Page 4 of Mistletoe Kisses

I was too distracted by all the dolls to pay attention to festival details. Dolls on nearly every surface. Dolls dressed in elf outfits, like reindeer, and as small children playing in the snow. There were dolls recreating scenes from popular Christmas movies like the one fromA Christmas Story—a doll in a puffy coat had its tiny tongue attached to a metal pole. Each and every doll rested on a doily. Red, green, and white ones covered the wooden furniture. Even intricate ones framed on the walls.

Ihateddolls ever since the nightlight in the room I used to sleep in at my grandparents’ house went out, and I’d had to watch her collection of vintage dolls stare at me in the moonlight shining through the sheer curtains. I shivered. She’d never replaced the bulb, and I was too embarrassed to mention it. I loathed humanoid dolls like others hated clowns.

“I’ll give you a tour before showing you to your room. Feel free to leave your bags here if you’d like.”

I did as she suggested and followed her through the main floor. I tried to picture the home without its festive dressing to better appreciate it. There were clusters of tables and chairs in the sizable dining room, which she said were for the daily breakfast buffet. I was grateful there wasn’t a single communal table. There was a reading nook at the base of one staircase with an oversized armchair in front of a bookcase and a rectangular window with a half-circle stained glass section at the top. I doubted I would get out much, so that might become my spot for the week. I had several fantasy novels cued on my Kindle.

I snuck a few pictures of the dolls and sent them to Keaton when she excused herself to answer the phone.

Arlo: [photos attached]

Arlo: I can’t believe you arranged for me to stay in a doll shrine for a week.

Deb returned. “Sorry about that. Telemarketers call at the most inconvenient times. Oh! Before I take you upstairs, I wanted to tell you that I moved you from a room with a queen to a room with a single. We have a couple who booked last minute, so I thought they should have the bigger bed. I hope you don’t mind. It’s just as charming, I promise. And it faces the street instead of the field, so you’ll get to enjoy the lights.” She smiled wide, looking pleased with her problem-solving skills.

Lucky me.

What was I supposed to say to that? No, put the couple in the tiny bed and give them a cot so I could starfish? Keaton had mentioned it was a queen bed, and I’d been excited because sleeping on a mattress that size would be luxurious compared to my twin at home.

“That’s fine.” I was nothing if not constantly accommodating, though it didn’t sit well with me that Keaton might’ve paid more for the queen bed. My stomach twisted at the thought of the confrontation asking her would require.

“Thank you, dear. I’ll make sure you get extra cookies at happy hour.”

I forced a smile.

“Ready to see your room?” She rubbed her hands together. If it had even a fraction of the intensity of the rest of the house, no, I wasn’t ready at all.

“Sure.” I grabbed my bags and followed her up the stairs. There had to be a coffee shop in town where I could hang out and read. Deb came off as someone who would take a solo traveler under her wing and attempt to talk to them constantly so they didn’t feel lonely. I quite enjoyed my own company.

“There are five bedrooms between the second and third floor. Your room shares a bathroom with the other bedroom on the third floor.”

Fake garlands wound around the banister of both flights of stairs with smiling cherubic doll heads on doilies attached to the garland every few feet. I kept my eyes on the stairs to avoid their soulless eyes.

“That door goes to the bathroom and here is your room.” She handed me a key on a surprisingly discreet keychain. I was surprised it wasn’t attached to a miniature doll or an elf doll head.

“Thank you for the tour.” I paused, half expecting her to follow me in and point out the intricate details of the room, like the ceiling molding, but she hung back at the doorway and reminded me about the daily happy hour for socializing and games.No,thank you.I was ready for some alone time after a long day of travel and the anxiety from being solo in a new city. Especially one where my family was likely only miles away.

Once she made her way back downstairs, I closed the door behind me and took in the scene before me. My attention ping-ponged around the compact space, eventually landing on dolls. A dozen or so of them stared at me with their empty eyes. All dressed as angels or in winter attire. I yanked the poinsettia-patterned crocheted blanket off the foot of the bed and draped it over them. I could see a few eyes through gaps in the yarn, so I folded the blanket in half to cover the spaces.

I dropped onto the patch of flannel comforter where the blanket had been and pulled my phone from my pocket to call Keaton.

“What did I ever do to you?” I asked when the call connected, then fell back onto the bed.

Keaton laughed. “Hello to you too. Are you saying that in reference to you sentencing me to a week of snowpocalypse?”

“Serves you right for sending me into dollmageddon.” I’d been kicking myself the entire drive from the Portland airport to Dahlia Springs after Keaton’s text came through when I landed. When I’d booked him a trip to Arizona, I’d intended for him to spend a week escaping from snow. I hadn’t realized that the great deal I’d scored on a flight and Airbnb was in the middle of the snowy part of Arizona. I’d had no idea therewasa snowy part of that state! He hadn’t packed for snow. My stomach twisted all over again.

“I’m sorry, babe.” Keaton’s voice softened. “I didn’t realize there was a theme to the B&B. It was the only place in town I could find, and I didn’t do much poking around beyond that.”

Typical Keaton. Though I couldn’t say I’d done much better. I’d made one heck of an assumption about Arizona’s weather without due diligence.

“It’s got ‘doll’ in the name.” I chuckled.

“Okay, yeah, I get your point.” He laughed too. “We really put each other in it, didn’t we?”

I sighed. “Yeah, we did. Not ideal circumstances, but here we are.”

“Have you made a game plan for how you’re going to meet your family?”

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