A Holiday Proposal

by Kimberly Rose Johnson

  Ava studied Holly. Matthew held his breath. She didn’t know Holly well and had yet to warm up to her, as his sister liked to say.

  “I not want to go.”

  Holly squatted to Ava’s level. “We can watch Christmas movies.”

  “No.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “I want Mommy.” She jumped up and ran to April.

  Holly stood and looked to him. “Plan B? I worked at Keira’s candy store, and she’s always been pleased. Maybe I could do whatever April intended to do.”

  April beamed a smile. “Perfect!” She spent the next few minutes giving Holly a crash course on the register and the serving procedures, then scampered out the back door with Ava in tow just as the first customer walked in.

  A burst of cool air followed the woman and her children inside. Matthew returned to the kitchen. He didn’t have time to pay attention to what was going on up front. Another hour and they’d be set for the day with baked goods. He kept his ears tuned for anything unusual.

  Somehow they survived the morning. Livy, Matthew’s regular front-counter person, showed up at noon and took over. Holly was a trouper, filling in the way she had, and he was drawn to her even more. She’d done an incredible job and fit in as though she’d worked there forever.

  The door to the kitchen swung open, and Holly walked in. “Hey, boss, mind if I sit?”

  He snickered and motioned to the stool by the phone hanging on the wall. “Thanks for what you did today, and knock off the boss bit.”

  Holly saluted him. “You’re welcome...boss.” She pursed her lips together, holding in a chuckle. “It was kind of fun and a nice change of pace.” She opened the box his sister had given her earlier. Drawing in a deep breath, she closed her eyes and licked her lips. “Even though I told her not to give me any cookies, I’m glad she did. I’ve wanted to sink my teeth into one of these all morning.” She pulled a snickerdoodle from the box and broke off a piece.

  Holly’s hands were shaking. Matthew’s heart sank. She must have skipped breakfast to get here so fast. When would she learn to take care of herself? He quickly wiped down the counter then filled the sink with hot, soapy water. “I’ll be done in a jiffy. Want to grab a bite to eat? My treat.”

  “Sounds good to me.” She reached for another cookie and flashed a smile that sent a zip of pleasure up his spine. He made quick work of the dishes, then headed up front. A steady stream of customers came in and out, but he felt confident the bakery was well stocked for the day. “I’ll be back in an hour. You have everything under control?”

  “Sure.” Livy didn’t spare him a glance while she pulled a Danish from the display case.

  He found Holly waiting by the back door. He shrugged into his jacket, and they walked outside. Tiny flecks dropped softly from the sky.

  “Good thing it’s snowing again. The tourists expect it this time of year.”

  “Yeah, and it’s beautiful at night when all the lights come on.” He stuffed his hands deep into his jacket pockets, but everything within him wanted to take her hand in his.

  “Where should we go?”

  “The Gingerbread House?”

  Holly gave him a saucy grin. “Is that the only place in town you go? Besides, I’ve been smelling sugar all morning. How about Gustav’s?”

  “Okay.” Matthew kept pace with Holly, matching her rapid steps. “Have you given any thought to what I said the other day?”

  “Yes.” She gave him a slow nod. “I have, and your words really helped. Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” He nudged her shoulder with his. “Want to hit the ice rink some evening next week? I probably won’t be able to escape the bakery long enough to make good on skiing until after Christmas.”

  “Sure. Sounds like fun. I’m not much of a skier, anyway.”

  “Now you tell me. You were the one who originally suggested it.”

  “I know. I enjoy skiing, but I’m not good at it.”

  He nodded. “Are you much of a skater?”

  “I can hold my own.”

  He pulled the restaurant door open and the hostess promptly seated them at a corner table with a view of Front Street. The noise around them filtered away as if they were the only two people in the room.

  “What are you having?” He set the menu aside.

  “Soup and salad.”

  “Girlie food. How about a juicy burger with the works?”

