Page 37 of Home for Christmas in July

“Okay. Let’s get this cleaned up, and then I’ll find him and invite him to leave.”

She nods. We stack the tiles in the bins that line the wall, then head to the snack room, where a cherry popsicle takes the sting out of the destruction.

After a few licks, her trademark sunshiny grin returns and she sets her jaw in a firm, determined line. “I’m gonna start fixing the ball run, Ms. Winters.”

“Yeah?”

“Yep.” She gives me a nod. “Sensai Adam says an indomitable spirit is the warrior’s greatest weapon.”

I make a mental note to let the martial arts teacher know his lessons are sticking, then hold up my palm for a high five. “Go get it, girl.”

She slaps my palm, then skips off.

CHAPTER 16

Nick

Ariana’s so delighted at the prospect of getting me into my Santa suit that she shoves a beautiful bride and her mother out of the shop, promising to do her dress fitting later.

“Sorry,” I mouth as the women gather up their purses to leave.

To my surprise, the bride beams at me. “No problem, Mr. Jolly! We’re just glad you’re going to be Santa this weekend, after all. It wouldn’t be the same without you. Besides, my wedding’s not until September.”

As they traipse out, Ari hums a Christmas carol under her breath while she flits and flutters around me with the measuring tape. After she promises to have the suit ready togo within the hour, she shoos me out of the shop so she can concentrate.

I wander around the square aimlessly. The crowd is picking up, buzzing with festive energy despite the heat, and I soak in the good vibes. Across the green, there’s a long line of people queued up in front of Merry’s dessert truck for frozen hot chocolate and homemade peppermint ice cream. Up on the bandstand, the Mapleville Merrymakers, our very own not-entirely-terrible Jimmy Buffett cover band, is playing “Ho Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rhum.” A gaggle of kids streaks past me dragging a red sleigh kite behind them, as they search for a breeze.

I lean against a wall near the bookstore and watch the activity for a while, then check my watch. I’ve killed a grand total of twelve minutes. Now what? I could go back to the house, but Holly and Rosemary are two of a kind, and they’ve made it abundantly clear that I’m in the way.

I decide to head down to the library. I tell myself this is in the service of efficiency so Noelle and I can open the clue and figure out our next spot while I’m waiting to pick up the suit and not because I want to see her. Then I tell myself that I’m a dirty liar. With a destination in mind, I circle back, hurrying past Ari’s Alterations, and head down High Street toward the library.

As I pass in front of Alpine Jewelers, Xander, moving with uncharacteristic alacrity, zips through the front door and grabs me by my collar.

“Nick! I have to show you something.” He yanks me into the shop.

I give him a careful look. His eyes are wild, and he’s more amped up than I’ve ever seen him.

“Everything okay, Xander?”

“Come with me.”

He tuts at the woman behind the counter, leaving her in charge of the handful of people in the shop, then he leads me to his office in the back. As soon as I walk through the door, he swivels his computer desktop monitor around to face me and stands beside me, jabbing at it.

“Do you see?”

“What are we looking at, Xander?”

“It’s the security footage from inside the shop. After you and Noelle left, I couldn’t stop thinking about that handprint. It was bothering me.”

“I could tell.”

“Well, look at this. Just before you two came in, I was helping a family pick out matching charms for their bracelets. It’s a tradition.” He points to the footage of several women gathered around a display case. He stands behind it, holding a tray of charms in his outstretched hands.

“I see. That’s a nice tradition.” Where is he going with this?

“The husbands and boyfriends were milling around like bulls waiting to stampede. They were getting antsy, and the shop was getting crowded, so I suggested they visit Merry’s truck or the coffee shop. And watch what happens while they’re leaving.” He points at the monitor at a man who slips through the group. The man tries to and fails to open the locked display window that faces the street.

“Pause it.”

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