Page 55 of Secret Santa
“I know you’re right,” Kara agreed. She knew she’d been hurting Nick by holding back her feelings. He deserved to be with someone who wasn’t afraid of love. Wasn’t afraid of saying so and showing it.
“Do you remember when we first met?” Liz interrupted her thoughts.
Kara smiled. “Sure, I was getting picked on by Willy and his gang. It was my first day at school after moving here. You walked right up and took my hand and told Willy to shove it and sit on a tack. Then you pulled me away and we went to go play on the swings.”
Liz smiled. “That day, I knew we’d be best friends. There was no doubt in my mind what I would feel for you.” Liz held out her hand for Kara’s. Kara walked over and took it, sitting next to her friend. “Kara, I love you. You’re the most important person in my life beside my parents. I have never distrusted you or been afraid to show or tell you how I feel. What we have”—she held up their joined hands—“is real. And so is what you and Nick feel for each other. I can’t say I’m not super jealous of it, but I can say that I’m not surprised by it either. You two deserve to be happy together. Don’t waste a minute of it. You never know when someone with a gun will take that away. Rudy wasn’t as lucky.” Liz frowned. “He asked me out a couple times.”
“He did?” Kara was shocked by this news. What she’d remembered of Rudy was that he was your average nerd. Smart. Thin. Usually spent more time indoors than out. He’d never been in any sports that Kara knew. Unless chess club counted.
“Yes. I didn’t think he was my type, but in truth, we were both too smart for anyone else in town. Who knows…” Liz looked up to her. “I never gave him a chance. I should have.”
Kara sighed and then nodded. “I know you’re right.”
Liz smiled. “Good.” She nudged her shoulder. “Then what the heck are you doing here?”
Kara laughed, then leaned in and hugged her best friend. “I love you, too,” she said as tears slipped from her eyes.
“Good. Now that you know you can say the words, go tell the man who needs to hear them.” Liz hugged her back and then pushed her away.
Kara stood up and then stopped. “How?” She turned back to Liz. “How do I?”
Liz smiled. “You’ll find a way to make it what it needs to be. The most amazing moment of your life.” She nodded, then pointed. “Go.”
Kara laughed, gathered her things, and rushed out.
The entire time she drove home through the heavy snow, she thought about how to tell Nick how she felt. By the time she pulled up to her house, which was completely decorated with all the Christmas lights that Nick had helped her hang up, she’d come up with a perfect plan.
She rushed inside and grabbed the present she’d wrapped a few days ago from under the Christmas tree. She didn’t need the box that held the sweater she’d purchased for Nick in town. What she needed was the big red bow that she’d used to hold the box together. She had plans to use it on his real gift.
With the bow in hand, she rushed out the back to the barn. She was so preoccupied with how to get what she needed for her plan to work that she hadn’t registered the problem until she was halfway there. Then realization hit her like a brick to the back of the head.
Her entire body froze as her mind raced.
Now, as she held perfectly still just inside the barn doors, her ears ringing as she listened for sounds in the darkness, she knew in her bones something was off.
As with at the market, she completely froze for a full minute. Then she heard the sound of crackling grow loud and the smell of smoke hit her.
She gasped when she saw the flames coming from the top floor of the barn.
How had she not heard the sounds of the horses, the sounds of the rest of the animals crying for help? The noises they were making were deafening. Had the barn been on fire when she’d driven up? It had been so dark. She’d been so focused.
Without thinking, she rushed further into the barn to save as many animals as she could without another thought for her own safety. The big red ribbon fell to the ground and was quickly covered in ash and mud.
ChapterEighteen
Nick spent the first hours after Kara left doing his normal daily chores, letting the three dogs follow him around until Olly grew too tired and returned to lie on the back deck on the outdoor sofa. When he tried to let him inside, the dog rolled over and fell asleep, so he let him stick it out even though it was too cold for his liking. He made a point to check on Olly often while his dogs followed him around as if they were attached to him.
By noon, Olly wanted inside, but he was pretty sure it was because he was sharing his sandwich with all three of the dogs.
He received a call from Kara just as he finished up his lunch. She let him know that they had released Liz and she was heading out to have lunch with Liz and her parents before taking Liz back home. Kara wanted to help her friend get settled before coming back.
He assured her that he had everything under control and would be heading over to her place shortly. He had a few phone calls he wanted to make first.
His first call was to Kyle.
“I can’t tell you much,” Kyle said. “What I can say will be released to the press in about an hour. We found three different bullets. The one that struck Liz was from a .45. The one that hit the tourist was from a .22. The one that killed Rudy, was from a 9 mm. We’ve got a couple warrants to test a few guns. That’s all I can tell you. I can’t tell you who.”
“Willy?” he asked.