  Holly quirked a grin. “And what’s wrong with girlie food?”

  “Not a thing, I guess, if you’re a girl.” He smirked and reached for her hand.

  She laced her fingers with his. “Thanks for calling me today. I had fun.” Her eyes twinkled in the afternoon light filtering through the window.

  “Working?” His employees never called work fun. Although he had to admit, he’d enjoyed it, too.

  “The company was exceptional.”

  The waiter interrupted their banter and took their orders. Fifteen minutes later their meals arrived.

  Matthew breathed deeply of the delicious aroma of his burger. “You want a bite?” He lifted it and raised it toward Holly.

  “No, thanks.” She reached for her fork and speared the lettuce. “You eat your manly food. I’ll stick with this.”

  Matthew had never enjoyed a meal more. Things had definitely changed between them, and he liked it very much.

  “What are you grinning about? Don’t tell me you’re giddy over your burger.”

  He chuckled. “Very funny. I was actually—”

  Holly’s cell phone rang. “Oops, sorry.” She looked at the caller ID. “Hold that thought, it’s my sister.” She shot him an apologetic smile. “Hi, Jessie, what’s up?” Her face fell. “Umm, okay. Are you sure?” Her eyebrows drew together. “What time? Fine, I’ll meet you both there.” She crammed her phone in her purse. “Sorry.”

  “Bad news?”

  “I suppose not, but Jessica has this idea that I’m not so sure about.” She pushed her soup bowl away. At least she’d finished the salad.

  “Lost your appetite?”

  She nodded.

  Concerned, but unwilling to push, he got the waiter’s attention and asked for the check. Five minutes later they strolled along the sidewalk toward her apartment.

  “You don’t need to walk me home.”

  “I want to. Besides, it’s not really out of my way.”

  “Thanks, and thanks for not pushing about my sister. I know you’re curious.”

  He nodded. “I am, but I’ll respect your privacy.”

  “We’re doing an intervention,” she blurted.

  “Really?” He bit his tongue to keep himself from asking more. If she wanted to share she would. The stairs to her apartment were only ten feet away. “Will I see you in church tomorrow?”

  “I hope so. I can save you a seat, if you’d like.”

  “That would be nice.”

  “What about your sister?”

  He shrugged. “Feel free to save her one, too, but I don’t know if she’ll sit with us or not.”

  “Will do. Okay, then.” She paused at the bottom of the stairs. “Thanks for lunch and the goodies.”

  “Thank you. You saved me today.” Come to think of it, she’d done a lot of that lately. Between saving his niece’s life and helping when he was in a bind, he owed her more than a lunch she barely touched. “Take care.” He placed a soft kiss on her cheek, allowing his lips to linger a heartbeat longer than necessary. “See you in the morning.”

  Holly touched her hand to her cheek, which blossomed a lovely shade of pink. “Okay.” She climbed the stairs and at the top, she turned and waved before going inside.

  He couldn’t stop grinning. There were definitely sparks igniting between them, and he couldn’t wait to see her again.
<
br />   Chapter 18

  Holly stepped into her parents’ hot tub and sat across from her mom with Jessica to Holly’s left. She rested her head back on the ledge and closed her eyes as warm water bubbled around her. She needed to do this more often.

  Jessica cleared her throat. “Mom, Holly and I want to talk with you about something.”

  Holly’s eyes flew open. Right, this wasn’t a pleasure soak, but at least Jessica had promised to do all the talking.

  Mom looked from one daughter to the other. “Again? What’s going on?” She shook her head. “Honestly, girls, these talks make me weary.”

  Holly bit her bottom lip. It was too soon after their Seattle trip to bring this up. She should have known better—they both should have. Mom would feel ganged up on. She caught Jessie’s attention and shook her head, hoping she would understand now was not a good time.

  Instead, her sister ignored her and explained how Holly felt that Mom was disappointed in her and that no matter how hard Holly tried, their mother was never proud of her.

