Christmas Kisses: An Echo Ridge Anthology (Echo Ridge Romance Book 1)

by Lucy McConnell

  “C’MON MEGAN. MOMMY WILL ONLY be a few more minutes and then I’ll take you home and you can go right to bed.” Anika tugged on Megan’s hand and hurried her to the back of the store.

  Lila had a family Christmas party to attend so she’d watched Megan until six and then dropped her off at Kenworth’s. It wasn’t perfect, but it was much better than entertaining a four-year old during a six-hour work shift. Hopefully she could make it through the night without anyone noticing Megan. With Cecilia gone most of her fears had also left, but she still wanted to show Kenworth’s that they had made the right choice in keeping her on. Anika’s shoulders were tight knots of stress and cords of tension over the fear of having her job threatened again because of her daughter.

  “Is Santa coming tonight?” her daughter asked.

  “Tomorrow night.” Anika tucked a blanket around Megan and her daughter snuggled deeper into the couch. The employee break room wasn’t the best place for a child to sleep, but at least she would be out of trouble and Anika could finish her shift.

  Anika wouldn’t have to lie to Megan about Santa. The gifts from the Hope Tree had saved her Christmas even if it had also destroyed her chance of love with Carlos. A tiny thought nudged the back of her mind, the one that said she didn’t understand the true spirit of Christmas, but Anika shoved that thought away angrily. She wanted love, not pity. She needed someone who wanted her family not just because they wanted to save her, but because he really wanted to be with her and her daughter.

  She thought of Carlos’s house— she’d driven by it last week. It was a small bungalow and the hard work Carlos had put into fixing it up was obvious. A lump of tears tore at the back of her throat. It was almost perfect. Almost.

  The store had been busy all day with last-minute Christmas shoppers. The Hope Tree stood beautifully decorated, yet empty without the dozens of cream-colored cards filled with information of people in need. Anika glared at the tree, the anger rising up in the back of her throat as she thought about the kiss she shared with Carlos. He’d told her he loved her and she’d believed him. Never again, she silently swore to herself. The lights flickered and the tree suddenly dimmed. A few of the overhead lights sputtered and the bright fluorescent lights in the children’s area went out.

  That was strange. Anika checked her watch, it was fifteen minutes until closing. She shrugged, somebody was in a hurry to start celebrating their Christmas break. That was fine with her. Kenworth’s closed early on Christmas Eve before her shift tomorrow. Anika was looking forward to the time off, even if it meant she wouldn’t be earning money. The thought of money brought her back around to the wrapped presents and Christmas tree in her cramped apartment and her blood pressure began to rise. She gritted her teeth and tried to think of something else. The something else was Carlos. She couldn’t get him out of her head; his brown eyes, caramel skin, and broad shoulders that could so easily carry anything placed upon them. He was a good guy, just misdirected.

  Anika caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror next to the stylish scarves and hats. Maybe the problem did lie within her. Jessica had hinted as kindly as possible that Anika was related to the Grinch. Looking at the deep frown lines on her forehead, and the bags under her eyes was depressing. She turned away and went back to work.

  Anika put her hand in the pocket of the soft blue sweater she had pulled on tonight. Her fingers grazed the edge of a paper. She pulled out a gold envelope with her name written on it. Where had that come from? She tried to remember the last time she’d worn the blue sweater. Her throat tightened— it was last week, the day after she had rung up her own red dress for Mrs. Claus. The day that family had delivered her Christmas presents and she’d told Carlos she didn’t want to see him anymore. She recalled hanging the sweater in her closet, completely forgetting the Christmas card inside.

  Tears came to her eyes and Anika’s lip trembled as she opened the flap of the envelope. There was so much hurt in her heart and she knew it was wrong to hold onto the pain. If only there was a way to fix the mess she was in. She gently pulled out a card with silver snowflakes embossed on the front and a holiday greeting. Her thumb rubbed the puffy snow-like felt on the card as she lifted the flap. She gasped when three one-hundred dollar bills fluttered out. She examined the bills— they were real. She folded them into her pocket as she focused on the delicate handwriting filling up the card’s interior.

