by Sabrina York
“A buddy of mine makes a killing from online sales for his hand carved items.”
Drew shrugged off the suggestion. “If I did it for profit it’d take all the fun out of it. It’d feel more like a job than a hobby, you know?”
“Well, hello! You must be our new guest.”
Mack turned towards the female greeting, approving of the way Drew placed his arm around the woman and gave her peck on the cheek. She blushed ever so slightly at his attentions, her sparkling blue eyes set off by a halo of snow-white hair. The pretty woman and Drew seemed made for each other.
“I guess I am, ma’am. I’m Mack Henry.” He reached for her extended hand and shook it gently.
“Here to escape the frigid Minnesota winter,” she finished for him. “I’m Beth Brunson, Mack, and welcome to Southern Lights Mistletoe Lodge. Our goal is to make sure your stay is as pleasant and relaxing as possible.” She leaned forward to whisper. “So you’ll keep coming back for years to come.” She took his arm and led him to a desk area against the opposite wall. “Come on over here and let’s get you all signed in and comfortable. I’ve given you the Fleur de Lis suite, pending your approval, of course. I’ll ask you to fill out a card with your breakfast preferences every evening so we can be sure to have them included on the buffet in the mornings from 7:00 to 9:30.”
All business tended to, she escorted him upstairs and into a room decked out with its own Christmas tree in one corner, decorated tastefully with dozens of Fleur de Lis ornaments and clear lights. A large piece of metal wall art in a Fleur de Lis design hung above a king-sized bed decked out in a fluffy tan comforter. The door to a private bathroom stood ajar, revealing a large walk-in shower and a separate tub with whirlpool controls. They’d nestled a small personal refrigerator into a desk area that also held a pod-type coffee maker with a rack full of assorted coffees, teas, and cocoas. A large, overstuffed couch—perfectly designed for afternoon napping—rounded out the living area.
“I definitely approve.” Mack stifled a yawn, heard the couch calling him for an afternoon nap. He’d been travelling for twenty-eight hours counting the two layovers at Dulles and Houston.
“If there’s anything you need, feel free to let us know. Our granddaughter, Mandy, is scheduled to come in this morning—helps us out in the kitchen and with housekeeping when we need her.” She checked her watch. “She may have cancelled again. That new boyfriend of hers takes precedence over us,” she whispered. She smiled as her husband brought in Mack’s duffel and placed it on the luggage stand. “We’ll leave you to settle in. Be sure to come down for snacks and the nightly meet and greet at 6:00. We have it early enough so that you can go out and eat at a restaurant if that’s what you care to do. You’re one of eight guests we have staying here tonight. But that number can change daily, of course. You and one other guest are the only two booked through Christmas and beyond.”
Was that other guest escaping the ravages of winter, as well? He thanked the couple and closed the door behind them. He scanned his surroundings and, determined not to live like a drifter for the next week, emptied the contents of his duffle bag into the provided dresser drawers. He opened the fridge, picked out a bottle of juice and finished it on the comfy couch. Succumbing to the plush stuffing, he kicked off his shoes and stretched out for a short nap. He shivered and looked for an extra blanket, with no luck. He opened the door, met up with a young woman with an armful of bedding. Her reddish hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail and stuck out of the back opening of a black and gold New Orleans Saints baseball cap. Obviously, the granddaughter-housekeeper.
“Excuse me, but I’ll need another blanket, if you don’t mind.”
She faced him then, the cap’s visor shielding her eyes but giving him full view of lips pursed in absolute disdain. She handed him a blanket from the stack she carried.
He thanked her, frowned as she turned her back on him and entered the room without a word. “Hmph,” he grumbled. “So much for southern hospitality.” He caught her turning to face him again, stiff-necked in disapproval, but closed the door on her sour expression before she could speak.
Back at the couch, he stretched out, snuggled into the soft blanket, and fell fast asleep.