  “That’s not true.” Mom shook her head and twisted in her seat to better face Holly. “Do you really feel that way?”

  Holly couldn’t find her voice and simply nodded.

  “Oh, sweetie, I’m always proud of you, and I love you more than words could ever express. But you’re my strong daughter. You don’t need me to shower praise on you to succeed.” She cast a sheepish look toward Jessica. “I’m sorry, but you’ve always needed a little extra encouragement. You thrive on being in the spotlight.” She turned back to Holly. “I didn’t ever mean to make you feel unloved, or like I don’t approve of what you do. I’m so proud of your accomplishments. I’ve never been great at the mushy stuff—prickly, yes.” A wobbly smile touched her lips. “Please don’t give up on me. I promise to do better, now that I understand.”

  Holly opened her mouth to reply, but her brain turned to mush. Mom is proud of me. Her throat suddenly burned, and she blinked rapidly. “I don’t know what to say. All these years I assumed you loved Jessica more than me. That I was a disappointment because I haven’t married.” She studied her mom’s face and saw the sincerity in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.” Elsa’s words about a mother’s love hit home. She loves you as much as your sister, just differently. All these years of feeling like the lesser daughter could have been avoided if only she’d understood.

  Mom reached for Holly’s hand. “No, I’m sorry. I should have told you I was proud of you. I am so used to showering accolades on Jessica...well, I will work at letting you know what I think—good and bad.” A sheen lit her eyes.

  Holly caught her breath at the emotion in her mother’s eyes. Her mom had meant every word. A burden lifted, and she felt free of the load of guilt she’d carried for so long.

  “I love both my girls.” She stretched her other hand out to Jessica, who grasped it. “But you are very different personalities. I just forgot that even though one of you thrives on showers of accolades, that doesn’t mean the other doesn’t appreciate positive encouragement, too.”

  Holly looked from her mom to Jessica. “Well, how was that for an intervention?” She couldn’t stop the smile that made her face hurt. What a day. First she awoke to a call from Matthew and now this. What was next? Matthew. Her heart warmed at the thought that danced in her mind. For the first time she felt free to love—really free. Was the discord between her mother and her the root of the problem all along? Was she ready for a serious relationship now?

  * * *

  Friday evening Holly rushed home from work and jumped into the shower. Matthew would arrive shortly to pick her up to go ice skating. She zipped through her shower and freshened her makeup. Satisfied with her appearance, she slipped into her favorite pair of jeans and a violet turtleneck. She couldn’t wait to see Matthew. The week had been full, and she hadn’t seen him since church on Sunday.

  A knock on her door sent her heart into double time. She slipped on her jacket and stuffed her phone, key and cash into a pocket. She flung the door open. Matthew stood there wearing a forest-green pullover and jeans along with a black ski jacket. He looked so good. “Hey, there. Long time no see.” She stepped into the cold early-evening air and shivered. “Brr.”

  “I know, and we’re not even on the rink yet.” Matthew took her hand, and they walked side by side down the stairs.

  “Methinks hot chocolate is in order.”

  Matthew grinned. “That’s a tall order.”

  At the bottom of the stairs she slipped her arm through his and snuggled into his side. “You can handle it, boss man.” She smiled when his eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “What?”

  He shook his head. “There’s something different about you.” He turned her toward him and studied her face. “You’re happy.”

  Holly laughed. “It shows, huh?” She propelled them forward. “The intervention with my mom went exceptionally well the other day, and I found it to be a freeing experience.”

  “Really?”

  She nodded as they strolled arm in arm along the sidewalk. Traffic crawled along the road to their right, but few people were out on foot. “Things between me and my mom are better than they’ve ever been, and for the first time since I was a little girl, I’m excited about Christmas.”

  “Wow. That’s great news. I’m really happy for you, Holly.” They neared the ice rink. Children squealed in delight as they soared around the smooth surface, and several adults mingled nearby. A cart had a hot chocolate sign posted beside it. Matthew stopped and bought them each a large cup from the street vendor.

