by Cindy Kirk
The other two women’s instant laughter was so contagious, Stella nearly laughed with them. She stuffed a piece of the lemon-ricotta scone into her mouth and fought the urge.
“Faith, you are a wonderful person but a horrible photographer.” Melinda’s eyes danced.
“I am n—”
“Remember last summer when you took the pictures of the HPBO picnic? You cut off everyone’s heads.” The brunette tossed her thick mane of sable hair and lifted her head. “While it’s generous of you to volunteer, I’d vote for someone in the high school photography club before you.”
Stella’s blood began to hum. Social media photographer. The perfect job had just fallen—well, almost fallen—into her lap. All she had to do was be bold.
Not a problem for an investigative reporter.
She studied the table where the three women continued their discussion and patiently waited for a break in the conversation. After several minutes, she shifted in her seat.
They were finishing up their drinks but still chattering. She’d have to interrupt or risk losing the opportunity. And losing this opportunity could mean losing her chance at getting her old job back.
“Pardon me.” Stella leaned forward, her body bridging the distance between her and the one called Melinda. “I didn’t mean to listen, but I heard you say something about being in the market for a social media photographer.”
Three heads swiveled in her direction, and conversation at the table abruptly ceased.
Keeping a bright smile on her lips, Stella continued. “Up until three months ago I was a staff reporter for the Miami Sun Times. I also filled in as a photographer and videographer when necessary.”
The women exchanged glances. Finally, the brunette, whose name she still hadn’t heard, spoke. “I don’t believe I’ve seen you around town before. Are you here on vacation?”
Stella gestured with one hand to the empty chair at their table. “Would you mind if I join you?”
“No.” The leader, Faith, spoke now. “Please do.”
The scone was history, but there was still some coffee in her cup. Stella picked up the mug and changed tables. “Let me start with basics. My name is Stella Carpenter.”
“I’m Faith Pierson.” The woman pointed to the brunette, then the redhead. “Kate Sullivan and Melinda Kelly.”
When no one said anything more, Stella realized that the bases were loaded. She was up at bat and needed to hit this one out of the park.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the dark-haired man eyeing her with a decidedly puzzled expression.
She ignored him. He didn’t matter.
Stella was confident and primed to hit a home run.
Chapter Two
“Before we discuss the position, tell me what brings you to Holly Pointe.” Faith took charge of the conversation before Stella had a chance to launch into her “hire me” spiel.
On the long drive to northern Vermont, Stella had given much consideration to how she would explain her presence in the Christmas capital. As she preferred not to lie unless absolutely necessary, somewhere in Connecticut she’d decided to keep blatant falsehoods to a minimum.
“I lost my job with the Miami Sun Times in October. ‘Reduced in force’ is the technical term. The bottom line is I came to work one Friday and was told I no longer had a job.”
Sympathy washed across Melinda’s freckled face. “I had something similar happen to me a couple weeks ago at my job in Burlington. I only just got back to town.”
“What have you been doing since?” This time it was Kate who directed the question at Stella.
“Freelancing. Waitressing. Sleeping on my friend’s sofa.” Stella’s lips twisted in a wry smile. “Anything to pay the bills.”
“What brought you to Holly Pointe?” Faith’s brown eyes might remind Stella of a sweet Spaniel, but the look in those eyes were Pit Bull sharp. “When I’m short of money, travel isn’t usually on my to-do list.”
“I was an only child. Despite living in Florida, my parents loved to ski. As did I.” Stella’s lips curved for a second, caught up in the memories. “Each year we’d go somewhere new; Jackson Hole, Snowbird, Alta, Vail, we skied them all.”
When Kate checked the time on her phone, Stella pulled her thoughts together and pushed ahead. “Our first ski trip to Vermont was to Jay Peak.”
Stella had not only done her research on the resort just down the road from Holly Pointe, she’d actually skied there with her parents. “We came specifically for the backcountry skiing and enjoyed it so much we talked about returning. Then my parents were killed. They died in a car accident right after Thanksgiving two years ago.”
