Page 23 of Cross Check Christmas
"The contract was signed by a Mr. Rainer Ellis." She eyes my bare feet with disdain. "We weren't expecting anyone to be... in residence."
"My dad signed..." I trail off, remembering Dad mentioning something about 'putting the house to good use' during our last phone call. But Dad has always been vague with details and not the best communicator.
"They rented out the house without telling me? My family knows that I'd be staying here for the holidays."
"Oh." She blinks at me like I'm an inconvenient prop that's wandered into her shot. "Well, that's unfortunate. We start filming in three hours."
I stare at her, still holding the box of miniature houses. "Where exactly am I supposed to go?"
"That's not really my department." She touches her headset and screams, "What is it NOW, Kevin?"
"Wait, hold on…” I try to catch her arm but she's already walking away, speaking rapidly into her headset.
A half-hour later, I’m at Grannie's house on Peppertree Lane, shoveling her famous blueberry pancakes into my mouth. The smell of bacon and coffee fills the warm kitchen, and despite my annoyance at being kicked out of my own house, I can't help but feel comforted. The whole kitchen smells like heaven—maple syrup, coffee, scrambled eggs, and fresh biscuits. Somehow, they had a full breakfast spread waiting when I showed up on their doorstep.
"So neither of you thought to mention that the house was being turned into a movie set?" I wave a piece of bacon accusingly at Grannie and Aunt Goldie.
"Oh sweetie, we didn't want to worry you." Grannie slides another stack of pancakes onto my plate. "Have some more, you're looking thin."
"I'm not thin, I'm professional athlete lean." I dump syrup over the pancakes anyway. "And that's not the point. I was planning to stay there!"
Aunt Goldie perches on the counter, stirring her coffee. "It's such an exciting opportunity though! A real Hollywood production right here in Brookking Sound."
"They're making one of those holiday romance movies." Grannie clasps her hands together. “It’s calledA Cookie Cutter Christmas.”
“Yes, I know.”
"It's a heartwarming holiday romance about a big city baker who finds love in a small town."
"But she's hiding a secret," Aunt Goldie cuts in dramatically. "She can't actually bake!"
"So the handsome local baker helps teach her, and they fall in love." Grannie sighs dreamily. "While saving the town's historic bakery from developers, of course."
I pause mid-chew. "That's... incredibly cliche."
"Oh, we read the script." Aunt Goldie waves her hand. "Your father sent it over when they approached him about using the house."
"And nobody thought to tell me?"
"Well, you were busy with your hockey playing, Heinrich dear." Grannie refills my coffee. "We didn't want to distract you. More bacon?"
“It’s Hendrix now,” I grumble. “And they’re taking over the whole house. I couldn’t even get to the kitchen.”
I haven’t gone by Heinrich since middle school when some kid teased me. Liam punched him on the playground, of course. After that, I made sure all the teachers changed my name on the roll sheets.
"Heinrich is your given name, and that’s what we’ll call you.” Grannie slides a fresh muffin onto my already full plate. "Anyway, you'll be much more comfortable here. That big old house gets so drafty in winter."
"Plus," Aunt Goldie adds, "we need your height to hang the new light display. The ladder just isn't cutting it anymore."
"Ah, there it is." I laugh. "The real reason you want me here."
"The guest room is all made up," Grannie says, pouring me a glass of orange juice. "And you know how lonely we get in this house, just us two old ladies."
"You're about as lonely as Times Square on New Year's Eve." But I'm already caving.
"Speaking of decorations..." Grannie's eyes twinkle. "Did you notice how bare Colette McAllister's house looks?"
"Colette?”
