by Olivia Miles
“She doesn’t like bracelets,” Kara said knowingly. Rosemary had slipped and announced that over Thanksgiving. Grace had looked a little startled at that fact.
“Are you really going to make me be the one to pick something out?” Molly tipped her head, frowning. “Why don’t we just offer to give her… a hug?”
Kara burst out laughing. “Now that’s a gift she would have to keep. Why don’t you get her an ornament? Something Nutcracker themed. She’d have to love that.”
Molly lifted one eyebrow. “Would she?”
Kara waved her sister off. “Go. Have fun.”
She watched as her sister disappeared into the gathering crowd and folded her hands in her lap. And waited. Her heart was beating a little faster, and even her posture felt more stiff and alert than usual. A woman holding a toddler was walking toward the stand. Her eyes caught Kara’s briefly, and Kara gave a small smile, waiting in growing anticipation for the woman to come over and ask about the items. Instead, she just walked by, stopping to look at the fudge instead.
Kara felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment. She tried to look busy by rearranging the wrapped cookies on the tiered tray, even though Molly had already done a perfect job of displaying them.
Finally, after what felt like hours but had probably been only a few minutes, one of the women in her mother’s book club stopped in front of the table. “Look at these gingerbread houses! And these cookies!” Mrs. Nealon picked up one of the plastic-wrapped snowflake cookies and admired it. “I’ll take six of these if you have enough.”
Kara beamed but adjusted her expression to not reflect her overt joy. “Absolutely.” She took six from the tray and placed them in one of the small shopping bags she’d ordered especially for the holiday season, with her logo printed against a peppermint-striped background.
Mrs. Nealon handed over the money. “It’s so good to see you’re still making cookies.”
Kara tried her best to keep her expression neutral as she made the change and handed it over. Covering her hurt with a laugh, she said casually, “Oh, but I just opened the bakery, Mrs. Nealon.”
“Yes, but…” Mrs. Nealon raised her eyebrows, giving Kara a knowing look. She accepted her bag and gave Kara’s hand a little pat. “Well, keep up the good work, honey. I’ll be sure to send all my friends over to your stand.”
“Thanks,” Kara said weakly. She fell back against her chair and stared at her cookies. She’d sell every last one of them tonight. She’d make sure of it.
Nate knew he was in trouble the second his aunt mentioned the words Holiday Bazaar. But even hours of dread couldn’t have prepared him for Briar Creek’s annual event. Everyone in town must have gathered in the large meeting room in the basement of the town’s library, which was covered from floor to ceiling with decorations, giving it the feel of an old-fashioned market, complete with vendors.
Nate stopped at the hot chocolate stand and pulled out his wallet. He handed a steaming mug to Maggie, who was almost too distracted to accept it.
“Now remember, the good stuff goes fast, and Kathleen and Rosemary will no doubt be on the prowl. I don’t want them knowing my theme, not yet anyway.”
“Aunt Maggie, I thought these women were your friends.” Nate took a sip of his drink, already feeling the itch to leave. There were too many people crowded into one place, and while he was used to sharing space, having grown up in the city, the underlying theme of the event bothered him. Holiday music blared from speakers, and everyone was wearing red and gold and green. The air even smelled like cinnamon.
“Well, of course they’re my friends. My dear friends!” his aunt huffed, and her flashing earrings seemed to blink in double time. Tonight’s pair were in the shape of Christmas lights. One red. The other green. Nate wasn’t sure if they’d each been part of a set or if this was intentional. He wasn’t going to ask.
“Then why the secrets? It’s all in good fun, right?”
Maggie’s nostrils seemed to flare slightly as she inched toward him, lowering her voice. “It is most certainly not all in good fun. Not when cold hard cash is on the line, not to mention that write-up in the travel magazine. Do you realize what that could do for my business?”
“Seems to me that regardless of who wins, you win. The article will ultimately feature Briar Creek, and if it draws tourists, they’ll have to stay at the inn.”
