by Cindy Kirk
It was late afternoon when Ginny’s car pulled in beside his rental at the Little Giant Market. When he saw she was alone, he seized the opportunity.
Shoving his hands into his coat pockets, Graham waited for her to get out of her car. When she did, he flashed a smile to let her know there were no hard feelings.
Her gently lined face, surrounded by dark hair generously peppered with silver, held worry. “Oh, Graham. I was planning to call you. I’m so sorry. I had no idea Shawn and Morgan planned to—”
Graham kept the smile on his lips. “No worries. I understand.”
Gratitude filled the woman’s blue eyes, eyes she’d passed down to her daughter and granddaughters.
“I’d let Shawn know that I’d bought his family Jay Peak lift tickets for Christmas. The plant where Shawn works closes for two weeks every December. I guess I should have expected…” Ginny paused. “They don’t have the money to pay for lodging.”
“Ginny.” Graham gentled his tone. “It’s okay. Honest.”
“I never want you to feel like you and the girls aren’t welcome anytime.” Ginny met his gaze. “You are all my children.”
From the moment he’d met her, Graham had found Ginny to be warm and welcoming. His mother-in-law had visited them regularly when their busy lives had kept him and Steph in the city.
“Rooms are nearly impossible to come by this time of year.” Worry furrowed Ginny’s brow. “Have you found anything?”
“I have.” Graham took her arm and walked with her toward the store entrance. “The girls and I are staying at a private home right here in Holly Pointe.”
Panic filled Ginny’s eyes as it appeared to register for the first time that her granddaughters weren’t with him. “Tell me you didn’t leave the girls with strangers.”
The accusation hit the mark. Leaving them with strangers was exactly what he’d done. When Faith had mentioned the girls could stay with her while he bought groceries, he’d hesitated. The twins had begged to stay. They’d wanted to help decorate the outside of the house. He’d bundled them up in their snowsuits and left them. With strangers. But were they, really?
“Mary and Faith Pierson.” His gaze searched hers. “I understand they’re friends of yours.”
Relief blanketed her face as the automatic doors slid open, and they stepped into blessed warmth. “Is that who’s watching the girls?”
Graham nodded. “They’re putting up outside Christmas decorations this afternoon. Charlotte and Hannah wanted to help.”
Her expression turned wistful. “I wish I could be there with them.”
He offered an encouraging smile. “It’s still going on. I know the twins would enjoy having you there.”
“I wish I could, but I can’t.” She grabbed a shopping cart, but didn’t move. The look in her eyes pleaded for understanding. “I promised Shawn’s boys we’d make pizza this afternoon.”
“Maybe we can all get together for pizza soon. The twins would enjoy getting to know their cousins.” Graham wouldn’t invite himself over, but he wanted to let her know he was open to the possibility.
“I’d love for them to get better acquainted.” Ginny’s flash of a smile gave him hope. “Once you get the girls settled and I get things organized at home, that’s just what we’ll do.”
“Sounds like a good plan.”
Ginny nodded. “I better get shopping for the food, or there’ll be a mutiny. Don’t you worry. I plan to spend lots of time with my granddaughters while you’re here. We’ll make Christmas special for the girls.”
Graham left Ginny to her shopping and went to retrieve a cart of his own, her words circling in his head.
Make Christmas special…
When the twins had admitted they’d never decorated a tree, it had been a hard punch to the gut. They’d been so excited when he promised they’d put up a tree this year and they could decorate it.
Each Christmas, he’d showered the twins with gifts. But had he spent enough time with them? He’d done the best he could with a busy work schedule…
Even in his own head, it sounded like a cop-out.
Graham vowed this year would be different. He would work on the presentation—his job hung in the balance, after all—but he’d make spending time with the girls a priority.
This year would be a Christmas they’d all remember.
* * *
After an hour, Faith quit watching for Graham. She was too busy supervising the twins and the volunteers who’d arrived with one goal: turning the lawn into a candy cane wonderland.
“It’s amazing,” Faith told her friend Melinda Kelly, “how much you can get done when people work together.”
Mel straightened a candy cane that, at six feet, was only a couple inches taller than her. With her fiery red hair, fair complexion and freckles, Mel was more striking than beautiful.
She was also smart and funny and one of Faith’s best friends.
Like Faith, Mel had quit her job to return to Holly Pointe to help out a family member. In Mel’s case, it was her mother. Rosie had pretty much run the family diner single-handedly until complications following knee surgery had sidelined her.
Although she’d fully recovered now, she was getting older and was happy to have her daughter at her side.
“I love these new canes.” Mel patted the one she’d just erected. “They absorb light from the sun and glow in the dark. At night, they’ll light a path—along with all the other canes—to the front steps.”
“They are cool.” Faith measured the distance between this one and the last. Though the lawn was full of people, there was a design plan, and everyone was following it.
“Thank goodness the snow quit.” Mel craned her head back and studied the two men who were adding strings of lights to the eaves in a carefully ordered pattern.
“I’m glad they got the roof peak clips and the lights installed when there was no snow on the shingles.” Faith narrowed her gaze. “I wish they’d gotten the lights up last week. I don’t like them up that high.”
