Jane held up the keys and dangled them in the air. “Here are the house keys.” She pointed at the second key. “This one opens the back door.”
“Thanks,” I said, taking them from her. “How is cell service around here?”
She waved me off. “You’re not that far from everything. Cell service can be pretty spotty out here though. The closest supermarket is fifteen minutes away, and so is our downtown square. We have tons of shops and an amazing bakery. We’re also having a tree lighting tomorrow night. Might be a good way for you to meet some of the locals.”
It sounded exciting, but I didn’t know if I was ready to be around the public. “I’ll think about it. I still need to get settled in.”
We walked into the house, and it smelled like cinnamon apples. I breathed it in and smiled. It made me feel like I was at my cabin in the Appalachian Mountains. Unfortunately, I had to sell it when my business started to tank. I followed Jane into the living room, and there was an amazing view of the river. The furniture was made of brown leather, and the whole place had a warm, yet rustic feel.
“Does everything look okay?” Jane asked.
“Yes,” I said, turning to face her. “This house is amazing.”
A wide grin spread across her face. “Great. I hope you enjoy it here. Friendship is an amazing little town. I’ve lived here all my life.”
I shook her hand again. “Thanks, Jane. I’m sure I’ll love it here as long as I have cell service. Have fun in Bermuda.”
“Oh, I will. Take care of yourself, Ms. Aberdeen.”
She walked out, and I stood at the door, breathing in the clean, frosty air. The sun shone across the snow, making it glitter and shine. It was breathtaking.
Once Jane was gone, I brought in my suitcases and unpacked. Since I had no food in the refrigerator, I left to find a grocery store. Jane was right, the cell phone service wasn’t that great, so I drove around and finally got good reception when I reached downtown Friendship. It was like I stepped into a Hallmark movie. I parked on the street and got out. The wind had picked up, so I buttoned my jacket. I definitely wasn’t used to the cold.
The general store was up ahead, so I decided to check it out. I always loved the ones in the mountains back home. It was a place you were for sure going to run into some nice people. That was what I loved about small towns. I walked in and looked around at all the provisions. I grabbed a few jars of homemade apple butter and pickled vegetables. My grandmother used to make them both on her own until she passed away. My favorite was her pickled beets.
Arms full of goodies, I walked up to the front and set them on the counter. The man at the register looked at me, his face wrinkled with age and his snow-white hair combed over. I smiled, only he didn’t smile back. In fact, he looked uninterested in talking to me at all. “It’s cold out there today, isn’t it?” I said, hoping to strike up a conversation.
He snorted. “It’s December. What’d you expect?”
There were other people in the store, staring at me, clearly not welcoming either. Was it my Southern accent? It was obvious I was an outsider. Clearing my throat, I paid for my things and hurried out of the store, only to run right into someone.
“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry,” I shrieked. The man had fallen to his knees, and I grabbed his arm to help him up. “Please forgive me. I came out of the store too fast.”
The man grunted as I pulled him upright. “It’s okay, miss. I know you didn’t do it on purpose.” He was taller than me with dark brown, shaggy hair and a beard. By the looks of the tattered clothes, old boots, and dirty skin, it made me wonder if he was homeless. His bright blue eyes stared right into mine, and then he looked down at the paper bag hanging on my arm. “It’s a good thing you didn’t drop your glass jars.”
Taking a deep breath, I nodded. “True.”
His brows lifted. “You sure you’re okay? You walked out in a hurry.”
I glanced into the window of the general store and shrugged. “They weren’t exactly nice to me in there. I wanted to get out of there as fast as I could. Guess I thought a small town like this would be a little more welcoming.”
The man chuckled and looked around. “From what I can tell, the people around here don’t like change. You’re different. I think it’s the clothes that make you stand out.” I looked down at my designer outfit and high-heeled boots.
“I thought it was my accent,” I replied with a laugh.
He held out his hand. “That too. Don’t worry, though, they’ll come around. So far, I’ve met several nice people. Don’t give up on them just yet. My name’s Gabe.”
