She got out of the car and groaned. “You sound like you’re going to enjoy this.”
He pulled her into a surprise sideways hug. “I will.”
*
An hour later Jim and Hollie were weighed down with bags of clothes, boots and Alicia’s over-abundant generosity. Hollie had felt an instant connection with Alicia and her dreaded shopping experience ended up being more than pleasant. Alicia’s shop had everything she needed – including snow boots – and she even managed to sneak a pair of gorgeous leather gloves into the pile on the counter when Alicia agreed Jim would love them. Alicia also helped her pick out a simple necklace for a present for Jim’s mum.
As they were leaving, Alicia sent Jim off to get the car and pulled Hollie into a tight hug. “Jim needs someone like you to heal his heart.”
Hollie jerked back in surprise. “But we’ve only just met.”
Alicia shook her head. “I know what Jim’s like when he’s found a connection with someone.”
Hollie raised her eyebrows in question.
“Madison was my sister,” Alicia said softly.
All the air left Hollie’s lungs and tears pricked her eyes.
Alicia hugged her again. “Don’t even think about crying. Spend your vacation with him. Get to know him. Who knows where this might lead. Please, Hollie, I’ve hated watching Jim waste away for these past two years. Maddie wouldn’t have wanted that.” There were tears in both women’s eyes as they hugged again.
Hollie left, feeling like Alicia was her new best friend.
*
Hollie looked exhausted. The jet lag was making its mark. After they returned from the shopping trip, he gave her some space to call her family and he’d heard her chatting on the phone and wishing them a Merry Christmas. The time difference between the two countries messed with his head totally and he found it hard to work out that it was already Christmas Day in Australia. After speaking with her family, as much as he tried to keep her awake, by six o’clock she was begging him to allow her to go to bed.
“It’s still too early. If you fall asleep now you’ll be awake at four o’clock in the morning.”
She groaned and stuck out her tongue at him. “But I’m sooo tired and you’re sooo mean.”
He chuckled. “Why don’t you go and take a hot shower.”
“Mmm, now that sounds perfect.”
Half an hour later, she came downstairs. In the time it had taken her to shower, it had grown pitch black outside. She joined him in the kitchen, resting her hip against the counter and smelling incredible. As she watched him make himself a coffee, she rifled through the dozen boxes of tea until she found what she was looking for – peppermint – and poured boiling water over the tea bag.
They carried their mugs back to the living room and angled one of the couches to face the fire. For long moments they sat in companionable silence, watching the fire. The logs popped and cracked and threw off sparks. Firelight flickered and filled the shadowy corners of the room. Jim got up and threw another log on the fire and it hissed and spat as the flames touched the sap. The rich scent of pine filled his nostrils. He pressed a button on the iPod dock and Michael Bublé’s honeyed tones filled the room.
“You realize you’re making this the perfect romantic white Christmas Eve experience don’t you?”
He chuckled. “I’m trying.” He sat down again, as close to her as he could without wanting her to feel crowded. He cradled his coffee in his hands and his gaze moved from the fire to the Christmas tree and settled on her.
His skin felt flushed and it wasn’t from the warmth coming from the fire.
“I know you’re tired, Hollie, but if you can stay up a bit longer, I’d love to take you to church tonight.”
“Oh. Alright.”
He sensed her hesitancy. “I go every year. The local church puts on a live nativity scene and I sort of have to go.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Why?”
“They use the llamas as reindeer. The little kids love it.”
“What time is it?”
“Seven o’clock. It only goes for an hour or so. They sing some carols then most people go home, especially the families with little kids. The adults stay for a midnight service.”
“I’d be dead on my feet by midnight.”
“I know, which is why I don’t suggest we stay, but what do you think about going to the early service? If you don’t want to that’s fine, you can stay home.”
“And miss out on adding an experience to my Christmas list? What do I wear and what time do we need to leave?”
“We’ll leave in ten minutes and do you really need to ask what to wear?” he asked with a throaty laugh.
