by Danni Roan
“It happens, though usually not in such a cat-astrophic way.”
Carol laughed at the man’s pun and sipped her root beer, as Kooter came walking by.
“I hope he’ll go home with you,” she said. “I don’t think I could stand anything else happening before I open my doors for the first time tomorrow.”
“I’m right next door if you need help,” Ryan offered, not sure where the words came from. Now that she wasn’t yelling at him or calling him a Christmas Hater, Ryan was rather enjoying their little lunch together.
“I think we’ve got it covered. My mom and dad are going to help at least for the first few days. Mom’s making cookies and hot chocolate for the customers.”
Ryan chuckled. “Your mom likes to cook?”
“Bake mostly, but yeah.”
“My mother brought in a tin of decorated fall-themed cookies today. She’s going to sell them, and by the way, your mother was chatting with her. I think they were having a good time.”
Carol grinned. “That’s kind of nice. Mom and Dad just moved here a couple of years ago, so they don’t know many people. How can your mother sell cookies from your shop, though? Isn’t that against code?”
“Mom has her caterer’s license. Dad raises turkeys for the store, and we get loads of orders for smoked turkey for the big day. I told him he didn’t have to do that, but Dad’s used to being busy, and they already have a farm.”
“So, where did you go to school?” Carol asked, sipping from her can.
“Right here in town,” Ryan scowled. “I’ve lived in Banesville my whole life.”
“But what about college, business school?”
Ryan felt his hackles rise. “I didn’t go to college. I opened this shop a few years ago. I had been working at a factory down the road, but it wasn’t my dream job, and one day the idea just hit me. Mom was always telling me about how many people were fussing about cooking big meals and never being able to find all the items they wanted for Thanksgiving.” He shrugged. “The rest is history.”
“You mean you didn’t go to business school?” Carol’s eyes were wide with shock. “I just got my degree last month.”
“It’s not like I can’t run my own business,” Ryan bridled. “It’s been going fine for the past three years, and I have more orders this year than ever. Mom and Dad both love being part of it, and I used my own money to finance everything.”
“But what about all the legal implications, the contracts, the accounting? You could end up in trouble.”
“I have people doing all that,” Ryan felt his temper rise. “I’m not stupid just because I didn’t get a degree. I did my homework, took my time, and made sure I did everything right.”
Carol glared at the man. Surely he was missing the point. You couldn’t just open a business without the background and learning required to get the job done.
“That seems very reckless,” she said. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
Ryan got to his feet, placing his soda can on the side of the box. “Well, I’d better get back,” he said, not wanting to say anything he would regret. It had been nice sitting there together talking and enjoying pizza, but it was apparent that Miss Evergreen didn’t think he was a proper businessman since he didn’t have a degree.
“Come on, Kooter,” he said, striding to the door and opening it. “I think it’s time we go back to our rinky-dink little shop, and see if we can muddle through.”
The cat darted out the door as Ryan let it swing shut behind him. Not only did Miss Evergreen think of him as a Christmas Hater, she thought he was some backwoods bumpkin who was simply muddling through on luck.
Slamming into the shop, he stopped short at the line of customers chatting with his mother.
Closing his eyes, he pulled his temper in check and pasted a bright smile on his lips. This was his season, his holiday, and his shop. He knew exactly what he was doing, and judging by the order sheets stacked on the counter, he was doing it rather well.
A moment later, Ryan was so busy answering questions and retrieving stock from the backroom that all thoughts of Carol Evergreen and her lovely blue eyes had vanished from his mind.
***
The smell of cookies baking hit Carol in the face as she walked into her parent’s home. The sweet buttery smell washed over her dropping her annoyance a notch or two.
“Something smells good,” Carol called out as she slipped into the kitchen. “Are those for tomorrow?”
“Yes,” Judy grinned. “Aren’t they cute?”
There was an array of Christmas type sugar cookies cooling on the countertop. Santas, snowmen, reindeer, and more.
“Do we have time to decorate them?” Carol asked, picking up a slightly bent ornament piece and popping it in her mouth.
“Yes, though I’ll probably have to bring them in just before you open. I know you’ll be there early.” The older woman grinned. “I have a little help with the decorations coming, so we should have everything looking beautiful by morning.”
Carol smiled. “Don’t tell me, Dad volunteered.”
“No, that nice Mrs. Troutman is coming over and going to show me how to use that flow frosting to decorate. Did you see her cookies today? They were just stunning.”
Carol squirmed on her chair. How was she supposed to spend the evening decorating cookies with Mrs. Troutman when all she wanted to do was smash something over her son’s head?
After the initial shock from her damaged tree and her flare of anger at the monstrous cat, she had started actually to enjoy her afternoon with Ryan Troutman.
