Page 25 of Meet Me on Christmas Eve

Guilt coursed through me—who was I to intrude upon this town and try to take over one of their best assets?

Chapter 9

My boots crunched in the snow as I took tentative steps toward the pavilion where we were meeting Jane and Terry.

“It’s going to be fine,” Hazel said, leaning in.

“Easy for you to say,” I muttered.

“It is easy for me, because I have faith in you.”

I tried to smile. “Thanks. I’m trying to—oh, I see them.”

“They brought Nina.” Hazel grinned at me. “That’s probably a good thing. We need to win her over too.”

I shrugged. I wasn’t worried about Nina. She’d seemed pretty friendly and open to our proposal. I didn’t think she would stand in our way. No, that obstacle was named Terry. And maybe a bit of Jane herself, with her capricious nature.

As we approached them, I took a steadying breath and arranged my expression in a warm smile. “Hello, Jane, Nina, wonderful to see you again. And Terry, you too.” I tried not to make the last few words sound forced, though they definitely were.

He stood there with arms crossed over his well-defined chest and just nodded, his expression guarded.

“Well, the old lady and I were already planning to go,” Jane said, nodding her head toward Nina. “She said we might as well let you girls tag along.”

My smile faltered but only briefly. “Well, thank you.” I took a deep breath and then exhaled, my breath visible in front of me. “I was hoping to have a chance to talk about some of my ideas for the village—” I stopped when I felt Hazel’s hand on my shoulder.

“You know, since it sits so beautifully next to the annual festival here. But it’s way too early for shop talk, am I right?” She smiled at the three of them. “Let’s go have some fun. Where should we start? The sculpture contest entries are always fun to look at. I amterribleon skates, but I love watching others. Oh, and I remember last year’s hot cocoa sold out early because it was so delicious!”

Nina nodded. “I remember it. I think they put caramel in it. You can’t go wrong with adding caramel to, well, anything.”

Well, she's not wrong. Caramel might be the best thing ever invented. Or discovered.

“So true.” Hazel nodded. With that, she linked arms with both women and led them in the direction of the hot cocoa and coffee tent, leaving me to follow awkwardly … with Terry.

Had she done this on purpose?

Probably.

I took a fortifying breath. “So, Terry.” The feel of his name on my tongue was still strange, and I felt it everywhere. “How are you?”

He fell into step beside me, albeit with what seemed like reluctance. “I’m fine. You?”

“I’m fine.”

Now what do I say? Think, Mari. “Uh, it’s nice that you have the day off work.”

“I don’t. I’m on the evening shift. Extended holiday hours.” His tone was flat. My conversation wasn’t impressing him. And why should it? I wasn’t excelling at this.

“Oh, sorry to hear that,” I said, trying to convey sympathy.

“It’s not a bad thing. More hours at the shop equals more money.”

I winced. How well I knew that, but it had been years since I’d worked an hourly wage or punched a time clock. “Yeah, sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”

“It’s OK. When you’re not used to struggling for money, you don’t think that way. I get it. You are doing well for yourself, right?” He glanced at me and then looked forward again.

“I … yes. But I wasn’t always. I’m sure you know that. I worked more hourly jobs than you can imagine.” I took a breath, vowing to stop using a defensive tone. “Anyway, well, I … we’re glad you had time to come out here with us today.”

He looked at me a little longer and then laughed. “How much pride did you have to swallow to utter those words?”

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