Christmas at Starlight (Snowy Ridge: A Love at Starlight Novella, Book 0.5)

by Kris Jett

  Amber was enraged. How dare they try to tell her how she should spend her time or who she should spend it with. They’ve ignored her this entire trip just like they did at home. And how dare they sit here judging Nick like that. They didn’t even know him. She’d been planning on telling her parents the truth about school and her feelings all Christmas break, but was just waiting for the right time. She almost blurted it out right then and there but decided to bite her tongue. Anything she said now would just come out in anger and not be taken seriously. And she needed them to know that she was serious. Instead, Amber stood up, looked at her mother, and said, “Go to work.” She walked out of the kitchen and went straight to her room.

  Amber sat on her bed, pissed off, until she heard the car start and drive away with her parents in it. She wasn’t going to let them ruin her day. And she wasn’t going to listen to their opinions on her life. Maybe she was a little old to rebel against her parents now but better late than never, right? Amber was going to do exactly what she wanted to do, and what she wanted to do today was go Christmas shopping.

  Amber threw on a pair of jeans and a cozy green sweater and pulled on her winter coat and gloves. A few minutes later she was locking the door behind her and walking toward Main Street, Christmas list in hand.

  First stop was the leather store. She already knew exactly what she wanted to get for Nick. She’d seen it about a week ago and thought it was beautiful but knew it was perfect once Nick told her about how he liked to write.

  She pushed into the store and took in the luscious smell of new leather. There was nothing like it. Amber made her way to the shelves along the back wall and quickly found what she was looking for. A gorgeous, deep brown, leather journal. She picked it up and ran one hand over it’s top. It was so buttery soft and amazing. She knew Nick had to have it. She brought the journal up the man at the cash register and he offered to personalize it if she wanted to hang around for fifteen minutes. She took him up on his offer and tooled around the store while she waited.

  With Nick’s present tucked safely under her arm, she set out to find something special for Diedre and Jessie. For Jessie she picked up an ugly sweater Christmas cookie set. Jessie loved making cookies so this seemed like a fun choice for her. For Diedre she had no idea what to get her until she saw it and then it practically screamed out, “buy me.” She found a shimmering silver double shooting start ornament that instantly made her think of Diedre and her late husband and their beloved Starlight Pub. She had to buy it for her.

  Feeling good about her purchases thus far, Amber stopped in front of the small used bookstore, Novel Idea, and stared at the window display. There were holiday books perched on various mounds of fake snow and cut out snowflakes hung from the ceiling. Amber considered going in to the store and looking for a parenting book for her mom and dad. Maybe something about how to not micromanage your adult child’s every move.

  “Doing a little Christmas shopping?” a voice said from behind.

  Amber turned around. “Hi, Jessie,” she said. “Yep. What about you?”

  “Nah, I live here,” she said with a nod toward the building.

  Amber glanced around and then looked back at Jessie. “Here?”

  “Yeah. Just up those stairs on the side of the building there. My apartment is above Novel Idea.”

  “Oh, wow. That’s super convenient for you then. That’s great.” Amber said. She tried to smile but she was still stuck partly in her bad mood.

  “Yeah, I love it,” Jessie said. “Is something wrong?”

  “Hmm? No. Not really, I guess.”

  “So there is something wrong,” Jessie concluded.

  Amber considered this. Maybe she should talk to Jessie about what was going on. She might have some good advice. “Well, yeah. Kind of.”

  Amber filled Jessie in on her fight with her parents that morning and how she had intended on telling her parents over break that she wanted to quit school. She hated it and she didn’t want to go back. She knew they would never ever agree to it though and their reaction terrified her. She didn’t know what to do.

  “That’s a tough one, Amber,” Jessie said. “I know college is important to most people. I never went but my circumstances aren’t normal. But if you’re so unhappy then maybe it’s not the right place for you. I would say think about it a bit more and then follow your heart.”

  “Follow my heart,” Amber said. Easier said than done.

