Christmas On Main Street

by Leeanna Morgan

  “He also told me how much you mean to him.” Mark’s voice had lowered to a whisper. “I hope you have a happy life together.”

  Emma heard the regret in Mark’s voice. It tore at her heart. Even though they were adults, they were just as emotionally fragile as Molly and Dylan. “I hope my relationship with Jack works out, too. He’s an important person in our lives.”

  She didn’t want to end their conversation there, so she forced a smile onto her face. Hopefully, it gave her voice an extra boost of positivity. “I took some photos of Dylan and Molly while they were helping me cook dinner. They looked cute with their aprons tied around their waists and big spoons in their hands. I’ll email them to you.”

  “I’d appreciate it. I’d better go. It’s getting late and you’ll have things you want to do.”

  This time, Emma’s smile was genuine. “You’re saving me from helping Molly load the dishwasher. But you’re right, I’d better go. She asked if Snowflake could help her.”

  “That sounds ominous.”

  “That’s what I thought, too. Have a good night.”

  “You, too.”

  After Emma ended the call, she stared at the phone. She was meeting Jack tomorrow for coffee. That would be soon enough to talk about his visit to Evergreen. For now, she had a kitchen to clean and a kitten who might need rescuing.

  And then she’d go and see what Dylan was doing.

  “I ordered you a cappuccino and a lemon and honey muffin.”

  Emma sat in the seat opposite Jack. “Thanks. I’m sorry I’m late. I had to spend some extra time with a client.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I checked a few emails while I was waiting. How was your morning?”

  “Interesting. A man I’ve never met before called me about designing his website. He’s a friend of Noah’s.”

  “Does it look as though it will be an interesting job?”

  Emma smiled. “It’s going to be amazing. He’s a talent scout for a record company. The story he wants his website to tell is different from anything else I’ve seen.”

  “When will you start?”

  “In three weeks.”

  The waitress brought their order across to their table.

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. If you need anything else, just ask.”

  Emma waited until Jack’s sandwich and coffee were in front of him before cutting her muffin in half. “This looks delicious.”

  Jack smiled. “The coffee at this café is the best in Sapphire Bay. I had lunch with Granddad yesterday. He wants you to know how much he enjoyed Mabel’s book launch.”

  “I’m glad he could make it. It’s hard to believe he’s eighty-one.”

  “Sometimes I forget, too.”

  Emma took a sip of coffee. If she didn’t tell Jack that she knew he’d been to Evergreen, she’d have another sleepless night. “Mark called the twins yesterday.”

  Jack cleared his throat. “Is he okay?”

  “He’s accepted the job at the resort in Bigfork.”

  “Good for him. I hope it lives up to his expectations.”

  “I’m sure it will. He told me you saw him a few days ago.”

  Jack carefully placed his coffee cup on the table. “I didn’t tell you I was going to Evergreen because I knew what you’d say.”

  “Did it sound anything like, ‘I can look after myself’?”

  “It sounded similar,” Jack muttered.

  “Just for the record, I don’t need looking after.”

  “You’ve told me that before.”

  “You haven’t been listening.”

  Jack sighed. “I want to make sure you’re okay.”

  Emma broke off a piece of muffin and left it on the side of the plate. “I’m more than okay. I was surprised when Mark turned up unexpectedly, but it wasn’t the end of the world.”

  “Not this time. What if he does it again?”

  “Then that would be different. My lawyer told me to call her if Mark didn’t follow the parental agreement. Having said that, I want to thank you. I don’t know what else you said to Mark, but it worked. He apologized for coming to Sapphire Bay and for not telling me he wanted to see the twins. I didn’t expect an apology, but it was appreciated.”

  “Will you let him see more of Molly and Dylan when he’s living in Bigfork?”

  “I don’t know. We’ll see how the visits go. Promise me that next time you have an overwhelming urge to protect me or the twins, you’ll tell me. You might be surprised by my answer.”

  Jack’s eyebrows rose. “Does that mean you’ll let me help you?”