Carol crossed her arms over her middle, scrunching up her sweater. “I’m glad you had a nice day with Mrs. Troutman,” she finally said. “Her son is still a pain in my backside, though.”
“Now, dear, you know it wasn’t his fault that his cat messed up your tree, and he did everything he could to fix it.” Judy turned, pulling another tray of cookies from the stacked oven against the wall. “You know Betty was truly shocked that Kooter did what he did. She said that the cat has never broken a single thing in the shop or at home.”
“Well, he did a number on my tree.” Carol sagged in her chair. She was tired, excited, nervous, and a dozen other things all at once.
“Tomorrow is a big day,” Judy smiled at her daughter, her pale eyes lingering on the girl. “It’s going to be fine,” she encouraged. “Just wait and see.”
“Hello, pumpkin,” Bill Evergreen walked in the door, dusting his hands. “Did you get everything put back together?”
“Yes. Eventually,” Carol admitted. “Dad, did you order an extra box of ornaments for the shop?”
“No,” Bill looked up at his wife, who shook her head.
“It was so strange; a jolly little man delivered a large box of handmade ornaments shortly after the debacle of the tree. They are the prettiest things in the shop, and I’ll make more off of them than I ever would the ones that broke.”
“Maybe you just forgot you ordered them,” Judy offered helpfully. “It has been rather hectic lately.”
Carol wearily ran a hand over her face. She was tired, and the damaged cookie had only served to make her realize how hungry she was. “What’s for supper?”
“Swedish meatballs,” Judy replied. “Go get washed up, and we’ll eat in a minute.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Carol swung off the stool next to the large island countertop and walked away. She hoped that tonight would be an early one, and that she would be able to sleep with all of the things bouncing in her brain.
Ten minutes later, she was sitting down to eat while her mother popped up and down to add or retrieve cookies from the ovens. The hot meal seemed to fill Carol with a sense of well being and take the edge off of her irritation with all things Ryan Troutman.
From now on, she would simply avoid the man, ensuring her peace of mind.
As Carol loaded the last dish in the dishwasher, the doorbell rang, and she hurried toward to front door. She needed to
remember to watch her tone around Mrs. Troutman. It wasn’t her fault that her son was such a pain.
“Hello,” Carol greeted as she pulled the door wide, her smile faltering on her lips as Mrs. Troutman and her son blinked back at her from the night.
***
Ryan glared at the back of his mother’s head then turned the scowl on the pretty woman standing in the doorway. His mother had asked him to come help her with some work for a friend, but had not disclosed that they were headed for the Evergreen home.
“Hello,” Mrs. Troutman’s dark eyes sparkled in the light of the entry hall. “I’ve brought all the decorating items your mother needs.”
Carol glared at Ryan, her nerves jumping, but she bit back any rude words that sprang to her lips. “Please come in,” she offered, stepping out of the way. “Mother said you were coming. She failed to mention that you were bringing anyone along.”
“Oh, Ryan’s such a dear,” Mrs. Troutman smiled. “When I told him I was helping a friend tonight, he all but jumped at the opportunity to join in.”
The glance Ryan shot his mother spoke volumes, but he kept his mouth shut and vowed to be civil throughout the night. He had agreed to help his mother, and with all that she did to make his business a success, he couldn’t begrudge her this misjudgment.
Ryan had been careful not to say anything about how Carol Evergreen had treated him that afternoon. He had taken full responsibility for Kooter’s misdeeds, but that didn’t mean she had the right to put down his business acumen simply because he hadn’t studied at some fancy school.
Plastering a smile on his face, Ryan carried the heavy Tupperware bin of decorating items into the house, studiously ignoring Miss Evergreen in the process.
“Mom, your friend is here.” Carol’s voice carried a sensor note, but she said nothing else as Mrs. Troutman sat up shop and began teaching all of them how to make the prettiest cookies possible.
Chapter 7
Carol studied the display of cookies arranged on a table near the checkout counter and smiled. Not only did they taste amazing, of course they did, her mom made them after all, but they also looked like little Christmas gems.
Grabbing a cookie from the tin of not so perfect ones under the counter, Carol took one more turn around the shop then headed for the door unlocking it and pulling it wide.
Frosty air spilled into the shop, and the smell of fall tickling her nose. An older woman, her long bobbed white hair fluttering in the soft breeze, approached the store, and Carol greeted her with a bright smile.
“Good morning,” the young woman felt her stomach gurgle with nerves and excitement as the first customer stepped through the door.
“Good morning,” the woman greeted, her dark eyes bright as she walked inside. She wore a red dress that seemed to meld with the shop's interior in the nicest way, and Carol wondered if she might model a uniform after it.
“How can I help you?” Carol asked, still beaming.
“I’m just looking around,” the woman’s dusky skin seemed to glow as she studied the shop. “I love Christmas,” she added.