I shook his hand. “Layla. I moved here from Charleston.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Layla,” he said, letting my hand go. “What brings you to Friendship?”
“Lots of things, I guess.” I turned my gaze to the Christmas lights, twinkling in the trees. Every single building was decorated with garland and ribbons. “My career took a major hit, so I thought it best to move away for a while. Maybe find some inspiration.”
Gabe smiled when I looked at him. “You’ll definitely find that here. I have no doubt.” He stepped back and moved out of the way. “I’m sure you have to get going. It was nice meeting you, Layla. I’m certain I’ll see you around town again.”
“It was nice meeting you, too, Gabe.” I walked past him to my car. When I turned around, he was nowhere to be found.
Chapter Three
Layla
All through the night, I dreamed about my new fashion line and how it skyrocketed across the globe. Imagine my disappointment when I woke up to find it wasn’t real … and that it was ice cold in my house. The three quilts piled on top of me weren’t enough.
“What in the world?” I griped, teeth chattering. I slid out of bed and slung one of the quilts over my shoulders. When I got to the thermostat, it said it was fifty-eight degrees. I turned it off and then on again, hoping it just needed to be reset. Nope. It was dead. “This can’t be happening to me.” What made it worse was that it was snowing outside. I looked out at the tiny specks of white, falling from the sky. “Wouldn’t that make for some great news … Designing diva freezes to death as she escapes scrutiny from the fashion world.”
Grabbing my phone, my fingers trembled as I punched in Jane’s number. I knew she was leaving for vacation, but I was hoping to catch her. The line rang and rang, the reception going in and out. I didn’t know anything else to do besides drive into town.
I dressed quickly into a pair of jeans and a double layer of sweaters. If it was freezing inside my house, it had to be even worse outside. However, when I got out there, it wasn’t nearly as cold as it was inside. My house was colder than a meat locker.
When I got into town, I dreaded going to the general store. There was a bank close by, but it was Sunday and they were closed. The only other place was the coffee shop. It just so happened that a familiar face was right outside, sitting alone at one of the tables, his head resting on his arm. I parked and walked up to his table, silently taking the seat beside him. He slowly lifted his head and sat up quickly when he noticed me. “Miss Layla, what brings you out so early in the morning?”
“My icebox of a house. It’s much warmer out here than it is there. I came into town to see if someone could help me.”
Gabe’s brows furrowed. “What can I help you with?”
“Do you know of anyone who does heating and air? My heater died on me sometime last night, and it’s so cold. I don’t know who to contact.”
He patted my hand. “Don’t worry, I know just the guy. His name’s Colin Jennings.” He pointed at the street. “If you go up that way and take a right, all you have to do is follow that road until you get to Snowflake Lane. The Snowflake Lane Inn will be at the end. He’ll be able to help you.”
“Thanks,” I replied, feeling ever so grateful. “He’s not like the people in the general store, is he?”
Gabe chuckled. “Not in the least. Colin’s a good man. You�
�ll like him.”
Squeezing his arm, I stood. “Thanks again.” I turned to leave but then stopped and glanced at him over my shoulder. “Gabe, forgive me if I’m being too nosy, and you can tell me to mind my own business, but …” I paused for a second and glanced around to make sure no one heard me. “Do you have a home to go to?”
A sad smile spread across his face. “Friendship is my home, Layla. Whether it be sleeping at this table or in a box behind the bank, this is where I belong for now.”
My heart broke for him. Reaching into my purse, I pulled out a fifty-dollar bill. It was all I had on me. “Take this,” I told him.
He shook his head. “I’m not taking your money, young lady.”
“Please,” I begged, setting it in front of him. “You don’t take me as the kind of man to beg for money, but I want you to take it. You’ve helped me, and I want to return the favor.”
With a heavy sigh, he held the money in his hands. “Thank you, child. This means a lot.”
“You’re welcome. Stay warm out here.”
