Jolene looked out the kitchen window. One by one, she could see each candle extinguish. She knew she only had a few minutes to gather her composure. “He’s not my boyfriend and she’s technically his ex-fiancé.”
“Wow. I cannot wait to hear about this tomorrow!”
“You’re not helping,” Jolene said. “In fact, you’re making things worse. I’m actually sweating over here, sis. Like I just ran a marathon level of perspiration.” She felt suddenly ill. “I bet Kiara doesn’t even sweat. She’s the type of woman that just glows. Or sparkles. She’s almost perfect.”
“Almost? What makes her not quite live up to that title?”
“The fact that she left a man like Luke.”
“And yet you keep saying he’s not your boyfriend.”
“He’s not,” Jolene asserted, her words cut off by the knock at the door. “Oh shoot! She’s back. Say a prayer for me, Rosie!”
“I pray that my sister has a fantastic story to tell me tomorrow morning, full of hilarity and embarrassing moments that will be the fodder of family jokes for many, many years to come.”
“You are the worst,” Jolene groaned.
“Love you too, sis!”
Jolene clicked off the phone call and hurried to the door.
“I was beginning to think you weren’t going to answer,” an irritated Kiara said, a scowl fixed on her face. She held the same bag Jolene had seen her with earlier in the day. “Can you please show me to my room?”
Stepping to the side, Jolene led Kiara to the guest room at the back of the house. She was grateful she’d remembered to wash the sheets after her sister’s stay. At least Kiara wouldn’t be able to complain about dog hair on the linens. She grabbed a clean towel from the top shelf of the closet and set it down on the foot of the bed.
“Just let me know what time you’d like to take a shower so we can coordinate. It takes the water heater about an hour to heat back up after use.”
“Of course it does,” Kiara quipped.
Ignoring her grumble, Jolene continued, “I usually make coffee in the morning if you’d like some. Regular or decaf?”
“Regular is fine.”
Unzipping her bag, Kiara pulled out a dress and placed it on a hanger in the closet. Jolene stood in the doorframe, watching her without meaning to be intrusive but she figured it came across that way. Kiara seemed like the type of woman who always assumed the worst.
“I’ll just let you get settled in, then. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Thank you.”
It was the first semi-nice thing Kiara said and Jolene embraced it. She had to give her the benefit of the doubt about something. She couldn’t be all bad.
Calling Ace to join her, Jolene found her place on the couch again. The movie was one she’d already seen, but she found comfort in that. Anyway, her mind was too jumbled to really pay any attention to what was on the screen. She buried down under a plush blanket and tried to get lost in the movie.
At half past ten, Jolene heard the guest room door creak open. She must’ve dozed off because her brain was muddled when she saw Kiara walk into the family room, wearing the same reindeer flannels pants she had on.
“Mind if I join you?” Kiara asked. She sat at the opposite end of the couch. “Nice jammies.”
“Oh, sure. Of course.” Jolene scooted over more, even though she was already at the edge of the cushion. “And thanks. They’re my favorite.”
“Mine too. They’re the only ones that get softer with each wash.”
“I know, right?” Jolene agreed excitedly. “I’ve tried so many other pairs but always come back to these ones.”
Kiara smiled. “Want to know a secret?” She leaned closer. “I sometimes even wear them after Christmas.”
“I don’t retire this pair to the dresser drawer until well past Valentine’s day!”
Kiara laughed. She had a beautiful laugh, a melodic one. “Do you mind if I watch with you?” She glanced to the television. “Had trouble sleeping.”
“Not at all. I’ve seen this one before, but it’s a good one. Spoiler alert—they fall in love.”
Kiara grabbed the other corner of the blanket and slid under it. “I think I’ve seen them all, too, but it doesn’t make me love them any less. Something so wonderfully reassuring about the consistency.”
“Agreed.”
Kiara looked like she was thinking about something, but if she was, she didn’t say.
At the end of the movie, just after the much anticipated sweet kiss, Jolene looked over at Kiara and swore she saw her swipe a tear from the corner of her eye.
