by Elle Rush
That’s when they’d discovered Fitz had been letting things slide long before he’d left for vacation, one of the results of which was letting the long-time Totally Iced contract lapse. Rudy found an ancient to-do list buried in the files. It was what had originally sent him to the bakery. Then he learned about Vivian Singleton’s heart attack and Kris stepping in. Rudy let it go, figuring everyone had moved on, which was a shame, because losing Totally Iced left a hole in the hearts and stomachs of long-time customers.
Which led Rudy back to the cinnamon buns. He should have bought four.
“Are you telling me you don’t want to know which author’s book Kris is waiting for? Because I’ve got a call scheduled with Marie later,” Tucker continued.
“I’ll bring you another one tomorrow.”
“Thanks. By the way, you have two messages you want, and one you don’t. You also asked me to remind you about the Christmas party board meeting this afternoon. Shout if you need me while I’m enjoying this fine cinnamon bun.”
Rudy put the delectable baker out of his mind for the time being. The concert tickets had been the latest in a long line of unsuccessful attempts to get Kris to say yes to a date. He needed a new approach. With North Pole Unlimited approaching its busiest season, he was afraid he’d have to put his plans on hold until the new year, and he had already waited for her long enough.
He flipped through the message sheets and stopped when he got to the one from head office. He’d reported back to December regularly when he inherited the mess in Calgary with his transfer and promotion, but those calls had become fewer and further between. He couldn’t imagine what they were checking on now, unless there was a problem with the extra seasonal help he’d hired.
He emailed Nick Klassen to let him know he was back in the office, but instead of a phone call, his computer screen beeped with an incoming video call.
Rather than the close-up of one person’s face, Rudy found himself looking at the wide shot of three people huddled around a desk: Nick Klassen, the VP of Human Resources who had to approve his staffing paperwork; Jilly Lewis, Nick’s assistant; and, oddly, Graham Smith. Rudy recognized him from the company’s website, but he had no idea why the vice-president of Foodservices would be in on a call with him.
“Rudy, are you familiar with the Totally Iced Bakery in Calgary?” Graham asked.
“Yes.”
“And their relationship with North Pole Unlimited?”
“I am, to the extent that there currently isn’t a relationship, since Fitz didn’t sign them to participate in this year’s catalogue.”
Jilly slapped Graham in the arm. “I told you so,” she said.
“Sean was supposed to contact them months ago,” Graham said. Jilly poked him, and he stopped speaking long enough to glare at her until she retreated to her chair. “Although it’s too late for the catalogue, we still want them to participate in the Twelve Sales for Christmas promotion. I’m sure they’ll be amenable.”
“I doubt it,” Rudy said.
“Why?”
“Because Vivian Singleton had a heart attack a few months ago. Her niece Kris has temporarily taken over the bakery.”
“I heard about that, but I also heard that she was doing well. Is Vivian not back yet?” Jilly asked.
“Not till the new year, so they’re still shorthanded. We can’t ask them to take on a contract that generally has a three-month production time and ask them to do it in four weeks. Do you know how many cookies that is?”
“Four hundred dozen, or four thousand eight hundred delectable chocolate meringues,” Jilly said without hesitation. When they all stared at her in stunned silence, she stared back. “What part of ‘these cookies are very important to me’ was unclear?”
“As important as they may be, you do understand that I’d be approaching them cold for a holiday season treat in the middle of the holiday season. I don’t think it’s realistic to expect a yes,” Rudy said.
“Then make it realistic. I want my meringues!”
“Jilly, cool it,” Nick ordered. “Sorry, Rudy. Will you make the offer anyway? We could fly Hollis Dash in to deliver the contract, but since you’re in the area and already know them, you could save us a few steps, and possibly a few days.”
Rudy wasn’t going to turn down a chance to see Kris, even if he already knew what her answer would be. “Sure, send it.”