This was little consolation to his aunt. “The bottom line is that I want to give it my all. Now, do you have the list?”
Nate reached into his coat pocket and took out the folded sheet of paper. “It’s all right here.” All twelve items.
“Good, then you’ll know what to look for. Let’s tackle the drummers drumming first. That is, if Rosemary hasn’t already bought up all the nutcrackers,” she added. Some, she’d been sure to tell Nate on their hasty walk to the library, carried drums. They’d do. In a pinch.
“Tell you what,” Nate said, tearing the list in half. “Let’s tag team. That way we don’t risk everything being bought before we get to it.”
His aunt’s eyes gleamed. “Good thinking. I’ll start at the back of the room; you take the front.” She snatched the ripped paper from his hand and hurried away, her stride sharp with purpose.
Nate tossed his hot chocolate cup in a nearby trash can and skimmed his list with a groan. When she’d said she wanted to enter the decorating contest, he’d assumed she’d meant some lights, not a bona fide production. And here he’d been worried about being bored…
He could almost smile at the thought, but the holiday smells and cheerful banter that melted into the sounds of the carols set him on edge. He felt out of place, not just because he was surrounded by couples and groups of people who knew each other well but because they were all here for one collective reason. Because they loved Christmas.
And he just wanted to avoid it.
Nate ground down on his teeth and studied the list again. It was different now, he reminded himself. At this very moment, his parents were on a cruise, probably enjoying some moonlit stroll along the deck, the sea air in their face, while he… he was stuck in Christmas land.
The first item on his list were turtle doves. Should be easy enough, he thought as he joined the crowd. He walked past quilts and knitted stockings until he came to the ornament section. His aunt had it in her mind that the tree in the lobby should be decorated with an item for each day of the song. He found his half—or close enough. The French hens were more like chickens, but he was pretty certain he wouldn’t do better.
He was just getting ready to find his aunt, show her what he’d found, and with any luck, get the hell out of here, when he spotted Kara one row back, sitting behind a stand, her chin cupped in her hand. There was a sadness in her face that troubled him, reminding him of all those days he’d spent in the school cafeteria alone, unhappy, hoping someone would come along. He shifted to the left, vying for a better look as a family crossed in front of his view.
Her dark hair was swept up in a ponytail, revealing the delicate sweep of her neck. She blinked up at the people as they walked by, giving a small smile. He watched as she sighed, the way it rolled through her slim shoulders, and then dropped her hand to straighten some items that already looked straight.
That did it. Gripping his bag of ornaments, he wove his way through the crowds to her stand, stopping right in front of it. She startled when she saw him, blinking rapidly as her mouth dropped in surprise.
“Oh. Hello.” Her smile was hesitant as she looked up at him. He grinned back warmly, realizing this was the first time he’d had a proper look at her when she wasn’t bundled up in a down parka. She wore a soft gray sweater that dipped in the front, revealing her collarbone and a hint of cleavage. He pulled his eyes upward, catching her wide blue eyes, clear and bright and contrasted with her dark hair and creamy complexion. She was a beautiful girl, but then wasn’t that how it usually went in wealthy circles? He could still remember the scent of his mother’s employer’s perfume t
he time he’d had to come with her to work one day, under strict instruction to stay in the kitchen and read, not disrupt the family. But boredom and curiosity had gotten the better of him, and he’d gone exploring, ended up hiding under the bed in the fanciest bedroom he’d ever seen, easily bigger than the entire apartment where he’d lived, listening to the woman hum under her breath while she adjusted her earrings in the mirror. She was a beautiful woman; even at eight he could tell. And she lived in a beautiful house. And her life was so carefree, she walked around humming.
He started wishing his mother would hum. That the little pinch between her brow would go away.
The first gift he’d bought his mother when he could afford it was a bottle of perfume. She only wore it on special occasions. She cherished it. Whereas her employer had simply taken it for granted.
Nate tipped his head, studying the display Kara had set up. He had to admit she was at least trying. Some girls like her might have spent their inheritance shopping or traveling through Europe. He should cut her some slack.
