Christmas in Icicle Falls

by Sheila Roberts

“I hope you don’t mind me inviting myself over,” Tim said to Sienna as they followed him. “I don’t get the girls till tomorrow and it seemed wrong to sit home alone on a Friday night.”

  So, she and Leo were the second string. He probably wouldn’t have called her if he’d had his kids. “Don’t you have your girls every weekend?”

  “Pretty much.” He frowned. “I make a handy babysitter for the ex and the new boyfriend.”

  Drama with exes—did she want to get pulled into that? Between her own ex and the disastrous boyfriends who had followed, she’d had enough drama. This was a mistake.

  Still, watching how easily Tim interacted with her son, it was hard not to wish they’d met earlier in their lives. Too bad she hadn’t moved to Icicle Falls years ago. Maybe life would have been different for both of them.

  With so many thoughts rolling around in her head she didn’t say much at dinner, but Leo kept up a steady chatter. He had much to tell Tim since he’d seen the man last. His teacher had been impressed with his improved math skills and he’d shared with her about Mr. One and Miss Two.

  “You’re smart,” Leo finished. “I want to be smart like you.”

  “You just be yourself, Leo, and you’ll be fine,” Tim said. It was the perfect reply.

  After dinner Leo hauled Tim back to play with his Legos and they topped off their playtime with some good-natured roughhousing. Leo was starting to get tired, the tips of his ears turning pink, but in spite of that he wasn’t ready for the fun to end and pouted when Sienna informed him it was time to get ready for bed.

  “We can play Legos again another time,” Tim said to him.

  There shouldn’t be another time. Leo was getting too attached. So was Sienna.

  She finally got Leo settled and went downstairs to end the evening.

  But Tim had picked up a romantic comedy she’d been dying to see. What would a couple more hours hurt?

  When he sat next to her on the couch and she felt the electric charge as his thigh brushed hers, she knew what a couple more hours would hurt. And yet she let the movie play on, right along with dreams of what life could be like with this man.

  The story moved from laughter to that moment of doubt when it looked like the relationship was doomed and then on to the requisite happy ending with the couple kissing under the mistletoe. Sigh.

  “That’s what you’re missing,” Tim said.

  A man? “What?”

  “Mistletoe. I haven’t seen any hanging around here?”

  “There hasn’t exactly been much need.”

  “There is now,” he murmured, and her heart seized.

  Don’t let him kiss you. Don’t let him kiss you.

  Too late. She did.

  With his lips on hers and his fingers slipping through her hair, nerve endings that had settled down for a long winter’s nap awakened. Merry Christmas, happy New Year and hallelujah.

  What do you think you’re doing? demanded her sensible half.

  She was enjoying herself—that was what she was doing. But her sensible half was right. She pulled her hand away from his chest and put some distance between them. “This isn’t a good idea.”

  He looked surprised. “It’s not?”

  “No, it’s really not.”

  His arms fell to his sides. “Okay, tell me why.”

  “You have kids.”

  “Well, yeah. So do you.”

  “And mine needs a lot of attention. It’s just...”

  His brows pulled together. “Are you worried I can’t handle adding another kid to the mix?”

  “Leo takes a lot of time and energy.”

  “I think I’ve got enough of both.”

  Sienna shook her head. “I don’t know.”

  “Look, I don’t know, either. I don’t have a crystal ball, so I can’t tell you what the future might hold. But this much I can tell you. I think you’re great and I’m crazy about you. I like your kid a lot and I want to spend more time with you guys. I want to see where this goes because I think it could go someplace good.”

  “I’ve tried before. It’s never lasted and that’s been hard on Leo.” It had been hard on her, too. “I don’t want to get his hopes up.”

  Tim nodded slowly. “I get that. I understand you wanting to play it safe. But not much happens when you play it safe. You don’t exactly score a lot of points.”

  “Life isn’t always about scoring,” she said stiffly.