“Something warm?”
He nodded. “We’ll make a Canuck out of you yet, Aussie.”
“A what?!”
He laughed again. “A Canuck. It means a true Canadian.”
*
Fluffy snowflakes spiraled from the night sky as Jim parked his pickup in a quiet side street. They crunched across a fresh covering of snow, joining the throng of people heading toward the church. If possible, Niagara-on-the-Lake was even prettier at night. She stopped in the middle of the deserted street and gazed around her at the snow that looked like frosting on the roofs and windows. Fairy lights, wrapped around trees and doors and in windows, twinkled and sparkled and shone.
Jim turned. “Is everything okay? What are you doing?”
“Pinching myself.”
They rounded a corner and an old church steeple rose into the darkness.
Jim reached for Hollie’s gloved hand and gripped it in his. It felt so perfect holding hands with this man. So magical. So right. As if she’d known him for years, not days. Less than three days. And now all that mattered was being with him. She leaned into his side as they walked, marveling at how good it felt, loving the excitement that ran through her every time she looked at him.
They walked down the shoveled pathway between snow-topped bushes toward the door to the church. A young couple stopped in front of them, pausing for a quick kiss and giggle.
“The old minister has a romantic streak,” Jim said. “He’s been married for sixty years and still calls his wife his bride.”
“Aw, that’s so cute. Is that mistletoe?”
Jim nodded.
“Cool. We don’t have that in Australia.”
“So you’ve never kissed beneath the mistletoe.”
She shook her head.
“When in Canada …” His eyes searched hers.
“When in Canada,” she repeated softly.
Jim pulled her close, parted his lips slightly, gazed into her eyes and she forgot to breathe. Everything around them fell away. She forgot the people behind her, forgot the crowd in the church, forgot Scumbag Steve. Forgot that it was Christmas and she was in a foreign country about to kiss a stranger. None of it mattered. She gazed into Jim’s eyes, losing herself in the soft gray depths.
“May this kiss be the beginning of your Christmas dreams come true,” he whispered as he gently pressed his lips into hers.
Her breath became trapped as she returned his kiss and she only stopped when a soft cheer sounded behind them. They broke apart and she immediately blushed when she saw the crowd of people lining up waiting for them. She urgently tugged Jim forward into the church. His rich laughter floated around her, blending with the sound of the excited voices of children waiting for the service to begin.
“You can add that to your list,” he whispered softly when they found a spare seat and sat. She was about to answer when the organist played the first note and voices rose to the rafters in a stirring rendition of “Joy to the World.”
Oh yes, joy to the world indeed. At that moment, Hollie realized how much she wanted to stay. She might have arrived in Niagara-on-the-Lake by accident, but it felt right being here, with Jim. So very, very right.
*
“I guess we should go to bed, eh,” Jim said later that night. They wer
e back at his house and the fire had burned down to embers. Hollie shot him an odd look and he felt his face flush. “I didn’t mean together.”
She giggled. “I know what you meant.” She leaned over and kissed him softly on the cheek. “Thanks for today, Jim, it’s been really special.”
When she moved away, her perfume clung to his nostrils and he wanted to pull her close again and breathe in her scent until it never left him.
“I hope you made a special memory tonight Hollie – one to add to your list and one you’ll take home with you to Australia.”
“Let me assure you, I made more than one memory tonight.”
“And tomorrow we’ll make more.”
She nodded. “New memories.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “For both of us.”
They stood at the same time and Hollie swayed a little as though dizzy. He shot out his hand and gripped her arm to stop her from falling. “We really do need to get to bed.” He pulled her tight and she went totally still in his arms as he gently grazed his lips across the top of her head. Telling himself he needed to stop now, he pushed Hollie ahead of him up the stairs before he did something he’d regret. Like pulling her into his arms and leading her to his room.
“Good night, Hollie.”
He closed his door softly, leaning back against it as his heart raced. It had been such a long time since he’d dared to have Christmas dreams of his own, but now Hollie was here, everything had changed.
