Christmas Wishes Read Free

discarded tissues and napkins. “I hope I didn’t use it.”
    Ugh. Sophie wasn’t about to unfold the pile to look for a list. “Ummm, who gave you the list? Maybe I can call that person and ask for another copy.”
    “It was Selma, the worship director, at the church office.”
    Well, there was one task she could handle without any problem. “I’ll call Selma and ask her.”
    “Selma’s not there. She and her husband left for Florida last week.”
    Sophie closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. Now even the simple tasks were getting difficult.
    She stood. “Why don’t I get supper going? Maybe I’ll get some inspiration while I’m cooking.”
    She stalked to the kitchen and pulled the refrigerator door open. Spying some leftover chicken, she pulled that out, followed by an assortment of vegetables. Tonight they would eat chicken stir-fry.
    As she chopped, she formed her general plan. Cooking always seemed to calm her nerves. For a little while, Sophie had thought she wanted to become a chef. She’d even spent a few years in culinary school, but had quit when she realized her heart wasn’t in it. She’d returned to Zutphen and poured her heart into a manuscript about Nora, a young single girl. Soon she found herself living through her character, making Nora live through and triumph over everything she’d ever experienced.
    And now she needed to find a job. Just something temporary so she could save up enough money to move to California. Once she was there, she’d start hitting the pavement, looking to start a career as a screenwriter. But she needed to save up a nest egg to pay for the trip, as well as set up a place to live until she hit it big. She’d compiled a long list of agents and studios to contact before she left, and hopefully there would be some appointments.
    There was someone else she wanted to look up when she got there. Someone who’d planned to travel with her and go down that road to stardom together. But that someone had left without her. An opportunity had come up that was too good to miss, he’d said, and then he was gone.
    They’d corresponded for a while. The letters had been sporadic, but he’d written about his auditions, his successes, his temporary jobs to pay the bills until the next acting job came up. Then, a few years ago, the letters had stopped. His phone number had been disconnected, and emails had bounced back. His parents, who lived nearby, told her they hadn’t heard from him either.
    She hoped she’d be able to find him and get some closure so that she could move on. But first she needed to make some money.
    Hopefully, something would turn up by the time Joanie had the baby.
    “Hey, what’s that smell in here? Is it Mystery Meat Stir-Fry or Road Kill Stew tonight?” Dave Bennett, Joanie’s college professor husband, set his briefcase on the table and came up behind her to investigate. Sophie smacked his hand when he reached for a piece of chicken.
    “Leave that alone.”
    “You’d deny a starving man a single bite of protein?”
    “A starving man, no. A crazy brother-in-law, yes.”
    Dave threw his head back and laughed. “I’m sure I know several people who would agree with that description.”
    Sophie loved her laid-back, fun-loving brother-in-law. He was definitely a great match for her sister, who up until this pregnancy had been one of the most capable, efficient people she knew. They had the perfect balance. Just what Sophie had hoped for in Nate Vosman. A tall, handsome dreamer, Nate had been the one with the vision. Sophie had wanted to help him make those dreams come true, and writing scripts for him was her way to do it. She’d had such plans. But that was a lifetime ago…
    “You goofball. Go and see if your wife or your son needs anything. Like maybe some attention. Dinner will be ready in half an hour.”
    “Yes, ma’am.” He saluted and marched out of the kitchen, leaving Sophie to shake her head in amusement.
     

Chapter Three
     
    Z