Fully rested from his nap, Mack walked downstairs a few minutes shy of 6:00, hoping their idea of snacks would cure the rumbling in his stomach. He stopped, sucked in his breath at the spread before him. A long buffet table overflowed with rolls, assorted lunchmeats and cheeses, at least three types of pre-made sandwiches cut into neat triangles, and a tray full of cookies.
Drew approached carrying three large bottles of drinks, greeted him with a deep chuckle. “First one down is usually the hungriest. Grab a plate and dig in.”
Mack pulled a plate from the stack and reached for a sandwich. “Don’t have to tell me twice. I haven’t eaten a decent meal since noon yesterday.”
Beth exited a door he assumed was the kitchen, carrying another tray of pastries. “You poor thing—you must be famished.”
Mack nodded. “I am, but I’m about to fix that.” He bit into a chicken salad sandwich and grunted in approval.
She laughed, obviously delighted at his enthusiasm. “And FYI, our kitchen is always open. If you get the urge for leftovers or a PB & J at midnight, come on down and help yourself to whatever you find.”
Drew appeared once more, this time placing an ice bucket next to the drinks. “You know, the majority of our guests drive in and have their own vehicles to get around. You didn’t mention renting a car or anything—did you plan to?”
“It could happen. I wanted to get the lay of the land first. Some people’s idea of secluded translates to walking distance for others.”
Drew emitted a deep rumble of laughter. “We’re further than walking distance. I can take you to rent something in the morning, if you’d like. Or tonight if you’re in a hurry.”
“Only thing I’m in a hurry to do is fill this empty spot in my belly.” Mack popped the other half of the sandwich into his mouth. He filled his plate and sat at one end of a snack bar, saving the tables for the couples entering the room.
Within minutes, the place went from quiet murmurs to boisterous laughter and conversations crossing all tables. Most couples were from nearby states, some stopping for a couple of nights on their way to New Orleans, or in the opposite direction to Texas. Another couple in their seventies had spent their last several anniversaries at the lodge. The old man had taken his wife’s hand and proclaimed they planned to do so until their death, or the lodge closed, whichever came first. He ended it with a loud smack of a kiss to her lips, drawing a round of applause and one jesting “Get a room!”
The woman’s reply of “We already did!” drew a second round of laughter.
“Oh, my goodness—that’s what you call cuteness overload.”
The velvety smooth voice at the opposite end of the bar had Mack twisting in his chair, eager to get a glimpse of the owner. “You must have snuck up on me while I wasn’t looking.” He reached over and extended his hand. “Hello, I’m Mack Henry.”
“Natalie Bradford—and we’ve met.” She lifted her gaze to him and her full lips twisted in smirk. “I’m a little curious to know what it was about me that made you assume I was the housekeeper.”
The bite of her comment landed a direct punch to Mack’s gut. “O—oh—I—I’m s—so sorry,” he stammered. The pretty young woman before him bore no resemblance to the young girl with the armload of bedding. “The baseball cap thing, and your hair—you looked like a kid earlier,” he admitted. No kid here, but a woman—and a beauty, at that. Rich, auburn curls framed a heart-shaped face, adorned with a touch of make-up—just enough to highlight her high cheekbones and the brightness of inquisitive green eyes. His gaze dropped to her lips, pursed in the exact same disdainful smirk she’d worn earlier. Yeah—a dead give a way.
“Don’t give it another thought.” Her left eyebrow lifted in anything but amusement. “I certainly won’t.”
“Again, I’m so sor—”
Natalie rose from the barstool and grabbed her plate in a single fluid motion, cutting him off mid-sentence. She occupied a recently cleared table—obviously preferred eating solo over being anywhere in his vicinity.
Message received and noted.
He spent the next hour speaking to everyone in the room but the red-headed beauty. Their first icy encounter had obviously set the tone, in concrete, between them.
Later, the Brunson’s invited all of them out back for a view of the stars and further fellowship around the fire-pit. They both attended, seated at the farthest point possible from each other, avoiding all eye contact. He did catch her staring into the fire at one point, the fingers of her right hand twisting the wedding band on her left ring finger. Funny he hadn’t noticed it before—he usually zeroed in on the marital status of a woman instantly.
