“I’m looking forward to spending the day with you,” Jake said, and he meant every word. “Can you meet me for lunch this afternoon?” he asked, not sure he could wait until Christmas to see her again.
When she agreed, he smiled, a smile so wide that several customers looked at him curiously...and smiled back.
Chapter Sixteen
Happiest are the people who give the most happiness to others.
—Mrs. Miracle
That same morning Lindy Lee called Holly into her office again. Saving the document she was working on, Holly grabbed a pad and pen and rushed inside. Gesturing toward the chair, Lindy invited her to sit. This was unusual in itself; Lindy Lee never went out of her way to make Holly comfortable. In fact, it was generally the opposite.
“I’ve given your suggestion some thought,” she said crisply.
“You mean about the Christmas party for next year?”
Lindy Lee’s eyes narrowed. “Of course I mean the Christmas party. I want you to organize one for tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? But—”
“No excuses. You’re the one who asked for this.”
“I’ll need a budget,” Holly said desperately. It was a little late to be organizing a party. Every caterer in New York would’ve been booked months ago. Finding a restaurant with an opening the day before Christmas would be hopeless. What was she thinking when she’d suggested the idea to Lindy Lee? Hadn’t she emphasized that she was talking about the following year? Not this one? Holly hardly knew where to start.
Lindy Lee glared at her. “I’m aware that you’ll require a budget. Please wait until I’m finished. You can ask your questions then.”
“Okay, sorry.” Holly wasn’t sure how she was supposed to manage this on such short notice.
Lindy explained that she’d close the office at two, that she wanted festive decorations and Christmas music, and that attendance was mandatory. “You can bring your nephew if you like,” she added, after setting a more than generous budget.
“In other words, the family of staff is included?”
“Good grief, no.”
“But Gabe’s family.”
“He’s adorable. He even—” Lindy Lee stopped abruptly.
Holly was in complete agreement about Gabe’s cuteness, but it wouldn’t go over well if Gabe was invited and no one else’s children were. “The others might get upset,” Holly said, broaching the subject cautiously. “I mean, if I bring Gabe and no other children are allowed, it might look bad.”
Lindy Lee sat back and crossed her arms, frowning. “If we invite family, then the place will be overrun with the little darlings,” she muttered sarcastically. She sighed. “Should we include them?”
Holly shook her head. “There are too many practical considerations. People with kids would have to go home and pick them up and... Well, I think it’s too much trouble, so let’s not.”
“Okay,” Lindy said with evident relief.
“I’ll get right on this.”
“You might invite Gabe to the office again,” Lindy Lee shocked her by saying. “Maybe in the new year.”
Holly wondered if she’d misunderstood. “You want me to bring Gabe into the office?”
“A half day perhaps,” her boss said, amending her original thought.
“Okay.” So Gabe had succeeded in charming Lindy Lee, something Holly had once considered impossible.
Lindy Lee turned back to her computer, effectively dismissing Holly. Head whirling with the difficulty of her assignment, Holly returned to her own desk. She immediately got a list of nearby restaurants and began making calls, all of which netted quick rejections. In fact, the people she spoke with nearly laughed her off the phone. By noon she was growing desperate and worried.
“How’s it going?” Lindy Lee asked as she stepped out of her office to meet someone for lunch. “Don’t answer. I can tell by the look on your face.”
“If only we’d scheduled the party a bit sooner...”
“You shouldn’t have waited until the last minute to spring it on me,” she said, laying the blame squarely on Holly.
That seemed unfair and a little harsh, even for Lindy Lee.
“We could have our event here in the building,” Lindy Lee suggested, apparently relenting. “The sixth floor has a big open space. Check with them and see if that’s available.”
“I’ll do it right away.”
“Good,” Lindy said, and turned to leave.
“I’ll make this party happen,” Holly promised through gritted teeth.
“I’ll hold you to that,” Lindy Lee tossed over her shoulder on her way out the door.
As soon as she’d left, Holly called the sixth floor. As luck would have it, the only time available was the afternoon of Christmas Eve—exactly what she needed. That solved one problem, but there was still an equally large hurdle to jump. Finding a caterer.
Despite the urgency of this task, Holly kept her lunch date with Jake. These last days before Christmas made getting away for more than a few minutes difficult for him. Yet he managed with the help of his staff who, according to Jake, were determined to smooth the course of romance. Mrs. Miracle, God bless her, had spearheaded the effort.
Holly picked up a pastrami on rye at the deli and two coffees, and walked to Finley’s; that was all they really had time for. Now that she’d been assured of her Christmas bonus, Holly had resumed the luxury of buying lunch. When she arrived at the store, white bag in hand, Jake was busy with a customer.
Mrs. Miracle saw her and came over to greet Holly. “My dear, what’s wrong?”
Once again Holly was surprised at how readable she must be. “I’m on an impossible mission,” she said.
“And what’s that?” the older woman asked.
Holly explained. As soon as she’d finished, Mrs. Miracle smiled. “I believe I can help you.”
“You can?” she asked excitedly.
