Chapter One
She usually walked by around lunchtime. Even bundled up against the bite of the Oklahoma winter wind, the bounce in her step wasn't lost; her carriage wasn't slumped as if to ward off the chill. Then twenty minutes later when she came back by the Christmas tree lot where Pete worked, she always had her little boy in tow.
Pete realized he had come to look forward to seeing her twice a day – even if it was a matter of just watching her walk past the lot. She'd glanced at him a couple of times, caught him staring – like some crazy stalker – and given him a pleasant nod as she continued on her way.
Pete Cochran was a man not given to daydreams of any sort – but this nameless woman made him dream plenty at night. He wasn't sure which of his dreams were more unsettling – the ones of the two tours he'd spent in Iraq, or the ones of this woman, who'd begun to haunt his sleep.
"Mommy, I want this tree, right here!"
Pete's attention was caught by a couple and their two young daughters. They had parked down the street from Cochran's Christmas Tree Lot and walked, the children running ahead excitedly. One of the girls stood beside the tree she'd claimed, waiting with impatience.
Pete started toward the couple, noticing the moment the woman's face twisted briefly with pity. The younger little girl hung back, waiting for her parents to catch up, uncertainty in her eyes. The older girl turned to Pete as he neared, an odd mix of curiosity and revulsion crossing her features.
The eye patch always scared the kids, unless it was Halloween. The scarring was faint – barely noticeable six years later. But his eye … well, he'd never get that back. Part of his sacrifice for Uncle Sam.
"Can I help you?" Pete asked. He wasn't quite able to muster a smile, but he tried to at least put a pleasant expression on his face.
"Oh, uh – hi," the man said as he approached. "We're uh – looking for a Christmas tree. It's kind of early for us yet – we usually wait until the day before … but the kids are about to drive us crazy."
"I want this one, Daddy. Please?"
"Let's look around some, Amy," the woman said. She stopped to pick up the younger girl, hoisting her to her hip.
"If you have any questions, just let me know." Pete turned away, heading back to the portable office, a small trailer.
"Mommy, he's scary."
"Shhh!"
"Well, he's got an eye patch—"
"Amy, that's enough."
Their voices faded as the family walked through the trees, finally selecting one. The man paid for it and Pete unclamped it from the ground. He started for their car, but the man stopped him. "That's okay. I can get it." He glanced back toward their van, as if to make sure his wife and children were safely ensconced.
"Okay. Sure." Wouldn't want to scare your kid again.
The man managed an apologetic smile as he gripped the tree and lugged it toward the family car.
Pete watched him go, starting forward as the tree nearly twisted out of his hold. He stopped himself, almost turning away before he caught a glimpse of the mystery woman, coming in his direction.
He would recognize that red coat anywhere. The color stood out brightly amidst the drab browns, grays, and tweeds. It reminded him of Christmas, of course – whoever decided that red and green should be "Christmas" colors, anyhow?
But more than that, he knew the beautiful young woman who wore it was filled with a happy spirit. Not many people would choose a red coat. People were so worried about practicality that red wouldn't fit into their plans like black or gray might. But as she approached, he was able to see the way she held her shoulders erect, her head up, as if she was ready for anything the world might send her way.
She walked at a pace that wasn't rushed, as if she was enjoying the crisp December air. Suddenly, it seemed she was very close – too close for Pete to move away and observe her from inside the office as he usually did.
Her eyes met his and she smiled. It was a smile
She usually walked by around lunchtime. Even bundled up against the bite of the Oklahoma winter wind, the bounce in her step wasn't lost; her carriage wasn't slumped as if to ward off the chill. Then twenty minutes later when she came back by the Christmas tree lot where Pete worked, she always had her little boy in tow.
Pete realized he had come to look forward to seeing her twice a day – even if it was a matter of just watching her walk past the lot. She'd glanced at him a couple of times, caught him staring – like some crazy stalker – and given him a pleasant nod as she continued on her way.
Pete Cochran was a man not given to daydreams of any sort – but this nameless woman made him dream plenty at night. He wasn't sure which of his dreams were more unsettling – the ones of the two tours he'd spent in Iraq, or the ones of this woman, who'd begun to haunt his sleep.
"Mommy, I want this tree, right here!"
Pete's attention was caught by a couple and their two young daughters. They had parked down the street from Cochran's Christmas Tree Lot and walked, the children running ahead excitedly. One of the girls stood beside the tree she'd claimed, waiting with impatience.
Pete started toward the couple, noticing the moment the woman's face twisted briefly with pity. The younger little girl hung back, waiting for her parents to catch up, uncertainty in her eyes. The older girl turned to Pete as he neared, an odd mix of curiosity and revulsion crossing her features.
The eye patch always scared the kids, unless it was Halloween. The scarring was faint – barely noticeable six years later. But his eye … well, he'd never get that back. Part of his sacrifice for Uncle Sam.
"Can I help you?" Pete asked. He wasn't quite able to muster a smile, but he tried to at least put a pleasant expression on his face.
"Oh, uh – hi," the man said as he approached. "We're uh – looking for a Christmas tree. It's kind of early for us yet – we usually wait until the day before … but the kids are about to drive us crazy."
"I want this one, Daddy. Please?"
"Let's look around some, Amy," the woman said. She stopped to pick up the younger girl, hoisting her to her hip.
"If you have any questions, just let me know." Pete turned away, heading back to the portable office, a small trailer.
"Mommy, he's scary."
"Shhh!"
"Well, he's got an eye patch—"
"Amy, that's enough."
Their voices faded as the family walked through the trees, finally selecting one. The man paid for it and Pete unclamped it from the ground. He started for their car, but the man stopped him. "That's okay. I can get it." He glanced back toward their van, as if to make sure his wife and children were safely ensconced.
"Okay. Sure." Wouldn't want to scare your kid again.
The man managed an apologetic smile as he gripped the tree and lugged it toward the family car.
Pete watched him go, starting forward as the tree nearly twisted out of his hold. He stopped himself, almost turning away before he caught a glimpse of the mystery woman, coming in his direction.
He would recognize that red coat anywhere. The color stood out brightly amidst the drab browns, grays, and tweeds. It reminded him of Christmas, of course – whoever decided that red and green should be "Christmas" colors, anyhow?
But more than that, he knew the beautiful young woman who wore it was filled with a happy spirit. Not many people would choose a red coat. People were so worried about practicality that red wouldn't fit into their plans like black or gray might. But as she approached, he was able to see the way she held her shoulders erect, her head up, as if she was ready for anything the world might send her way.
She walked at a pace that wasn't rushed, as if she was enjoying the crisp December air. Suddenly, it seemed she was very close – too close for Pete to move away and observe her from inside the office as he usually did.
Her eyes met his and she smiled. It was a smile
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