  “Only if you catch me at a vulnerable moment.” Emma grinned. “But be warned. They don’t come along too often.”

  “I’ll remember.” Jack lifted his coffee cup off the table. “To friendship and love, and everything in between.”

  Emma tapped her cup against Jack’s. “That sounds like a good toast to me. Are you looking forward to the Santa Claus parade and night market this Saturday?”

  “I am. Do you still want me to look after Molly and Dylan?”

  Emma nodded. “That would be great. I have to be on call to fix any problems. Hopefully, there won’t be too many.”

  “At least you don’t have to worry about the twins. After Granddad has finished playing Santa, we’ll join Noah and Cassie. There will be plenty of people around them to keep Molly and Dylan amused.

  Emma knew who the stallholders and food vendors were. Dylan and Molly would have no issue keeping themselves amused—especially when all their favorite foods were on one street.

  She just hoped the first Christmas events went according to plan. If anything major happened, five thousand ticket holders wouldn’t be amused. And neither would Emma.

  “Can you believe it’s only three days until the first Christmas event?” Pastor John asked.

  Emma sighed. “The time has gone by so quickly. I’m glad everything is on track for the Santa Claus parade and the night market.”

  Bailey placed her cup of coffee on Emma’s kitchen table. “I visited each of the stores on Main Street. Everyone’s displays look incredible. And I’ve got to say, the miniature Christmas trees outside each store are stunning.”

  “Wait until tonight,” Kylie said. “When everyone turns on their fairy lights, the whole street will be magical.”

  Emma looked down at her spreadsheet. For the last hour, the entire fundraising committee had gone through each of this weekend’s events line by line, double checking that every task had been completed.

  “Talking about magical, the snow machine truck will be in Sapphire Bay at four o’clock on Saturday afternoon. The driver said it would take no more than an hour to fill Main Street with thick, white snow.”

  John turned to the next page of tasks. “It’s just as well there aren’t any horrible chemicals in the compound. The last thing we need is everyone getting red, itchy rashes.”

  “What about when it melts?” Bailey asked.

  “I can answer that one,” Kylie said. “It’s totally biodegradable, environmentally friendly, and won’t leave any stains or marks on the sidewalk. Or that’s what the company told us.”

  “I spoke with six other event organizers who have used the artificial snow. They were all impressed and didn’t have any issues with it.” Emma took a quick sip of coffee before looking at the next line on the spreadsheet. “The Mothers’ Motorcycle Club arrives in Sapphire Bay on Saturday afternoon. I invited them to my place for coffee and something to eat. After they’ve pulled Santa’s sleigh down Main Street, they’ll drive south until they find somewhere to stay for the night.”

  John looked up from reading the spreadsheet. “If they change their mind and want to stay in Sapphire Bay, let me know. The Welcome Center is usually full, but we could ask the members of our church if they could look after them.”

  “That would be great, thanks.” Emma made a note on the side of the spreadsheet and moved to the next item. “All the st
allholders and businesses along Main Street are ready for the night market. The food vendors are excited and, for everyone with a sweet tooth, Brooke has created a special limited edition fudge for the fundraiser. I’ve added a pre-order link to our website.”

  Kylie picked up her phone. “I’m on the website now. The fudge is called Christmas Hope. It looks yummy.” She turned the phone around so everyone could see the photo.

  The creamy white chocolate bars were filled to overflowing with cranberries, green cherries, and soft, gooey marshmallow. Just looking at the photo made Emma’s mouth water.

  “My mom and sisters would love the fudge,” Bailey said. “I’ll order some after our meeting.”

  Emma had a feeling Bailey wouldn’t be the only person in the room making sure they didn’t miss out. “Well, that covers this weekend’s events. Does anyone have anything else they want to talk about?”

  “I do.” John opened a large folder he’d brought with him. “We’ve collected more than a thousand Christmas wishes from people who responded to the Facebook post. What do we want to do with them?”

  Kylie read the sheets of paper John handed to her. “Can we help some more people?”

