Christmas on Mistletoe Lane--Includes a bonus short story

by Annie Rains

  “Her heart was always in the right place,” he agreed.

  “Sweetwater Springs sounds like a great community,” her mom said, eyes suspiciously shining. “Is Ms. Martin’s son still in trouble?”

  Gina shook her head. “Since he’s a minor, Judge Ables let him off with a stern warning and a whole lot of community service.”

  “Really?” Kaitlyn asked. “I didn’t know that either.”

  Gina nodded. “It’s amazing how things work out.”

  “Three hundred dollars is a lot to pay for a cake,” Kaitlyn’s dad said, “but I’d pay as much to taste Mom’s recipe one more time. It really was the best.”

  “Who knows?” Kaitlyn said, swallowing past a tight throat. “Maybe Santa will bring you one this year.”

  “Speaking of Santa, we need to finish up our shopping,” her mom said. “What do you want this year, Kaitlyn?”

  Nothing that her parents could buy in downtown Sweetwater Springs. Kaitlyn either wanted Mitch or a shiny, brand-new heart. “Just having you two here with me this holiday is enough.”

  * * *

  The doorbell rang later that afternoon while Kaitlyn sat reading a book. With her parents occupying the last room, the inn was full. The sign out front indicated as much. Hopefully, Kaitlyn wasn’t going to have to disappoint a prospective customer and turn them away.

  When she opened the door though, Kaitlyn was greeted by two familiar faces. “Halona and Theo, what a lovely surprise!”

  Halona held out a large poinsettia plant. “Here you go. This is from my flower shop. I always brought Mable one this time of year.”

  “That’s so nice of you. Please, come in.” Kaitlyn led them through the front room, noticing that young Theo stuck close to his mother’s side. Kaitlyn hadn’t asked but she didn’t think there was a father in the picture. She’d run into Halona several times over the last month and she’d always been alone or with her brother, Tuck. “Would you like some tea and cookies?”

  Theo’s eyes widened but he didn’t make a sound.

  “I’ll take that as a yes,” Kaitlyn said with a grin. “If it’s okay with your mom.” She looked at Halona.

  “Of course. Cookies are his favorite. He’ll love you forever,” she promised.

  Kaitlyn took them to the dining room and placed the poinsettia at the center of one of the tables. “You two have a seat. I’ll grab the refreshments.” She walked to the serving table that she kept stocked for the guests during the day and made two cups of hot tea. She grabbed the plate of cookies and turned back to her visitors.

  “It looks great in here,” Halona commented.

  “Thanks. It’s been a lot of work, but totally worth it.” Kaitlyn slid the plate of cookies beside the poinsettia and then placed Halona’s cup of tea in front of her. “Do you bring gifts to a lot of townspeople?” Kaitlyn asked, sitting across from them with her own cup.

  Halona nodded. “We like to thank the business owners who support the flower shop. Mable always sent her guests my way for special occasions. She didn’t really have a choice, I guess. I’m the only florist in town.”

  Kaitlyn laughed. “Well, I’m sure she would’ve sent guests to you anyway.”

  Theo chomped happily on his treat as they chatted.

  “I grew up with Mitch, you know,” Halona said after a lull in the conversation. “I always hoped he’d find peace after the accident.” She looked down at her hands and then to her son. “We lost Theo’s father in an accident last year. He and I weren’t married but Theo has taken the loss hard. I wonder if there are some things that people just don’t ever recover from.”

  Kaitlyn’s heart pinched hard for the child sitting in front of her. “I’m so sorry to hear that.”

  Halona broke off a piece of her cookie. “Thanks. Mitch seems different these days than he has during his past visits home. I was wondering if it had anything to do with you.”

  Kaitlyn shook her head. “I don’t think so. We aren’t really talking anymore.”

  “Oh.” Halona’s beautiful features twisted. She looked sincerely disappointed. “Well, seeing his difference gave me hope that people can let go of the things that haunt them.”

  Kaitlyn wanted to believe that too. Even if Mitch was leaving, even if he’d broken her heart beyond repair, she did hope he found peace one day. She wanted him to be happy wherever he was.

