by Joanne Rock
Besides, he realized he was in no hurry for her to leave. It’d been too long since he had seen her.
“I happen to know Kiersten Garrett really wants you at her wedding.” He’d been over to dinner at Luke’s and Kiersten had shared as much.
Rachel’s jaw dropped. “I—Well. Just because Kiersten wants me there doesn’t mean I need to put up with grief from everyone in town.”
He jumped into trouble with both feet. It came with the territory on the mountain every day, and he wasn’t going to shy away from a risk now, with someone who used to be important to him.
“Consider the town quieted when you go to the bridal welcome dinner as my date.”
*
Ten minutes later Rachel was still searching for words as they headed east through the mountains toward Lake Placid. Her head was downright spinning. She glanced across the truck cab at the source of her unrest. Gavin steered the pickup easily along the winding curves on dark back roads. He’d taken a route she never would have known about, bypassing the more direct county road connecting the towns.
She was still rattled from the surprise of seeing him, but leaving behind the red and green Yuletide mania was helping to soothe her nerves along with the warm, non-pine-scented air blowing from the truck’s defroster. She took her first deep breath all day and then turned to look at him.
So. Handsome.
He was the sort of guy you really needed to view in small doses so as not to get overwhelmed. From his moody green eyes and longish, dark blond hair, to his supremely athletic build he was the kind of man women noticed. And squealed about. Tonight, he wore a knit ski cap that held his hair off his face—the better to see the chiseled profile gone scruffy with a few days of not shaving.
Time had only made him better looking. How else had he changed from that reckless teen she’d been crazy about? From his desire to fix the past—to stand up for her in a town that had seemed happy to write her off as a villain—she guessed he had his share of regrets about that awkward day they’d kissed. But she needed to remember that, in his own way, he was making peace with his past—the same as her. So she should not read anything romantic into his offer to escort her to the pre-wedding festivities.
And yet, she’d gotten keyed up just like a high school girl when he’d claimed he wanted her for his “date.” Clearly, time hadn’t made her any wiser.
“Where exactly are we headed?” he asked, his voice wrapping pleasantly around her in the confines of the newly warm truck cab. “You said Lake Placid, but I’m sure you don’t really want to see the lake at this hour.”
“Maybe I do,” she said, mostly just to be contrary. And also because she wasn’t sure how much to reveal about her plans for tonight. “Don’t they have ice-skating on the lake at night during this time of year?”
He slanted a knowing glance her way.
“You forgot your skates though.” He dimmed his lights as they passed another car, then flicked on the brights again. It wasn’t actively snowing for the moment, making it easier to see as they edged down a steep grade.
She sighed. “You can just drop me off in downtown.”
“So you can disappear and skip town tomorrow?” He shook his head. “I’ve been waiting a long time to redeem myself, Rachel. We’re going to conquer Yuletide together this week, you and me.”
Something about the way he worded it got her thinking. “What’s in it for you, exactly? Besides ‘redemption,’ which frankly, I can’t imagine you’ve been pining for all this time.”
“I’ve pined.” He shot her a virtuous look that made her smile. “But you’re right. I could use your help, too.”
“I can’t imagine what I might have to offer you.” She’d spent the last eight years perfecting her craft as a designer—and failing to gain any kind of commercial traction. Work had become a source of frustration where once it had fueled her every creative instinct.
“I could use your help getting this town to remember its roots.” He downshifted as they reached the first signs of the old Olympic Village.
She couldn’t imagine how she could help in that department, but she was curious what he had in mind.
“Are you referring to its history before it became Yuletide?” She didn’t recall Harristown having that much going for it.
He drove slowly along Main Street. The local shops had closed for the evening, but the town still did a brisk restaurant business. A man-made toboggan run on one end shot sledders out into the frozen surface of the lake, and the line waiting for a turn was full of kids and families.
“No. I want the Yuletide town board to remember why they became a Christmas-themed village. These last few years it’s become all about the bottom line. They’re losing sight of what makes it special.”
She might have fallen out of her seat if she hadn’t been buckled in. “Seriously? My odds of success with that are about the same as if you’d asked me to lead the reindeer team when Santa goes out this year.”
Gavin stopped to wait for a car vacating a coveted parking spot on the street.
“Your father always had a real passion for what the town was about—”
“Embezzling?”
“It was a bad decision,” he admitted.
“A criminal decision,” she emphasized, knowing every other person in Yuletide would do the same.
“But before greed got the best of him, he had a vision for the town that was really exciting.” He backed into the spot and put the truck in park, and then turned toward Rachel with a new fire in his gaze. “A vision that got a whole lot of people engaged and believing in him. Every person who lived in Yuletide took on a role, from building the website to laying the foundation for the new gazebo and restoring an old carousel.”
She shook her head sadly, not sure why Gavin would want to remind the town of the past when they resented her father—and her—so fiercely. But then, he had looked up to her father at one time. No doubt he’d been hurt too when her dad had let them all down.
“Once upon a time, my father had the power to motivate people. That’s true. But he lost all credibility when he took the town’s savings. He’s like the Grinch who stole Christmas, only he never gave it back and I’m afraid resurrecting his dream will only remind people of what he did.”
