Page 18 of Love, Lies and Sleigh Rides
ChapterFive
The weather was way worse than yesterday. Snow blew sideways across the highway, making visibility less than a hundred feet. If she were smart, Fallon would have stayed put in the safe, warm confines of the Behars’ home. This was the second time in the last forty-eight hours that her stubbornness had trumped common sense.
All because a little Christmas party made you feel twitchy.
But mostly, it was Kade.
Fallon’s knuckles cramped from gripping the steering wheel. It was only a three-mile drive from the Behar farm to downtown Hendricks, but it took her fifteen minutes, inching her way down High Road then onto the highway in the little car. White-out conditions meant fewer cars, but they crawled on the snow-packed roads. There hadn’t been a plow in sight.
That gave her plenty of time to stew about their conversation in the Behar kitchen.
Who did Kade think he was, coming back to town and questioning what she’d been working on these last two months? Her pulse raced thinking about the exchange again between him and Elaine. She didn’t see the big deal.
Sleigh. Pickup truck. Holy candy canes, Mr. Grinch, who cares what Santa and Mrs. Claus ride in through town?
She’d use the Weinermobile at this point just to show Mr. Let’s-Change-the-Plans who was in charge. And Elaine seemed fine with everything so far. Agnes, too. Weren’t those the two people who she’d been consulting with about this event from the beginning?
When she pulled into a space outside Maisy Day’s General Store, she kept her engine running while she called the motel. Fallon closed her eyes and said a little prayer as she waited for someone to pick up.Please let there be an opening for tonight. The thought of staying under the same roof with Kade again turned her vision red.
Now you’re being the dramatic one.
“Flint Hills Motel. Can I help you?” came a voice through her phone.
Fallon sat straighter in her seat.
“Hi. I called yesterday hoping to get a room, but you were all filled because of the storm. Any chance you have one available tonight?”
The woman on the other end let out a little chuckle. “If only I had a room for every call since yesterday, I’d be a millionaire!”
Fallon didn’t appreciate the woman’s attempt at humor in her time of need.
She sighed. “So that’s a no?”
“I’m sorry. I wish I had better news. Are you in town now?”
“Unfortunately, yes.” That made it sound like she held a personal grudge against Hendricks in general. “My car broke down yesterday, so I had it towed to Bart’s.”
“Then I take it you found a place to stay last night?”
“Well, yes…at the Behar farm.”
“Oh, Elaine and Fred are dears. You’re in a much better place than I can offer you here. Frankly, I’m a little jealous.”
“I don’t…”
“Their December First party is well underway, I suppose? And you’re there for it! Lucky you!” the woman said with a tinge of envy in her tone.
But I feel like an intruder.
The woman offered to take her number and call if there were any last-minute changes.Who knows? Maybe this snow will clear and everyone will be on the road this afternoon,she’d crowed.
Fallon hurried into the store against the blast of wind and snow. The store was empty except for the silver-haired woman bent over the counter working on a crossword puzzle book and a gray cat lounging at her elbow. The woman looked at her watch and let out a low whistle.
“I think this is a new record. Going on three o’clock and you’re my first customer in two hours.”
Fallon stopped in front of her. The cat recoiled on its haunches and hissed.
“Tigger, you knock that off,” she said and tapped the counter in front of the cat with her pencil. Tigger swatted it and jumped onto the floor, disappearing underneath a rack of adult coloring books.
