Christmas Comes to Main Street (7 page)

Her dark hair was swept up in a ponytail, revealing the delicate sweep of her neck. She blinked up at the people as they walked by, giving a small smile. He watched as she sighed, the way it rolled through her slim shoulders, and then dropped her hand to straighten some items that already looked straight.

That did it. Gripping his bag of ornaments, he wove his way through the crowds to her stand, stopping right in front of it. She startled when she saw him, blinking rapidly as her mouth dropped in surprise.

“Oh. Hello.” Her smile was hesitant as she looked up at him. He grinned back warmly, realizing this was the first time he'd had a proper look at her when she wasn't bundled up in a down parka. She wore a soft gray sweater that dipped in the front, revealing her collarbone and a hint of cleavage. He pulled his eyes upward, catching her wide blue eyes, clear and bright and contrasted with her dark hair and creamy complexion. She was a beautiful girl, but then wasn't that how it usually went in wealthy circles? He could still remember the scent of his mother's employer's perfume the time he'd had to come with her to work one day, under strict instruction to stay in the kitchen and read, not disrupt the family. But boredom and curiosity had gotten the better of him, and he'd gone exploring, ended up hiding under the bed in the fanciest bedroom he'd ever seen, easily bigger than the entire apartment where he'd lived, listening to the woman hum under her breath while she adjusted her earrings in the mirror. She was a beautiful woman; even at eight he could tell. And she lived in a beautiful house. And her life was so carefree, she walked around humming.

He started wishing his mother would hum. That the little pinch between her brow would go away.

The first gift he'd bought his mother when he could afford it was a bottle of perfume. She only wore it on special occasions. She cherished it. Whereas her employer had simply taken it for granted.

Nate tipped his head, studying the display Kara had set up. He had to admit she was at least trying. Some girls like her might have spent their inheritance shopping or traveling through Europe. He should cut her some slack.

The gingerbread house in the center of the table caught his eye, and he crouched to give it a better look. The decorations were simple but neat, with icing piped around each doorway and window frame, and little green wreaths placed on the front door.

“This looks a lot like my aunt's inn,” he observed, standing up again.

Kara looked at him. “I'm surprised you noticed. It was inspired by the Main Street B&B, actually. It's always been one of my favorite buildings in all of Briar Creek.”

It was impressive, though no doubt she was used to those types of things. “You made this?”

Kara nodded. “I made everything you see here.”

He rolled back on his heels. There was no disguising the fact that he was impressed. “Are they for sale?” He had an idea for the inn; one he hoped his aunt would forgive him for. He chewed his lip, deciding it was worth the risk.

“They sure are!” Kara motioned to the tag that was peeking out from under the house.

Nate did a double take, then counted to three before he got in another fiery argument with Kara. No good would come from telling her she was undercharging… by a landslide. In his neighborhood in Boston, people would pay two to three times what she was asking for, and he'd put money on the fact that folks around here would, too. She was selling herself short. But why?

He glanced around the room, even though he hadn't met either Kathleen or Rosemary and would have no idea if they were in fact standing right next to him at this very moment. He spotted his aunt at the back of the room, stuffing something into her bag as she cast a suspicious eye to the right and then to the left. Oh, Maggie. It meant so much to her. And he had to admit, the more he got into it, it was sort of fun. Sort of.

He leaned down so he could speak softly and be heard over the din. His blood stilled as her face grew close, and his groin tightened as his eyes roved over the slight pink in her cheeks, the little upturn of her nose, and the pert little set of her full, red lips. His mouth felt dry as he tried to remember what he'd even been about to say. She blinked at him expectantly.

He shook off the attraction. So she was a pretty girl. He knew lots of pretty girls. Girls who were a much better fit for him than Kara ever could be, and not just because she lived in Briar Creek. He just hadn't met one in a while; he'd been too busy working to focus on a love life. He'd change that when he got back home. Slow his pace a bit. But not too much.

He could never do that.

“Do you do custom orders?” he asked.

She considered this for a moment. “Yes and no. I make the houses to order, but I tend to go off the same general design.”

“I was wondering if you could add a few things to this house.” He pointed to the one that resembled the inn. “Do you know that song ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas'?”

Kara laughed softly. It was a pretty, light sound. One he wouldn't mind hearing again. “Sure. Who doesn't?”