“Derek and Zach are used to heights. They’re builders and on roofs as much as they’re on the ground.” Mel glanced in the direction of the porch. “Where’s Mary?”
There had been a time, one they both remembered, when Faith’s grandmother would have been in the yard, chatting with volunteers and working twice as hard as everyone else.
“She’s watching the twins.” Faith chose her words carefully. She felt disloyal saying anything that could possibly be construed as negative.
Good friend that she was, Mel let that go. She didn’t mention that the twins had been out in the yard until a few minutes ago.
Mel put a hand on Faith’s arm. “She just came out.”
“What? Where?”
Faith jerked her attention just in time to see Mary set a tray of disposable cups on a card table that had been set up on the porch. One of the twins—from this distance, Faith couldn’t tell which one—held the door open.
The twins hopped down the steps just as volunteers surged toward the porch for refreshments.
“Break time.” Mel dusted the snow off her gloves. “Let’s see what the drink of choice is this afternoon.”
Faith’s gloved hands had just curved around a cup of hot apple cider when she saw Graham coming around the side of the house.
When their eyes met, Faith felt her heart skip a beat.
Sipping her own cider, Mel lifted a brow. “Looks like Daddy’s back.”
“Yes.” Faith returned his wave.
She thought—hoped—he’d stroll over so she could introduce him to Mel. Instead, Graham skirted the crowd to go to the twins. He scooped up a handful of snow and packed it on the large round ball that made up the base of what would eventually become a monster snowman.
“He was in the diner this morning.” Mel’s eyes sparkled. “I was cooking, so he didn’t notice me. I noticed him.”
Faith understood. There was something about the confident set to the man�
��s shoulders and that ready smile. Not to mention, Graham was as handsome as all get-out.
“Look how he’s lifting one of the twins up so she can place her snow on top of the mound.” Her dad used to do that, Faith remembered, when her family came to Holly Pointe in the winter.
That was when all it had taken for her to make him proud was being a good sport and a hard worker. Once she got older, she hadn’t been able to meet his expectations. Not if she wanted to fulfill her own dreams.
Her parents meant the world to her. Knowing she disappointed them every day by choosing to build a life in Holly Pointe was a bitter pill.
Mary understood. Had always understood.
Faith shifted her focus back to the porch and saw the cups of steaming cider on the tray her grandmother had brought out were nearly gone.
While Faith watched, Mary reached for the rail as if needing support.
“I’m going to check on my grandmother,” Faith said to Mel. “I don’t want her to overdo it.”
Concern filled Mel’s eyes. “Do you need help?”
“I should be fine.” Faith glanced up to the roof. “I appreciate you and your brother taking time off work to come over and help.”
“We’re friends. Besides, decorating the Candy Cane Christmas House is one Holly Pointe tradition I don’t want to see fall by the wayside.” Mel’s expression grew serious. “I swear, when Mary decided to skip the past couple of years, the entire community went into mourning.”
“These past years have been hard on her.” Faith had gone through withdrawal as well. Though there were a zillion and one other activities in Holly Pointe in December, Christmas hadn’t been the same.
Giving Mel a hug, Faith covered the walkway in long strides and soon stood beside her grandmother on the porch. To her surprise, Mary appeared steady. Her cheeks held healthy color, and her eyes were bright.
“That was nice of you to bring out the cider.”
Mary waved a dismissive hand. “It’s tradition.”
One, Faith knew, they hadn’t observed in recent years.
“I was telling little Hannah that one of my favorite drinks this time of year is hot apple cider.” Mary’s lips curved. “She told me she’d never tasted it. I thought she was kidding, but then Charlotte insisted she hadn’t had it before either.”
Faith grinned. “Which meant you had to make it.”
“I wanted to do it. For them. And for the volunteers.” Mary chuckled and shook her head. “I put cinnamon candy canes in the ones I gave the twins. That was hands down their favorite part of the drink.”
“What did they think of the cider?”
“I believe the consensus was ‘not as good as peppermint hot chocolate.’”
“May I interrupt for a moment?”
Faith had been so focused on her conversation with Mary she hadn’t noticed Graham’s approach.
“You’re not interrupting.” Mary bestowed a sweet smile on the man. “We were just discussing your lovely daughters.”
Graham’s attention shifted to a smaller ball of snow that was forming on the huge mound. The twins, along with other children, were busy adding handfuls of the white stuff on what would end up being Frosty’s belly.
“I have a few calls I need to make, but I can’t leave the girls unattended.” He hesitated. “I know you watched them while I was at the market, but if you could—”
He appeared so uncomfortable making the request that Faith rushed to reassure him. “It’s no problem. Really. I’ll be outside anyway.”
“Thank you.” Relief skittered across his face. “If they get too rowdy, or you need to send them upstairs, don’t hesitate.”
“What are you working on?” Though she was simply curious, the second the question left her lips, Faith realized it sounded nosy. She lifted her hands. “Forget I asked. None of my business.”
