spilled from the windows of the house, and Josh felt a warm glow of homecoming. He stopped the van in the driveway and got out to lift Katie from her seat. Eden held the front door open for him, then shut it behind them.
Belinda was curled up on the sofa. The fire flickered in the fireplace, and the scent of the apple candle burning on the mantle added to the homey glow of the room.
Belinda put her book down and smiled at them. “There you are. Rick came and took Andi home with him, and the children are all asleep.”
“I found my aunt’s address!” Eden burst out. “She lives in Michigan. That’s where Timmy is.”
“What about your sisters?” Belinda stood and stretched.
“Molly heard Crista went to Arizona, but she has no idea where or who took her. She hadn’t heard anything about Angelina.”
“Well, at least it’s a start.” Belinda hugged Eden, then picked up her coat. “Maybe you’ll find some of your family by Christmas. What a holiday that would be!”
Eden nodded. “I’m almost afraid to hope for that.” She walked Belinda to the hall.
While Eden saw her friend out, Josh carried Katie to bed. She slept heavily, her thumb in her mouth. He pulled her shoes off and slipped her out of her coat. Trying to decide if he should put her in her pajamas and risk wakening her, he didn’t hear Eden come up behind him.
She went to the bureau and pulled out a pink fleece sleeper. Josh lowered the side of the crib and laid Katie down. He watched while Eden deftly changed her without waking the sleeping toddler.
“You’re good at that,” he said. Again, doubts assailed him. Eden knew so much more than he did about raising a child. He’d had no experience. But he had a lot of love. He could learn.
She smiled. “Katie is a sound sleeper. You go on down and see what you can find on the Net. I’ll be down as soon as I check on the other children.”
Josh nodded and went down the hall to the stairs. He almost tripped over a fire truck on the stairs but caught the railing just in time. He picked up the toy to make sure Eden didn’t stumble and carried it with him to the living room. Within minutes he was looking for Eden’s aunt on the Internet.
Eden came in the room, yawning and stretching her back. “Any luck?”
He shook his head. “No trace of her.”
“Could we go to Michigan and talk to some neighbors?”
Her eyes sparkled with determination, and he hoped he wasn’t setting her up for a major disappointment. “I’m game if you are.” Anything to keep that sparkle in her eyes. And as long as he felt needed, he wouldn’t leave. The time of his departure could be pushed back once again. He wasn’t ready to walk away from Eden. Josh shied away from examining just why that was true.
Chapter 10
The aroma of roasting turkey filled the kitchen. The tart scent of cranberries mingled with that of pumpkin and cinnamon. Eden had tied balloons everywhere to add a festive touch. She loved Thanksgiving. This year she had something to be even more thankful for. Her heart filled with thankfulness to God for the gift of Katie. Her daughter. The thought sent chills of joy up her spine. This would be their first holiday as a real family.
And Josh would be here as well. Eden knew the camaraderie would soon be gone. One day he would decide it was time to move on, find a job, and settle down somewhere. The thought deflated the bubble of joy she’d been enveloped in, and she sighed. Picking up the wooden spoon, she began to beat the pumpkin mixture for pies.
The doorbell rang. “Samantha, would you get the door?” she called.
She heard Samantha’s footsteps echo along the oak floors. A couple of minutes later Josh’s broad shoulders filled the doorway. He wore black jeans with a garnet sweater. His hair was still a bit damp from his morning shower, and the spicy scent of his cologne added to his masculine presence. Eden forced her attention back to her pies.
He sniffed. “Smells great. I
Belinda was curled up on the sofa. The fire flickered in the fireplace, and the scent of the apple candle burning on the mantle added to the homey glow of the room.
Belinda put her book down and smiled at them. “There you are. Rick came and took Andi home with him, and the children are all asleep.”
“I found my aunt’s address!” Eden burst out. “She lives in Michigan. That’s where Timmy is.”
“What about your sisters?” Belinda stood and stretched.
“Molly heard Crista went to Arizona, but she has no idea where or who took her. She hadn’t heard anything about Angelina.”
“Well, at least it’s a start.” Belinda hugged Eden, then picked up her coat. “Maybe you’ll find some of your family by Christmas. What a holiday that would be!”
Eden nodded. “I’m almost afraid to hope for that.” She walked Belinda to the hall.
While Eden saw her friend out, Josh carried Katie to bed. She slept heavily, her thumb in her mouth. He pulled her shoes off and slipped her out of her coat. Trying to decide if he should put her in her pajamas and risk wakening her, he didn’t hear Eden come up behind him.
She went to the bureau and pulled out a pink fleece sleeper. Josh lowered the side of the crib and laid Katie down. He watched while Eden deftly changed her without waking the sleeping toddler.
“You’re good at that,” he said. Again, doubts assailed him. Eden knew so much more than he did about raising a child. He’d had no experience. But he had a lot of love. He could learn.
She smiled. “Katie is a sound sleeper. You go on down and see what you can find on the Net. I’ll be down as soon as I check on the other children.”
Josh nodded and went down the hall to the stairs. He almost tripped over a fire truck on the stairs but caught the railing just in time. He picked up the toy to make sure Eden didn’t stumble and carried it with him to the living room. Within minutes he was looking for Eden’s aunt on the Internet.
Eden came in the room, yawning and stretching her back. “Any luck?”
He shook his head. “No trace of her.”
“Could we go to Michigan and talk to some neighbors?”
Her eyes sparkled with determination, and he hoped he wasn’t setting her up for a major disappointment. “I’m game if you are.” Anything to keep that sparkle in her eyes. And as long as he felt needed, he wouldn’t leave. The time of his departure could be pushed back once again. He wasn’t ready to walk away from Eden. Josh shied away from examining just why that was true.
Chapter 10
The aroma of roasting turkey filled the kitchen. The tart scent of cranberries mingled with that of pumpkin and cinnamon. Eden had tied balloons everywhere to add a festive touch. She loved Thanksgiving. This year she had something to be even more thankful for. Her heart filled with thankfulness to God for the gift of Katie. Her daughter. The thought sent chills of joy up her spine. This would be their first holiday as a real family.
And Josh would be here as well. Eden knew the camaraderie would soon be gone. One day he would decide it was time to move on, find a job, and settle down somewhere. The thought deflated the bubble of joy she’d been enveloped in, and she sighed. Picking up the wooden spoon, she began to beat the pumpkin mixture for pies.
The doorbell rang. “Samantha, would you get the door?” she called.
She heard Samantha’s footsteps echo along the oak floors. A couple of minutes later Josh’s broad shoulders filled the doorway. He wore black jeans with a garnet sweater. His hair was still a bit damp from his morning shower, and the spicy scent of his cologne added to his masculine presence. Eden forced her attention back to her pies.
He sniffed. “Smells great. I
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