Page 68 of Tacos & Toboggans
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I said with a smile that I hoped didn’t resemble Bozo the Clown. “Lead the way.”
The madrigals started singingJingle Bell Rock, and I grabbed Major's hand, dragging him up the ramp until we stood in the shadows behind Mayor Tottle, who stood near the podium.
“You got this. I’ll meet you behind the gazebo when you’re done,” he said, but I held tightly to his hand.
“You’re not going anywhere, buster. I may need a doctor if I vomit.”
"You're not going to vomit. You've got this, angel,” he whispered.
Angel. Why did that sound so incredibly sexy coming from his lips? He never struck me as the kind who tossed out terms of endearment casually, which also told me that his use of them meant something to him. Rather than respond with words, I squeezed his hand while the madrigals finished their song.
Mayor Tottle walked to the podium as the clapping for the madrigals died down, only to earn a resounding cheer and applause as he took his place near the microphone. There was a reason Jack had been mayor of Bells Pass for over a dozen years. It was hard to find anyone who didn’t like the man. “Welcome to the annual Bells Pass tree lighting!” he exclaimed, bringing about another round of hooting and applause that he allowed to go on for a bit longer before motioning for everyone to settle. Once they had, he started his annual speech about the state of Bells Pass, which left him with very little to say that wasn’t good, but then, who would expect anything else at the holidays?
Nerves filled my belly until I glanced out into the audience to see most of the girl gang near the front of the gazebo. Ivy gave me a thumbs-up and a smile. That settled my nerves a bit and brought Major’s words back to me. They’d all flipped the switch and all survived, so I would too.
Check and check.
“I want to give a shout-out to the Bells Pass media team, including Dawson Knight and Cameron Robbins, for getting the livestream up and running on short notice. I hope it’s enjoyed by those who can’t make it to the park. Now, it’s time to introduce tonight’s honorary tree lighter!” Mayor Tottle said with great enthusiasm, which earned him another round of cheering. “You all know Jaelyn Riba, but many of you don’t know she’s our newest business owner for the year. Her business, Little Bird on the Moon, features children’s books that she both writes and illustrates. The books introduce your child to different traditions from around the world by making them the main character. I see some of you nodding your heads as though you’ve seen them, and I have to say, they are delightfully engaging. Along with producing special-order books, she single-handedly turned Bells Pass’s first food truck into an overnight success!”
This time, the hooting turned into chants ofRooster! Rooster! which was embarrassing until Major squeezed my hand again, reminding me he was with me, and I was okay. While they were chanting, Jack motioned me toward him and stepped away from the microphone. As everyone quieted, Iwalked to the podium, dragging Major along with me. I turned and hit him with a pair of doe eyes, but all he did was smile. It was a smile that said, ‘You got yourself into this, I’m just along for the ride.’
Turning back, I fixed my gaze over the top of the crowd rather than on it. “Thank you for the warm welcome,” I began, my voice a bit hesitant. “I felt it was only right to share the spotlight with our newest doctor at Bells Pass Hospital, not to mention celebrity chef of The Bird’s Nest, Dr. Major Warren!” I motioned at him the way Vanna White does when revealing a letter.
He smiled and waved to the crowd's applause, so I encouraged him to say something. After shooting me a look that told me I was going to pay for this little stunt later, he leaned into the microphone. “You’ve all been so welcoming, and I can’t thank you enough. Coming from a big city, I wasn’t sure what to expect from a small town. What’s transpired over the last few months was not at all what I had pictured. You’ve all shown me what it means to belong somewhere, and for that, I’ll always be grateful. The woman who has led the charge on that committee is standing beside me, so I’ll turn it over to her after saying one more thing to all the little ones out there. Santa says to wear your helmet!”
The crowd burst out laughing and applauding as he shoulder-bumped me with a grin.