“Still just as good as the first time I saw it,” Jolene said quietly.
“At one point in time, my life could’ve been one of these movies. That perfect fairytale.” Kiara sighed deeply. “But I had to go and ruin it.”
Jolene wondered whether or not she should let Kiara know just how much she knew about her failed relationship with Luke. To not say anything felt like lying, an omission of truth through silence.
“You know Luke and I were engaged, right? The man who’s been staying next door?” Jolene nodded slowly. Kiara continued, “This was supposed to be our honeymoon week. We had plans to have this big winter wedding. I was going to ride in on my gray dappled mare and we would say our vows in front of his family’s barn, just like his parents and grandparents all had. We hired this incredibly expensive caterer and put down deposits on all the rentals. It was going to break the bank, but it was going to be absolutely beautiful. Everything I’d ever dreamed of.”
Kiara’s description was so much more than Jolene had been able to imagine on her own, and she’d spent quite a long portion of the evening doing just that.
“It could’ve been in a movie,” Kiara said wistfully. “The perfect setting. The perfect dress. The perfect man. But I had to go and make a perfectly stupid decision that would forever change everything. If I could go back to that point in time and take it back, I would. Absolutely.”
“That’s why you’re here, then?” Jolene asked. “To work things out with Luke?”
Kiara didn’t answer. Jolene could see she’d clearly overstepped. She clicked the television off. The glow of the Christmas tree reflected tiny white star-like dots on the walls and ceiling, adding a little warmth to an otherwise cold conversation.
“What do you do for living, Jolene?” Kiara swiftly changed the subject. “Must be pretty successful to own a waterfront property like this.”
Jolene’s throat felt thick. “I just help maintain the lake house for now.” She couldn’t figure out what prompted her to, but she began to open up. “My fiancé passed away five years ago and life kind of turned upside down after that. All of my plans sort of went out the window and I’ve yet to gather them back up.”
Clearly, that wasn’t the answer Kiara had anticipated. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s alright. It actually feels good to share that. Most people already know—those who live here, at least. But I haven’t talked about it with anyone new in quite a while. I’ve wanted to.” Her thoughts went to Luke. “I used to have dreams of opening up my own store. Nothing big—just an idea for a small little place on Glenn. I just love our little downtown and wanted to be a bigger part of it. I’d built a business plan and had a large amount in savings for startup costs. But after Mark died, it just never felt like a good time to chase that dream.”
“Sometimes it’s easier to dream when someone else is dreaming with you,” Kiara said, like she was speaking from experience. “I take it you’ve been living off of your savings this whole time?”
Jolene hugged one of the throw pillows to her chest. “That and the little bit the O’Connells pay me. I don’t live an extravagant life, so it’s all I need for now.”
“By the looks of things, I would guess a large chunk of your budget goes to pay for all of this holiday décor,” Kiara teased, glancing around the room. “You really seem to love Christmas.”
“I
do. I mean, I’ve always loved it, but it’s meant more to me these last few years. Mark passed at the first part of December and I had two options—give up all hope or choose to find hope in something truly meaningful.” Jolene swallowed tightly. “And what better to hope in than the gift of heaven coming down to earth?”
Kiara smiled.
“Anyway. Someday I’ll dream my own dream, but for now I’m happy to help my friends realize theirs.” Jolene picked up the television remote. “Want to watch another?”
“I probably shouldn’t. I’m meeting Luke tomorrow and I’d prefer to not look like a walking zombie. I should head to bed again.”
At the sound of his name, Jolene’s stomach flipped.
“Goodnight, Jolene. Thank you again for letting me crash here tonight. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if you didn’t have the room available.”
“It’s no problem,” she replied. “One question. Do you mind me asking where Luke is staying tonight?”
“He said with his friend Roger just down the street.”
Jolene smiled that Luke called Roger a friend, knowing he genuinely meant it. “Night, Kiara. Let me know if you need any extra blankets or anything. That back room can get a little drafty.”
