Page 8 of Second Chance Christmas

“Gran, you’re a special lady.”

Gran flicked aside a few curlers in a diva move. “I know.”

Ivy sighed before she continued. “Before you get some funny idea, my love life is not up for Facebook fodder.”

Her Gran paused to raise her coffee as if to think that over for half a second. “Sounds fair enough. I’ll cancel the ‘Will Ivy and Aspen Get Back Together’ poll I had scheduled to go live at noon.”

Every drop of blood in her body hit ground zero and left her frozen in place. “You’re kidding, right? Tell me you’re kidding.”

Gran smiled and took a sip of her coffee all angel-like, but Ivy didn’t buy that false halo for a second.

Taking Gran’s silence as a good thing, Ivy crossed her antlers and marveled in the jolt of goodness as caffeine seeped into her veins. She knew a losing battle when she saw one.

“So, Gran, are you giving classes on how to snoop out these signals you claim I’m missing in life? I need to know the dirty tricks so I can counteract appropriately.” She smiled around her cup before taking a sip to keep from laughing at the fake surprised look her grandma shot her. The roller set jiggled around the sides of her face.

“There’s no defense against the magical, somewhat dark arts, of a determined grandmother.”

Ivy tapped the side of her mug, “What are you up to?”

Her only answer was a set of perfectly tweezed eyebrows wiggling at her. Mercy Lou’s beauty parlor would have nothing less than perfection for her clients.

Several taps came from the back door and Ivy tossed her Grandma a narrowed look in warning, but the smile she received in return promised everything but.

She turned to see a kaleidoscope of colors reflect off a white paper bag with bold red lettering and a brush of snowflakes through the stained glass. She flung the back door open. “What took you so long. Ohhh. Is that what I think it is?” Okay. Christmas could mosey right along and she would rejoice the day the calendar rolled over to the twenty-sixth. But—and wasn’t there always a but—no one in their right mind turned down what Aspen dangled between them in a white paper bag.

Only one man had that much love and dedication for sweet, delectable finger-licking carbs.

“Hardt’s Coffee House donuts and bear claws?” She would recognize that smell until her dying day.

“Packaged by the very man himself when he heard his favorite person was in town.”

“Aspen, you just earned yourself saint of the year.”

Aspen followed her inside. She felt his presence beside her before he wound his arm around her waist. Goose bumps rose on her arms despite still wearing his coat. Lips against her ear he whispered, “I’d settle for another kiss.”

She couldn’t suppress her smile. She jerked her gaze to his and let a slow smile glide across her lips before pressing them softly to his. A bud of excitement bloomed and she just as quickly squashed it before muttering a quick, “Thank you.”

“My pleasure.” He passed over the bag and she guided them to the kitchen.

She supposed there was no harm in admitting she might still have a weakness for Aspen. But she needed to hold firm to her plan. Men and holidays were a no-fly zone for her no matter how determined her grandmother wanted to be.

A blast of cold air rushed in as Aspen kicked off the snow from his boots.

“What’s in the thermos?” Gran’s curlers bobbed and weaved as she slid from her stool for a better look. The door closed behind them and she pulled out a stool for him next to the large kitchen counter.

“It wouldn’t be Mr. December’s hot cocoa with a twist of nutmeg, would it?” She inquired, accepting the loot he extended.

While Hardt made the best pastries, the Decembers’ made the best hot cocoa on the planet. Two truths she would never admit to either man. “That stuff knocks the coffee routine to the dirt.”

“Yes, ma’am. Couldn’t bring one without having the other.”

Ivy looked between the thermos and the bag, undecided which to tackle first.

“I’ll fetch some firewood while you ladies dig in.”

“Thank you.” She leaned in close and placed a kiss on his cheek. She figured he’d earned the extra affection for such a treat. She took the bag and thermos he offered with a smile as she pulled back.

“You’re more than welcome.”

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