  “It’s not about sitting on the sidelines, either. Do you really want to sit on the sidelines, Sienna? Do you want to keep your kid there?”

  She bit her lip. “I don’t know.”

  “Think about it,” he said. He caught her hand and kissed it, starting everything sparking all over again. “And if you decide you want to get in the game, I’ll be taking the girls to the tree-lighting ceremony tomorrow. Let me know if you want to join us.”

  With that he retrieved his movie, got his coat and slipped out of the house, leaving Sienna to deal with her disappointed nerve endings as best she could.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Keep your smile no matter what and you’ll find that little trick helps you also keep your joy.

  —Muriel Sterling, A Guide to Happy Holidays

  After much tossing and turning Friday night, Sienna finally came to a decision. She wasn’t ready to give up and sit on the sidelines. So the next day, she and Leo bundled up and joined the throng of holiday revelers in the town square.

  With its Alpine village theme and beautiful scenery, the town of Icicle Falls had become a popular tourist destination. It was especially popular at Christmas, with people coming to town from all over the state of Washington and beyond to enjoy the shopping, the restaurants and the party atmosphere. The tree lighting had become an integral part of that party. In addition to arts-and-crafts booths and vendors selling roasted nuts and candies, people looked forward to gathering to see the giant tree in the center of town come to life with its hundreds of colored lights. The rest of the downtown lit up also, with millions more lights, turning itself into a magical snow globe scene.

  And there, right in the middle in the snow globe beside her and Leo, were Tim and his daughters, Amy and Amelia. The girls were beautiful. Both had long blond hair and blue eyes, pert little noses and lovely smiles. Amy, the fashionista, was sporting lip gloss, the shine accentuating perfect little lips. They both looked ready for a fashion magazine photo shoot, dressed in pastel-colored parkas, fancy earmuffs and trendy boots worn over their leggings.

  Leo was enthralled. They seemed to take to him, also, and were happy to share their roasted chestnuts and sugared almonds and skate with him around the town’s skating rink.

  “They’re being awfully nice to him,” Sienna said later as she and Tim strolled along behind them on the way to the stage and gazebo where Santa was soon to put in his appearance.

  “Why shouldn’t they be? He’s a nice kid.”

  And Tim was a nice man. Maybe things could work out between them. Maybe she’d finally gotten it right in the love department. He took her gloved hand in his big one and smiled down at her, giving her a glimpse into her possible Christmas future and making her heart flip. Oh, yes, she could get used to this.

  “I’m glad you called me,” he said.

  “Me, too.”

  The crowd gathered for the tree-lighting ceremony was monstrous—couples visiting for a holiday weekend, holding hands and snacking on gingerbread boys from Gingerbread Haus and Sweet Dreams chocolates, young families with babies in strollers or young ones perched on daddies’ shoulders, senior citizens looking on fondly as their grandchildren danced around them in excitement.

  “How many people do you think are here?” Sienna asked Tim.

  “There’s gotta be several hundred
,” he said, looking around.

  She believed it. The town square was jammed, everyone jostling for a better view.

  One of the families looking for a good spot was Bailey Black and her husband, who was carrying the baby. “I thought you’d be at the tearoom,” Sienna greeted her.

  “No point in being open now,” Bailey said. “Everyone wants to be here for the tree lighting, me included. I’ve been coming since I was a little girl. It’s kind of corny, but it’s tradition. Nobody misses a tree lighting.”

  It sure looked that way. Sienna doubted she’d be able to find her cousin in the crowd without texting her.

  And yet, with so many people, some of the mean kids still managed to find Leo. “Look, it’s the retard,” one said.

  Okay, that was it. Christmas or no Christmas, Sienna was going to commit murder. She’d emailed Leo’s teacher and talked to the school principal. Had no one been listening? Hadn’t these little brats’ parents been contacted and told to turn their children into decent human beings?

