A Bramble House Christmas (Carrigans of the Circle C Book 6) by CJ Carmichael Page A

talented woodsman and after dinner he’d often gone to his shop at the back of the garage and worked on his little creations. Every Christmas each kid would have one wooden carving in their stocking.
    They hadn’t made much of them back then. Finn could remember his mom talking disdainfully about “Greg and his silly little hobby,” bemoaning the fact that he didn’t help more around the house.
    “We were such idiots, Molly. Why didn’t we reach out to him more after the divorce? Who cares if it would have made Mom angry. I can’t really blame him for having an affair, anyway. Not when I remember the way she treated him.”
    “I’m not even sure there was an affair,” Molly said softly.
    “Really?” This was major news to him. “What makes you say that?
    “I talked to him two days before he died.”
    Something else Molly hadn’t told him before. “Seriously? How did he sound?”
    “His voice was weak. But he told me he had a cold and, at the time I believed him.”
    Finn fixed his gaze on a slab of ice on the river. It wasn’t moving anywhere. It would be jammed there until spring melt. “What did he say?”
    “A few things. First, that he was glad us kids were there for our mother. He said he knew she was taking the divorce hard.”
    “That was—generous.”
    “I asked him if he was...in a relationship. He sort of laughed and said, is that what your mother told you? Then he said, no, he was on his own, and it was fine. He saw his golfing buddies three times a week and was enjoying a little quiet the rest of the time.”
    “Somehow I’m not surprised to hear that,” Finn said.
    “God only knows why Mom lied to us.”
    “She wanted to be the good guy.” Finn hated to say it about his own mother, but it was true. “She wanted our undivided loyalty.”
    “You’re right, of course.”
    “All his life, Dad never put himself first, did he?”
    “No. Except for the divorce. I’d like to think he had a little happiness there at the end.”
    “Me too.”
    For a long time neither of them spoke. Tears froze on Finn’s eyelashes. He trained his gaze on the ice block again. Took a deep breath.
    “Molly how much does Dad’s family ring mean to you?”
    “The sapphire? Now? Not much. Why?”
    “It seems he gave it to his nurse.”
    “Really? It wasn’t mentioned in the will.”
    “He gave it to her before he died. Mom doesn’t know. If she did, she’d be furious. She thinks it should stay in our family.”
    “Of course she does. But when it was in the family, none of us ever wore it.”
    “That won’t change the way she feels.” Finn sank his head back, feeling overwhelmed by his task. He wasn’t sure how he could help his family at this point. What could he tell them that would bring a sense of resolution?
    “Finn, you sound awfully sad. Why don’t you change your plans and come to Seattle for Christmas after all. You’ve met the woman, at least. It sounds like she’s a nice person, who helped our dad in his last days. Maybe it doesn’t matter why Dad chose to leave her all that money.”
    “It was never just about the money for me, Molly. And I still have questions that only this woman can answer.”

    S cout woke up early, around six a.m. “Mom are you awake?”
    She was now. “Mm hm. How did you sleep?”
    “Okay. I like this bed.”
    “I like mine too. Want to come snuggle with me?”
    “Can I bring a book?”
    “Sure.” Willa sat up and turned on the bedside lamp. The room was still dark, the sun wouldn’t be up for a while.
    She was glad she’d gone to bed early, even if the reason wasn’t the best. She could understand why Mable Bramble was interested in a ring that looked so much like her mother’s. But why did Finn seem so fascinated by it?
    She was almost tempted to take it off and hide it away. But she’d promised Greg Conrad she would wear it, and think of him, and that was what she was going to do.
    “Will you read this for me, Mom? My eyes are still