Page 14 of The Christmas Lodge
“How long have you been standing there?” Lacy gasped, one hand to her heart.
Sarah laughed, the infectious sound ringing through the bakery. “Just a couple of seconds. You didn’t hear me the first time I asked how you’re doing.”
“Now that I’m past the mini-heart attack you just gave me, I’m doing just fine,” Lacy replied with a laugh.
Sarah set down a plate with a flaky raspberry Danish on it. “Here, this is on the house,” Sarah said, then sat down across from Lacy.
“Are you sure?” Lacy still couldn’t get over how friendly the folks in Snowy Pine Ridge were. It was so different from the clipped and businesslike transactions she was used to in St. Louis. Back home, she’d visited the same Starbucks every day for years and she still didn’t know the names of the workers there. “I really can pay for it.”
“It’s fine,” Sarah said, waving Lacy’s offer away. “You’ve already supported my business so much the past few days, I think you’ve earned it.”
Lacy blushed a little, her mouth too full of the Danish’s delicate sweetness to respond. Gulping down her bite and wiping her mouth with a napkin, she smiled sheepishly. “I think I’ve tried almost everything on your menu at this point.”
“Hey, no complaints here! I’ve got bills to pay, sister.”
“Great, so let’s just say I’m doing my civic duty and ignore the fact that I’ve developed a serious addiction to your pastries.”
“Deal.”
“Speaking of my pastry addiction, are there any gyms in town? I’ve got to find a way to work off all these sweets.”
“Are you kidding me? You look amazing, Lacy!”
Lacy smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear. “You’re sweet to say so. I just want to make sure I’m keeping up with my health for however long I’m here.”
“We have an all-purpose gym, Fitness365, but I usually go to The Barre instead.”
Lacy busted up laughing. “I’m sure a bar is a great place to work out,” she teased.
Realizing what it had sounded like, Sarah threw her head back, her ponytail swinging as she laughed. “No, no, b-a-r-r-e. Like barre workouts? The kind ballerinas do?”
“I’ve heard of barre before,” Lacy responded dryly.
“The Barre has yoga and Pilates as well.”
“Perfect, I’ll look them up. Thanks, Sarah!”
Sarah nodded at Lacy’s laptop. “You were super focused when I came over here—what are you working on?”
Lacy was about to fob her off with some vague answer about work, but she suddenly realized how hungry she was for a friend. She hadn’t talked to Madeline since she’d gotten to Snowy Pine Ridge, and she’d been spending long hours at the house. Sarah had been nothing but welcoming since her arrival, and she already really liked the baker. Just because she didn’t plan on staying in town long didn’t mean she couldn’t make some friends while she was here, and she was desperate to unburden herself.
She leaned forward, tilting her laptop so Sarah could see the screen. “I’m trying to pick out some things for the house. Obviously, it’s a Victorian home, so I’m trying to pick out colors and wallpapers and furniture that will be true to the time period.” She clicked over to her web browser, showing Sarah some of the pictures she’d been looking at for inspiration. “What do you think?”
Sarah clapped her hands and began scrolling through the pictures, murmuring with approval as she looked at some of the items Lacy had been considering. They discussed some of the options, Sarah’s enthusiasm spreading to Lacy and infusing her with an excitement she hadn’t felt before.
“I’m loving this floral wallpaper,” Sarah said, pointing at the screen. “Especially if you paired it with a painted crown molding. That would look amazing in the sitting room.”
Lacy felt her brow wrinkle. “You’ve been to the house?”
“Sure, most of the town has. Nicholas used to throw grand Christmas parties there every year.” Sarah’s eyes were wide as she drifted back in her thoughts, obviously remembering past parties. “Everyone would come, and the house looked so amazing with all the Christmas decorations. Nicholas would dress up as Santa every year, of course. He was our St. Nick.”
Lacy listened silently, an emotional tug-of-war in her brain. Despite the bad blood between her and her grandfather, she couldn’t help but be intrigued at the thought of the mansion in its heyday. She pictured the dusty rooms clean and warm, full of people laughing and talking, perhaps sipping wine and sampling Christmas treats, Christmas music swirling through the air… The thought hurt her heart a little—such a scene was so different from the lonely and quiet Christmases she and her mother had shared.
“Well, no matter what I pick,” Lacy said, her voice a bit abrupt, “I’m sure it will be an improvement. The place needs alotof work.”
“Do you know what you want to do with it yet?”
“Not yet, but I’ve got some time to figure it out. I have an inspector coming to see if it needs any work done on the plumbing or electrical or things like that. Until then, I can just focus on getting it cleaned up and seeing to some of the cosmetic repairs.”