  She looked at little Theo. She wished him peace too. It couldn’t be easy for him losing a parent so young. Finishing off his last bite, he stared at the plate of cookies.

  Kaitlyn lifted one and offered it to him. “Here you go, sweetheart. One more won’t hurt. But after that, I have to save the rest for Santa. He’s coming tonight, you know.”

  Theo’s eyes rounded.

  Halona ruffled the hair on top of her son’s head. “Oh, we know. We have cookies at home for him too.”

  By the time Kaitlyn opened the door to say goodbye to her visitors, the temperature had notably dropped outside. Santa was coming, and according to the local meteorologist, so was a snowstorm.

  Mitch, on the other hand, was likely packing his bags to leave at this very moment.

  * * *

  In addition to being Christmas Eve, today was Mitch’s last day on the job with SSPD. Since he was still in town, he’d told Alex he’d work so that the officers with family could be home.

  The day had been uneventful so far. Everyone in Sweetwater Springs seemed to be celebrating quietly with the ones they loved. Mitch had spoken to his mom earlier. She’d gone to the inn to help Kaitlyn and was planning on spending the afternoon with Nettie. Two peas in a pod, they were. He really didn’t have to worry about her anymore. She was taking care of herself, splitting her workload with Mitch’s aunt, and was living a good life.

  Mitch pulled the SSPD cruiser he’d been driving for the last month up to Cassie Martin’s house. Kyle was on the front porch stringing festive multicolored lights.

  Mitch put the car in park and headed up the driveway. Hearing him approach, Kyle glanced back, his gaze turning wary when he saw Mitch dressed in uniform.

  “Whatever it is, I didn’t do it this time,” the teen called out, continuing with his task.

  Mitch laughed softly under his breath. “I’m not here for the department, although I hear you’re doing a good job keeping up with your community service sentence.”

  Kyle shrugged. “Beats serving time in juvie.”

  “Decorating the day before Christmas, huh?” Mitch asked, taking the end of the string of lights and holding them up to the banister for Kyle to attach.

  “Better late than never, my mom always says. Plus, some women brought a bunch of decorations over for us. They offered to help put them up too, but my mom volunteered me to do the work. The women said the decorations would be good for my mom’s spirits. If that’s true, then I’ll do it.”

  Mitch nodded. He understood exactly how the kid felt. Ever since his dad had died, Mitch had felt the same way about his own mother. Whatever it took to make her smile. To keep her safe. Secure. He’d failed at that task often enough but it had always been his not-so-secret mission in life.

  “Your mom is lucky to have you,” he told Kyle.

  “Yeah, well, I’m lucky to have her too. She’s all I got.”

  Mitch understood that as well. At least, that’s how he used to feel. All this time, he’d had more than he realized though. He’d had Mable and Henry. Aunt Nettie. Dawanda. Alex and Tuck. Even Halona. There was a whole town full of people here that had readily welcomed him back these last two months, even though he’d abandoned them in some ways.

  “Just don’t forget to be a kid, okay?” Mitch said.

  Kyle’s gaze slid over to him. “I’m not a kid.”

  “Right. Don’t forget to enjoy your youth a little, then. Do things for yourself while looking out for your mom. Live your life and be happy, because that’s what she really wants for you.” Maybe it was the holiday making him sappy but his throat tightened as he ga
ve Kyle his best advice.

  Kyle didn’t look all that impressed. “What are you? One of the wise men?”

  “Kyle Martin!” Cassie said, waving a finger as she stepped out the screen door and onto the porch. “That is no way to talk to Officer Hargrove.” Mitch was glad to see the single mom in good spirits. Hopefully, this time next year, she’d be cancer-free.

  “Mom, you’re supposed to be resting.”

  Mitch closed his eyes as he listened. If the similarities between his family and this one got any stronger, he’d wonder if God was pulling his chain. Or Mable in heaven with her meddling ways.

  “And it’s cold out here. You’re supposed to stay warm inside,” the teenager nagged.

  Cassie tsked, ignoring him. “Merry Christmas, Officer Hargrove,” she said.

  “Please, call me Mitch. Merry Christmas to you too. How are you doing?”

  “Good, thanks to you and the community. I have high hopes for the new year too.” She smiled brightly. “I have pie in the house if you’d like a slice.”

