home tonight after the party. Plus, the latest forecast shows we might get more snow tonight. We don’t want him flying in bad weather.”

“Please, and I will do my best to talk him into staying the night,” John said. ”It will be safer for everyone if he does. The last thing I want is for you or anyone else to be driving in bad weather.”

“Does that mean you would also like a room prepared for Carrie and Kyle?” Alice asked with a smile.

“And rooms for anyone else who is uncomfortable driving back into Bozeman if it is snowing again when the party ends.”

“I will get right on that,” Alice said with a nod. “Would you like another coffee before I get started?”

“Maybe later,” John said with a tired smile. “I have the feeling I will need several more before bedtime.”

“I have the feeling we will both need several more cups of coffee before tonight is over.”

“And if there is drama to go with the party, we might need something stronger,” John said with a crooked grin.

“Amen to that!” Alice laughed. “I’ll provide the glasses if you provide the whiskey.”

“Deal!” John chuckled.

“I’m going to start with the bedrooms,” Alice said as she turned and stepped toward the door. “I’ll check on you later to see if you need more coffee.”

“Thanks, Alice!” John called after her as she left his office.

John leaned back in his chair and sipped his coffee as he stared into the fireplace. The dancing flames helped to ease his anxiety over his daughter and her friends being out on the roads. They learned to drive on those roads and knew how to drive in the worst conditions. John looked at the clock on the wall above the door and sighed. In the next hour, Hailey, Carissa, and Kyle would be arriving, and he could finally relax and enjoy the day.