Graham looked relieved, but exhausted. “Thank you, Rudy. We’ll email it to you this afternoon.” When Jilly coughed, loudly, Graham corrected himself. “I mean we’ll send it this morning.”
Jilly leaned right into the camera. “You’re wonderful, Rudy,” she said. “If you need my help with anything, anything at all, ask me. I’ll be right there. Please send my good wishes to Vivian for a continued speedy recovery.”
After that conversation, the rest of the morning went smoothly, until Tucker interrupted. “Rudy? Cynthia is on line one again. She said to tell you specifically it’s about today’s committee meeting,” Tucker called from his desk in the other room.
“Put her on hold for a minute.”
He needed longer than that. Cynthia Quinn tried his patience in an entirely different way than Kris. The pretty baker was a challenge in a fun, exciting way. Cynthia was a challenge in a ‘try to remember, homicide carries a life sentence’ kind of way, and he couldn’t seem to get away from her.
He didn’t understand why the woman had joined the North Calgary Christmas Party committee in the first place. Cynthia didn’t like kids, thought volunteering was a waste of her time, and had told him more than once she thought Christmas was best spent on a beach. When he’d asked why she was making herself miserable, Cynthia admitted she wanted to get her new party-coordinator business some exposure in the community.
He, on the other hand, had been excited to step into the role in Fitz’s absence. Not only did Rudy like the idea of paying back the community centre he’d played in as a kid, he’d also held similar volunteer positions in the past, so he knew what he was getting into.
At least it wasn’t a conference call with the third member of the committee. Warren Massey was in charge of the Present Project and wasn’t any better. He had only managed to attend two of the last ten meetings on time. The man seemed to think handing out a box of swag covered in company logos was the beginning and end of his responsibilities. Thankfully the fourth member, Jennifer Chang, was an experienced committee leader who had the parent volunteers well in hand.
He took a breath and pressed the button. “Hello, Cynthia.”
“You have to help me, Rudy. That woman is insisting we serve hot dogs and chips to the children. I don’t want to do hot dogs. I suggested a nice mushroom risotto. When she said no to that, I compromised to charcuterie, so she could have her “finger food”, but that wasn’t good enough either.”
That woman was Kris, who had taken her aunt’s place as the fifth and final person on the committee. Even if he weren’t in hot pursuit, he would have sided with her on this argument. “Cynthia, kids don’t want risotto or charcuterie. They want hot dogs and chips and juice boxes and cookies.”
“But hot dogs! Couldn’t we at least do a nice bratwurst and some artisanal or Dijon mustard?”
Yes, because all preschoolers would prefer Dijon over ketchup. “You can mention it, but the menu choices were approved by Jennifer, and the parents’ representative, two meetings ago. It’s too late to change things now.” Not that she’d stop trying.
Rudy liked the idea of the community party. He got a kick out of it on a personal level. A bunch of sugared-up kids running around cheering for Santa put him in the Christmas spirit quicker than anything else. The North Calgary Community Christmas party had always existed; always being as far back as he could remember. He was honoured to be a part of it. The fact it was good for business was a distant second. North Pole Unlimited was all about making Christmas special; supporting the event had been an easy decision for the company.
“You’ll
be at the meeting?”
“Yes, I’ll be there.” He had to be; he was the committee chair. It was his job to ensure all the food, presents and party events were on track. With less than a month to go, it was all about the details at this point.
“Maybe we could go out for drinks after to discuss the menu,” Cynthia suggested.
“I already have plans,” he said. He’d make some if he had to.
“We’ll see. Looking forward to seeing you, Rudy.” She ended the call before he could correct her.
“Aargh!”
“Boss?”
“I will pay you to run over my foot to get me out out of that meeting. Nothing too debilitating, just a couple toes.” He could limp for a week. He wouldn’t mind.
“Sorry, Rudy, I can’t help you. Besides, you need to be there.”
“Why?” Aside from the kids depending on him for a holiday party, the corporate sponsorships he’d already taken money for, and the fact he’d given his word to participate, he couldn’t think of a single reason why he had to go.