“Your home is just perfect, Jolene. Plus, I’ve got an adorable fluff ball to snuggle with if I do get cold.”
18
Luke
“ROGER, MY FRIEND, I need your advice on women.”
Luke sat across from Roger at an old pine table in the kitchen. Roger’s cabin was even smaller than the lake house and felt lived-in and cozy, with checkered red and white window coverings that matched the couch and the wallpaper and even the napkins folded on the table. It was as though Roger had picked one color-scheme and ran with it. Luke appreciated the uniformity and simplicity.
“Not sure I have all too much knowledge in that department.”
“I don’t know about that. Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t you and Mildred have a little something going on?”
“Millie’s my sweetie.” He laughed to himself. “Is it that obvious?”
“No,” Luke assured, but he wasn’t being completely honest. “I only picked up on it because I thought I caught a glimpse of you two holding hands on the carriage ride.”
Roger blushed. “I’d told her to grab a pair of gloves but she didn’t listen. Her hands were like ice cubes. She’s a stubborn one, that Millie.”
Mildred was obstinate, Luke had already noticed that. In a way, it surprised him that a man as kind and caring as Roger would be drawn to someone with Mildred’s more challenging disposition. He seemed like such a good man, and Mildred, well, in truth, she seemed like a cranky old lady.
“You’re wondering why I like her,” Roger said, like he could read Luke’s mind. “I know she’s not the easiest woman to get along with. I know a lot of people in town say some not-so-nice things about her. But you know what? She’s got the prettiest laugh. You’ve probably never heard it—it takes a lot to actually get it out of her. But when I’m able to say something that tickles her fancy and I get a little giggle from her, well, it’s just the sweetest sound in all the world. Like jingle bells.”
Luke rubbed his hands together for warmth. He noticed the fire dwindling and that it needed a few more logs thrown on to keep the flame going. He made a mental note to gather a bundle from the cord of firewood along the side of the house after Roger went to bed. He’d already been instructed not to lift a finger. That he was a guest. Luke wondered how often Roger had visitors other than Mildred and Jolene.
“You got family, Roger?” he asked. He was curious if Roger had always lived alone. Maybe he was the perpetual bachelor that Luke figured he’d one day become. Didn’t seem so bad, though. Roger had a life that Luke admired, one full of friends and love.
“I’ve got a daughter, Chelsea, who lives back east. Three grown granddaughters and the best son-in-law on the planet. I get to see them every year or so, but the older they get, the busier their schedules are with their own families. It’s hard for me to travel out to see them as often as I’d like.” He nudged his glasses. “Doris, my wife, passed away during childbirth, so it was just Chelsea and me from the get-go.”
“I’m so sorry to hear that, Roger. I had no idea.”
“Of course you didn’t, son. How could you have?” Roger replied, almost lightheartedly. “We don’t wear life’s tragedies for everyone to see, now do we? Suppose it would make life a little easier on us all if we did, though. It would sure give us a lot more grace with one another if we could get just a small glimpse of what others have gone through.” He wrung his crinkled hands together, one over the other. “People like my Millie wouldn’t be judged so harshly, I’m certain of that.”
There was so much truth in that statement that Luke had to pause just to let it all sink in. Everyone had their own stories—their own joys and their own grief. No one was immune from life’s hardships, but no one was without reason to celebrate, either. It seemed to Luke that many of the Merrylark residents he’d met so far had found the perfect balance for that.
“Anyway, it’s getting too late for this old geezer. Now, just what was your question about women?”
Luke looked at the clock. It read half past ten. “It can wait until tomorrow. I should get to bed myself. Thanks again for letting me stay here, Roger. It’s greatly appreciated. From picking me up on the highway to giving me a place to rest my head, you’ve sure come to my rescue these last few days.”