The gingerbread house in the center of the table caught his eye, and he crouched to give it a better look. The decorations were simple but neat, with icing piped around each doorway and window frame, and little green wreaths placed on the front door.
“This looks a lot like my aunt’s inn,” he observed, standing up again.
Kara looked at him. “I’m surprised you noticed. It was inspired by the Main Street B&B, actually. It’s always been one of my favorite buildings in all of Briar Creek.”
It was impressive, though no doubt she was used to those types of things. “You made this?”
Kara nodded. “I made everything you see here.”
He rolled back on his heels. There was no disguising the fact that he was impressed. “Are they for sale?” He had an idea for the inn; one he hoped his aunt would forgive him for. He chewed his lip, deciding it was worth the risk.
“They sure are!” Kara motioned to the tag that was peeking out from under the house.
Nate did a double take, then counted to three before he got in another fiery argument with Kara. No good would come from telling her she was undercharging… by a landslide. In his neighborhood in Boston, people would pay two to three times what she was asking for, and he’d put money on the fact that folks around here would, too. She was selling herself short. But why?
He glanced around the room, even though he hadn’t met either Kathleen or Rosemary and would have no idea if they were in fact standing right next to him at this very moment. He spotted his aunt at the back of the room, stuffing something into her bag as she cast a suspicious eye to the right and then to the left. Oh, Maggie. It meant so much to her. And he had to admit, the more he got into it, it was sort of fun. Sort of.
He leaned down so he could speak softly and be heard over the din. His blood stilled as her face grew close, and his groin tightened as his eyes roved over the slight pink in her cheeks, the little upturn of her nose, and the pert little set of her full, red lips. His mouth felt dry as he tried to remember what he’d even been about to say. She blinked at him expectantly.
He shook off the attraction. So she was a pretty girl. He knew lots of pretty girls. Girls who were a much better fit for him than Kara ever could be, and not just because she lived in Briar Creek. He just hadn’t met one in a while; he’d been too busy working to focus on a love life. He’d change that when he got back home. Slow his pace a bit. But not too much.
He could never do that.
“Do you do custom orders?” he asked.
She considered this for a moment. “Yes and no. I make the houses to order, but I tend to go off the same general design.”
“I was wondering if you could add a few things to this house.” He pointed to the one that resembled the inn. “Do you know that song ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’?”
Kara laughed softly. It was a pretty, light sound. One he wouldn’t mind hearing again. “Sure. Who doesn’t?”
Of course. Like so many others around here, she couldn’t get enough of the Christmas spirit. And why shouldn’t she? Santa had probably brought her everything on her wish list growing up. And then some.
He doubted she’d ever seen the pain in her father’s eyes when he handed over a single gift and watched his child’s face fall.
“Would you be able to add the items from that song to the house? However you think is best.”
“I could do that,” she said after a brief hesitation. “Do you want me to bring it by the inn tomorrow?”
Nate shook his head. “I’ll pick it up. It’s sort of a surprise, for my aunt. So if you don’t mind, I’d like to keep this between the two of us.”
It was hard to fathom that her mother, or this Kathleen Madison woman, would be as competitive over this contest as his aunt, but just in case, he’d cover his bases.
“It’s our little secret then.” She smiled at him as she reached for a pen and scribbled “sold” on the tag.
Even the ink was sparkly. This entire damn town sparkled.
But it was the light in her eyes that seemed to sparkle the most in that moment. Gone was the frown he’d noticed earlier. The look of defeat he’d found so troublesome. There was a lift in her shoulders now, an energy that was almost contagious, and quite adorable really.
“Our little secret,” he repeated as he stepped back.
He resisted the urge to turn around, steal another glance at the pretty girl with the dark hair and the electric-blue eyes.
He’d known lots of girls like Kara over the years. They might seem fine on the surface, but deep down… it was best to steer clear.
