by Meg Macy
“Same to you and your family.” Dad shook his hand.
Rosie squeaked the new toy, a soft gingerbread man, over and over. That would get old fast, but I didn’t mind. She’d get a few new toys tomorrow as well. She’d been too bored lately. Maddie rushed off to the mall with Dad for last-minute shopping. My aunt and uncle also left, and Mom made me promise to call if I needed anything before she headed home. I agreed.
Anything for peace and quiet.
Huddled under a blanket on the sofa, I picked up a book. Rosie jumped up with her toy, circled three times beside me, and lay down. Squeak, squeak. I closed my eyes. An ear-splitting bark woke me, and I nearly slid off the sofa when Rosie jumped across my chest and raced to the back door. Tail wagging, she scratched and whined. I caught sight of Jay on the porch outside, bundled in his thick coat and scarf, shifting from one foot to the other.
“Calm down, Rosie.” I opened the door wide. “Merry Christmas!”
He hugged me, snowy coat and all, and I heard an odd muffled sound. Jay sported light brown stubble on his jaw and upper lip, and he showered me with more snowflakes when he unwound his wool scarf.
“Merry, merry. I’ve got another surprise for you. Hope you like it.”
“How about this?” I pointed to my mouth, my cheeks burning. “Dad told you, right?”
“Hey, don’t blame yourself. I should have been here, but I’m home for good.”
“Promise?”
“As long as you promise never to sleuth again without me.”
Squeak, squeak, squeak. Rosie had brought her gingerbread toy over, hoping to play, but we ignored her. Jay hugged me again, tighter. This time I felt something wriggle beneath his coat, and found the zipper. Before I tugged it down far, a tiny pointed muzzle appeared.
“Aww!” I drew the small, adorable, black and tan toy poodle into my arms.
Rosie jumped against my legs, sniffing like mad. “She’s not a puppy,” he said. “She had a litter before she was rescued by Wags and Whiskers. She’s two years old, seven pounds.” Jay peeled off his coat, boots, and then stooped to give Rosie a hug and rub her ears. “My sister Lauren took her, but she couldn’t keep her with work and studying. Thought I’d bring Sugar Bear down here, see if they’d get along. I hope you’d like her.”
“Sugar Bear! What a darling name.”
I cuddled her against my cheek, which she licked over and over again. Her dark eyes blinked, and the little dog wriggled so hard, I knelt to introduce Rosie. High-pitched yips from Sugar Bear melted my older dog’s heart. Rosie whined in excitement and crouched, her butt in the air, tail wagging, clearly wanting to play.
I figured we’d better take it slow and kept close watch on them both. Sugar Bear soon rushed off to explore the kitchen and other rooms, Rosie tagging after her. I had to laugh.
“I love her! I’ve been worried about Rosie lately, that she’s been lonely. But I know that Nyx will have a major hissy fit. Whoops. There she is now.”
We rushed to find the cat snarling and spitting, her black tail as fat as a hairbrush. Sugar Bear ignored her, sniffing around, oblivious. Rosie avoided Onyx, shrinking from her anger. Jay and I laughed so hard, the weight of everything that had happened since the staff party faded.
“Thank you.” I kissed him. “I bet you’re tired.”
“I left at six this morning, can you believe it? Lots of accidents.” Jay fetched a bag he’d brought in when he arrived, which I hadn’t noticed. “This is for you. Open it now. Why wait till tomorrow morning?”
“You don’t have to convince me.”
I ripped the paper away to reveal a cardboard box, stripped the packing tape, and then dove through a drift of foam peanuts to draw out an intricate wood carving, about a foot and a half high. The detailed teddy bear stood on a square base, one arm outstretched. The face and fur looked incredibly realistic, Jay’s specialty.
“Keep going. The rest is in the box’s bottom.” He ducked when I tossed a few peanuts his way. “Better watch out, or Sugar Bear might eat them. Rosie, too.”
“True, and we don’t want doggie tummy trouble.” My hand finally struck a smaller box, so I opened it to find a small brass lantern. “Wow.”
“See, the bear holds the lantern’s handle.” He threaded it through and then showed me the bottom. “It’s like those clip lamps. Uses an LED bulb, so reading should be easy.”
“So cool! Thanks, so much.” I kissed him in appreciation, and then beckoned him to the kitchen. Sugar Bear lapped water from Rosie’s dish. I handed him the square box wrapped in gold foil paper. “It’s your new studio.”
He snickered. “Not very heavy for a building. Feels empty, in fact.” Jay ripped aside the wrapping, flipped the lid, and stared at the folded square of paper inside. “A blueprint?”
“I told you. Your studio.”
“You’re giving me a studio.” Jay stared at the smoothed out paper. “For real.”
“Not technically. I’m paying for the soundproofing. That way Maddie won’t have to hear your chainsaw, although she claims it wouldn’t bother her.” I snatched up Sugar Bear before Onyx scratched her eyes out. My sister’s cat slunk toward the cat tower, climbed to the highest level, and settled herself. Wary, and watching. “Guess who’s the dominant girl?”
“Sugar Bear takes a dare, from what Lauren told me.” He ruffled the dog’s fluffy topknot and then returned to study the heavy sheet. “So where is this?”
“What used to be Flambé. The whole back half of the building can be your studio, unless you want to make changes,” I added. “Or you could pick somewhere else. But you’d better let my dad know. He’s already hired a crew.”
“Wow!” Jay kissed me. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Dad bought it, and said he’ll give you a good rental price for the back half. Maddie pays him for Silver Moon, but Mom’s buying out Maggie Davison’s shop in the village. That will give her street cred when she runs for mayor, but if you’d prefer that location—”
“No, I like this idea better,” Jay interrupted. “Too much noise and people on Main Street for me to work. So what are her plans for that?”
I couldn’t help my excitement. “I talked her into the idea, because vintage is really popular right now. She’s opening a combination shop and art gallery, so you can display your carvings there. Maddie will, too, Zoe Fisher, even Maggie Davison.”
He still looked stunned. “Wow.”
“You said that already.”
Jay caught me and Sugar Bear in a hug, and then scooped up Rosie as well. She licked his nose and one eye. “I’d say this is the best holiday ever, being here with you.”
“I agree.” I kissed him, too, grateful I’d lived to see Christmas.
Meg Macy is an award-winning author and artist. Her first published book, Double Crossing, won the 2012 Spur Award for Best First Novel from Western Writers of America. Meg is also one-half of the writing team of D. E. Ireland, authors of the Eliza and Henry Higgins historical mystery series, two of which have been Agatha Award finalists. Meg lives in southeastern Michigan, the setting for her Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Cozy mysteries. Visit the author online at:
megmacy. com
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