  Anika,

  Hate and cynicism are just like a slow-killing poison. The longer you hold on to your anger and hopelessness the more it permeates your soul. Soon, you are encased with the poison and it distorts your view of the world.

  This Christmas and from now on, let hope, peace, joy, and love permeate your soul. Love casteth out all fear. God loves you. These gifts are so you can see the world through His eyes for a small moment— a moment that will change your heart forever if you let Him in.

  Love,

  Your Christmas Angel

  Anika stared at the words that struck her soul like a hot knife. Whoever wrote this note didn’t just know that she didn’t have money for Christmas, they knew her. The script was feminine and the twinkling blue eyes and silver-white hair of Mrs. Claus came to mind. Could she have written the note?

  The clock started chiming nine tolls for the store’s closing, and Anika quickly tucked the card back into her sweater, her mind churning with thoughts and ideas about how she’d acted toward everyone in the past week leading up to Christmas. Guilt pricked at her conscience, and she almost stopped to reread the card’s message. Instead, Anika hurried to the front door to lock up. She was tired and there was no way she was going to play Mrs. Claus and let someone in for one last purchase. She bolted the door and returned to clean out her cash register, tally receipts, and all the other monotonous tasks that had to be completed no matter how exhausted she was. Thankfully, Megan hadn’t ventured out from the employee lounge which meant she had fallen asleep.

  Anika shouldered a bag full of miscellaneous items that needed to be restocked and walked across the floor toward the men’s department. She pulled a tie out of the bag and was about to hang it next to the others when she thought of the way Gentry had treated her. She walked over to his register and dumped the items on the counter with a smug grin. Those items could wait until tomorrow to be restocked.

  She’d made it halfway across the store when her nose started to itch with something acrid like the smell of melted plastic. Worried that something might be amiss in the employee lounge, Anika hurried to the back of the store. Just before she reached the main offices, the smoke alarm went off.

  Anika bolted at the sound and sprinted into the employee lounge. Megan’s blanket hung off one side of the sofa, but her daughter wasn’t sleeping next to it. Anika searched the room and when she didn’t find Megan, she screamed alongside the wail of the fire alarm. “Megan, Mommy’s here! Megan!”

  Anika slid around the corner, the overhead sprinklers were on in the children’s department and the water was running across the floor. She called for Megan and gulped in a mouthful of black smoke. She coughed as she ran and pulled her shirt up over her nose. Her heart pounded frantically, keeping time to the panic coursing through Anika’s veins. She coughed until her eyes streamed with tears. The worst of the smoke was billowing out from the children’s section— the place where Megan had delightfully played among the Christmas displays and drove a pink car along the new shelves Carlos had built.

  “Help! Is there anyone in here? My four-year-old is in the store!” Anika yelled. Her cell phone was tucked inside her purse in the closet of the employee lounge. There wasn’t time to call for help. If Megan was in the children’s section, she could die of smoke inhalation in minutes. Anika grabbed one of the winter scarves she’d seen earlier and tied it around her face. Gulping a breath, she ran into the black smoke billowing up and curling along the ceiling. She couldn’t see any flames yet, but the temperature rose as she approached the children’s section.

  “Megan! Megan
! Mommy needs you. We have to get ready for Santa Claus!” Anika stumbled over a display of toys, banged her knee into a table and chair set, and landed on top of some stuffed Christmas bears. She coughed and her eyes burned. Where was Megan? Her daughter was in the store somewhere. Anika thought she heard a shout, but it sounded far away. Her head throbbed and her mouth tasted like black ash. She pulled herself up and headed toward Santa’s throne, but Megan wasn’t there either. She was about to check in the employee lounge again when she thought she heard music playing. The familiar notes of Silent Night filtered through the store and it seemed to be coming from her station in the women’s department. Anika tried to run forward, but her legs buckled and she collapsed on the floor. She pulled herself to a crawling position and squinted to make out the display of sweaters and Christmas gifts next to her cash register. Megan had to be there. Anika crawled toward the Christmas melody playing, wondering where the music was coming from.

