St. Paul’s Church on Fair Street looked a bit like a castle. Made out of pink granite and brownstone in a Romanesque style, it was decorated with several brilliant Tiffany stained glass windows. Inside, dark oak pews and carved pillars gave the church an air of mystery and grandeur, but in fact, it was a small church, holding only a few hundred. Fortunately, its members were bighearted, industrious, and talented. The church was gorgeously hung with green laurel and wreaths with grand red bows, and red poinsettias were set in the nooks that held the smaller stained glass windows.

Christina and Andy were just in time, but even so they had to squeeze into a pew at the back of the packed church. The rector, verger, and choir opened the service as they walked down the central aisle, singing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” and the congregation joined in. It was so beautiful Christina almost burst into tears. The service was mostly carols, and the choir was in splendid form, and Richard Loftin stood near the organ and embellished the music with the triumphant sounds from his trumpet.

Halfway through the service, Andy reached over and took Christina’s hand in his.

“No,” she whispered. “Not in church.”

He smiled at her. “Yes. In church.”

Afterward, Andy drove Christina home, walked her to her door, kissed her gently, and said good night.

Chapter 21

Something about Christmas morning was magical. Christina lay in her bed for a while after she woke, not thinking, just taking in the day. The air seemed to glimmer and shine like a great light all around her.

She rose, pulled on her robe, and slid her feet into her slippers. The first thing she did when she got downstairs was to plug in the lights of the Christmas tree. She fed impatient Mittens, and made coffee.

She checked her cellphone. Several “Merry Christmas” messages from Mimi and other friends. A very loud MERRY CHRISTMAS from Wink. A quieter message from Andy, wishing her Merry Christmas and asking her to call when she was awake.

A selfie of Harriet and Jacob, both grinning joyfully. Jacob had lipstick all over his face. Harriet’s lipstick was smeared.

Christina called Mimi. “Did you get Harriet and Jacob’s kissy-face selfie?”

“I did.” Mimi laughed.

“So Harriet wants to be with Jacob even if he’s poor?”

“Oh, Christina, Jacob never said he was poor. He’s privately very well-off. He’s just one of those oddballs who wants to save the world. It’s true, Harriet and Jacob are different, but you know the old saying that opposites attract.” Mimi paused. “And how are you?”

“I’m happy and confused. Andy and his family surprised me last night when I got home. They’d made dinner and Christmas cookies, and we all got along famously.”

“And…?”

“And I’m going there this evening for dinner.”

“And…?”

“Oh, Mimi, Andy seems serious about me.”

“Serious?”