“Yes, a friend of mine just opened a small restaurant in the Village. She’s still getting herself established, but she’d certainly be capable of handling this party. What are you planning to serve? Sandwiches? Appetizers? Cookies? That sort of thing?”
“The party will be in the early afternoon, so small sandwiches and cookies would be perfect. It doesn’t have to be elaborate.” At this point she’d accept almost anything.
“I’ll get you my friend’s number.”
“Yes, please, and, Mrs. Miracle, thank you so much.”
“No problem, my dear. None whatsoever.” The older woman beamed her a smile. “By the way, I’ve set up a table in the back of the storeroom for you and Jake to have your lunch.”
“How thoughtful.”
“You go on back and Jake’ll be along any minute. Meanwhile, I’ll get you that phone number.”
“Thanks,” she said again. “Could you tell me your friend’s name?”
“It’s Wendy,” she said. “Now don’t you worry about a thing, you hear?”
Feeling deeply relieved, Holly went to the storeroom. Sure enough, Mrs. Miracle had set up a card table, complete with a white tablecloth and a small poinsettia in the middle. Holly put down the sandwich, plus a couple of pickles and the two cups of coffee.
Jake came in a few minutes later, looking harassed. He kissed her, then took his place. “It’s crazy out there,” he said, slumping in his chair.
“I can tell.” She noticed that the rest of the staff was diligently avoiding the storeroom, no doubt under orders from Mrs. Miracle.
He reached for his half of the massive sandwich. “I sold the last of the robots this morning.”
“That’s wonderful!”
“It is and it isn’t,” he said between bites. “I wish I’d ordered another hundred. We could’ve sold those, as well. Now we have to turn people away. I hate disappointing anyone.”
“Is there any other store in town with inventory?”
“Nope, and believe me, I’ve checked. Another shipment is due in a week after Christmas but by then it’ll be too late.”
Holly hated to bring up the subject of Gabe’s Intellytron, but she needed Jake’s reassurance that the one he’d set aside hadn’t been sold in the robot-buying frenzy. “You still have Gabe’s, don’t you?”
Still chewing on his sandwich, Jake nodded. “Mrs. Miracle wrapped it herself. It’s sitting right over there.” He pointed to a counter across from her. The large, brightly decorated package rested in one corner.
“I’m so grateful you did this for me,” she told him. Meeting Jake had been one of the greatest blessings of the year—in so many ways.
“Thank Mrs. Miracle, too,” he said. “She wasn’t even supposed to be in today, but she ended up staying to help us out.”
The few minutes they’d grabbed flew by much too quickly. Jake stood, kissed her again, and they left the storeroom together. As they stepped onto the floor, Mrs. Miracle handed her a slip of paper. “The name of the restaurant is Heavenly Delights and here’s the number.”
“Heavenly Delights,” Holly repeated. “I’ll give your friend a call as soon as I’m back at my desk.”
“You do that.”
Holly tucked the paper in her coat pocket and nearly danced all the way to the office. With a little help from Mrs. Miracle, she’d be able to pull off a miracle of her own—she’d organize this Christmas party, regardless of the difficulties and challenges.
Once at her desk, Holly reached for the phone and called the number Mrs. Miracle had written down for her.
“Hello.” A woman answered on the third ring.
“Hello,” Holly returned brightly. “Is this Wendy?”
“Yes. And you are?”
“I’m Holly Larson, and I’m phoning on behalf of Lindy Lee.”
“Lindy Lee, the designer?” Wendy sounded impressed.
“Yes,” Holly answered. “I know I’m probably calling at the worst time, but I felt I should contact you as soon as possible.” She assumed the restaurant would be busy with the lunch crowd.
“No, no, this is fine.”
“I was given your phone number by Emily Miracle.”
“Who?”
“Oh, sorry. Her badge says Miracle, but that’s a mistake. Rather than cause a fuss, she asked that we call her Mrs. Miracle, although that’s not actually her name. I apologize, but I can’t remember what it is. I’m so accustomed to calling her Mrs. Miracle.” Holly hoped she wasn’t rambling.
“Go on,” Wendy urged without commenting on all the confusion about names.
“Long story short, she suggested I call you about catering Lindy Lee’s Christmas party for her employees.”
“She did?”
“Yes... She highly recommended you and the restaurant.”
“What restaurant?”
“Heavenly Delights,” Holly said. Wendy must own more than one. “The location in the Village.”
“Heavenly Delights,” Wendy gasped, then started to laugh. “Heavenly Delights?”
“Yes.” Holly’s spirits took a sharp dive; nevertheless, she forged ahead. “I’m wondering if you could work us into your schedule.”
“Oh, dear.”
Holly’s spirits sank even further. “You can’t do it?”
“I didn’t say that.”
Her emotions went from hopeful to disheartened and back again. “Then you could?”
“I... I don’t know what to say.” The woman seemed completely overwhelmed.
Yes, I can do it would certainly make Holly’s day, but the words weren’t immediately forthcoming.
“Unfortunately, the party’s scheduled for tomorrow afternoon—Christmas Eve.” Holly suspected that, by then, practically everyone in the restaurant business would be closing down and heading home to their families. As an incentive, she mentioned the amount she could offer. The catering would take up most of the budget, with a little left over for decorations.