Of course. Like so many others around here, she couldn't get enough of the Christmas spirit. And why shouldn't she? Santa had probably brought her everything on her wish list growing up. And then some.

He doubted she'd ever seen the pain in her father's eyes when he handed over a single gift and watched his child's face fall.

“Would you be able to add the items from that song to the house? However you think is best.”

“I could do that,” she said after a brief hesitation. “Do you want me to bring it by the inn tomorrow?”

Nate shook his head. “I'll pick it up. It's sort of a surprise, for my aunt. So if you don't mind, I'd like to keep this between the two of us.”

It was hard to fathom that her mother, or this Kathleen Madison woman, would be as competitive over this contest as his aunt, but just in case, he'd cover his bases.

“It's our little secret then.” She smiled at him as she reached for a pen and scribbled “sold” on the tag.

Even the ink was sparkly. This entire damn town sparkled.

But it was the light in her eyes that seemed to sparkle the most in that moment. Gone was the frown he'd noticed earlier. The look of defeat he'd found so troublesome. There was a lift in her shoulders now, an energy that was almost contagious, and quite adorable really.

“Our little secret,” he repeated as he stepped back.

He resisted the urge to turn around, steal another glance at the pretty girl with the dark hair and the electric-blue eyes.

He'd known lots of girls like Kara over the years. They might seem fine on the surface, but deep down… it was best to steer clear.

N
ate spent the next morning chopping more wood for his aunt and stacking it in the pile behind the back wing of the house, where Maggie's personal quarters were. The snow was practically knee-deep by now, and the patio furniture was tarped, creating peaks of snow that rose like small mountains against the back of the house. Several of the guests had chosen to take advantage of the fresh powder and hit the slopes, but Nate suspected if he tried to join them, his aunt would have something to say, now that she was so focused on not just entering but winning the Holiday House contest. He could have chopped down half the trees in the woods behind the house to avoid going back in there and seeing the fire in her eyes. He was happy to help, but when she'd not so casually suggested an evening drive-by of the competition so she could have a peek in the windows of this woman Kathleen Madison, he had put his foot down.

“You still haven't changed your mind about tonight, then?” she asked hopefully when he came into the back of the house carrying an armful of logs.

“If they're your friends, you should just stop over. I don't understand all the secrecy.”

“Oh.” Maggie tossed her hands in the air and reached for a few logs on top of the pile. “You wouldn't understand. It's all about the reveal. The unveiling. Making your big debut.”

“Like a bride on her wedding day?” It was the best analogy he could come up with, but his aunt seemed to like it.

“Exactly! Not that you would know. Tell me, do you have any girlfriends back in Boston?”

Nate walked into the lobby and fed a log into the fire. “No one special.”

“I've seen you talking with Kara Hastings,” his aunt said pointedly. “You two seemed pretty cozy lying in the snow outside my front door yesterday. For a moment I thought you were making snow angels, and then I thought perhaps you were just doing something naughty.” Her smile was laced with suggestion.

Nate sighed and watched the flames grow and dance as he crouched to stoke them. Falling back on his heels, he set the iron poker in its stand and turned to his aunt. “If you must know, she fell. And I fell with her. You really should be more careful about the front walkway. I don't think you want a guest breaking their neck and suing you for damages.”

The glint in his aunt's eye vanished as her face paled. “God help me, I forgot to salt it. I usually do it every morning after I've gotten the breakfast ready.”

Realizing he'd upset her, Nate set a gentle hand on her arm. “It's okay, Aunt Maggie. I'll do it while I'm here. Maybe it would help to leave a note to yourself near the breakfast dishes or something. It helps me to cross things off.” It wasn't true, but she didn't need to know that. His aunt was energetic and spirited, but she wasn't as young as she used to be, and it saddened him to see that change in her. Again the guilt crept in that he hadn't visited over the years. All the more reason to make the most of these few weeks together. There was no telling when he would get back.

“That's a good idea,” Maggie said, nodding. She looked around the room, seeming a little lost. “I have some rooms to clean. Kara should be by soon with the cookies. Will you look for them?”

Nate's pulse sped up at the thought of seeing her again. “I'm heading into town soon. Why don't I just pick them up on my way? Save her the trouble.”

Maggie paused at the base of the stairs. “She's a nice girl. It would be good for you to have a friend in town. Might give you a reason to come visit me a little more often.” She winked before she hurried up the flight.

Nate frowned, thinking of that hernia his parents had mentioned… He'd have to remind her to take it easy when he got back from the bakery.