  “Megan,” her words came out as a broken whisper etched in smoke. Everything was a blur, the only thing that was clear was the music. Anika’s body felt like a cement slab. Her lungs felt like she was breathing glass. She had to find Megan. She crawled toward the sound of Silent Night until she could see the Hope Tree flickering ahead.

  WHEN THE TEXT CAME FROM the fire department to report to Kenworth’s department store at nine-thirty, Carlos panicked. Anika was there closing up. The building was almost a hundred years old. He could see the fire consuming the wood and plaster walls like a hungry dragon. Carlos didn’t want to waste time stopping at the fire department for his gear. He texted his buddy, Damon, and asked him to bring it to the store with an urgent message that people could be in danger. It was against protocol and he could get sidelined for it, but all Carlos could think of was Anika.

  The sky was heavy with dark clouds and only a few pinpricks of starlight made it through the threatening snowstorm. Carlos sped through town and pulled around back at Kenworth’s. He cried out when he saw Anika’s red car and drove through the alleyway toward the front of the store.

  He sucked in a breath when he saw the #2 fire engine hooking up hoses. Carlos jumped from his pickup and ran to the engine where Damon was manning a hose. Damon saw him coming and thumbed behind him.

  “It’s in the truck. Dude, you owe me, cuz they said the store is clear.”

  Carlos shoved past Damon, yelling. “People inside! There are people inside! Anika Fletcher is inside.” He stopped just long enough to pull on his turnouts, yank on his helmet, and steal an SCBA to provide fresh air from one of the other firefighters before he sprinted for the front doors. He grabbed another firefighter by the arm who was coming out of the building. “I need you to go back in with me. There are people inside.” Carlos didn’t wait for an answer, just pulled on his fellow firefighter and dashed inside.

  Firemen were yelling all kinds of commands as he jumped hoses and shouldered his way into the black smoke belching from the building. He slid the tank’s straps over his shoulders and flipped it one, running towards the women’s department.

  Carlos found Anika on the ground next to a rack of dresses. He sucked in a breath of the fresh air flowing from his mask. The acrid smoke boiled up against the ceiling of Kenworth’s. The fire crew was right behind him spraying down the flames erupting all over the children’s section. Thank goodness he’d found Anika in time. He lifted her in his arms and carried her out the front of the store. She was unconscious, and he wasn’t sure if she was breathing.

  A paramedic met him at the front doors with a stretcher. Carlos set Anika down, his mind buzzing with questions. Why hadn’t Anika left the store when the alarms sounded? Something wasn’t right. And then his skin turned ice cold despite the sweat building up inside his suit.

  Megan.

  Carlos turned and shouted, “I think this woman’s daughter is inside.” He pointed at the police officer on scene. “Someone find out if Megan Fletcher is with a sitter. I’m going inside.”

  He re-entered the store, whispering a silent prayer, “Please God, help me find her.” Carlos had to find her. Everything he’d tried to tell Anika about the goodness in life— she’d never believe again if she lost her daughter.

  A maelstrom of sounds drummed against Anika’s ears. There was a whooshing sound, sirens, men hollering, beeps, and clangs everywhere. Her eyes felt like stiff paper maché and her throat felt like she’d swallowed sand. Beyond all the noise she heard music and felt an urgency to open her eyes. She was so tired. If only she could sleep. But there was something about that song. The words came to her mind, Sleep in heavenly peace. Anika coughed, and sat bolt upright. “My daughter! Megan is in the store somewhere!”

  The EMT froze, her eyes widening. “How old is she?”

  “She’s four,” Anika rasped. “I couldn’t find her.” She swung her legs over the side of the stretcher and the world tilted.

  “Hold on! You can’t go anywhere.” The EMT steadied her. “My name’s Carolyn, and I promise you, those fireman out there are the best bet for finding your daughter.” Carolyn grabbed her radio at the same time a fireman poked his head inside the ambulance. “This woman says her daughter is inside the store.”

  “Carlos is inside looking for her,” the fireman answered. “Description?” he looked at Anika.

  “Four year old. Dark brown hair, and she was wearing a red Christmas sweater.”

  “I’m going in.” He turned and jogged toward the store.