“That sounds fair,” Wendy said.
“Would you be able to accommodate us?” she asked hopefully. “We’re talking about forty people, give or take.”
“I...”
Holly closed her eyes, fearing the worst.
“I think I could. However, there’s something you should know.”
“What’s that?”
“First, I can’t imagine who this Mrs. Miracle is.”
“As I said, that isn’t her real name. But I can find out for you, if you like.”
“No, it doesn’t matter. What I wanted to tell you is that I don’t have a restaurant.”
“No restaurant?” Holly’s mouth went dry.
“The thing is, I’ve been talking with my daughter about opening one. She’s attending culinary school. I’ve been praying about it, too. However, a lot of problems stand in the way—one of which is money.”
“Oh.”
“When I applied for a loan, the bank officer asked me what we intended to call the restaurant. Lucie and I have gone over dozens of names and nothing felt right. Our specialty would be desserts.... I like the name Heavenly Delights. If you don’t mind, I’ll borrow it.”
“I... That’s the name Mrs. Miracle gave me.”
“Well, if she doesn’t mind, we’ll definitely use it.” She paused. “Maybe I know her, but right now I can’t figure out who she is.”
“Um, so if you don’t have a restaurant yet, you can’t cater the event?”
“I can’t,” Wendy agreed. “But perhaps Lucie and her friends from culinary school could.”
“Really?” Holly asked excitedly.
“Give me your number and I’ll call her to see if we can make this happen.”
“Great!”
Holly fidgeted until Wendy called back five minutes later. “We’ll do it,” Wendy told her. “Lucie talked to several of her colleagues and they’re all interested. I can promise you’ll love their menu. Lucie’s already working on it.”
“Fabulous. Thank you! Oh, thank you so much.” Her relief was so great that she felt like weeping.
She disconnected just as Lindy returned from lunch.
“The party’s all set,” Holly said happily.
“Really?” She’d impressed Lindy Lee, which was no small feat.
“Christmas Eve from two to four.”
Her employer nodded. “Good job, Holly.”
Holly closed her eyes and basked in the glow of Lindy Lee’s approval.
Chapter Seventeen
We don’t change God’s message.
His message changes us.
—Mrs. Miracle
Jake glanced at his watch and felt a surge of relief. Five-thirty on Christmas Eve; in half an hour, the store would close its doors for the season.
Finley’s would open again on the twenty-sixth for the year-end frenzy. He felt good that toy sales for this quarter were twenty percent higher than the previous year. He attributed the boost in revenue to Intellytron the SuperRobot. Jake felt vindicated that his hunch had been proven right. He’d be proud to take these latest figures to his father. While the robot alone didn’t explain the increase, the fact that it was available at Finley’s had brought new customers into the store.
Holly was occupied with her boss and the Christmas party, which she’d arranged for Lindy Lee at the last moment. The poor girl had worked herself into a nervous state to pull off the event, and Jake was confident that the afternoon had gone well. He knew Holly had obsessed over each and every detail.
No doubt exhausted, she’d go home to her Brooklyn apartment as soon as she was finished with the cleanup. Jake would come by later that evening to spend time with her and Gabe. The three of them would enjoy a quiet dinner and then atten
d Christmas Eve services at her church.
It felt strangely luxurious not to be rushing away from the city with his father, although Jake was saddened that he hadn’t been able to convince J.R. to join them on Christmas Day.
His cell chirped, and even before he looked, Jake knew it was Holly.
“Hi,” he said. “How’d the party go?”
“Great! Wonderful. Even Lindy Lee was pleased. The caterers did a fabulous job, above and beyond my expectations. Wendy told me that Heavenly Delights plans to specialize in desserts and they should. Everything was spectacular.”
“I’m glad.”
“Don’t forget to bring over Gabe’s gift tonight,” she said in a tired voice. As he’d expected, Holly was worn-out.
“Sure thing.”
“We’ll hide it in my bedroom until he goes to sleep, and then we can put it under the tree. That way it’ll be the first thing he sees Christmas morning.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“I’ll distract him when you arrive so you can shove it in my closet.”
“Okay.”
She hesitated. “Are you sure you can’t talk your father into coming for Christmas dinner?”
“I don’t think so, Holly. He isn’t ready to give up his...vacation.” He nearly choked on the word.
“Ask him again, would you?” she said softly.
“I will,” he agreed with some reluctance, knowing it wouldn’t have any effect.
“And thank Mrs. Miracle for me. She saved the day with this recommendation.”
“Of course. Although I believe she’s already left.”
“She’ll be back, won’t she?”
“As seasonal help, she’ll stay on until the end of January when we finish inventory.” The older woman had been a real success in the department. She’d reassured parents and entertained their kids. If she was interested, Jake would like to offer her full-time employment.
He ended his conversation with Holly and went into the storeroom to pick up Gabe’s robot.
He stopped short. The package that had lain on the counter, the package so beautifully wrapped by Mrs. Miracle, was missing.
A Christmas Message Page 29