CHAPTER 6
Nate spent the next morning chopping more wood for his aunt and stacking it in the pile behind the back wing of the house, where Maggie’s personal quarters were. The snow was practically knee-deep by now, and the patio furniture was tarped, creating peaks of snow that rose like small mountains against the back of the house. Several of the guests had chosen to take advantage of the fresh powder and hit the slopes, but Nate suspected if he tried to join them, his aunt would have something to say, now that she was so focused on not just entering but winning the Holiday House contest. He could have chopped down half the trees in the woods behind the house to avoid going back in there and seeing the fire in her eyes. He was happy to help, but when she’d not so casually suggested an evening drive-by of the competition so she could have a peek in the windows of this woman Kathleen Madison, he had put his foot down.
“You still haven’t changed your mind about tonight, then?” she asked hopefully when he came into the back of the house carrying an armful of logs.
“If they’re your friends, you should just stop over. I don’t understand all the secrecy.”
“Oh.” Maggie tossed her hands in the air and reached for a few logs on top of the pile. “You wouldn’t understand. It’s all about the reveal. The unveiling. Making your big debut.”
“Like a bride on her wedding day?” It was the best analogy he could come up with, but his aunt seemed to like it.
“Exactly! Not that you would know. Tell me, do you have any girlfriends back in Boston?”
Nate walked into the lobby and fed a log into the fire. “No one special.”
“I’ve seen you talking with Kara Hastings,” his aunt said pointedly. “You two seemed pretty cozy lying in the snow outside my front door yesterday. For a moment I thought you were making snow angels, and then I thought perhaps you were just doing something naughty.” Her smile was laced with suggestion.
Nate sighed and watched the flames grow and dance as he crouched to stoke them. Falling back on his heels, he set the iron poker in its stand and turned to his aunt. “If you must know, she fell. And I fell with her. You really should be more careful about the front walkway. I don’t think you want a guest breaking their neck and suing you for damages.”
The glint in his aunt’s eye vanished as her face paled. “God help me, I forgot to salt it. I usually d
o it every morning after I’ve gotten the breakfast ready.”
Realizing he’d upset her, Nate set a gentle hand on her arm. “It’s okay, Aunt Maggie. I’ll do it while I’m here. Maybe it would help to leave a note to yourself near the breakfast dishes or something. It helps me to cross things off.” It wasn’t true, but she didn’t need to know that. His aunt was energetic and spirited, but she wasn’t as young as she used to be, and it saddened him to see that change in her. Again the guilt crept in that he hadn’t visited over the years. All the more reason to make the most of these few weeks together. There was no telling when he would get back.
“That’s a good idea,” Maggie said, nodding. She looked around the room, seeming a little lost. “I have some rooms to clean. Kara should be by soon with the cookies. Will you look for them?”
Nate’s pulse sped up at the thought of seeing her again. “I’m heading into town soon. Why don’t I just pick them up on my way? Save her the trouble.”
Maggie paused at the base of the stairs. “She’s a nice girl. It would be good for you to have a friend in town. Might give you a reason to come visit me a little more often.” She winked before she hurried up the flight.
Nate frowned, thinking of that hernia his parents had mentioned… He’d have to remind her to take it easy when he got back from the bakery.
The cookie shop seemed farther up Main Street than he remembered, and Saturday traffic was busy. He had to bustle his way through the crowds that flowed in and out of the shops, his eye trained on the pink striped awning.
Strands of white lights framed the window of Sugar and Spice and caused the decorations to glisten. As he pushed through the door, he noticed that most of the tables were full and that there were several customers in line at the counter. He pushed back his disappointment that they wouldn’t be alone and instead took the opportunity to stand back for a minute and observe.
Kara noticed him as he came in. He caught her eye as she glanced up from helping a mother and child select a cookie, and he matched her small smile with a wave. Deciding to let her tend to the customers in line, he took a seat at one of the few open tables. He had to admit the store itself was impressive—a reflection of what money could buy. It appeared to be a full build-out, cleanly designed with modern touches mixed with traditional charm that blended easily into the small town’s landscape. The first impression was a good one. Everything else, though…