  “We could, but it takes a lot of time,” Emma said.

  Bailey looked up from the list she was reading. “You’ve already helped some people. But this number of requests would be a full-time job for a team of people, not just one or two. We almost need a separate Christmas wish committee.”

  John sighed. “I was hoping you wouldn’t say that. I’m trying to limit the number of committees we have in the church. Administering them is a big job.”

  Kylie glanced at Bailey. “John’s right. It’s the behind-the-scenes work that takes a lot of time. But the committee doesn’t need to be associated with the church.”

  “The same group of people who manage the Christmas events could look after the Christmas wishes.” John pointed to their spreadsheet. “Next year’s program will be less time-consuming to organize because we already have the project plans and we’ll know what works and what doesn’t.”

  Kylie nodded. “If everyone’s happy to combine the Christmas program with the Christmas wishes, what do you think about making more wishes come true this year? Even if we only help a few more people, it would be better than nothing.”

  Emma smiled at the excitement on her friends’ faces. “I’d like to keep going. Toby was so overwhelmed with the bicycle that it made me want to help someone else.”

  “I’m in,” Bailey said.

  John gathered the papers in front of him. “I can’t do a lot of hours, but I’d like to help, too.”

  Emma smiled. “It’s a unanimous decision—we’re going to make more Christmas wishes come true. The only other thing we need is a name for our group. Does anyone have a suggestion that doesn’t include the word, committee?”

  Kylie tapped her pen on the table. “What about Santa’s Elves? They make gifts and give them to the children who have asked for them. It ties in with the wishes theme.”

  “It’s better than Rudolph’s Secret Helpers,” Bailey said with a grin.

  “I know,” Emma exclaimed. “Why don’t we combine Kylie and Bailey’s ideas? We could call ourselves Santa’s Secret Helpers.”

  John stared thoughtfully across the table. “I like it. As long as you don’t expect me to wear red tights and a short green tunic, I vote for the combined suggestion.”

  Emma looked at Bailey. “Are you happy to call our group, Santa’s Secret Helpers?”

  “Absolutely. But how secret are we talking? Can we tell our families and friends what we’re doing?”

  John frowned. “We could tell everyone we’re organizing the Christmas events, but I wouldn’t mention the wishes. We’d be inundated with requests for help.”

  “If someone realizes what we’re doing, we could say we’re delivering the wishes on behalf of someone else,” Emma said.

  Bailey leaned forward. “Or let people’s wishes come true without them knowing who’s helped them.”

  John smiled. “Now that we have a name, why do I feel more excited about what we’re doing?”

  “Because it’s a secret,” Kylie said. “And everyone loves a good secret.”

  And this one, Emma knew, was one of the best secrets of all.

  Chapter 20

  Jack grinned at his Granddad. “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you were the real Santa Claus.”

  Patrick stroked his long, white beard. “Cassie did a good job of getting me ready.”

  “The pillows helped, too,” Noah added as he patted his grandfather’s stomach. “As long as you don’t move too quickly, everything should stay in place.”

  With a hip wiggle that would have impressed any dancer, Patrick jiggled his stomach. “The extra padding isn’t going anywhere.”

  Emma hurried toward them. “The Mothers’ Motorcycle Club is ready. How’s Santa?”

  “I’ve got my royal wave sorted and my ho-ho-ho’s are ready to go.”

  “All we need is Mrs. Claus.” Emma frowned as she searched the street where they were waiting. “Has anyone seen Kathleen?”

  A tall woman with dark brown hair strode toward them. “Mom’s coming. We had a problem with her dress.”

  Mrs. Claus followed her daughter around the edge of the building.

  Jack looked at the two women and smiled. Apart from what they were wearing, Kathleen and her daughter were like two peas in a pod. They had the same oval face, startling blue eyes, and pixie nose.

  “I’m sorry I’m late,” Kathleen said as she caught her breath. “The zipper in my dress broke and we had to buy some safety pins from the general store.”

  Patrick cleared his throat. “You look lovely, Kathleen.”