  Chapter Ten

  Nick pulled up outside Amber’s cabin and parked his truck. He glanced around to see if her parents’ car was anywhere in sight but it wasn’t. They must be working. After they walked in on Amber and him baking cookies and freaked out, he wasn’t too eager to run into them again. He knew things between Amber and them were rocky but she didn’t want to talk about it much with Nick so he just left it alone. When she was ready to talk, he’d be there to listen.

  Nick worked that morning at Starlight and told Jessie about all the activities he and Amber had been doing. It was quickly becoming the best holiday break he’d ever had. He was trying to think of something fun to do that day when Jessie suggested they take out her snowmobile for a ride. Nick had been snowmobiling plenty of times since living in Snowy Ridge but he wasn’t sure if Amber had ever tried it. Jessie had insisted that he take the keys to her family’s garage and her Ski-Doo so that was the plan for now.

  Nick rang Amber’s doorbell and she answered right away, already in her winter coat and hat. “Are you up for a little adventure?” he asked.

  “What kind of adventure?”

  “You’ll just have to trust me.”

  “Okay,” she said and easily slipped her hand into his.

  He loved how simple yet meaningful that one motion was. It meant everything to him. He squeezed her hand. “Let’s go.”

  A few minutes later they pulled up outside the Foster’s garage.

  “Where are we?” Amber asked.

  “Diedre’s house. More specifically, Diedre’s garage.”

  “Why?”

  Nick grinned and wiggled his eyebrows at her. “You’ll see. Come on.” He let them into the Foster’s garage and flipped on the lights.

  Amber cautiously followed him. “You’re sure it’s okay to be in here?”

  “Definitely. Here we go,” he said as he walked up to the sled and patted the seat. “Want to go for a ride?”

  Amber’s mouth fell open. “On the snowmobile? Yes!”

  “Have you ever been on one before?” he asked.

  Amber walked over to the snowmobile and ran her hand down the smooth seat. “No. Never. But I know snowmobiling is like, the thing in Snowy Ridge. I’ve been seeing everyone whiz by me ever since I arrived. I’d love to try.” She gave Nick an eager look.

  Nick grinned. Amber seemed extra daring today. He was happy she was up for it and he knew it would be a great time. “Well, then let’s go.”

  They quickly dressed into the snowmobile gear Jessie had told Nick was there to borrow and put on their helmets.

  “Did I do it right? How do I look?” Amber asked. “Like I know what I’m doing?”

  Nick gave Amber a once over. “You look great. Maybe even professional,” he teased.

  Nick pushed the sled out of the garage and mounted it. He signaled for Amber to climb on behind him and she quickly jumped on and wrapped her arms around him. He laughed to himself in his helmet and patted her arm. She was already clutching him like they were going sixty miles an hour. He pointed out the hand grips to her and said, “Probably safer if you held on here.”

  Amber nodded and loosened her grip on him.

  Nick started the engine and grabbed the handles of the sled. He drove slowly to the nearby snowy trail and once on it he picked up some speed. Soon they were whizzing down the snow-laden path and through the ice-covered trees. He thought he could hear Amber let out a joyous scream but he couldn’t be sure. They flew up and down the trails and even crossed the frozen lake. They rode near some othe
r snowmobilers and passed others. By the time they were headed back toward the garage the sky had become a periwinkle blue and Nick had flipped on their headlights. He slowed the sled way down and pointed out a doe with her fawn just off the path. Amber reached out and rubbed his back to let him know she’d seen it.

  Nick pulled the sled up to the garage and turned off the engine. Amber climbed off the back of the snowmobile and yanked of her helmet. “Let’s do it again,” she said excitedly.

  Nick laughed as he removed his own helmet. “You liked it that much, huh?”

  “Loved. I loved it that much. Why have I not been riding snowmobiles my entire life?”

  “Because you’re from Chicago and there isn’t much snowmobiling there?” he offered.

  “This must change,” she said, completely serious.

  “I’ll let Chicago know,” he joked. Nick took Amber’s gloved hand in his. “I’m glad you had fun.”