“Oh.” Melinda inhaled sharply, a hand moving to her throat.
“I’m so sorry for your loss.” Faith’s words were as smooth and comforting as the hand she briefly laid on Stella’s.
“I can’t imagine how hard that was for you.” Kate’s green eyes shimmered with sympathy.
Stella couldn’t hide the tears that stung her eyes. “My friend wants me off her couch. There’s nothing holding me in Miami, not anymore. I read about Holly Pointe being named the Christmas capital of the USA. If any place can cheer me up, it will be here.”
Faith tilted her head. “How long will you be staying?”
“At least until the first of the year.” Stella lifted one shoulder and let it drop. “Then I’ll see.”
“We’ll need to check references.” Faith gentled her tone. “With the rise in the importance of social media, we need to make sure you’re as savvy as you say. Not to mention, in this position you’ll have contact with not only adults but children as well.”
“I understand.” Stella rummaged through her bag. “I can give you the number of the paper’s managing editor.”
“Not necessary.” After a few taps of her phone, Faith glanced up, a question in her eyes. “Jane Myers? Managing editor?”
“That’s her.” Faith’s thoroughness made Stella extra glad she’d stuck close to the truth. Jane would give her a stellar reference. Not only that, the call would let Jane know that Stella had jumped into the assignment with both feet.
She could almost see the ball flying through the air on its way out of the park.
Stella glanced around the immaculate but simply furnished efficiency apartment. Located above the coffee shop, it boasted a tiny bathroom, a galley kitchen, and a living room with a Murphy bed.
In short, the place met her needs perfectly.
When she mentioned that she had just arrived and had yet to secure a place to live, Kate had waved over the bakery owner, Norma Douglas.
Norma was short and rotund with white hair, a round face, and a ready smile. She ran through the terms of the month-to-month rental with the efficiency of a teacher laying down the ground rules for a pupil on the first day of school.
She’d left out only one thing.
Stella reached into her purse. “How much of a deposit will you need?”
Norma waved an airy hand. “Katie vouched for you. That’s good enough for me.”
Kate, Stella had learned on the five-second tour of the apartment, was Norma’s niece.
“I promise I’ll take good care of the place,” Stella assured Norma. “I’m long past the wild party stage.”
Norma chuckled. “Oh, honey, you’ll be lucky to find time to socialize. Handling the social media for this town is going to take most of your time. For the next month, most days you won’t know if you’re coming or going.”
The image that brought to mind was exactly what Stella had wanted. She needed to be out and involved with the community in order to have something more to write about than Santa arriving on a reindeer-pulled sleigh—an event that was scheduled for tomorrow, along with ice-skating at a lake just outside of town.
A kick-off holiday party for the merchants was on tap this evening at the Bromley mansion. The large two-story Queen Anne home with its three-story central tower had caught Stella’s eye when s
he’d driven into town.
She couldn’t wait to do an internet search and find some pictures of the inside. The place was bound to be elegant. Thankfully, she’d included some party dresses in her suitcases. Though she hadn’t been certain what to pack, her gut had told her that a holiday town would have an abundance of Christmas parties.
Her lips curved into a satisfied smile. Her new position as the social media photographer of Holly Pointe would give her entry into all the parties and events.
“—my husband.”
Stella jerked her attention back to Norma and realized that while her mind had been wondering, the woman had continued to speak.
“Kenny is really looking forward to it.”
When in doubt, smile and nod. Those words of wisdom had served Stella well over the years.
“Well, anyway, it’s been lovely to meet you, Stella.” The woman placed a hand on her arm. The kindness in the woman’s eyes was so like her mother’s that Stella’s heart lurched.
With her other hand, Norma pressed an ornate copper key into her hand. “I hope you’ll be happy here.”