Chapter 11
Hollie woke earlier than expected on Christmas Day. Her body clock felt like it had finally reset itself. She checked outside and saw clear skies and no wind. She was pleased it didn’t look like the snow was going to melt anytime soon. Jim had complained about the unseasonably early cold snap, but she was glad. It would have been such a shame to come all this way and not be able to do all the things she wanted to because the snow had melted before Christmas.
Jim’s mother arrived at noon with a big smile, a big pile of presents and an even bigger hug.
“Welcome to Canada, Hollie. Alicia called last night and told me all about you.”
Hollie raised her eyebrows and snuck a look at Jim but he hadn’t heard his mother’s comment. Or if he had, he was ignoring it.
“Thanks Mrs. Bell.”
“Call me Dot please.”
Lunch was a low-key affair – only the three of them – but surprisingly Hollie didn’t feel like she was missing out on anything. During lunch, Dot plied Hollie with questions about where she lived, her family, her job, her friends, and although Jim kept telling her to stop asking questions, Hollie didn’t mind. His mom was gorgeous. Hollie had known her for less than three hours and already felt she would have a hole in her heart when Dot went home.
After lunch, they pulled up chairs in front of the fire and an easy relaxed atmosphere fell over the room.
“Time for presents, I think,” Jim announced.
Dot handed Jim a present first then gave one to Hollie. “I hope you’ve got room in your suitcase darling,” Dot said.
Hollie and Jim shared a laugh. “Right now I don’t have a suitcase,” Hollie said.
“Oh of course, Alicia told me about that too. Well, you might need to buy a bigger one to take this home.”
“You didn’t need to get me anything,” Hollie said.
“Nonsense,” Dot argued. “Now go ahead and open it.”
Hollie let out a squeal when she unwrapped a gorgeous hand-sewn quilt. She held it out, admiring the intricate detail in the pattern. She felt like Joseph must have felt when he received his technicolor dream coat.
“How did you know I wanted one?” she asked Dot.
“Jim mentioned how much you liked the one on the bed upstairs. I gave that to Madison the first Christmas she spent with Jim, and I wanted to give you one also.”
Tears pricked Hollie’s eyes at Dot’s kindness. “Thank you.” She got up from her seat in front of the fire and hugged Dot tightly. “Thank you,” she repeated. “It’s such a beautiful gift and I’ll cherish it forever. It will be a beautiful reminder of my time in Canada.”
Dot accepted the necklace from Hollie gratefully. “I’ve been eying that off for a while now. Thank you.”
“If I knew I was going to be spending Christmas with a family, I would have brought you something from Australia,” Hollie said. She handed her other small gift-wrapped package to Jim. “Just something little for you. I really had no idea what to get you but Alicia assured me you’ll like these.”
He opened the package to reveal the fur-lined leather gloves she’d chosen. A slow smile slid across his face and he started to chuckle.
Hollie’s heart sank and her smile faded. “Do you already have a pair like that?”
Jim shook his head and handed Hollie her present. “Open it.”
Hollie ripped open the present from Jim and found matching gloves.
They both burst out laughing as they pulled on their gloves.
“I can’t believe I bought you the same pair of gloves,” Hollie said when she’d stopped giggling.
He leaned over and gave her a friendly kiss on the cheek. “Great minds think alike.” He passed her another package, slightly larger. “I’ve got something else for you too.”
Hollie opened the second present to reveal a gorgeous hand-knitted beanie and scarf in red and cream wool.
“When did you have time to buy these?” she asked incredulously. “They’re gorgeous.”
“When Alicia sent me out to get the car I ducked into another shop and found these. I saw the way you turned your nose up at the beanie I loaned you.”
She leaned over and gave him a little shove. “That beanie has seen better days. Anyway, thank you. I can’t wait to go outside and wear these.”