  “I couldn’t find her,” Anika sobbed. “She wasn’t in the back. Not in the children’s section.”

  “Where do you think she could be?” Carolyn asked.

  “I work in the women’s department so I was going to look there,” Anika said. “I must have passed out.”

  “I’ll let them know.” Carolyn clicked on her radio and repeated what Anika had told her.

  Anika leaned forward, covering her face with her hands, and cried, “Please, Lord. Don’t take my baby girl.”

  Carlos heard the reports coming in on the radio that confirmed Megan was in the store. His stomach went up into his throat when he saw Anika’s work station wreathed in smoke. The heat from the back of the store was intense and the fire rumbled somewhere out of sight. There was no sign of Megan around the cash register. Carlos took two steps toward the heat emanating from the children’s department and stopped. He scrambled around the cash register and ripped open the cupboard, pawing inside. It was empty. He’d seen Megan dart inside these cupboards to hide and play with her dolls. He pulled open another cupboard stuffed full of hangers. Carlos turned and opened the last cupboard. Megan lay curled up inside, her head resting on a pile of cloth shopping bags. He grabbed hold of her and lifted her from the cupboard.

  Megan’s eyes fluttered, and opened as Carlos hurried toward the front of the store. She screamed when she saw Carlos. He flinched, but then grinned because she was screaming at his helmet, and screaming meant she was breathing.

  “It’s okay, Meggie. It’s Carlos. I’ve got you and I’m taking you to your mommy.” His voice was muffled, but Megan stopped and peered at him through the helmet. Then she reached up a hand and rapped on the plexiglass.

  “Carlo?” she asked.

  Carlos chuckled. “Yep, it’s me.” He held Megan tight and pushed past the hose vibrating with water. As soon as he was clear of the building, he pulled off his helmet and shouted, “I’ve got her.” He lifted Megan, and a cheer went up. Carlos located the ambulance and hugged Megan to him. “Let’s go see your mom.”

  CHRISTMAS MORNING LOOKED LIKE the sparkling silver card Anika had kept near her since the night of the fire. She’d almost memorized the words and promised herself that she would change her life and Megan’s. During her overnight stay in the hospital, she decided that never again would she stomp through life hating Christmas.

  Carlos arrived at her apartment just in time for breakfast. Anika’s heart fluttered when she opened the door and saw the three white roses he held toward her. “Merry Christ
mas, Anika.”

  She pulled Carlos inside and touched his cheek. “Merry Christmas to you.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Carlos kissed her, pulling her closer with one arm, the cellophane around the roses crunching slightly. Her middle warmed as she kissed him, and she felt aglow like a burning fire. Carlos kissed her mouth, her cheek, and then hugged her.

  “Santa must have brought you what you wanted,” he murmured.

  Anika stepped back and wagged a finger at him. “Careful, he’s already adjusting the naughty and nice list for next year.”

  Carlos chuckled. His eyes flitted over to the large wrapped gift sitting against the wall. Megan danced around. “Can I open it now? Carlos, can I open it?”

  “Yes, I can’t wait to see it.” He leaned toward Anika and whispered in her ear, “Thanks for waiting for me.”

  Megan squealed in delight when she pulled off the wrapping paper. “A doll house for me!” She kneeled down and looked at the tiny pieces of furniture and the different colored rooms. Then she jumped into Carlos’s arms and hugged him. “I love you!”

  “I love you, too, Megan. I’m so glad you like it.” Carlos patted her back and he winked at Anika.

  Carlos stood and handed Anika a small wrapped gift. “This is for you.”

  Anika took the gift, running a hand over the silver and green paper. “Thank you.”

  “Well, that was easy. You’re thanking me before you even see what’s in it.” Carlos laughed when Anika wrinkled her nose at him. She loved how comfortable she felt with him and how everything in the world seemed brighter since he came into her life. The paper crinkled as she tore open the gift, revealing a hand-carved Christmas tree-shaped ornament. The dark cherry wood was carved with several layers of evergreen boughs. A red ribbon was attached to a hook at the top. “This is beautiful!” Anika hung the ornament on her tree and reached out her hand to squeeze Carlos’s.