  Amber looked up at Nick earnestly. “It was more than fun. That was one of the best times I’ve ever had. Thank you for taking me.”

  “You’re welcome. I love it too,” he said as he shrugged out of his snowmobile suit.

  “Promise you’ll take me out again for a ride?”

  Nick looked at Amber and smiled sadly. He knew their days together were coming to an end soon. He couldn’t really promise that he’d have the chance to take her on another snowmobile ride before she had to leave. “Sure. Someday.”

  Chapter Eleven

  It was Christmas Eve and Amber was busy. She liked being busy. Her parents were working all day which she had to admit, surprised her a bit. Not that her parents would work on Christmas Eve but that the people being deposed, other lawyers, and the court reporter were all willing to work that day. But it made no matter to Amber because she had a full day planned for herself. She was going to wrap gifts, bake a pie, stop in at Starlight for a quick hot chocolate and visit with Nick and to see if anyone there needed her to do anything in preparation for Christmas, back for dinner with her parents, and then meeting Nick for the town Christmas tree lighting.

  She’d invited her parents to go along to the tree lighting but they looked at her like she had two heads. Her father said he couldn’t think of a bigger waste of time than to stand around, outdoors, with a bunch of people, waiting for lights on a tree to go on. Her mother said she just wanted a glass of wine and to maybe watch a little television after a long day of work. They just didn’t get it. But Amber did. She was looking forward to being a part of a cherished activity with a town she found herself adoring more and more each day.

  Amber finished dinner with her parents and quietly slipped out of the house. She walked the block up to Main and met Nick there. He’d wanted to come to the door to get her but she didn’t want to get her parents going again so just told him to meet her there. They walked together hand in hand down Main Street and everything looked glorious. The twinkle lights glittered every tree and lit up the outline of every store and restaurant. Parents walked with their children and other couples walked holding hands as they all made their way toward the town square. A small band from the high school, she guessed, sat in the lit-up gazebo playing Christmas music on their horns and flutes. The smell of fresh roasted nuts with cinnamon and sugar filled the air, making Amber’s stomach growl. She’d barely touched the perch her parents had brought home.

  Nick walked up to one of the street side vendors. “Two hot chocolates and a bag of nuts please.” He handed Amber the nuts and her hot chocolate and put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in close.

  “It’s nice, isn’t it?” he asked.

  “It’s beautiful,” she said. “I’m so glad we came.” She blew at her hot chocolate and then took a sip.

  “Me too. I love the tree lighting. It’s always been one of my favorite town activities.”

  They walked closer to the forty-foot Balsam tree in the center of the square and stared at it. Amber nodded at Jessie and her Mom who were chatting in a group with some of their employees from Starlight. And Danny was sitting on a bench, deep in conversation with Gloria from the tree farm. There probably wasn’t much reason to keep the Bijou open with most of the town here. Amber recognized the manager from Dillon’s Market and the owner of the hardware store speaking with who she guessed was the mayor. She was pretty sure she’d seen his picture in the paper that week.

  There was a microphone on a stand in the gazebo near the band and a woman walked up to it and spoke. She welcomed everyone to the tree lighting and introduced the mayor. He wished everyone a Merry Christmas and the crowd counted down to ten and the switch was flipped. The thousands of white lights lit up the tree and everyone oohed. Some begun to sing O Christmas Tree and soon the entire crowd had joined in. Nick rubbed Amber’s shoulder while they sang.

  When the song ended people turned to each other and hugged and expressed wishes for a Merry Christmas.

  Nick looked at Amber intently. “This has been a hundred times better sharing it with you. Thank you for coming with me.”

  “No, thank you. I’m so happy,” Amber said. “I never thought Christmas could be so wonderful.”

  Amber leaned toward Nick and he toward her. He put his hand on her chin and tilted it up. And then slowly and sweetly he kissed her. His lips were soft and inviting and she kissed him back, harder. She’d been thinking about this moment for days and here it finally was, a warm, blissful first kiss. Amber didn’t want it to ever end.