“A little birdy told me Kris will need probably some extra support,” Tucker said. His assistant looked at him, eyes big and guileless. “But you have your own problems to worry about.”
“Clear my schedule. Nothing is keeping me from that meeting.”
Chapter 3
Kris
Kris’s boots gripped the packed snow as she crossed the parking lot, announcing her presence with a squeak each time she took a step. Calgary weather was unpredictable at the best of times, but this November had been persistently and unrelentingly cold. A blizzard at the beginning of the month had dropped six inches of snow, and they still had all of it. Kris still held out hope for a Chinook to melt it before Christmas, but it wasn’t looking good. Winter was here to stay until at least March.
It would give them a white Christmas, though, and that was something to look forward to. It had snowed when she lived in Toronto, but that was a heavy, damp snow that permeated to the bone. Calgary was a dry cold, and yes, to her surprise, it did make a difference.
The bakery was closed for the day, and she should be on her way home, but this job was an unexpected addition to her regular duties; she had to replace Aunt Vivian and her commitments to the local community centre. In the summer, it had only been a few hours a week. As the holidays grew closer, Kris constantly added meetings and tasks to her to-do list. She didn’t mind. It was for a good cause, and it gave her more opportunities to see Rudy.
The committee met in one of the centre’s bare-bones meeting rooms, which consisted of a table and half a dozen chairs. Rudy called the group to order, reviewed the minutes from the last meeting, and opened the floor to new business.
Warren spoke first. “I bought a bunch of toques which were on sale for the gift bags, and I found a bulk place to purchase candy canes. That should be good enough.”
“No. We have a budget, and Jennifer sent everyone copies of what needs to be purchased. This was the job you signed on for, Warren. You can’t back out now,” Rudy said.
“Fine. I’ll try to get to it this week.”
“Excellent. I’ll let our sponsoring stores know to expect your call.” At first, Kris had deferred to the other committee member, trusting him to get it done. The last month had taught her to be proactive.
“What about hiring a Santa for the party?” Rudy asked.
“I called everyone on the list you gave me.” An exasperated look crossed Warren’s face. “I even used my work contacts, but I couldn’t find a single available St. Nick. I’m expanding my search to Airdrie and Okotoks. I’ll go all the way to Red Deer if I have to. You’d think those character actor people would appreciate the opportunity for such a good corporate gig for a couple hours work.”
“You’d think,” Rudy said, and Warren nodded.
Kris had no idea how Warren missed the sarcasm.
“Next. Food. Kris, we finalized the menus at the last meeting. How goes finding a supplier?”
She quickly pulled out her own notes. “We’re good. I confirmed the meal with Jennifer and the parents’ group last week. I’m ordering everything through Totally Iced’s suppliers, and I’ll hand in the receipts after the party for reimbursement.”
“Hot dogs and hamburgers and buns and condiments,” Cynthia commented with a sneer. “I’m still not sure about that. A friend of mine has a catering company and would be happy to do all the cooking and serving. They include the tablecloths, napkins and chafing dishes in their quote. I can have numbers for you next week.”
“We have a crew of volunteer parents for that, Cynthia,” Rudy reminded her.
“But this will be much easier. They’ll give us a discount. You’ll see when you get the quote. We should hold off on any orders until then.”
Kris was surprised Rudy wasn’t drawing blood at how hard he was biting his tongue. “Anything else?” he asked.
“Yes. I’m concerned over the lack of vegan dishes,” Cynthia continued.
Kris grimaced. She really didn’t want to do what she was about to do, but it was important. “That’s a good point, Cynthia.”
“It is? Thank you.” For the first time that meeting, Cynthia looked her in the eye. “My friend suggested some sweet potato canapés topped with a tomato and shallot chutney, and some stuffed mushroom caps. Oh, and he has the most delightful avocado gazpacho! They will really take the party to the next level.”