  If Jack weren’t mistaken, a blush filled Mrs. Claus’s cheeks. “Thank you, Patrick. You look handsome in your suit, too.”

  From beneath his bushy beard, Patrick smiled. “Shall we find our sleigh?”

  Kathleen grinned. “We shall.”

  Patrick held out his hand and Kathleen placed her white-gloved fingers in his.

  Emma checked her watch. With a relieved smile she looked at Jack. “We’re still on time. I need to go, but I’ll send you a text when I’m finished.”

  “Don’t rush. Molly and Dylan will have a good time with us.”

  Emma looked over her shoulder at Patrick and Kathleen. “I know they will. I’ll see you later.”

  Jack watched Mr. and Mrs. Claus make their way toward the sleigh. “Why do I feel like I’m in a Hallmark movie?” he murmured to his brother.

  “Because love is in the air,” Noah whispered back.

  Jack’s eyebrows rose. “I thought I was the only person who knew Granddad liked Kathleen.”

  “Are you kidding? He goes to the candy shop at least three times a week. Granddad has a sweet tooth, but no one needs that much fudge.”

  “We give him a big discount,” Natalie said. “Patrick is our favorite customer.”

  Jack turned to Kathleen’s daughter and shook her hand. “We haven’t met. I’m Jack.”

  “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Natalie.”

  “Do you think we need to chaperone Mr. and Mrs. Claus?”

  Natalie grinned. “They’ll be okay. Mom promised me she’d be on her best behavior.”

  Jack almost groaned. It sounded as though her mom had the same sense of humor as his grandfather. It was no wonder Patrick enjoyed seeing Kathleen so much.

  “Mom always has a coffee with Patrick when he comes into the store. They’re good friends.”

  Jack knew it was more than that, but he wasn’t going to tell Natalie.

  When Patrick was halfway down the street, he turned around. “Are you boys coming? Cassie and the twins will wonder where you’ve gone.”

  “We’re coming.” Jack knew for a fact the twins wouldn’t be worried. The last time he’d checked, they were in their favorite store, choosing a new toy with Cassie.

  D
eciding to follow his grandfather’s lead, Jack held out his arm to Natalie. “Shall we follow Mr. and Mrs. Claus into the sunset?”

  “I don’t mind if we do.” And with her other hand wrapped around Noah’s arm, Natalie grinned. “Do you think Patrick will ask Mom to go on a date with him?”

  Jack almost tripped over his feet. “You know?”

  “The whole of Sapphire Bay knows they like each other. They just need a little push.”

  Noah smiled. “You’re in the right company. Jack’s really good at telling other people how to run their lives.”

  Even though what Noah said was true, Jack felt a moral obligation to stand up for himself. “I might have ideas about how to tweak a relationship, but that doesn’t mean I’m perfect.”

  But he was working on it. And later tonight, he would know for sure whether the major tweak he was about to make would work.

  Emma held her breath as the marching band strutted down Main Street. The crowd clapped and cheered as trombones, trumpets, and drums provided a musical backdrop to the costume-clad children skipping down the street.

  Next came the special floats that different groups had been working on for the last few weeks. The Christmas theme had been twisted and turned into a modern-day feast of color and light.

  With a thick layer of snow lining the sidewalk and Christmas elves handing gifts to the eager crowd, there was something here for everyone.

  “You did good, Emma Lewis.” Jack wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed the side of her face.

  Emma leaned into him and smiled. Molly and Dylan were beside him, sucking on the biggest lollipops she’d ever seen. “Thank you. I’ve got my fingers crossed that nothing happens. It looks as though the twins are enjoying themselves.”

  “The lollipops are sugar-free.”

  “Really? Did Molly tell you that?”

  “Do I look that gullible?” Jack asked with a smile. When Emma didn’t reply he laughed. “Okay. I’ll admit that Dylan told me the lollipops are sugar-free. But in my defense, I did check with the stallholder. They assured me they had the lowest sugar content of any candy they sold.”