He chuckled again. “You too.”
Getting in my car, I followed his directions to Snowflake Lane and down to the Snowflake Lane Inn. The second I saw the large, yellow house all decked out for Christmas, I gasped. It was exquisite, and more beautiful than any house I’d ever seen. There was garland draped with white lights everywhere, and red ribbons at the top of each fence post. It was something you’d see on a postcard.
I pulled up, and there was a man on a ladder, cleaning out the gutters … in the snow. It wasn’t like Charleston here. When it snowed back home, everything would shut down, and people would seclude themselves inside where it was warm. Not here, apparently. All I wanted to do was grab a good book and drink hot chocolate.
When I got out of the car, the man on the ladder looked down at me. Even from the distance, I could see his eyes were a bright shade of green, almost magical. His dark brown hair was mussed like he had just ran a hand through it, and he had on a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt that no doubt hid his muscular arms beneath.
“Can I help you?” he asked, slowly making his way down the ladder.
I cleared my throat. “Gabe sent me here. He told me to find Colin Jennings.”
The man smiled and approached me. “He did, did he? I guess you came to the right place then, Miss Aberdeen.”
My breath caught. “You know who I am?”
He snorted. “I think everyone in this town does.”
Groaning, I ran a hand over my face. “That must be why I got a cold greeting at the general store.”
His smile faded. “I’m sorry to hear that. Some people in this town aren’t too fond of outsiders, even if they are famous.”
“That’s not the way I imagined it would be here,” I said softly. “Besides, I’m not famous anymore.”
The man shook his head and waved it off. “Give it time. So why did you come to see Colin?”
I pulled my jacket in tighter. I was freezing, and he was outside in the snow with just a flannel shirt on. “The heat died in the house I’m renting. I didn’t know who to call to come and fix it, but a man in town told me to come here. I was hoping Mr. Jennings could either help with the heater or help me get in touch with the owner. The real estate agent is the only one I know who has his number, but she’s on vacation.”
The man chuckled. “You’re in luck. I know just how to contact him.”
“Great. If you give me his number, I’ll call him up.”
Pulling a set of keys out of his pocket, he backed up toward the big, red truck in the driveway. “No need. I’ll head over there now.”
“You don’t have to do that. Let me call the owner.”
He opened his truck door and smiled. “I am the owner. I’m Colin Jennings.”
Chapter Four
Colin
Layla wasn’t anything like I expected her to be. She was much more beautiful in person. She followed behind me to her house, and I had to slow down several times to make sure she caught up. It was obvious she wasn’t used to driving through the snow.
I pulled into her driveway first and grabbed my toolbox out of the back. The snow had slowed down, but we’d gotten the six inches the weatherman had predicted.
Layla rushed out of her car and ran over to the door. “I don’t know why I’m hurrying. It’s probably warmer out here.”
That I found hard to believe … that was until I stepped through the door. It was unnaturally cold. The sound of her chattering teeth grew louder. Arms crossed over her chest, she bounced on her feet. “Told you it was cold.”
Setting my toolbox down, I blew into my hands. “You’re telling me.” I walked over to the thermostat to see if there was something wrong, but it looked normal. “I’m going to take a look at the heating unit outside. I just replaced it last summer. I don’t see how there could be problems.”
She followed me out the door and into the snow. “I wonder what’s going on with it then. I only turned the heat up to seventy.”
When we got around to the side of the house, that was when I saw the issue. “Wow,” I said, dropping my toolbox. “I think we know what’s wrong.”
Her eyes widened. “That is crazy. It’s frozen solid.”
The unit was nothing but a large ice cube. I’d never seen anything like it before. “Yes, it is. It’s a first for me.”
Layla sighed. “Think you can fix it?”
I picked up my toolbox, but there was nothing I could do. “I can, but it won’t be today. I’ll have to get another unit and install it tomorrow.”
She looked terrified. “You’re kidding me, right? How am I supposed to stay here without freezing to death?”