Once everyone was quiet again, I took over the microphone. “As Mayor Tottle mentioned, my business, Little Bird on the Moon, has had wonderful support from Bells Pass, and I can’t thank you enough for all your early orders. My Yaya Riba was from Spain, and although I was born in Michigan, we lived with her, so I grew up learning about Spanish culture and enjoying some excellent cuisine. It was a surprise when I went to school and discovered that many of my classmates knew little to nothing about their own culture or traditions. Those memories are the reason I started Little Bird on the Moon. I wanted to teach kids about people from around the world, and by making the main character in the book look like your child, they’re invested in the story. Not only do they learn to read and develop a love of literature, but engagingcontent also makes them lifelong readers. You can visit my website of the same name to learn more. Don’t worry, I’ll still have plenty of time for the food truck. We’re already planning our spring menu, so keep your eyes peeled for more information to come. What do you say we light that tree?”
A cheer went up as I grabbed Major’s hand and walked to the honorary switch. We had to hit the mark exactly as Shep hit the real switch below. “Start the countdown, Dr. Warren!” I yelled, since I no longer had the microphone.
“Ten, nine,” he yelled until the crowd joined in. Then he leaned down into my ear. “Have I mentioned lately that you’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever met?”
“A time or five,” I whispered, trying not to let him distract me with his whispered sweet nothings. “Get ready.”
The crowd hit three, and we hovered our fingers near the switch until they yelled one, and together, we flipped it. The tree lit up from bottom to top in a spiral of blue lights. Everyone was silent until it reached the top, where the Bells Pass replica bell lit up in blue. The collective gasp of awe rippled through the crowd as Gabe led the madrigals into the first bar of Silent Night. There was still so much more to come tonight, but when Major wrapped his arms around my shoulders and rocked me back and forth to the music, as far as I was concerned, nothing would top it.
The park had finally emptied, but not before I had to shake hands with no less than the entire town, thanks to Jaelyn’s little stunt. I couldn’t be mad at her, though. She was too cute. Once everyone had finally left, I helped Dawson break down the livestreaming equipment and sent him on his way, then texted Jaelyn to meet me at the gazebo. If I’d learned one thing, it was that trying to find someone in this park was a lesson in futility and walking in circles. We’d have to headback to my place soon so I could charge my leg. The loaner had a solid battery, but the cold sucked power, and I was on call all weekend, so I couldn’t risk it getting too low.
“Major!” Jaelyn called as she ran up the gazebo stairs and launched herself into my arms. Thankfully, I was braced against the railing, or we might have both gone down. I’d have to remind her later to approach with caution, but first, I wanted to know what had her so excited. “It’s a girl!”
“Hazel and Irving?” I asked, swinging her gently for a minute before lowering her to the ground and holding her out with her shoulders. Her excited nod was adorable as she clapped her hands.
“Yes! She was seven pounds with the cutest patch of red hair right at the top of her head.” Jaelyn tapped the top of her head and danced around the gazebo. “Irving’s a girl dad!”
When she danced back over to me, I grasped her arms to hold her in place. “Mom and baby are good?” I asked, and she nodded, her smile growing. “Yes! Guess what they named her? Guess!”
My laughter rang out through the park. “Angel, I couldn’t guess if I tried. I don’t know them that well.”
“You just guessed it! Angel Grace Wallace! It’s perfect because they both love Christmas.” Her phone beeped and she squeaked, pulling it from her pocket. “Ivy was going to text me the picture,” she explained, opening the phone and turning the screen toward me. There was the most beautiful newborn baby I’d ever seen, and I’d seen a lot of babies in my life.
“What a little cherub. Now they have their own Christmas angel,” I said with a smile, hugging her to me. “Looks like I need to find a new term of endearment for you.”
When she lifted her head, she wore a smile. “I bet you can think of something,” she whispered, her face radiant in the light from the tree.
I traced her lips with my finger and sighed. “Right now, the only thought in my head is how incredibly beautiful you are, looking at me like I deserve even a minute of your attention.”
“You deserve everything good in the world, Major,” she whispered, her hand cupping my cheek. “You’ve had enough of the bad.”