“Well I think I’ll head home,” Dot announced a short time later. “Merry Christmas, Hollie. It’s been lovely meeting you and I hope to see you again.”
Dot kissed her on the cheek and closed the door quietly behind her.
“Your mum is so lovely.”
“She is,” Jim agreed. “She really misses Dad, but you’d never know.”
“What about you?”
“Yeah, I miss Dad too.”
He’d misunderstood her, but judging by the faraway look in his gray eyes, his soul’s window had closed.
What Hollie really wanted to know was whether he still missed Madison.
“So do you want to test out the new gloves and scarf and beanie?” he asked, interrupting her thoughts.
“Sure. And my new boots too. What do you have in mind?”
“I thought we should make a snowman.”
Hollie danced and squealed and clapped her hands like a toddler. “Yes! Let’s go!”
*
The next two weeks were a blur. Each day they ticked off another item from Hollie’s Operation White Christmas list and he documented everything on his camera. Hollie was a photographer’s dream to work with, constantly smiling and teasing the camera with her different expressions. They spent every minute of every day together and he couldn’t get enough of her. They walked around Niagara Falls both during the day and again at night and he saw the beauty of the Falls afresh through her eyes. On New Year’s Eve, they enjoyed a romantic dinner at the Skylon Tower in the revolving restaurant overlooking Niagara Falls and danced until well after the fireworks had finished.
The next day he taught her to ice skate and when she could prove she could skate without falling over every thirty seconds and he wasn’t constantly worrying she was going to break her leg, he surprised her by taking her skating on a small ice-covered pond on his farm. They skated until the sun went down, and then he lit a small fire and they drank hot chocolate, toasted marshmallows and snuggled together under blankets until the stars came out and the northern lights snapped and danced in the arctic air.
In two short weeks together they built more snowmen than Jim had built in his entire life, made countless snow angels and threw hundreds of
snowballs. They walked through the parks and gardens around Niagara Parkway, went to the Festival of Lights twice and visited Brock’s Monument and other historical landmarks. At night he sat up late catching up on his photo editing work, so he could play tourist with Hollie during the day.
He saved the best for last and on Hollie’s final full day in Canada, he took her to meet Doc. It was the first time Jim had been to the Castle family farm since Maddie’s death and he wasn’t sure how it would feel stepping back onto the property, but it was surprisingly easier than he’d anticipated. He pulled in the gate, briefly closed his eyes to the memories and rubbed his chest.
Doc, a retired GP and now a widower in his eighties, was Maddie’s grandpa. A man of few words and not known for his physical displays of affection, when they arrived and Jim introduced him to Hollie, Doc gave Jim a hug and slapped him on the back.
With Hollie out of earshot, he whispered in Jim’s ear. “It’s about time you moved on, son. She’s a pretty thing, eh? Maddie would like her.”
Jim received the words with the love that he knew Doc intended.
“What’s the surprise?” Hollie asked. She seemed unaware of the strain and memories washing over the two men. She gripped his arm tightly as they tramped through the snow to the barn.
“The moment you said you wanted to take a horse-drawn carriage ride, I knew I wanted to give you a better deal than the ones at Niagara-on-the-Lake.”
Hollie’s eyes widened to dinner-sized plates when Doc led a dark brown mare from the barn. She looked at Jim uncertainly. “Where’s the carriage?”
Doc gave a gummy grin, handed her the horse’s reins and headed back inside the barn. He returned moments later dragging an old wooden sleigh.
If possible, Hollie’s eyes widened even further. Jim caught it all on camera.
“This is an antique timber sleigh that’s been in our family for five generations,” Doc told her as he set about connecting it to the horse.
Jim breathed slowly as the memories of the past threatened to overwhelm him. A dull ache settled in the middle of his chest again. Was he doing the right thing taking Hollie in the sled? He parted his lips, about to make some excuse, when he was flooded with a strange sense of peace. He sucked in a deep breath. Doc placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and squeezed.
Operation White Christmas: Escape to the Country Page 7