Growing up, there were many nights we had to deal without heat or power, but I’d never felt it that cold before. There was no explanation for how frigid it was inside her house. I couldn’t let her stay there alone.
Taking a deep breath, I placed my toolbox back into my truck. “You can always stay at my inn,” I suggested. I turned around to face her. “There’s a small bedroom that’s vacant.”
Holding a hand over her heart, she breathed a sigh of relief. “That would be awesome. I’m going to take you up on that.”
I thought she’d yell and complain about the house, but that wasn’t what I got. She surprised me. Guess I thought she’d be full of herself and demanding. “Great,” I replied. “It’s the least I can do for you. I’ve never had problems like this with the heat before.”
“It’s okay. I’m just glad I have somewhere to stay. If I didn’t, I don’t know what I’d do.”
Her lips pulled back into a gracious smile, and I couldn’t help but smile back. “I’ll call my sister to get the room ready for you. She’ll be thrilled to know you’re staying. I think she’s your biggest fan. The gift basket was her idea.”
There was a twinkle in her eyes. “I’ll be sure to tell her thank you.”
I opened my truck door. “As soon as you’re ready, just come on over to the inn. I know you’ll want to pack some things.”
“Yes,” she breathed, turning her attention to the house. “Hopefully, I won’t freeze during that time.”
Chuckling, I hopped in my truck. “See you in a few, Layla.” She waved and disappeared into the house.
Once I was out on the main road, I called Brianna. “Hey,” she answered.
“Think you can get the small bedroom ready really quick?”
The sound of her typing away on the computer stilled in the background. “Of course. I’ll have it ready in twenty minutes.”
“Good. Because it just so happens it’s for Layla Aberdeen.” The line went silent. “Brianna?”
She sucked in a breath. “Are you seriously telling me that Layla Aberdeen is staying at the inn tonight?”
“Yep. Just left our old house. The heater is frozen solid. I can’t leave her there all night.”
“You can’t leave her in the small bedroom either,” she gasped incredulously.
“Layla is fashion royalty. The Rose bedroom will be like putting her in a broom closet.”
Leave it to Brianna to be dramatic. The Rose bedroom was small, but it wasn’t that small. “It’s a place to stay, Bri. We don’t have anywhere else to put her.”
“She can stay with me and Mom. Our guest room is way bigger than the one at the inn.”
An exasperated chuckle escaped my lips. “Not going to happen, Bri. I know what you’re trying to do here.” She just wanted the bragging rights of having someone like Layla in her house.
“Seriously, Colin, I’m not trying to do anything. Sticking Layla in that tiny bedroom is not the kind of publicity we need. We need to impress her. Just think about all the good things she’ll say about the inn. We’ll be booked up year-round.”
She had a point, and unfortunately, I had an idea. It wasn’t exactly to my favor, but it’d be all for the inn. “Fine. I know just what to do.”
Brianna squealed. “This is so exciting. I can’t believe I’m about to meet Layla Aberdeen.”
“Bye, Brianna. When she arrives, bring her back to the cottage.” I hung up just as she squealed again. She knew what my plan was going to be. Don’t get me wrong, I was a nice guy, but I really didn’t want to kiss up to the fashion diva just to get good ratings on the inn. Then again, it was a sacrifice I was going to make.
Chapter Five
Layla
There was literally nothing as breathtaking as driving down Snowflake Lane. The amount of work that was put in with all the Christmas decorations was phenomenal. It didn’t take me long to pack up a few things at my freezing house. It took longer driving to the inn with all the snow. Granted, I had a four-wheel-drive Jeep, but I still felt unsure on the slippery roads. Hopefully, I’d get used to it. I wanted a drastic change from my current lifestyle, and I got it.
Pulling up to the Snowflake Lane Inn, I couldn’t help but smile at its beauty. I parked behind Colin’s truck and stepped out, breathing in the cool, crisp air. The door to the inn opened and a young woman rushed out, her smile radiant.
Christmas With You Page 2
