by Sabrina York
She didn’t have the time to stop anyway, so she’d have to do it after her meeting. Bella flopped onto her bed, and Emily waved a greeting to Jackie as she passed by her on her way to the office. After stowing her coat, she faxed the tree list to Stan at the lodge. She chatted with Jackie and explained she was meeting Jean while she selected a few pastries and put them on a plate and chose a table in the corner, where there was less chance of her meeting being disturbed. She retrieved Sara’s red binder and put it in front of her place at the table and made herself a chai tea latte while she waited for Jean.
A few minutes later, a young woman with blonde hair carrying a large folder with the city emblem came through the door. Emily moved from behind the counter to greet her. “Hi, you must be Jean. I’m Emily, Sara’s sister.”
“Yes, great to meet you and thanks for suggesting coffee. I love this place,” her eyes sparkled.
“I’ve got us set up over in the corner.” Emily pointed to their table. “What can I get you to drink?”
“I would love a caramel macchiato, thank you.” Jean made her way to the table, and Emily set about making the drink, consulting the cheat sheet Jackie left on the counter. She added the caramel syrup to the espresso and poured in the steamed milk, adding a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce on top, smiling at the finished product.
She handed Jean her drink and took her seat. “Help yourself to a pastry. I didn’t have time for breakfast this morning.”
Jean’s brows rose as she contemplated the croissant, cinnamon roll, and scone. She chose the cinnamon roll, and Emily took the blackberry scone. As she cut the first bite from the cinnamon roll, Jean explained it was her first year working for the city. She had graduated a few years ago and went to college, married, had a baby, and then decided to come back to Snow Valley and got the job at the city. “I’m a little nervous, since I know how important this event is to the mayor. It’s his first year, and he wants it to be perfect.”
“I’m new to the event, but my sister has put it together for the last ten years, so I’m sure it will be wonderful. I met with Carol out at the lodge yesterday, and everything is in order. She needs a headcount from you.”
Jean opened the folder. “We’ve got eighty-one kids coming.” She handed Emily a spreadsheet. “Here’s the breakdown with first names and ages. We’ve limited it to age five through fifteen. No parents attend. It’s strictly for the kids. We have police officers from the city who will be serving as chaperones so the parents don’t have to be concerned about the well-being of their kids. I’ve added all the staff members who will be helping at the bottom of the list.”
“Terrific. I’ll make sure we have enough goody bags for everyone, and Sara said to make extras so those with young siblings could take them home.”
Jean smiled as she chewed another bite of cinnamon roll. “Aww, what a great idea. After looking at the file, I think I’m more excited than the kids. I can’t wait to go.”
Emily laughed and said, “I know. I feel the same way.”
They discussed the game stations the city would be manning, including bingo, the memory match game, a coloring station, and the Christmas crafts area. Jean consulted her folder again. “We’ll deliver all the games and craft supplies on Friday so you can get things arranged. Our maintenance staff will be at the lodge Saturday morning to help with any setup needs. They’re tied up Friday afternoon with the tree lighting. You’re coming, aren’t you?”
Emily shrugged. “I hadn’t given it much thought, not with all this,” she put her hand on top of the red binder. “I could probably take a break and make time for it though. It’s been a long time since I’ve been home for Christmas.”
“You should definitely come. I’m excited to be back for it this year. I’ve missed it being away.” Jean scooped up her last bite of cinnamon roll. “This was so yummy. Thanks again for treating me.”
“Of course, my pleasure. I’ll be in touch with any issues, and if not, I’ll see you at the lodge Saturday morning, right?”
Jean looked at her watch. “I’ve got to run. I’m meeting the mayor for an update on the tree lighting and can’t be late.”
“Great,” said Emily, with a bit too much enthusiasm. “I, uh, mean, great about the tree lighting. I’ll make sure to be there.”
As soon as she saw Jean out the door, Emily rushed to the office and grabbed her coat. “I’ll be right back, I just need to run and get a better pair of boots. Can you keep an eye on Bella?”