  “Afraid I can’t stay,” he said. “I’m on the job. Just thought I’d play the role of one of the wise men while passing through.”

  Kyle cracked a smile.

  And since Mitch was still feeling wise and sappy, he pointed a finger at the teen. “Also, don’t do drugs and stay in school.”

  With a wave, he started to walk away until a little yellow furball darted out of the bushes. Once it stopped moving, he saw that it was a golden retriever mix.

  “That’s the stray that’s been coming around here all week,” Cassie called from the porch. “He doesn’t seem to belong to any of my neighbors so I wish I could take him inside, but my immune system is low right now. Do you want a puppy, Mitch?” she asked with a hopeful lift in her voice.

  “I’m afraid I’m not in the market for a dog,” he said, turning back to Cassie.

  She hugged her arms around herself. “I’d hate for the poor thing to be out here when it snows tonight.”

  Mitch’s gaze dropped to the pup, who repeatedly propped his paws on Mitch’s leg and then returned to all fours. It woofed softly. “I can take it back to the station and see if someone there wants him.”

  “That would be great,” Cassie said. “Thank you so much, for everything.”

  Mitch stooped and collected the soft little wiggler into his arms and double-checked that it was indeed a boy. Then he returned to his cruiser and set the puppy in his passenger seat. Apparently tired from his surge of energy outside, the puppy lay down and put his head on his front paws.

  “Good boy,” Mitch said. He started the car and continued through the streets, all welcoming and festive with lights and wreaths. Loving Life’s article hadn’t fudged anything. Sweetwater Springs truly was a great place to spend the holidays. He’d forgotten that. Or he’d pushed it out of his mind because it hadn’t seemed like an option for him. It was romantic too. His thoughts took a stroll through the memories of his time here with Kaitlyn. The cappuccino reading at the fudge shop. Their trip to Merry Mountain Farms to get a tree. Even though it’d been cut short, Lights on the Lake had been festive and romantic too. He regretted that every Christmas season couldn’t be spent here, with Kaitlyn, doing the same.

  A short drive later, he walked into the station with the puppy under his arm.

  “Who’s this?” Alex asked, looking up from the paperwork on his desk as Mitch entered his office.

  “Your new pet,” Mitch said.

  Alex was already shaking his head. “Nice try, but no. I don’t have time for a dog right now. Especially a puppy. He’s cute though. You should keep him.”

  Mitch didn’t have time either. He set the puppy on the floor to run around for a moment and then placed his gun and badge on Alex’s desk.

  Alex nodded. “Still scared shitless, huh?”

  Mitch shoved his hands on his waist. Once upon a time, those would’ve been fighting words but they were true. “Yeah,” he admitted. “I messed up with her, and there’s nothing to say I won’t do it again.” He couldn’t use his mom or even the Eversons as an excuse for leaving town this time. This was all on him. He was sick of feeling like the bad guy no matter how much good he did.

  “If you could have seen the look on Kaitlyn’s face.” Mitch shook his head, hating himself for causing her more pain. She’d been through enough over the last few months with Mable’s passing, getting fired, and giving up the life she was accustomed to in New York to come to the mountains of North Carolina. “It doesn’t matter my reasons; I handled it all wrong. I should have told her that I…I…” He stumbled over his words. There was only one word that completed that sentence.

  Love.

  He swallowed thickly. “I should’ve told her that I loved her,” he said quietly, more to himself than Alex.

  Alex didn’t look surprised when Mitch blinked and looked up at him.

  Had Mitch really been that thick skulled? He knew he cared about Kaitlyn. Admired the heck out of her. Knew he was wildly attracted to the woman and could possibly never get enough of her, if given the opportunity. But the way he felt for Kaitlyn Russo went beyond all of that. Over the last two months, he’d fallen in love with her.

  Alex leaned forward on his elbows. “Great. So why don’t you go tell her that right now?”

  Mitch didn’t move. He felt like he’d just been hit over the head with a large block of ice.

  “Listen, I don’t need one of Dawanda’s cappuccinos to predict you’ll screw up and hurt her plenty more times,” Alex said. “You will. But if you leave town tomorrow, you’ll hurt her even more. You deserve to have this, buddy. You are a good man and a good officer.” Alex slid the badge back in Mitch’s direction and looked up.

