Page 6 of Christmas On Anchor Island

Lauren sobered. “Sid, I was kidding.”

“I’m not. Hand over the keys and I’ll have it back to you in an hour.”

“Eat your fritters first.” Nick turned and called the order in to the kitchen before grabbing a glass for her drink. “Mia, do you need a refill?”

Pushing her empty cup forward, she said, “No, thanks. I told Grandma I’d have the tree set up and ready to decorate before Olaf brings her home from church.”

“I want to help,” Lauren said.

Nick wasn’t the decorating type so she and Nota typically handled the tree by themselves. This was Lauren’s first Christmas on the island, and Mia realized she should have asked her to join them.

“You’re welcome to come, but it’ll mostly be Grandma sitting in a chair and telling me where to put things. If you don’t mind having to move every ornament at least six times until she’s happy, then by all means, come on over.”

“I’m game.” Lauren pulled a set of keys from her pocket and set them on the bar. “Do you mind bringing me back here for my car later so that Sid can change the oil?”

Mia hadn’t planned to go back out, but she didn’t mind. “Not a problem.”

Lauren leaned up and over the bar to give Nick a kiss. “See you later, handsome.”

Moments later the two women stepped into the sunshine and Mia said, “I’m sorry for being such a brat earlier. I should have kept my nose out of your planning.”

“Nonsense. You were right. Jackson could run the restaurant for six months if I needed him to, and the staff here could do the same for Nick. We chefs need someone to take us down a peg now and then, so thanks for the reminder.”

“I still should have been nicer about it.”

As they climbed into Mia’s VW Bug, Lauren said, “Have you seen Henri yet?”

Mia nodded. “I was at Callie’s house painting Conner’s mural when she showed up.”

Though she’d shared her secret with all the ladies in the group, Mia had shared more with Lauren. Each of them had a brother but no sisters, so it had been natural to form a bond beyond friendship. Lauren’s childhood had been difficult growing up poor outside of Boston. Though some might call Mia’s childhood idyllic, she’d always felt like an outsider, for obvious reasons. A feeling Lauren completely understood.

“Was she still mad?” Lauren asked.

Mad, no. Stubborn, yes.

“Let’s just say she still doesn’t agree with my choice not to tell Grandma.”

As Mia pulled out of the parking lot onto Highway 12, her passenger said, “Nick really believes she’d be okay with it.”

Jaw tight, Mia kept her eyes on the road. “Nick doesn’t spend as much time with Grandma as I do. Trust me, she wouldn’t.”

“You know her better than I do. I’m sorry.”

That came out of nowhere. “Sorry for what?”

“I know what you meant earlier. About nothing being in our way. I wish that was the case for you, too.”

There were far worse burdens to bear. “Ignore me. I’m happy for you guys. Whenever you choose to get married, it’s going to be gorgeous, and I’m going to be up front cheering you on. And probably crying like a baby, but they’ll be happy tears, I promise.”

“I’ve never been a crier, but I’m afraid I’ll be the same way. It’s hard to believe that this time last year I’d never even met you guys. Or been to this island. Now I can’t imagine not having all of this in my life.”

That Lauren never took anything for granted was one of the things Mia liked best about her.

“We’ll see if you still feel that way in an hour,” Mia teased. “I’m not kidding when I say Grandma is particular about her tree.”

“Outside of the kitchen, I don’t mind taking orders. But as an artist, being told how to decorate something must drive you nuts.”

It used to, until Mia found a solution.

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