Jackie laughed. “Sure, but she doesn’t require much tending. It’s the other way around. She keeps an eye on us.”
Emily hurried down Main Street and pulled into Morgan’s Hardware & Lumber at the edge of town. She pulled on the old wooden door she had opened countless times before when she and Nick had spent every waking minute with each other. His dad used to joke she should be on the payroll for all the time she was at the store.
She hurried through the aisles, wandering back to the area where they kept a small selection of winter clothing and shoes in stock. Just as she picked up a pair of winter boots that looked like they would fit the bill, she heard Nick’s voice booming behind her.
“I’ve gotta get moving. I’m already late, Lori. We can deal with the invoices when I get back.”
Emily moved closer to the rack of coats next to the small display of boots and froze, her jaw clenched and her eyes squeezed shut, hoping Nick wouldn’t decide to look her way. She heard him holler a goodbye to Cindy and Holly, the women working at the counter, and let out her breath.
She checked the boxes and found her size in a nice-looking waterproof boot with a sturdy sole designed for traction on ice and snow. She tried it on and was surprised at how cushiony if felt. The faux fur lining gave it a feminine look, and although far from stylish, they would keep her warm and dry. She chose the black ones and added a cute reversible vest and took them up to the counter. They were both on sale, making her smile when she handed the younger of the two women, Holly, her credit card.
As Holly was entering the sale, she got a phone call, and Cindy took over. She handed Emily her card back and said, “You must be Sara’s sister, right? I’m in her bunco group. She told us you were coming for Thanksgiving.”
Emily signed the slip and nodded. “That’s right, just visiting for the holidays. Nice to meet you.”
Cindy put the items in a bag. “Chances are you’ll need these this week. Nice to have you in town, and don’t forget the tree lighting on Friday. You just missed Nick, but I’m sure you’ll see him downtown.” Cindy winked as she handed Emily her bag.
She got inside the Jeep and shook her head. “So much for being incognito.” If Nick didn’t know she was in town yet, he soon would. She had forgotten how small Snow Valley could be.
9
Over the next two days, Emily had little time to worry about Nick. She collected boxes of treats, toys, and decorations for the goody bags she would be making for each of the children. She visited with Mayor Bob and confirmed his appearance as Santa on Saturday, along with Lydia who would be joining him as Mrs. Claus.
Each of the children would receive a gift from Santa, and the staff at the lodge had already begun the task of wrapping each gift and attaching a tag with a name, matching the donated gifts with the wish list from each of the children.
She and Bella spent Thursday afternoon at the lodge finishing up the wrapping. She double-checked the list and poked her head into Carol’s office. “Do you have more gifts stashed somewhere? I’m missing about thirty.”
Carol put her reading glasses on and studied the sheet. “Oh, Mayor Morgan will be dropping off the rest. He committed to buying gifts not donated, so they’ll be here in the morning. We’ll work on wrapping them tomorrow.”
Nick had always been kind, like his father. She’d witnessed him give people free firewood in winter and huge discounts to those down on their luck and in need. Nick’s mother had passed away when he was young, so it had been him a
nd his dad forever. She remembered how she felt when her mother passed away and knew his dad’s death must have hit him just as hard, if not harder. She wondered when he had returned and what had brought him back to Snow Valley.
She retrieved a package of oversized index cards and wrote the tree theme, activity or game, and food description on each of them with a marker. She placed the cards in the trees Scott had positioned in the common areas and reserved the others for tomorrow. She was more of a visual person and didn’t want to take any chances anything would be forgotten. The cards would let her get a quick feel for how things would flow. They’d also make setting out the decorations and supplies easier.
She hoped she could get enough done in the afternoon tomorrow to allow time to run downtown for the tree lighting ceremony at six o’clock and maybe grab dinner at Rosie’s.
Taking care not to overload them, she placed the wrapped gifts in several huge red sacks trimmed with white fur that Santa would use to distribute the presents to the children. The staff would make sure and stash them outside and help Santa with the logistics.