“That’s what friends are for.” Rising slowly, Roger stood from the table and shuffled to the front door. He grabbed a scarf from the hall tree hook and wrapped it twice around his neck. “I’m going to get some more wood for the fire before I retire for the evening.” He lifted a halting hand when Luke started to get up from his chair to assist him. “Just sit right back down, son. There are some tasks a man needs to do for himself to still feel like a man. Building his own fire is one of them.”
“I’m not going to argue with you on that,” Luke said as he lowered back down. “Just holler if you need some help, though. No shame in taking it.”
Roger waved Luke off again and opened the front door, letting in a rush of cold that swirled around the house. Shivering, Luke rubbed his biceps with his palms. He couldn’t wait to curl up under that plush blanket spread over the back of the couch. Roger had offered up his room, but Luke couldn’t accept it. In fact, he was actually looking forward to crashing on the couch in the living room. It reminded him of the Christmases back when he was a kid and would sleep on the sofa. Even with his eyes shut, he could see the glimmer of the twinkling tree lights behind his eyelids. He always dreamt of Christmas morning on those nights, the tree’s glow carrying into his dreams like some sort of holiday magic. It bothered Luke when his dad would have a fire in the fireplace on those nights. Didn’t he know that Santa would be coming down the chimney? His father had assured him that Santa wore thick soled boots that could withstand the heat. Plus, after spending a year at the North Pole, surely he appreciated the extra warmth.
Luke smiled to himself.
“All set.” Roger stumbled back into the house, a bundle of logs tucked under his arm. His shoulders were coated with a powdery dusting of white snow. “Starting to come down out there. If it keeps up, we might have to dig your truck out of the driveway in the morning. Forecasters said we could get up to a foot.”
“Wouldn’t that be something.” Luke’s voice was tinged with awe.
“Don’t get a lot of snow in your neck of the woods?” Roger pulled the metal curtain back from the fireplace and placed a log on the top of the dwindling fire. The new piece popped and sizzled loudly.
“Don’t get any snow, actually. We’re in the valley so the most we ever get is an impressive hailstorm. Decent sized, though. One time one hit my grandma’s car and as she would tell the story, that piece of hail was the size of a golf ball.”
“So you’ve never experienced a white Christmas?”
“Not unless you count the year my dad accidentally put the liquid dishwashing soap in the dishwasher. We had fluffy white bubbles clear out to our living room.”
Roger shook his head, laughing. “Sounds like something my Millie would do.”
Luke liked the way Roger called her ‘his Millie.’
“So tell me what we can we do to convince you to hang around long enough to experience a true Merrylark White Christmas?”
“That’s still a couple weeks away, Roger. I’ve only got the lake house rented for three more days,” Luke answered.
“I’m sure we could find a place for you. You could sleep on my couch for as long as you like. It’s all yours.”
“That’s awfully nice, but I do have a life to get back to.”
“It’s a shame that you’ve created one here, then,” Roger teased. “I know I don’t just speak for myself when I say we’ve all become pretty fond of you, Handley.”
“The feeling’s mutual. That Merrylark magic everyone talks about has cast its spell on me.”
“Magic.” Roger tilted his head and shrugged. “Love. Same difference.”
Hearing that four letter word made the hair on Luke’s neck stand on end. He wasn’t falling in love, was he? There was no way. Four days wasn’t long enough to feel that way about someone.
But there was no other word to describe his growing feelings for Jolene. He was way passed just merely liking her. In fact, at this point, he’d never felt this way about anyone. Not even Kiara.
Kiara.
She hadn’t been thrilled when he’d told her tonight wouldn’t be a good night to talk after all. He’d ended things on such a beautiful note with Jolene that the last thing he wanted was for Kiara to spoil that. Whatever she needed to speak with him about would have to wait until the next day. It had already waited six months. One more sleep wouldn’t be a big deal.
“I can see my mention of a certain word has gotten you dreaming,” Roger said, pulling Luke from his thoughts. “That, or it’s past your bedtime.”
“Maybe a little of both,” Luke admitted, yawning. “I should probably try to get some sleep.”
A Lake House Holiday: A Small-Town Christmas Romance Novel Page 13