“I’m sure I will.” Stella slipped the key into her pocket and followed the woman down the back steps. “I can’t wait to get settled.”
“Do you need any help with your bags?” Norma asked over her shoulder.
“I just have a couple of suitcases, so no, I’m good.” They’d reached the bottom landing where the rich aroma of freshly roasted coffee teased her nostrils. “My car isn’t far.”
For a second, Norma’s gaze dropped to her shoes, and Stella braced herself. But the older woman only smiled. She didn’t say a word about the unsuitability of such footwear in this climate.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” Norma gave a good-natured laugh and fluttered her hand in the air. “Sometimes I think I’d forget my head if it wasn’t attached. You have a parking spot behind the building. Number four is yours.”
“Thank you.” Though Stella knew Jane wouldn’t want to hear it, she’d been bowled over by everyone’s kindness toward her.
Of course, it was still early days.
In her years of big-city reporting, Stella had come to realize that everyone had secrets. Most often, they were boring ones. It was juicy ones that Jane wanted her to ferret out during her stay in Holly Pointe.
Tonight Stella would pull out her red dress and take herself and her high heels to the Bromley house. She’d take loads of pictures and do plenty of listening.
She’d be back on staff at the newspaper before the New Year rolled around.
Standing on the sidewalk, Stella paused to take several shots. The lights on the Bromley mansion were understated and elegant. Hanging icicle and grand-cascade tube lights hung from the roofline while greenery interspersed with white lights and red ribbons decorated the porch rails. An evergreen wreath with a perfectly tied plaid bow hung next to the front door. Classic colorful bulbs twinkled from the snow-covered trees in the yard. The effect was one of warmth and elegance.
Unlatching the gate, Stella strode up the walk in her favorite Louboutin heels, intently scanning for stray patches of ice. Under her black boiled-wool coat, she wore a red-lace sheath dress. As she hadn’t been sure how dressy—or casual—the party would be, she’d left the bling accessories in her suitcase.
Just as she reached the door, it opened, and the pretty blonde she’d seen with Sam waved her inside. The woman’s smile might be warm and friendly, but her blue eyes remained watchful.
“You must be Stella.” The woman extended her hand. “I’m Lucy Cummings, the caterer for this event. Faith told me all about you.”
A young man appeared, dressed in dark pants with a white shirt and bowtie. “May I take your coat, ma’am?”
Inwardly, Stella cringed. Did pushing thirty automatically make you a ma’am?
“Thank you.” She slipped off her coat and dropped the ticket he gave her into the clutch that held her iPhone.
Last year, Stella had scaled back from using various cameras with all the bells and whistles to simply using her iPhone for social media shoots. This still gave her the quality but was easy to use.
Once the dark-haired boy disappeared, Stella refocused on Lucy. “I appreciate Faith giving me this opportunity.”
“She told me your former editor raved about you and your abilities.”
“Yet I was still RIFed.” Stella chuckled, but she didn’t really feel like laughing.
She’d told herself that being let go was simply business and was no reflection on her abilities. Still, being discarded like yesterday’s trash hurt. For two years Stella had lived and breathed the job. For what? To be kicked to the curb?
A look of sympathy filled Lucy’s eyes. “Sometimes life just doesn’t go our way.”
Reminding herself that she’d been given another chance, which was more than most people got, Stella shrugged. “I believe everything happens for a reason.”
“I’ve found people often say that when they want to comfort you. I’m not sure I believe it.” Lucy’s eyes took on a distant gleam before she gave a little laugh and appeared to shake herself out of her funk. “Well, I hope you enjoy living in Holly Pointe so much you’ll want to stay on.”
Stella only smiled. She glanced at the cherrywood staircase festooned with greenery and bows, admired the stained-glass window in the stairwell. “That’s an Eastlake staircase.”
Lucy’s eyes widened. “How did you know that?”