Carol nodded, understanding. “Can I offer you a cookie?”
“That would be lovely,” the woman agreed, following Carol to the display. “Oh, aren’t they pretty? Did your young man help with these?”
“Oh, uhm,” Carol stuttered. “It was a group project.”
A knowing gleam entered the woman’s dark eyes as she lifted a Christmas tree-shaped cookie decorated in garish pink frosting. “This looks like your tree over there,” the woman said as Carol hurried to the beverage table.
“Can I get you some cocoa?”
The woman nodded, accepting the young shop owner's cup then made her way around the shop, stopping to look at the ornaments on the pink tree.
“I modeled this tree after an ornament someone gave me.” Carol stood next to the older woman and gazed at the pink tree. A trickle of guilt ran through her as she remembered the night before and her cold attitude toward Ryan Troutman.
The man might be a Christmas Hater, but he had tried to be kind. He hadn’t even sabotaged one cookie as they had studiously followed Mrs. Troutman’s directions.
Perhaps it was time to make peace with the man, but everything about him seemed to go against her ideas. He hated Christmas. He hadn’t studied to become a business owner. He thought Thanksgiving was the best holiday, and he had a cat that was the terror of the town.
“You’ll have to forgive him eventually,” the woman at her side said. Her voice was soft and reasonable and added to the feeling of guilt washing through Carol.
“Excuse me?”
“The young man,” the woman turned bright eyes on Carol and a feeling of wonder-filled her. “The young man next door. You’ll have to forgive him for all your perceived grievances eventually. After all, you are neighbors.”
“I,” Carol opened her mouth to protest but couldn’t find the words. “He’s,” she stammered. “I mean…”
The older woman placed a hand on Carol’s arm. “You have wonderful ideas,” she said. “A talent for sharing Christmas cheer, but you need to remember why we celebrate the season. We need to love our fellow man as much as we do the holiday.”
Carol sagged, still befuddled by the woman’s insight.
“Now, I think I’ll take a few items with me. I always have a huge dinner with family and friends the day after Christmas.”
Carol filled the woman’s order, and as she left, her bright red dress swishing over tall black boots, a bevy of other shoppers inundated her shop. An hour later, with great relief, Carol saw her mother walk in and begin helping customers with their purchases.
***
Ryan smiled, handing-off a neatly packed bag to a woman. “I hope you found everything you need,” he offered as she took the string handles from his hand.
“If you’re trying to get a jump on Christmas shopping, the new store next door just opened.” The words felt like gravel in his throat, but he was determined to show Miss High-and-mighty Evergreen that he was not beyond helping.
“Thank you, Ryan,” the woman said. “Maybe I’ll order a turkey for Christmas too,” I’ll let you know.
Ryan waved the woman out of the shop then looked up as his door pinged again. A shorter woman with white hair stepped through the door. Her bright red dress was a lovely splash of color among the golds and oranges in his displays.
“Hello,” Ryan smiled, welcoming her in. “Can I help you?”
“I’m just looking around,” the woman’s smile was bright and reached to her warm brown eyes. “That was nice of you sending your shopper next door. Aren’t you worried about the competition?”
Ryan shook his head, petting Kooter absently as he sprang onto the counter. “Different holiday,” he offered. “I don’t see how it will affect me.”
The big cat made that funny noise in his throat then leapt to the floor, wending his way toward the older woman.
“Hello, Kooter,” she said, squatting and stroking the cat’s head. Ryan could hear the thunderous purr from across the room.
“You know, Kooter?”
“Let’s say we’re acquainted.” The woman’s eyes sparkled again as if she and the cat shared a special secret.
The cat’s ‘cack-cack-cack’ filled the room, and Ryan shook his head. Kooter, the half-drowned kitten that had stolen his heart, was keeping secrets.
“You have some lovely things here,” the woman smiled. “I think your shop is trendy.”
“It gets especially busy at this time of year,” Ryan admitted, “but it is steady all year. I sometimes cater to weddings and other parties. I’ve even got rental dinnerware if people need it.”
“You’re a good businessman,” the woman didn’t turn around but studied a set of gold glassware that sparkled in the sunlight pouring through the front windows.
“Thank you.” Ryan didn’t remember ever seeing this woman in his life, but she seemed to be well acquainted with his and his cat
’s life.
“You need to be patient with your young lady,” the woman continued running her fingers over a soft tablecloth embroidered with fall leaves.
“I’m sorry?” Ryan gaped. “I don’t have a young lady.”
The woman turned, her dark eyes dancing. “Maybe that is what you are telling yourself, but you know as well as I do that you have a great deal of,” she waved her hand, “attraction for your neighbor.”
Ryan shook his head. He did not need to be discussing this with a stranger. “She hates me.” The words were out before he could think, and the young shop keeper felt his face flame.