It was already dark when Emily collected Bella and said her goodbyes to Marcy and Carol. She didn’t feel like going to any of the restaurants at the resort or driving downtown for dinner. After feeding Bella, she checked the fridge and decided on scrambled eggs, eating them while she stared at the bare Christmas tree. It would have to wait until after the party. She couldn’t muster the energy to decorate it.
She scrolled through her phone and saw she had missed a text from Sara. No mention of Nick this time, only checking in on the party preparations and Bella. Emily started to call her but checked the time and realized it was in the middle of the night in London. She tapped in a quick reply to let her know all was well and she promised to send photos of the lodge when it was decorated.
She had kept Nick out of her mind all day, but as she settled into bed, he dominated her thoughts. She couldn’t avoid him any longer. Tomorrow, she’d have to face him. She made up her mind to tell him how much he’d hurt her when he didn’t come with her. She wasn’t sure how to do that without sounding weak and bitter. Emily snuggled closer to Bella as she fell asleep thinking about what outfit she should wear tomorrow.
Gloomy skies and a chill in the air greeted Emily Friday morning as she pulled the Jeep from the garage. She shivered as she waited for the heater to warm up and flicked on the defroster to clear the window from the fog of Bella’s breath on the passenger side. When she parked at Latte Da, the city crew was already hard at work setting up for the night’s festivities.
Even the short walk from the Jeep to the store made her thankful she had found the warm boots she now wore with her black pants, turtleneck, and the new furry vest. The outfit wouldn’t work in trendy New York City but was warm and toasty and perfect for Snow Valley. Jackie was decked out in a sweater worthy of a gold medal in an ugly Christmas sweater contest. It even had a string of Christmas lights woven into the yarn that blinked on and off.
She smiled at Emily, wishing the customer leaving a good day. “You’re looking very, uh, festive,” said Emily, dropping her things in the office and picking up an apron.
“It’s a bit of a tradition on tree lighting day. All the businesses get in the spirit and try to best each other with the most gaudy and tacky sweaters.” She glanced down at hers and added, “This could be my year.”
The door chimed, and Emily looked up and into the steel blue eyes she hadn’t expected to see until later at the lodge. Those stormy eyes always made her heart skip a beat, and despite the years, today was no different. Her glance ventured further down Nick’s face, and she noticed the scruff of a beard he now sported. It gave the baby-face she remembered a hint of ruggedness and made her knees weaken. His smile deepened. “Hey, Em, I heard you were in town.”
She nodded, not trusting her voice. The grin that always melted her heart and made her smile was still there, as was the tiny chip in his tooth she remembered. Like the steam wafting from the cups of the couple sitting by the window, her resolve to rebuke Nick disappeared. Jackie looked between the two of them and said, “Sara had to jet off to Europe, so Emily’s stuck here taking care of both shops and your big party at the lodge.”
“That’s what my staff told me. It’s great to see you.” His smile reached all the way to the corners of his gorgeous eyes.
Two customers stepped up to the counter, and Jackie turned her attention toward them.
Nick held a piece of paper in his hand. “I, uh, just need to order some drinks for the crew.” He gestured out the window and slid the list across the counter to her. “I was hoping we could get together and talk, maybe dinner tonight, after the tree lighting?”
She studied the list of drinks. “Oh, I’m not sure about my schedule. I’ll be at the lodge working tomorrow.”
He tapped the counter with his hand. “Perfect. I’ll see you out there, and we can have dinner at the resort.”
Emily was lining up cups on the counter, trying to concentrate on the dozen drinks she had to make. “I’m not sure I’ll have time.”
He wasn’t fazed. “We can play it by ear.”
Emily felt him staring at her back as she measured out the beans. She turned around for a peek and saw an older gentleman approach Nick. “Thank goodness,” she muttered. She wasn’t sure how to dissuade him from the dinner idea, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to. The anger and hurt she felt were muddled with the old feelings she’d harbored for Nick. It was confusing.
Jackie started making the more complicated drinks, while Emily stuck to the mochas and lattes she could make quickly. Within fifteen minutes, they had all the drinks made, labeled, and placed in three drink carriers.