Mack called it an early night and went to his room. He opened the police thriller he’d started reading, tried to push aside thoughts of the woman across the hall. His last conscious thought had been about how to make up for his first bad impression with her—or whether it would even be worth the effort.
2
December 21st
Natalie waited until nearly 9:00 a.m. before heading down to breakfast the next morning, hoping to avoid her neighbor across the hall. Several people crowded around the snack bar, filling the room with the buzz of their conversations. She targeted a single remaining table in the far corner, sighed in relief when she didn’t see him in the room. Hopefully, he’d eaten and headed out already. She filled her plate at the buffet and seated herself. The proprietress approached with a coffee carafe and filled her cup with the rich, aromatic brew.
“Thank you, Ms. Beth. What’s with the full house this morning?”
“I asked them to meet here so we could discuss final details of our annual Christmas hayride. Every year, we gather food items, frozen turkeys, and gifts for needy families in the area. We distribute them during the hayride, singing Christmas carols along the way. It’s a great way to relieve the stress of holiday preparations, have some fun, and do a little good for our neighbors all at the same time. I figured since these folks came out of their way to convenience us the least we could do is give them a hearty breakfast.”
“I haven’t been on a hayride since high school. Sounds like fun,” Natalie admitted.
“It was supposed to be tomorrow, but we’re moving it up to tonight because of that frontal system coming through tomorrow. It won’t serve any of us to catch pneumonia three days before Christmas.”
“Frontal system?” Natalie asked, wide-eyed. She really should turn on the TV every now and then—if nothing else, to get the local weather report.
Beth’s voice trilled with laughter. “Honey, have you been hiding under a rock the last few days? It’s mild now, but by tomorrow evening we’ll see the temps drop by nearly forty degrees. They’re talking mid-teens by the morning of the 23rd—we could even have snow for Christmas.” She paused, placed her hand on Natalie’s arm. “What’s the matter, honey? The weather in Biloxi isn’t any different from ours.”
“No—it’s just that I—uh—is there a mall near here?”
“Sure. The Prien Lake Mall in Lake Charles. You need to get in some last-minute Christmas shopping?”
“Something like that.” Natalie groaned inwardly. “Thanks, I’ll pull it up on my car’s navigational system.” She sucked in her breath at the sight of Mack Henry, standing with a plate full of food and looking for an empty seat.
“Good morning, Mack!” Beth called out to him. “I’m afraid this is the last seat in the house if you don’t mind sharing a table with this pretty lady, here.” She looked down at Natalie. “Is that okay with you, honey?”
Natalie gave Mack the once over and swallowed. Maybe Beth’s Christmas spirit rubbed off on her, but she decided it wouldn’t hurt to be nice. “Sure, mi mesa es tu mesa.” His look of confusion had her grinning. “Sit, Mr. Henry. I promise not to bite.”
“You want coffee, Mack?” Beth asked, lifting her carafe.
“Yes, please.” When she’d left to get him a mug, he set his plate down and sat across from Natalie. “Thanks. This is generous, considering our first meeting.”
“No problem. Spirit of Christmas and all…”
He flashed a grin. “Hard not to feel it here, isn’t it? I mean, this place is overflowing with Christmas joy, am I right?”
She smiled at the hint of laughter in his deep blue eyes. “Yeah, but I’ve got a feeling it’s like this all year round.”
His brow furrowed. “The decorations?”
“No—the good will to men and all. Judging from the reviews this place gets regularly from repeat guests, they’re generally nice people.”
He nodded and bit into a slice of crispy bacon. “They seem to be.”
They dug into their breakfasts, nearly identical in the items they’d chosen to fill their plates. Eventually their small talk circled to the expected frontal system.
Mack’s jaw dropped at her description of the anticipated drop in temperature. “In the teens? Are you serious?”
Natalie put down her fork, swallowed her last delicious bite of sticky bun. “That’s what I hear.”