  She was about to push through the crowd and teach this kid a lesson herself when she saw Amy come to Leo’s defense. She pointed scornfully at the offender and said, “Gosh, what an ugly boy. And look at that big zit on his nose. Do you know him, Leo?”

  Leo scowled. “He’s mean.”

  “What a mouth-breather,” Amy said haughtily.

  “Yeah, what a mouth-breather,” Amelia parroted and linked her arm through Leo’s.

  The boy’s face turned redder than Santa’s suit. He tried to mask his embarrassment with a sneer and turned away. The boy with him laughed at his humiliation and he shouldered his way off through the crowd.

  The girls’ support cleared away the thunderclouds from Leo’s face and brought back his sunny smile.

  “Amazing,” Sienna murmured, taking it all in.

  “Never underestimate the power of a cute girl,” Tim said.

  “I guess,” she replied, astonished.

  “Hey there!” called Rita, then excused herself past people to get to Sienna and Tim. Tito followed, carrying little Linda, who was ready for her tree-lighting experience in a pink snowsuit.

  “It’s freezing out here,” she said when she finally reached them. “Why do we do this every year?”

  “You’re the one who told me I needed to come,” Sienna reminded her. Although it had really been Tim’s invitation that had brought her out.

  “Well, it is tradition,” Rita said. She looked at Tim speculatively. “Hi there. I’m Sienna’s cousin Rita.”

  “Tim Richmond,” Tim said, giving her a nod and shaking hands with Tito.

  Once introductions were made, Rita began happily grilling Tim like a steak on a barbecue. “How did you meet Sienna?” As if she didn’t know.

  “She lives next door to my uncle, poor woman,” he said with a smile.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in Zelda’s.” She might as well have added, With someone.

  “I’ve usually got my girls on the weekends,” he said.

  “So, how long have you been divorced?”

  “My wife,” Tito joked. “She’s nosy.”

  Too nosy. Sienna pulled her aside. “Stop already. Give the man a break.”

  Rita looked at her, wide-eyed. “Just being friendly.”

  Fortunately for Tim, there was no more time for talking—the event had begun and a parade of Christmas characters were making their way to the gazebo. Nutcracker soldiers marched alongside a twirling Sugar Plum Fairy, elves and snowmen frolicking in their wake as the brass band played “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.”

  “Look, there’s Santa,” Leo cried, pointing to the red-suited figure and his plump wife.

  Santa took the stage with the requisite “Ho, ho, ho” and asked if all the boys and girls present had been good.

  “I have!” Amelia called.

  “I have!” Leo chimed in.

  Amy, who obviously knew the truth about Santa, simply smiled.

  The mayor welcomed everyone and brought out the high school music teacher to lead the crowd in some Christmas carols. Santa returned and reminded all the kids to be on their best behavior, and then one of the local pastors said a prayer. After that it was time for the countdown to the big moment.

  Leo had trouble counting forward. Backward was impossible. But he bounced up and down and clapped his hands, excited to see the big tree come to life.

  “Three, two, one,” roared the crowd.

  And then magic happened. The tree blazed with a multitude of colors and every other tree on Center Street turned into a galaxy of light. Every building sparkled against the dark with gold and blue and green and red. Golden lights contrasted with the red plastic ribbon and greens trimming the gazebo, and the band began to play “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

  “Wow,” Sienna breathed.

  “Told you it was awesome,” Rita said with a smile.

  It was, indeed. She pulled out her phone and took a picture. Then, seeing Tim’s girls taking a selfie of themselves and Leo, she took a picture of that, too, capturing the smiles on their faces and Leo’s happy grin and sending it off to her mom.

  “Would you and the girls like to come over for hot chocolate?” she asked Tim as the crowd began to disperse.

  “Oh, yeah.”

  Hot chocolate and cookies, laughter as the girls played Candy Land with Leo and admiring looks from Tim were like frosting on red velvet cake, making Sienna’s day perfect.

  Until the kids’ conversation turned to their parents. She was frying quesadillas, while Tim stood at the counter, chopping vegetables for a tossed salad.