“Actually, I was thinking more of having some vegetarian burgers and soy dogs available on request. Maybe a carrot stick and celery tray with some dip.” Cynthia looked ready to kill her. Kris felt better. “But it was an insightful comment, and I’ll mention it to the parents’ committee. Thank you for considering that part of the community. I should have thought of it myself.”
She should have. In fact, she pulled out her phone and made a note for herself to see what the bakery was planning for that segment of the customers.
“Cynthia, you’re in charge of the games and entertainment. How are you doing with that? Do you need a hand?” Rudy asked.
“I’m perfectly capable of entertaining school children.”
Kris had her doubts. Apparently, so did Rudy. “Let us know if you change your mind and would like some help.”
“I won’t.”
Rudy brought the meeting to a close. Warren left grumbling threats to non-existent uncooperative Santas everywhere, while Cynthia muttered about Kris. It didn’t have a very Christmas-like feel. “Kris, can you wait a minute? I’ll walk you to your car.” She was about to turn him down when he continued. “I want to ask your opinion about something.”
Kris lingered outside the community centre, her nose getting colder by the second. She shook her head when he finally appeared with Cynthia by his side.
She put her hand on his arm, and he shook his head. She removed it, and he shook his head again, pointing at Kris. Then the brunette glared at her and stomped toward her car.
“Am I keeping you from something important?” Kris asked.
“No. That was…” His voice trailed off and he waved his hands. “Cynthia being Cynthia. I wanted to ask you how you felt about the party.”
“I’m concerned, to be honest. We’re running out of time, and there’s tons left to do.”
“I think we’ll be fine. We still have a few weeks to iron out the rough spots.”
“We don’t have a Santa. Cynthia is going to keep pushing her friend the caterer. Despite what she said, I’m certain she hasn’t even started looking at entertainment.”
He glanced over his shoulder. “You’re probably right. We might be in trouble. Do you want to go out for a drink and discuss contingencies?”
“Absolutely.”
Chapter 4
Rudy
Kris was all talk and no alcohol as Rudy watched her inhale a tray of thick cut French fries, a veggie burger, and a root beer. He laughed when she said the veggie patty was research. He had a cheeseburger, side salad, and milk shake; he had
to go back to work and needed to fuel what was sure to be a long night.
“What have you been doing since Toronto?” Kris asked over their impromptu meal.
“That seems like a lifetime ago.” Rudy had been born and raised in Calgary. He’d moved to Ontario to try living out east. His first year of college had been an adventure. He toughed out the second because he was too stubborn to quit. For the most part, he hadn’t enjoyed it. Everything was too crowded and too expensive, and he’d missed the mountains. The minute he’d completed his Logistics program, he’d hightailed it home and happily returned to his roots.
It hadn’t been all bad. He’d made a lot of friends at college, most of them through various sports teams. He first met Kris through the college’s co-ed soccer league, but he hadn’t truly gotten to know her until they were on the same dodgeball team. Kris had been a quick, agile, and most importantly, vicious player. He admired that in a teammate.
“Earth to Rudy?”
“Sorry. I moved back after graduation. My family is here, and most of my friends. Calgary is booming, so I’ve never had to look elsewhere for work. How about you?”
Kris shrugged. “Bakeries are finicky places. All four places I worked at in Toronto closed down within two years of me starting with them. I only came to Calgary to help after my aunt’s heart attack. Once she’s back on her feet, I’ll have to move back east. Most of my family is there. I miss my sister like crazy.” She patted her phone when she said it.
Rudy knew what it was like to be so far from family. It wasn’t fun. He was glad both his younger brother and sister lived in town. “You’ve been in Calgary for five months. Have you made any new connections? Tracked down old friends?”
“Not yet. I haven’t gotten around to it.”
That didn’t sound like Kris. She’d always been outgoing. He knew she’d been working hard, but everybody needed something beyond their jobs. “Are you on a dodgeball team yet?”
She raised one eyebrow. “You have a league here?”