What he’d done had been painful for every single resident of Yuletide. And in their resentment, no one had spared any sympathy for Rachel or her mother, both of whom had been abandoned with no explanation. The betrayal had been double for them, yet instead of getting any support for the community, they’d been suspected as accomplices. No matter that the police cleared them of suspicion within the first six weeks of the investigation.
“If you could ever get on speaking terms with the town council members, I bet you’d be able to motivate them.” Gavin’s green eyes locked on hers.
She laughed. What other response could there be? “No I couldn’t. They all think I’m guilty too. Besides, I’m fighting my own battle this week just trying to get Luke to let me go to his wedding so I can be there on Kiersten’s big day.”
“Luke is going to be glad to see you and put the past to rest.” He sounded so sure of it. “It’s his parents who soured on your family, not him.”
“Them along with the rest of the town.”
Outside the truck, a band of teens sprinted past at high speed, threatening each other with snowballs.
“No.” Gavin shook his head, resolute. “There are plenty of people here who don’t like how closed-minded the council has become. When the town started, there was talk about charity work for Christmas programs. None of it ever happened after your dad left.”
She remembered. People were naturally more giving at the holidays and her father had talked about trying to put that positive spirit into action. Had he ever planned to follow through with programs like that, she wondered? Or had he known all along he was going to ditch his family and his vision?
“What are you hoping to accomplish, exactly?” She glanced
up the street toward the Mirror Lake Inn where Kiersten would be getting off work soon. An aesthetician, the bride-to-be worked at the luxury spa inside the hotel, and Rachel didn’t want to miss her chance to speak to her friend outside Yuletide.
Away from Mrs. Garrett.
“I’ve been pitching a nighttime cross-country ski event through town that would be a fundraiser for a good cause.” He leaned closer, his enthusiasm for the project obvious in his voice. “I’d pay for the cost of lighting, but I need the official approval of the mayor and the councilors. I thought it could be a way to raise awareness and funds for a kids’ group I work with that’s dedicated to fighting childhood obesity and making exercise fun.”
He did work for good causes like that? He’d certainly taken a different path in life than his wealthy parents who spent their time and money pursuing their personal passions rather than give anything back. Their visits to Lake Placid where Gavin went to school had been few and far between even when he’d been young.
Gavin had never made a big deal about it, but Rachel knew that he’d sought out friends in Yuletide specifically to spend less time at the boarding school where they left him almost year-round. He got sick of the same four walls. The same kids.
Yuletide—and Rachel’s father in particular—had welcomed him warmly. Her dad had attended more of Gavin’s early snowboard cross events than his own parents.
“Have you approached town about it?” The event sounded like a no-brainer, bringing more people to their community in a positive way.
Across the street, church bells chimed the time—eight o’clock. Kiersten would be leaving work any minute.
“Of course.” He leaned back into his seat, scowling. “Before I was even out the door, they were asking one another how they could ‘monetize’ the idea.”
Indignation simmered. “They can’t do that.”
“Steal my idea?”
“That either. But what I meant is, they can’t say no to your fundraiser.” She wanted to help him but failed to see how. “Look, Gavin, I need to intercept Kiersten before she leaves for the day.”
He glanced up the street. “She works at the Mirror Lake Inn, doesn’t she?”
Rachel nodded and he fired up the truck again.
“Text her that we’re on the way, and I’ll drop you off at the front door.”
She did as he asked while he pulled back onto the street.
“I can ride home with her.” She didn’t want Gavin to have to wait around for her. “I hope it wasn’t too out of your way coming here tonight.”
“Not at all. I meant it when I said I was happy to see you again, Rachel.” The way he lingered on her name—just a little—made her feel shivery all over again. “Let Kiersten know you’ll be attending the bridal party welcome dinner with me tomorrow.”
She knew that would be far too awkward. “About that—”
“I’ll pick you up at six.” He turned into the parking area for the historic inn. “And since we’re neighbors now, I’m going to know if you try to leave town before then.”
His teasing tone reminded her of long-ago confidences and happier conversations, back when they’d been friends and she’d wanted to be much more.
“Then I’ll have to be very subtle about my getaway.” She wasn’t going to ruin her friend’s wedding by crashing the pre-ceremony events.
Pocketing her phone, she levered open the truck door as soon as he stopped the vehicle.
“Rachel, wait.” He reached for her, a hand landing on her arm before she slipped away. “I understand if you don’t want to help me convince the council to approve my fundraiser. But it’s past time I helped you make peace with your hometown.”
She wasn’t sure if it was the electric hum of awareness she felt at his touch that was getting through to her, or if she really wanted to honor that pact she made with her girlfriends.
Having Gavin on her side would go a long way toward smoothing her path with the rest of Yuletide. And she couldn’t deny that she wanted her hometown to stop believing the worst of her. She wanted the healing that would come from making peace with her past.
“I’ll stay for the party,” she agreed, knowing she’d probably regret it. “No promise about the rest of the week.”
