Page 15 (1/2)

"Sweetheart, just where do you think this relationship is headed?" her mother asked, clearly concerned for Carrie

She appreciated her mother’s question "I don’t know, and I don’t think Finn does, either For right noe’re taking it one day at a time And, Mom, you won’t believe what he sent me He actually mailed me a toaster It looks like an antique"

"A what?"

"You heard ht A toaster I realize it probably has sonificance to him that he wanted to share with me But if that’s the case, he hasn’t explained it yet I have it in my kitchen"

Her mother chuckled "Oh, dear, Carrie Listen, honey I don’t want to burst your bubble You’re new into this relationship, and this is a honey to settle in I don’t want you to set yourself up for heartache Just be careful, okay?"

"I will, Mo that love would see her and Finn through any obstacle She was crazy for this guy, toaster and all

Once they’d finished chatting, Carrie returned to her computer Finn was scheduled to phone, but he hadn’t, which concerned her Just then her cell phone chirped, letting her know she had a text ?

Listening to "Mary, Did You Knohich was playing softly in the background It was one of her favorite Christs

A little early for Christ Finn’s text, she punched in her answer Not for me Besides, you have your Christ up?

He responded within seconds Snowflakes dangling fro Utterly ridiculous

But they are still up?

Yes Remind me of you

Very sweet, thank you

I look at theht

That incredible starry night Makeswith you all the more

G-r-r-r Hennessey misses you

Hennessey? What about you?

Finn texted back a shed She had just tucked her cell phone in her jeans pocket when it rang A sweet joy went through her when she saas Finn So she was going to get her phone call after all

"Hi," she said

"Hi It see"

"I agree You must be in Fairbanks I had no idea you spent that much time in town"

"Generally, I don’t Fact is, until these last few days, it’s been weeks since I was at the condo"

In other words, he’d come into town in order to be able to communicate more easily with her Finn wasn’t a romantic man The fact that he would hly unlikely that he would look to win her heart with flowers or jewels

"I had bread fro" She ood use

"That isn’t et to church I’m in the choir, and we had an early practice for the Christ, too?"

"I’m an alto I harmonize well Come to think of it, I play ith others, too"

"Clearly you’re a woh a tousle of dark curls "I’d like to think so"

They spoke for an hour until her cell phone battery was nearly depleted Before they ended their conversation, Finn told her he would be out of reach for a couple of days, checking the pipeline outside of Fairbanks

"I’ll survive," she assured hih she made it sound as if it wouldn’t trouble her, she was already dreading not hearing from him

"Maybe you’ll survive, but I’hed, her heart war you’ve ever said to uy"

"I sort of guessed that, whichfrorumbled as if he didn’t quite kno to respond

"Oh, before you go, I wanted to tell you that I’ll be in Chicago for Thanksgiving--it’ll be my first alone, but I’ll be in Seattle for Christmas" She mentioned this with the hope that he would take the hint and fly down for a visit Seattle was relatively close to hio When he didn’t immediately pick up on her hint, she added, "My parents feel bad that I won’t be with everyone on Thanksgiving, so for Christ me a ticket to fly home"

"Good idea"

He hesitated and then asked hat seemed like reluctance, "Have you talked to my et in touch with her I know she’s anxious to hear what happened with the ring" Truth was, Carrie felt terrible having to tell Joan that her plan had backfired Given the turn in her relationship with Finn, er, rather than returning it at Christ?" he asked His voice was low, concerned, and different froed earlier

"She’s well physically, if that’s what you’re asking As for her other needs, there was only one thing I picked up on"

"And that is?"

Carrie knew she ading into deep waters, but she felt she had to try Finn’sprecious, and she wanted to repay the favor "She needs her son"

His response was a disht you’d say"

"I’ll be in touch in a couple of days"

"Okay" Not being able to talk to him for even a short amount of time would feel like an eternity "I have a busy ith the holidays close and all"