  They were at the rink now, but what she really wanted to do was go for a walk away from the hustle and bustle of the village. “Would you mind if, instead of skating, we walk along the river?”

  His eyebrows rose again. “You are full of surprises today. It’s dark, so I’m not sure that’s a great idea.”

  “Good point. Maybe we could turn around and go to Waterfront Park instead. It’s lit and so pretty this time of year.” They did an about-face and headed for the park. “Thanks for being flexible. I’m around people all day and getting away from it all sounds good.”

  He chuckled. “No problem.” He raised his cup. “This will keep me from turning into an icicle. Oh, and the hand warmers I slipped into my pockets.”

  “Cheater!”

  “Ha. You just wish you’d thought of it.” He winked. “But, if you’re real nice, I might share.”

  She batted her lashes and shot him a silly grin.

  Matthew tossed his head back and laughed, then placed one into her hand. “And you call me a cheater.” He turned around and they strolled back the way they’d come. They passed by Holly’s apartment then waited for traffic to allow them to cross the street.

  Holly slowed on the steep descent down to the park, taking careful steps to avoid slipping and falling. A short time later they turned left into the park and walked out onto the bridge. “This is exactly what I was hoping for—peace and quiet.” She faced the river and took a deep breath of cold evening air. “It’s serene down here.”

  “I agree.” He spoke softly into the hushed evening. “So, tell me what’s changed. You’re a different person from the woman I talked with almost a week ago.”

  Holly placed her cup of hot chocolate on the railing of the bridge and explained about her mom and how the experience had lifted a weight from her. “I don’t know why it was such a big deal, but knowing my mom loves me for who I am changes the way I think about things.” She turned to face him. “Something else has changed, too.” She caught the hopeful look in his eyes and then gazed down at the semifrozen water below. “I’m not afraid anymore.”

  His forehead scrunched. “You were afraid? Of what?”

  “Of us.” Saying the words caused a shiver to shimmy up her back.

  He rested
his hand over hers as she clutched the railing. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

  She faced him and lifted her chin. “I’m ready to fully explore what’s going on between us. I really like you, Matthew, and I think you feel the same way.” She looked down, then back into his face. “Actually, that’s not true. Somehow in the midst of this most unusual holiday season, I fell head over heels in love with you.” She bit down on her bottom lip and held her breath.

  A slow grin spread across his face and he placed his cup beside hers. “That’s the best thing I’ve ever heard anyone say. I love you, too.” He wrapped his arms around her waist, lifted her up and whirled her around.

  A scream of delight escaped Holly’s lips. “Stop before you make us both fall in the river.” She laughed and pushed at his shoulders.

  He slowed and lowered her until her feet landed firmly on the bridge, but he kept her within the circle of his arms. “I’m so happy for you, for me—us.” He laughed. “I’ve prayed that God would help you to move past what happened and that He would heal your relationship with your mother.”

  “You did?” Holly rested her palm against his cheek. “That is about the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. Thanks.”

  “I’ll admit, I had reservations about becoming involved in a relationship because of my business, but when you jumped in and helped out like you did, it showed me that my concern was unfounded. If anything, you are a help, not a hindrance. You make me better, Holly.”

  “Mmm. Better is good.” She wrapped her arms around his neck.

  Matthew tilted his head. His mouth brushed hers, sending shivers down Holly’s back. She closed her eyes and melted as his soft lips caressed hers for too brief a moment. With a sigh her eyes fluttered open, and she gasped at the twinkle of mischief in Matthew’s gaze. “What?”

  “Just thinking how much I’d like to marry you.”

  “Hmm, that sounds like a plan to me. Are you asking?” Her heart nearly exploded.

  His eyes widened. “Would you say yes?”

  She nodded.

  “Then I’m asking. Will you marry me, Holly, and make me the happiest baker in town?”