Mack wiped his mouth on a napkin. “I need to rent a car and hit a department store. I didn’t come prepared for anything that cold.”
She frowned. “But Drew said you flew in from Minnesota. You must have something warm.”
“The clothes and coat I wore for the flight. I have jeans but thought I’d be spending a week in a warmer climate—my duffle’s full of T-shirts. People might get sick of seeing me in the same blue and tan plaid flannel shirt the entire week.”
She nodded, picturing him framed inside the doorway of his room across the hall. “Yeah, I remember seeing it.” The blue had complimented his eyes beautifully. “Just before—”
He splayed his hands before him. “I know—before I mistook you for the housekeeper. But in my defense, you had an armful of linens.”
She pursed her lips, looked down her nose at him. “In my defense, I hadn’t recuperated from a six-hour road trip the previous night. And I’d just dumped a large cup of coffee on my bed. I’d gone downstairs to ask for a fresh set of linens and insisted on changing them myself.”
“And you gave me your blanket.”
“I did.”
“Still, I shouldn’t have assumed—”
She waved off his comeback. “It’s forgotten. And as strange as this sounds, when it comes to being unprepared for winter storms, I bet I’ve got you beat.”
“How so?”
“I’ve got a suitcase full of nothing but swimwear, shorts, and sundresses.”
He leaned forward, his forearms resting on either side of his empty plate. “There’s a story there—I just know it.”
She grinned out of one side of her mouth. “I was in the New Orleans airport, on my way to the Bahamas with my parents—not my idea of a vacation, but my mother wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
“You’re from New Orleans?”
“Biloxi—we were visiting my grandmother. Anyway, my girlfriend called, looking for someone to take her reservation for this place, and I jumped at the chance.”
“How convenient. Did you two have that planned?”
“No, Pam had purchased this as her fiancé’s Christmas gift before she caught him with his assistant. When they split up, she couldn’t face coming here but couldn’t get a refund at this late date. I took her offer, rented a car, and high-tailed it over here.”
“Were your parents upset you cancelled on them?”
“They tried to act disappointed, but I’m always a third wheel around them. Those two are still crazy about each other after forty years of marriage. It’s nauseatingly sweet for someone in my position.”
“Your position?”
She took a deep breath and released it slowly, prepared for the change—in his tone,
mannerism or facial expression—once he heard her explanation. “My husband died last year.”
“I’m sorry.” He sounded sincere, but didn’t break eye contact with her. “Was he ill?”
“In a traffic accident.” Her thumb found her wedding band, spun it around on her finger.
“That’s tough. Again, I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you. It’s been—challenging.” She placed her napkin on her plate and sat back. “I plan to get some shopping in at the mall in Lake Charles today.”
“Could you drop me off at the nearest car rental dealership?”
“Just ride along. No use both of us renting a car.”
“You wouldn’t mind?”
“Not at all. I hate driving alone in unfamiliar cities. You could navigate for me.”
He sat back, seemed to mull it over briefly before giving her a nod. “I’ll buy you a tank of gas. When do we leave?”
She looked at her watch. “The mall is open, so I’m ready whenever you are.”
He rose and walked around the table to pull her chair out for her. “Let’s hit the road, then.”
By 2:00 p.m. Natalie had put a good dent in her wardrobe deficiency. She entered the food court and located Mack amidst the noisy throng of last-minute Christmas shoppers. He saw her and approached, clutching a single large bag. “Have you eaten yet?”
“No, I didn’t want to start without you.” He pointed at the tiny bag in her hand. “Don’t tell me that’s all you bought?”
She laughed at his ludicrousness statement. “I brought mine to the car earlier after I nearly pulled a muscle lugging all my stuff.” She lifted the remaining bag. “I found a booth selling hats and gloves on the way here. Let’s go back to the car.” She turned and started walking.
“I thought we were eating at the food court. I’m kind of hungry.”
“I called Beth for the name of a good restaurant. She recommended a diner over by the bus depot—the owner’s a friend of theirs and Beth claims it’s the best food in town from burgers to seafood.”