Nick wished the man he had been visiting with a Merry Christmas and handed Jackie his credit card. “Those look great,” he said, eyeing the festive cups. “Could I talk you into carrying one of the trays for me, Em?”
“Uh, sure, no problem. Let me get my coat.” She hurried to the back room, hoping she could avoid a long conversation during the delivery.
As they approached the tree, Nick chuckled. “I’ve always loved the tree lighting. It’s one of my favorite events in Snow Valley, but I hate to admit that I'm nervous with it being my first one as mayor.”
“You’ll do a great job. Just keep it short.” She grinned and said, “Think back to all those times we were in the audience. Did we even pay attention to what Mayor Bob said?”
He laughed. “Not a word. We were too excited to see the lights and Santa.” They took a few more steps. “You always did know what to say. I’ve missed that.” They reached the center of activity and Nick began passing out drinks. He turned to retrieve her tray and said, “Thanks for the delivery service. I’ll see you tonight?”
She waved goodbye and said, “I’ll be here.”
When she got back to the shop, Jackie had a line of people at the counter. Emily pitched in and once they were all served asked, “Are you going to be able to handle the crowd tonight?”
Jackie dipped a rag into the sanitizing solution and wiped the counter. “I’ve got reinforcements coming. Two high school students, Shavona and Angela, will be here as soon as they get out of school. We’ll be busy, but fine.”
Emily suggested an early lunch so she could be out at the resort by noon. While she waited for their soup delivery, she double-checked the list in Sara’s binder and circled the remaining items to be taken care of today. Everything was on schedule.
After a huge bowl of creamy tomato soup and half a grilled cheese sandwich, Bella and Emily wished Jackie luck and hit the road. For once, she found a parking spot near the front of the lodge. Trucks and vans were staged in the driveway and workers manning hand trucks and carrying tables were darting in and out of the building.
Bella received several nuzzles from them on her way inside, where she found her bed and settled in to watch the activity. The huge tree in the lobby was surrounded by men on ladders stringing lights and hanging
the ornaments Emily had specified. She hurried to the library, where she had left the remaining cards, and grabbed her map and some tape. It didn’t take long for her to attach the cards to each of the guest room doors, to make the delivery process easier.
By the time she was done, tablecloths had been draped over the activity and food tables. She distributed the rest of the cards, making sure the food was confined to one main area and scattering the activities around the lobby and other rooms.
With the layout complete, she concentrated on putting together the red and green goodie bags. She used the library and set up an assembly line, depositing one type of treat or toy at a time. After two hours, she took a break and made herself a latte. She wandered the lobby, watching as the stunning silver and white decorations she had chosen for the massive tree in the lobby began to take shape. She smiled over the rim of her cup, pleased with the effect.
She rolled her shoulders as she went back to the library, ready to tackle the rest of the boxes. While she was busy adding chocolate Santas to each bag, staff delivered the vibrant purple and teal ornaments for the peacock tree and the pet themed decorations for the other one. It was after five o’clock when she finished tying the ribbons through the handles of all the bags.
Carol wandered into the library, bundled in her coat. “We’re all heading to the tree lighting and will be back in the morning to finish things. You’ve got your master key, so you should be set. I hope you’ll take a break and join in the festivities downtown.”
Emily gathered the rolls of ribbon and placed them in the storage bins. “I was just finishing up and heading there myself.”
“Terrific! See you in the morning unless I run into you downtown.” Carol turned to leave and added, “You’ve done a wonderful job. Things are really coming together. I know your sister would be pleased.”
Emily finished tidying up the library and hurried toward the lobby. Her breath caught as she glimpsed the tree, white twinkle lights shining and reflecting in the dark windows. The white and silver globes, paired with shimmering ribbons and faux leaves, made for an elegant focal point. It was gorgeous. With everyone gone, the lodge was quiet and peaceful. She took a quick photo with her phone, rushed outside, made sure the door locked behind her, and slid behind the wheel of the Jeep.