  The next morning, Amber woke up and sat bolt right up in her bed. “It’s Christmas,” she whispered to herself. It was the first time in a long while that she’d been excited for Christmas. When she was a child she’d watch sappy Christmas movies and ogle all of the gifts under the Christmas tree and yearn to be part of one of the happy families sitting around laughing and hugging as they took turns opening their presents. Each Christmas she’d secretly hoped that it would be the year her family would suddenly do just that. But it never happened. In her house Christmas was always just a tiny blip and then back to your normal programming. But not today. She’d spend Christmas with Nick and her new friends at Starlight. It would be just like a scene out of one of those Christmas movies and Amber couldn’t wait.

  But for now she’d have to sit through her family’s yearly ritual. Amber made her way out to the kitchen, bracing herself for breakfast with her parents.

  “Merry Christmas, honey,” her mom said from near the stove.

  “Merry Christmas,” her dad echoed. He was already at the kitchen table with a large cup of coffee in front of him.

  Amber replied, “Merry Christmas, guys.”

  “I made breakfast,” her mom announced. She made her way over to the table and set down a plate of cranberry orange muffins. Amber’s mom rarely had time to bake so it was nice to see the effort she was making.

  Amber picked up one of the muffins and took a big bite. “Mmm, it’s really good, Mom.”

  Her mom beamed, proud of herself.

  Amber noticed the tiny wrapped box with the silver bow to the left of her plate. Her Christmas present. She wiped the crumbs from her mouth and pointed to the box. “Should I open this now?”

  Her mom took a seat at the table and folded her hands. “Yes, open it.” Her dad leaned in closer too.

  Amber carefully unwrapped the package and lifted up the top of the small box. She reached inside and pulled out a beautiful pair of sapphire earrings. “Wow. Mom, Dad, these are beautiful. Thank you so much.”

  Her parents grinned at each other.

  Amber slipped the earrings off of the plastic backing and put them in her ears.

  “Gorgeous,” her mom said.

  “Okay, now open your gift.” Amber pushed a red envelope toward her parents that she had written “Mom & Dad” on. Her dad slid open the envelope and pulled out a gift certificate. “It’s for a year of Netflix,” Amber told them. “You guys work too hard. You need to take some breaks and enjoy binge-watching some series.”

  “Than
ks, Amber,” her Dad said. “Sounds fun.”

  “Yes, thanks dear,” her mom said.

  Amber poured herself a cup of coffee and returned to her muffin. It looked like Christmas Day for the Adams family was officially in the bag. She was chewing on a bite of muffin when she saw her mom looking at her.

  “What’s up?” she asked.

  “I was just thinking,” her mom begun, “we’re not working today. Why don’t we use your gift and have a binge-watching marathon on the couch today? We can order pizza for dinner. It’ll just be me, you, and Dad. It’ll be fun. What do you think?”

  Amber thought carefully about how to respond. Finally, she said, “Well, for one, I’m not sure where you think we can order pizza from on Christmas Day. This is a small town. I’m pretty sure everything is closed. And two, I already told you I’m going to Starlight to celebrate Christmas with my friends. You’re more than welcome, I also told you that, too. Why don’t you just come with me and have dinner there?”

  “No,” her dad said flatly. “And I don’t think you should go either. It’s not right. You don’t know these people.”

  “Yes, I do,” Amber insisted.

  “Is that Nick going to be there?” her mom asked.

  “Yes.”

  Her mom and dad exchanged glances.

  “Well, there you go,” her mom said to her dad. “It’s all about this guy.”

  Amber could feel the anger boiling up inside of her. She didn’t tend to go against her parents too often but she was sick of them trying to control her. “Why can’t you understand that I made friends here? Or that I want to celebrate Christmas? Just because you two don’t like celebrating Christmas doesn’t mean I don’t. Newsflash, I’m not you.”

  Her mom looked at her with shock at her outburst and her dad adjusted in his seat like he was about to deliver a lecture. But Amber wasn’t going to give him the time to do it.