Page 43 of Christmas in Paradise

“I need both of you at the Old Barn today. The space is going to be difficult to heat, but we’re going to need it for all the Yulefest events there, plus the double wedding.” Carson runs down his handwritten checklist, clicking his pen on the desk while he talks. “Seb, we’ve got to have enough power for lights, sound, heat… all of it.”

“Got it.” Seb leans back in his seat, nodding casually.

“Hope, run through all the events we’ve got planned there, one by one. Make sure to go through each detail, even the food. If we’ve got anything that requires electricity, Seb needs to know.” I type everything he says on my iPad, not wanting to miss a word.

Everything must be perfect. Not only will the wedding be showcased onAt Home with Georgia Rose,but the producers let us know footage of the Yulefest will also be included in the show.Iwill be featured on the show. Not a big part, but the producers have scheduled us into their shooting the week of the wedding.

This is such a huge break for me. Carson too. But I feel like I haven’t earned it, because I wouldn’t have had the chance to work with Carson if not for Evie. I have to prove to him that he should hire me full time on my own merits. I can’t make any mistakes.

Which means no distractions.

No distractions, Hope!

Including the way Seb’s knee just brushed mine when he shifted in his seat. Or the fact that he’s leaning closer to me now.

“That’s it.” Carson shuts his laptop and smiles. “Go be awesome.”

“Already on it.” Seb stands and looks at me. “You want to ride over together?”

I open my mouth to say sure, then remember theno distractionspep talk I just gave myself. “That’s okay. I can drive myself.” I push myself out of my chair, then scoot past it away from Seb. “Meet you over there in five?”

Half a second passes before he nods, then waves goodbye to Carson. I follow him back to the retail area, which is already awkward, but only gets more awkward as we walk in silence through the store, out the door, to the street parking. Fortunately, he’s parked up the street, so we part ways.

Only to meet up minutes later when we both pull into the Old Barn at the far end of the Little Copenhagen’s main cul-de-sac. We park right next to each other, as a final reminder it would have made more sense to ride over together.

I let him get out of his truck first while I stare at the Old Barn, as it is officially known.

This is the first time I’ve actually been to the barn. Carson had just purchased the old structure when I left this summer. Since then he’s turned the rundown space that used to hold horses and hay into a beautiful event venue.

The entire structure, including the pitched, corrugated steel roof, has been painted white. It glows against the dry pasture surrounding it and beautiful Smuk Lake nearby.

When Seb climbs out of his truck, he’s got Uncle Rad with him. He must have left her in his truck for the few minutes we were inside Pizzazz. Which can mean one of two things: he still has no idea what he’s doing with that dog, or he’s actually trained her enough that he can trust her alone in his truck.

Judging by the way she’s walking on the leash without too much trouble, I think the second may be true.

“Do you mind if I bring her with us?” he asks. “I can’t leave her alone for too long.”

“Sure. I don’t mind.” I reach down to scratch her ears, thinking of how cute she was with Charly. I don’t think that’s normal dog behavior, but I don’t know for sure. I’ve never had a puppy. I always wanted one, but Mom is allergic.

“Gotta get her to do her thing first. Don’t want a repeat of the other day.” He sends me an embarrassed smile. “I’ll meet you in there when she’s done.”

The smell of coffee drifts from Britta’s a hundred feet away in Little Copenhagen’s small business strip. Seb walks Uncle Rad in the opposite direction, toward the pasture, while I punch in the code Carson gave me for the padlock on the barn doors.

By the time I’ve pushed them open, he’s back, and I’m craving another cup of coffee. Maybe some ebelskiver to go with it.

“That was fast.”

“I think she’s finally getting the hang of it,” Seb exhales. “At least I hope so.”

We step inside, Seb flips the breaker, and the whole place lights up.

Everything is pine, stained a beautiful golden color, including the floor. Lights are strung between the exposed ceiling beams and the bigger, industrial lights. There are more exposed beams in the walls, giving the whole space a rustic but elegant feel. The simplicity of it makes decorating for any event, using any colors, easy, but also authentic to the Little Copenhagen’s Danish feel.

“Turned out great,” Seb says, scanning the ceiling. “I wasn’t sure when Evie and Georgia agreed to have their wedding reception here. It’s always just been an old, rundown barn, as long as I’ve lived here. On occasion, a haunted house at Halloween.” He runs a hand over a beam. “But once they got it all painted and I got the lights in, it transformed everything.”

“You put in the lights?”

He nods. “Picked them out too. Then I told Carson he needed all the string lights, too.” He points to them, and I follow his gaze. “They make it feel more romantic.”

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