The cookie shop seemed farther up Main Street than he remembered, and Saturday traffic was busy. He had to bustle his way through the crowds that flowed in and out of the shops, his eye trained on the pink striped awning.

Strands of white lights framed the window of Sugar and Spice and caused the decorations to glisten. As he pushed through the door, he noticed that most of the tables were full and that there were several customers in line at the counter. He pushed back his disappointment that they wouldn't be alone and instead took the opportunity to stand back for a minute and observe.

Kara noticed him as he came in. He caught her eye as she glanced up from helping a mother and child select a cookie, and he matched her small smile with a wave. Deciding to let her tend to the customers in line, he took a seat at one of the few open tables. He had to admit the store itself was impressive—a reflection of what money could buy. It appeared to be a full build-out, cleanly designed with modern touches mixed with traditional charm that blended easily into the small town's landscape. The first impression was a good one. Everything else, though…

He sucked in a breath when he saw the customers at the table next to him tie their scarves and zip their coats and leave their dirty plates on a crumb-covered table. He glanced at Kara to see if she noticed or planned to do anything about it, as another customer searched for an open table, her plate balanced in her hand.

He stood, offering his table to the woman and child Kara had just helped. Kara was too busy ringing up the next order to notice, and still, the other table went unswept.

Little things like this could make or break a business. And he hadn't even seen her books yet. From his time consulting on restaurants, he knew how costly some ordering issues could be. It was his job to step in, spot the problems, and suggest a plan of attack for running a more efficient business and setting everyone up on a path to success. He might be on vacation right now, but he couldn't turn off the part of him that was always noticing areas for improvement, especially in a new business.

There was only one more person in front of him in line now, and Nate studied the cookies behind the spotless glass partition, his mouth admittedly salivating. She kept things simple, a strategy he agreed with: Some small business owners like her might tend to go overboard, offer everything and anything, and then end up with waste and a confused clientele. But Kara seemed to be clear in her brand. She sold cookies. Nothing else.

Except… Nate's eyebrows rose as Kara handed a steaming mug of coffee to the woman in front of him. Catching his eye, her cheeks turned the same shade of pink as her soft sweater, and she looked away, focusing instead on making change for the woman.

“So, you decided to take my advice after all, I see.” He grinned, even when he saw a wave of fury pass through her eyes. He couldn't help himself. She'd been so damn stubborn the other day at the diner. So determined to refuse his friendly suggestion. Now it would seem she'd had a change of heart.

“I'd been thinking about offering coffee for a while,” she replied briskly. “I just wanted to wait and see if there was any demand for it.”

He nodded slowly. “And is there?” Of course there was.

Kara just shrugged. “It would seem so, yes.”

He bit back a smile. Something told him Kara wouldn't appreciate it, and he didn't feel like getting on her bad side again. “Good.” He rolled back on his heels and looked around the room. “You have quite a bit of traffic in here. Are you running everything on your own?”

“Saturdays are always like this, especially during the holidays since everyone's out shopping. Can I interest you in a peppermint white hot chocolate?”

So she'd taken his idea for coffee and taken it one step further. While hot cocoa might be a good idea from a sales standpoint during the Christmas season, he had to question if the amount of time it took to prepare each cup offset the profit.

“Tell me, is peppermint used in everything in this town? My aunt made peppermint scones for breakfast the other morning.”

Kara grinned. “'Tis the season.”

“Hmm.” His lips thinned. That was probably why he'd never liked the taste. Bad associations.

“I get the impression you're not quite as into the holiday spirit as most folks around here.”

Ah. Caught. “What gave it away?” he asked.

Kara studied him for a moment, and he felt his stomach churn with unease as he stared at her pretty face, watching her clear blue eyes roam over him. Her lips were soft and supple and parted just enough to make him wonder what it might be like to kiss her.

He stiffened. No good thinking that way.

“Well, for starters, you don't have that sort of drunk-on-Christmas look that everyone else around here gets this time of year. And you didn't jump at the chance for peppermint hot chocolate, either.”

“I don't like peppermint,” he replied.

She pointed a finger in the air, her lips curving. “Aha. Suspicion confirmed, then.”