  “Where’s your mama?” Leo asked Amelia.

  “She lives at a different house.”

  “Doesn’t she like you?” Leo asked.

  “She doesn’t like our daddy,” Amelia explained.

  Sienna sneaked a look at Tim. He froze for a moment; then the chopping resumed, more vigorous than before.

  “Amelia,” Amy said sharply.

  “My daddy doesn’t live with us,” Leo offered. “He doesn’t like me.”

  Sienna felt her heart crack. If only she could say it wasn’t true. But it was. “Your daddy loves you in his own way, sweetie.” Lame. But then, so was Carlos.

  “That’s okay, Leo,” Amy said. “We like you. Don’t we, Amelia?”

  Amelia nodded vigorously. “My daddy has an orchard,” she offered. “And he has a big tree in his yard. You can climb it.” She turned to Tim. “Can Leo come over and play tomorrow?”

  “I like to climb trees,” Leo said eagerly.

  “This isn’t exactly tree-climbing weather,” Sienna told her son, not wanting to put the man on the spot. Still, no matter the weather, she wanted to come over and play, too.

  “I have to take you back to your mom’s tomorrow. Remember?” Tim said to his daughter.

  “Before we go?” begged Amelia. “We have games,” she told Leo.

  “I want to play a game,” Leo said.

  “How about it?” Tim said to Sienna. “I don’t have to take the girls back until three.”

  “I’d like to see your orchard,” she said. And his house. And more of him. “Okay.”

  “Want to come for brunch? I make a mean pancake.”

  “I like pancakes,” Leo offered.

  “Well, then, that settles it,” he said, and they set a time.

  Yep, no more sitting on the sidelines. She was truly in the game now.

  After the meal, they put on a movie for the kids and then settled at the kitchen table with cups of coffee and talked. She got him to talk more about his orchard and then his life growing up. It sounded idyllic, living in the country, riding horses and tending trees. It turned out he’d taken over the orchard comp
letely when his mom learned she had cancer.

  “I bought Dad out after Mom died. He needed the money and he had to get away. He’s in Arizona now. I keep hoping he’ll change his mind and come back. He knows he’s always got a home here.”

  “He’s lucky to have you.”

  “I’m lucky I could keep the place. I like what I’m doing and where I am. It’s a good life, and keeping their grandparents’ house provides extra stability for the girls. They love coming over on weekends, and I get them for a big chunk of the summer. Every Christmas they put up all the decorations that were my mom’s.”

  “Is that hard?” Sienna didn’t even want to think about losing her mother someday. Surely putting out treasured family decorations had to be painful.

  “It was hard the first year,” Tim admitted. “But we did it, anyway. I do it with the girls now because I think it’s important to keep her memory alive for them. They were really little when she died.”

  Tim Richmond had had his share of loss, just like his uncle. What a difference in how the two men had dealt with the hard things in their lives.

  “We’ve got everything from Santas to the ceramic nativity set she made when I was a kid,” he said. “Between that and doing the tree, it takes the whole day.”

  “I love decorating for the holidays,” Sienna said. “Especially Christmas.”

  “Not my thing,” he said, “but I love watching the girls in action, and seeing all the stuff go up brings back good memories.”

  “So, worst Christmas ever,” she said. “Mine was when I got into trouble for sneaking into my presents early. That wasn’t the worst part, though. The worst part was getting nothing but clothes while my best friend scored a Barbie Dream House.”

  “Tough times,” he teased.

  “They were, indeed. My parents were on a pretty tight budget back then. Of course, once I hit twelve, I was thrilled to get clothes. I got lip gloss and nail polish from my aunt and there was no complaining that year, let me tell you. How about you?”

  Tim’s smile vanished. “The one when Erica told me she wanted a divorce.”

  Okay, big blunder. Sienna couldn’t have known about that, but all the same she felt guilty for introducing a painful topic. “I’m sorry.”