“My father was an architect and a big fan of the British architect, Charles Eastlake.” Stella stepped to the staircase and let her hand slide along the polished wood-carved acorn. “Dad loved the simplicity and geometric lines of the Eastlake style.”
“I’m a fan, too.” Lucy gestured. “Wait until you see the parlor.”
They passed through what Stella recognized as a polychromatic painted archway into a room with a ceiling that had to be at least sixteen feet tall.
Stella didn’t know where to look first. The large Christmas tree with the angel at the top nearly brushing the ceiling drew her attention the second she stepped into the room. Bows and gingerbread men as well as strands of popcorn and cranberries decorated the branches. Candies hung from paper chains and ribbons.
The tree had been positioned near a massive fireplace, the mantel decorated with small antique Christmas toys amid the greenery. Stella wondered whether the toys came from Memory Lane, the shop she’d seen on her trek to the coffee shop this morning.
Had she really only gotten into town today?
Stella pulled her attention back to the partygoers, relieved to see that she was dressed appropriately for the event.
Lucy gave her arm a squeeze. “Enjoy. Take lots of pictures.”
It was a not-so-subtle reminder that while the others were here as invited guests, she was here to work. “Wait.”
The blonde turned and raised a brow.
“I have a question.” Stella lifted a hand and spoke quickly. “If you’re not the one to ask, just let me know.”
Lucy inclined her head. “First I need to hear the question.”
“Do you have a shot list of photos you absolutely need? Also, if there are key attendees you want pictures of, could you point them out to me?”
“That’s two questions, not one, but they’re good ones.” Lucy glanced around the room and made eye contact with Faith. Lifting her hand, she made a “come here” motion with her hand.
Faith appeared. The stretchy green-and-red-plaid long-sleeve pencil dress hugged her lithe figure and hit just above the knee. Cartoon Santas, snowmen, and penguins added an additional festive feel to the Christmas print.
The Santa hat that rested on Faith’s braided hair made Stella smile. In the coffee shop, she’d gotten the feeling that this woman was one of a kind. The dress and Santa hat on Faith’s head confirmed she’d been right.
“What’s up?” Unlike Lucy, Faith’s warm smile reached her eyes.
“Stella has some relevant questions, which
need answers.” Lucy’s tone was businesslike as her gaze scanned the room. “Since you’re president of the chamber of commerce, I believe you’re in the best position to answer.”
“I’m happy to do what I can.” Faith exuded an energy, yes, but also a calm.
One that had Stella relaxing.
“I’ll leave you two, then.” Lucy’s eyes narrowed on one of the servers, who was openly flirting with one of the guests. “I see a problem I need to address.”
Stella watched as Lucy made a beeline straight to the man. She turned back to find Faith staring at her.
“Lucy takes her job as caterer seriously.” Faith’s voice deepened with approval. “She’s a remarkable woman and a shining example of the saying that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
The intriguing comment had Stella wanting to know more. But she had a job to do. While talking with Lucy and Faith was important, she needed to prove herself first in order to gain their trust.
“What questions do you have?” Faith asked, as if sensing Stella’s impatience.
Stella quickly relayed the questions she’d asked Lucy moments earlier.
Faith tapped her red lips. “In terms of shots we absolutely need, I’d like to see some of Lucy and Sam.”
“Sam?” Stella’s heart did a double flip.
“Sam Johnson is our city administrator.” Faith pointed to where the man who’d saved her from a fall stood speaking with an older man with white hair and a beard.
As if sensing their eyes on him, he turned, and his eyes met Stella’s. His lips curved then broadened into a full-blown smile when Faith waved.
“Sam is the tall one,” Faith explained. “The man with him is Kenny Douglas. Kenny plays Santa when he’s not brewing the most fabulous coffee in town.”
“Norma’s husband.” Stella nodded as a couple more puzzle pieces fell into place.
“That’s right.” Faith’s expression softened. “Would you like me to introduce you around? I know how difficult it can be to show up at an event where you don’t know anyone.”