He shrugged. “Christmas was never that big of a deal in my house. Most years I'm too busy working to pay much attention to it anyway.” More like he worked hard to avoid it… This year's gift to his parents was supposed to eliminate that gut-churning feeling every time they gathered for the holiday, and the memories that haunted him, shadowing what should be a festive event. Instead, he was now caught up in the spirit of the season at every turn. And, if his aunt had any say in it, from every angle.

“Well, Christmas is a very big deal in Briar Creek. And in case you haven't noticed, your aunt takes it very seriously.”

“Oh, I've noticed.” He laughed, thinking of the bags of decorations she'd triumphantly found at the Holiday Bazaar. Tonight they'd continue their efforts of transforming the house. With any luck, they could knock it out in a few hours and be done with it.

“Let me just wipe down a few tables and then I'll show you the gingerbread house. I didn't want to box it up in case you had any changes.”

“Sounds good.” He watched as she came around the corner, the pull of her gray wool skirt accentuating her subtle curves. Her long legs were covered in black tights, and for a moment he could almost imagine peeling them off, running his hands over her smooth, creamy legs, his gaze latching with those electric blue eyes.

He swallowed hard against the desire that built as she bent over a table to wipe it with a rag, giving him a full view of her perfect backside. He could have stared at her all day, if he wasn't suddenly distracted by the jingling of bells over the door as a new round of customers came in.

“I'll be right with you,” Kara said pleasantly as she walked over to clean another table.

Nate frowned, resisting the urge to check his watch to see how long it would take her to attend to the people who stood slightly impatiently at the counter beside him. Finally, Kara came back around the corner, a stack of dishes in her hand, her smile broad but her cheeks flushed. She was flustered, and why shouldn't she be? She was doing too much, managing it all. She'd be better off paying someone to help out, relinquish some control. Because that was what it was about, he gathered. If she'd had the cash to create this place, then she had the cash to pay for some assistance.

Nate turned to the group of women beside him. “Ladies first.” He grinned and stepped back, letting Kara tend to them so she wouldn't feel rushed when she was showing him the gingerbread house. He wanted to make sure it was what he'd envisioned. And, truth be told, he didn't feel the need to hurry back to the inn. For a variety of reasons.

“If you won't take a hot chocolate, then how about a cup of coffee?” Kara asked when she finished ringing up the other customers.

“Coffee sounds great,” he admitted.

She handed him a mug. “Cream or sugar?”

He took a long sip of his coffee. It was smooth and dark, and better than the offerings at the diner. “Black is fine.”

Kara scanned the room, then tipped her head toward the kitchen. “Follow me, then.”

Nate glanced over his shoulder at the door, deducing that she could probably afford to leave the counter unattended for a few minutes, and followed her through the swinging door into the kitchen, which could have been a scene straight from the North Pole, if one existed. The snowflake cookies he'd come to associate with her were lined by the dozens, some iced, some already sugared, the rest plain and waiting. The far counter was covered with gingerbread houses in various forms of completion, and the air smelled of vanilla and molasses and, of course, peppermint.

He fought the urge to pick up a candy cane–shaped cookie made from twisted white and red dough. Kara noticed and said, “These are today's special. I stick with a standard menu and offer something new each day, in addition to seasonal favorites, of course. Try one.”

He took her up on the offer and bit into the cookie. He'd assumed it would be your run-of-the-mill sugar cookie, but this was something much different—and better. Cream cheese and something like chocolate coated his mouth. Not too sweet, the texture perfect.

“These are my red velvet cream cheese candy canes. I've already sold three dozen since I opened this morning,” Kara said proudly before glancing shyly away.

“You have a good business model,” he said after finishing the cookie.

Kara perked with interest. “Well, that must be good news. Here I thought you'd be full of more ideas for improvement.”

“Well…” Nate regretted the word as soon as he saw her expression fold. He lowered his coffee mug before he'd had a chance to take a sip and set it down on the nearest counter.

“Well what?” Kara leaned a hip against the center island and folded her arms across her chest, accentuating the curve of her breasts through her pale pink sweater. Her lips were pinched, her nose pert, and he didn't think he'd seen her look cuter.

He held up a hand. “Look, I'm a management consultant. I tend to spot opportunities for improvement everywhere I go.” Other than the inn, he had to admit. His aunt ran that place with the expertise of a veteran, and it showed. She was a perfectionist, like Kara. The difference was that Kara was new to this and, possibly, in over her head. “I didn't come here to insult you, I promise. You have a beautiful shop, you make damn good cookies, and you probably have a concrete business plan in place.”