“Good.” His grin stole her breath it was so damn dazzling. After giving her arm a squeeze, he let her go. “It’s a Christmas Karaoke party. You can dress accordingly, if you like.”
And just like that, she felt her chest tighten again, a wheeze sure to follow.
“Christmas Karaoke?” Sliding out of the truck cab, she inhaled the cold night air, the scent of pine filling the air. “With costumes?”
“It’ll be fun,” he assured her. “You just need to find your holiday spirit.”
Chapter Three
An hour later, seated with Kiersten in matching wooden rocking chairs on the main floor of the Mirror Lake Inn, Rachel inhaled the rich aroma of nutmeg and cinnamon wafting under her nose from her hot buttered rum.
They’d chosen a spot half hidden from the rest of the inn behind a huge display of poinsettias built into the shape of a Christmas tree. There were lots of little nooks around the resort hotel since it had been built as an Adirondack great camp originally, and the main building maintained numerous porches and alcoves. Here they could look out a wide picture window down onto the lake where a few skaters still took advantage of the lights to spin around the ice.
Kiersten had been thrilled to see her, insisting they enjoy a drink by themselves before heading back to Yuletide. The bride-to-be glowed with happiness and good health even after her eight-hour shift in the spa. With no makeup and her blonde hair knotted in a messy bun, she resembled an advertisement for her facials, her skin pink-cheeked and flawless. She wore rose-colored scrubs from the spa and still managed to look as lovely as any woman in the place. Skiers, hotel guests and local visitors mingled in the nearby bar, the sounds a pleasant din in the background while Ella Fitzgerald crooned a seasonal tune over the sound system near them.
Gavin’s parting words chased around Rachel’s mind.
“I do have holiday spirit,” she grumbled mostly to herself before sipping carefully at the hot drink.
She’d recapped her ride over to the inn with Gavin Blake, while carefully not mentioning that he’d invited her to Kiersten and Luke’s bridal party welcome dinner tomorrow. She wasn’t sure she wanted Kiersten to know about that ahead of time in case the bride-to-be needed plausible deniability when the whole escapade backfired.
“Actually, you told me that you’re allergic to Christmas,” Kiersten reminded her helpfully as she sipped her own mystery green protein drink from an insulated silver travel mug. “Remember?”
Leave it to friends to call you on your every contradiction.
“I was generalizing. What I meant was that I’m allergic to all things related to Yuletide.” She used her cinnamon stick to swirl the drink. “You don’t know what you’re missing out on, by the way. This is delicious.”
“I know exactly what I’m missing out on.” Kiersten pointed at her with the straw built into her cup of healthful shake. “I gained eight pounds after I started working here because they serve free cookies at tea time. Everything they make is amazing.”
“Eight pounds?” Rachel shook her head. “You wear it well.”
“Hardly. I lost the weight I gained after I picked out my bridal dress.” She grinned happily, chewing on her straw. “It’s so pretty I started drinking these hideous weight-loss shakes just to be fabulous for the gown.”
“That’s a good endorsement for a gown.” Rachel hadn’t thought about her design work for at least a few hours today—longer than she’d probably gone in the last five years without thinking about it. “If my clothing designs could have inspired weight loss, just think how popular my work might have been.”
She didn’t have the drive or the financial backing to build her own design house the way she once dreamed. But she had an online store wher
e she custom-designed clothes for a small client base.
“You just haven’t found your niche yet,” the bride-to-be assured her, upbeat and confident in Rachel as always. “It will happen. Have you ever considered wedding dresses?”
“Not my thing.” She liked the vibrant flow of colors around her, the energy they brought to design. “Too white.”
“How about bridesmaid dresses? There’s obviously a market for good apparel there since everyone jokes about how bad bridesmaid dresses are. And I had a hard time finding anything too.” She hesitated, her gaze turning wary. “I hate that you’re not in the wedding. I should have just insisted and informed my future mother-in-law that you were going to be in the bridal party.”
“Too much drama.” Rachel shuddered. “I’m glad you didn’t make a stand with her over something like that. Save your battles for important things. Future offspring, maybe.”
Kiersten frowned, sighing out her exasperation. “You’re my friend, though. And it’s my wedding day, not hers. I should have stood up for you.”
Rachel set down her mug on the cocktail table nearby, wondering if now maybe she should tell Kiersten about her plans to attend at least one of the pre-wedding festivities. Maybe it would be better to warn her.
“Actually, Gavin made the same sort of comment on the way over here—about how he wished he’d stood up for me eight years ago on that day I’d rather forget.”
“Really?” Kiersten set her shake down and leaned forward in her rocking chair, her messy bun listing to one side. “Do tell. Did he say it in a way that made you think he wished you’d repeat that kiss from eight years ago?”
“No!” That was the problem with close friends. They had way too much dirt on you. “Of course not. He was just saying he felt bad that I didn’t feel comfortable in Yuletide.” She shrugged, downplaying it. But then she realized that wouldn’t be useful when it came to warning Kiersten she might crash the welcome dinner. “Although. Erm…”
“Did he already kiss you?” Kiersten pressed, her overly romantic brain treading down all the wrong paths.
