Free Her Christmas Hero (Home To Dover 6) by Lorraine Beatty Page B

can’t leave Mobile right now. Every time I turn around there’s a new legal hoop to jump through.”
    Linc’s former sister-in-law had put his brother through emotional torture after their divorce, finding countless ways to keep him from their adopted daughter. “But you’ll get Abby back, won’t you?”
    “Yeah, but there’s a lot to untangle first, and the court system here moves like a slug.”
    “You can fill us in at Thanksgiving.” His brother’s lack of response made him uneasy.
    “I don’t think so. Leaving town might mess things up. Abby’s been through a lot and I need to be here with her. You understand, don’t you?”
    “Yeah. Sure. You do what you have to do. We’ll be praying for you. But come home as soon as you can. Mom’s aching to see Abby again.”
    “I know. I want her back home, too.”
    Linc ended the call, then rested his elbows on the desk, grasping the back of his neck with his hands. Never in his life had he felt so alone and abandoned. His dad and his brothers had been his anchor. But Dad was gone and Gil was stuck in Mobile. Linc had been looking forward to Thanksgiving with the family as a way to reconnect and gain strength and support from those he loved. But it might be a smaller gathering than usual this year.
    Fighting off the swell of grief pressing against his ribs, he swiveled back to the computer and pulled up the next construction project. His best course of action now was to make sure Montgomery Electrical had plenty of jobs lined up for the future. He couldn’t bring his father back, but he could ensure the legacy he’d cherished.
    * * *
    Gemma gathered her hair up on the top of her head and stared at the lighting fixture above her dining room table. She’d been on the job only ten days and she was already facing a major glitch. And for once she wasn’t sure how to proceed. It was at times like this that she missed Darren. Before his betrayal they’d been a great brainstorming team. It was one of the things that had made Fine Day Events a success. Lowering her arms, she propped her elbows on the table. She needed advice.
    Time to get another point of view, and who better to ask than the woman who’d directed Christmas in Dover for over a decade? Scooping up her cell, she dialed the main house and was relieved when the older woman answered.
    “Gemma, dear. How are you? Is everything all right?”
    “Yes, but I do have a problem I’d like to discuss with you if you have some time.”
    “Has Linc been giving you trouble?”
    Why in the world would she even ask that? “No. It’s about the Christmas decorations for the square.”
    “Oh. Fine. Are you at the office or at home today?”
    “I’m here at the cottage.”
    “I’ll be there in about six minutes. I’m waiting to take the last batch of cookies from the oven.”
    Gemma smiled as she placed her cell back on the table. Since Francie had been watching Evan there had been an increase in the amount of homemade cookies and cupcakes coming from the Montgomery kitchen. Francie said it soothed her and made her feel grounded to provide warm treats for Evan, and it reminded her of when her own kids were all home.
    She tried to imagine Linc as a small boy, but it was hopeless. No way could she see the strong, masculine eldest son as anything other than full grown. Maybe she’d ask Francie to show her a picture sometime.
    Within minutes Francie was tapping on the front door. She stepped inside with a smile and a warm plate of cookies. “I always discuss better with fresh cookies, don’t you?”
    “Ooh, they smell wonderful.”
    “Old-fashioned oatmeal. Linc’s favorite. I put raisins in them once and he pitched a fit.” She chuckled. “I never did it again. Unless I was making a batch for Bethany. She always wanted nuts and raisins in hers.”
    “Did you make a special batch for each child?”
    “Sometimes.” She nodded. “It’s what moms do.”
    Gemma took a warm cookie from the plate, marveling