  So much for Mitch’s wise man act. He was the biggest fool of all. Picking up the badge, he nodded at Alex. “Looks like I’ll be reporting for duty tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow’s Christmas, buddy. Spend it with the people you love. And maybe that puppy over there.”

  That was good advice and Mitch planned to do just that. He hadn’t known what, if anything, to say to Kaitlyn to fix how he’d behaved. There’d been no fixing it in his mind. Now he knew the answer though. All he had to do was tell Kaitlyn the truth. He loved her. That he was an idiot. And then he planned on begging for a second chance. He wasn’t going to run away from his mistakes this time. He was going to face them head-on.

  Mitch stepped over to his little friend, who was spinning in circles while chasing his own tail. He could relate. Scooping him up, he headed down the hall away from Alex’s office and past the reception desk.

  “Merry Christmas, Mitch,” Tammy called after him.

  “You too, Tammy. I’ll see you in a couple of days.”

  “Glad to hear it!”

  The cold air surrounded him as he stepped onto the sidewalk. The sun had dipped below the mountain peaks now, making another ten-degree drop at least. He needed to hurry before daylight dwindled completely and he missed his chance to make things right today. He had one more important person he had to go see before Kaitlyn though.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Kaitlyn sat in front of the Christmas tree, watching the lights wink at her. The inn had only three couples tonight. All of them had joined Kaitlyn and her parents earlier this evening for the Christmas Eve service at the community church. At this hour, the guests had retreated to their rooms, leaving her to enjoy a private nightcap. She was grateful for the solitude because tomorrow she needed to wake early and make a breakfast worthy of Christmas Day. Gina and Nettie were coming to help, of course. Paris would be there too. It was going to be a full, wonderful day. She wouldn’t even have time to think about Mitch.

  Hopefully.

  A mournful sigh burrowed in her chest, close to her heart. This time next year she probably wouldn’t even remember what he looked like. How he smelled. The way his voice took on a deep timbre in the bedroom when he curled in behind her, wrapping her in his arms and making her fe
el like there was no safer place in the world.

  Kaitlyn lifted her glass of red wine and took a healthy gulp. Appropriate for her current mood, it tasted bittersweet on her tongue. She tried to steer her thoughts to something happy, and the name of the child she’d chosen off the Angel Tree at Silver Lake came to mind. Kaitlyn imagined the little girl joyfully opening her new doll and all the accessories she’d picked out. The Angel Tree was a tradition Kaitlyn wanted to participate in every year. Giving to someone else was the very heart of Christmas.

  She finished off the last sip of her wine and decided one more glass might be nice. After that, she’d turn in.

  As she headed toward the kitchen, Kaitlyn grabbed a fire poker and moved the logs around to keep the flames burning in the fireplace. It’d begun to snow a few hours ago. When she awoke tomorrow, the ground would be a soft blanket of white. It would be a magical white Christmas. Her first in Sweetwater Springs, but not her last.

  Something scratched at the front door. Kaitlyn whirled, nearly dropping her wineglass. It was just the winter storm, she decided. Then the scratching sound came again. She stuck her wineglass on the mantel and tightened her hold on the fire poker. Her heart thrummed like a drummer boy nestled inside her chest. She was being silly. She wasn’t alone at the B&B. No one would be foolish enough to break in.

  The doorknob turned.

  Kaitlyn swallowed. Potential guests would knock. The only person who wouldn’t knock wouldn’t be coming back.

  The door opened, and Kaitlyn gasped as a pale-colored puppy with a large red bow around its neck barreled through the entryway toward her. She immediately put the fire poker down and dropped to her knees to pet its soft fur. “Aren’t you the cutest thing?” she said, laughing as it climbed onto her lap and proceeded to lick her cheek. “Where did you come from?”

  As if on cue, she heard the front door close and Mitch entered the room.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked.

  He was dressed in a heavy coat dusted with fresh snow. His beard was also dusted and sparkling with soft white flakes. “This little guy has nowhere to go,” he said, gesturing to the squirming puppy in her arms. “He was hoping you’d have room for him at the inn.”