“I’m an ad executive for 45North.” Graham named an agency considered one of the top ones in New York. “I’m working on an ad campaign for Dustin Bellamy and Krista Ankrom. They have that new hit television show—”
“I love their show.” Mary’s eyes brightened.
“It’s so…” Faith searched for a word, but came up with only one. “Them.”
Last year, Krista—a former supermodel—and Dustin—a former NHL hockey star—had followed in Chip and Joanna Gaines’s footprints. Dustin and Krista’s new series showcased their relationship as well as touting the work of artisans across the country.
“Dustin and Krista live here part of the year. In fact, they’re helping us here today,” Faith explained at his curious look, then glanced around. “Their sons are over there helping to build the snowman. Jaxon and Jett are twins and about the same age as your girls.”
Graham froze, standing as still as Frosty.
Faith smiled. “They’re simply the best couple, so genuine.”
“I only met them briefly.”
“This will be your chance to get better acquainted,” Faith told him.
“I didn’t realize they spent time here.” That, Graham realized, had been part of the problem with his ad campaign. He had studied the press kit the couple’s publicist had provided, but he should have done more research on his own.
“Dustin and Krista are very careful not to publicize their trips to Holly Pointe. They like their family to have some private space.” Before he could say anything, Faith called out to a couple adding lights to a weathered wagon filled with buckets of spruce trees.
The two figures straightened, and she caught their eyes. When she motioned them over to the porch, they set down the lights.
“Tell them hello from me.” Mary wrapped her arms around herself. “I’m getting chilled. I’m going to step inside for a minute.”
Graham watched in disbelief as the celebrity couple strode toward them.
Faith patted his arm. “You’re going to find forging these close connections is one of the best things about a small community.”
* * *
Graham studied the couple as they drew close. He’d seen them earlier helping to build the snowman, but hadn’t recognized them. Of course, the last time he’d seen them had been across a conference table in an office overlooking the Manhattan skyline.
That day, they’d been dressed for business. Their expressions had been open and friendly, and they’d paid close attention during his presentation.
After their television show had become a hit, online sales of the folksy items they featured on the show soared. The success had led the couple to look at opening a store in the South that would carry items made by the individual artisans.
Graham had viewed the ad campaign for the brick-and-mortar store as a slam dunk. After he’d finished with the slick presentation, the couple had exchanged a glance, then shaken their heads instead of offering accolades.
What had Dustin said? Ah, yes: It’s an excellent campaign, but not for our store.
Apparently, Graham had missed the “feel” of their brand by a country mile. Knowing he’d been caught with his pants down had been humiliating. He’d made a rookie mistake and lost their confidence. Now he had thirty days to earn it back.
If he didn’t, the partnership he’d been working toward at the ad agency would disappear faster than a snowman in Miami.
“Dustin. Krista.” Faith held out both hands as the two approached. “Thank you for helping today.”
“We wanted to be here.” Dustin squeezed one of her hands and brushed a kiss across her cheek before casting a curious glance at Graham.
It took a moment, but by the time Krista stepped back from embracing Faith, recognition dawned in Dustin’s eyes.
“Graham Westfall.” Puzzlement replaced the recognition. “What are you doing here?”
“My daughters, ah, their grandmother—Ginny Blain—lives in Holly Pointe. We came to spend the holidays with her.”
“Because Ginny’s son and his family are also in town, Graham and his daughters are staying with us,” Faith added
.
Krista’s dark brows drew together. Even though she was ten years beyond what was considered the prime age in the modeling world, Krista’s flawless face still looked like it belonged on the cover of a magazine.
Her eyes, a startling blue, fixed on him. “Is your wife with you?”
“My wife passed away three years ago.” Graham kept his tone matter-of-fact.
“I’m so sorry.” Krista’s hand touched his arm, and her eyes filled with sympathy. “I can’t imagine.”
Dustin shook his head and glanced at his wife.
“It’s nice your daughters can spend time with family at this time of year,” Krista said. “How old are they?”
“Just turned five. Identical twins.”
“I didn’t realize you have twins.” Krista’s smile widened and lit up her face.
Graham pointed. “Those two, the ones getting more snow on themselves than on the snowman.”
“Our boys are six.” Dustin slid an arm around his wife. “Boundless energy.”
“Oh my, yes.” When she leaned her head against her husband in a gesture of intimacy, Graham fought a pang of envy.
He remembered when Steph had gazed at him the way Krista looked at Dustin.
“Graham told me the two of you met in New York. On an ad campaign,” Faith ventured.
Tall and broad-shouldered, Dustin had an arresting face that spoke of strength and determination. The easy smile on his lips never wavered. “Graham is going to give us the perfect campaign for the store we’ll open next summer. It’s a challenge. We want something that not only reflects us and our values, but will drive business to the store.”
“I’m sorry you have to work on it during the holidays,” Krista told him. “But we need—”
Graham held up a hand. “I’m enjoying it. And watching how you two interact with your children and others in the community is giving me a better sense of who you are and the feel I want to see reflected in the ads.”
“It’s a great town.” Dustin grinned. “Faith has probably told you about the skating that’s coming up at Star Lake. Santa will arrive, then later the Christmas tree in the town square will be lit.”
