So this was how dreams died. On the tip of a ballpoint pen.
“That’s right,” Una Mae simpered, while her face told that inwardly she cackled in triumph. “I never thought I’d be saying this, but Leela Miller is right, Dr. Wilson. You have your future to think about. And so does she. I know Freesia Youngblood’s daughter has always dreamed of this house as being her own, and now that Felix will be its owner, it’s within her reach. He’s already asked her to the Holiday Ball. Do I sense a declaration in the air?”
A declaration! “I didn’t agree to go to the Holiday Ball with Felix, as you well know. I’m sorry, Felix.”
Felix sneezed in her direction, still staring at her with hungry eyes and making her skin crawl like it was covered with centipedes. “What color is your dress?” he asked in the world’s smarmiest voice. “I’ll get boxers to match. Or briefs, if you like briefs.”
“It’s not happening. I have a date. I have a boyfriend.” She glanced at Jay. He stepped right up to her side.
The words died on her lips, pointless and powerless because Felix simultaneously pronounced, “Boyfriend shmoyfriend. You promised me first.” Felix grabbed at her, yanking her from Jay’s side.
“I promised you nothing.” She pulled her shoulder out of his grip.
“I’m sure you’ll be changing your mind.” Una Mae, her face smug, pulled an extra long pen from her snakeskin purse. “I only want both my son and you two to get what you want most. I’m motivated only by you young people’s happiness.” Una Mae smiled, squinting her eyes at Leela, whose skin crawled twice as much under the mother’s gaze as under the son’s.
“She has a date to the Holiday Ball.” Jay tugged her back to his side. “Wherever it’s held.”
Clearly Jay wasn’t committed to letting the ball—or the Cookie House—happen at the Layton Mansion.
All the little floating ships inside Leela sank.
“Yeah, wherever it’s held,” Leela squeaked, but then she steeled her voice. “Go ahead and sign, Jay. Your partnership at Precious Companion is waiting. I want you to find happiness. It’s all I wish for you.”
“You said you’d be my date to the Holiday Ball.” Felix growled from his perch on the kitchen island. “You promised me first.”
“Felix—” Leela shook her head at the oaf.
“Sign the documents, Jay!” Una Mae shouted, quelling Leela’s retort to the angry son. “Felix, go outside. You promised to keep your emotions in check. We all keep our promises here, right?”
“I promised to clean out the attic.” Jay placed his hands on his hips. “And if there’s anything of value up there, it belongs to Layton family heirs.”
Valuable things in the attic? What was that about? Had Leela missed something important?
“Ah, no.” Una Mae backtracked all of a sudden. “That’s not necessary. No delays of sale necessary. Fine. You can have your Cookie House promise. I’ll allow it. Where do I add exceptions to the contract?” Una Mae waved her pen around. “Let’s just get this in ink.”
What? Una Mae was suddenly relenting on the Cookie House?
“Oh, Jay. Agree now!” Leela pressed him. “It’s the best offer you’re going to get.” She’d find the decorations somewhere else other than the shed—apologies to Hildy’s wishes—maybe even borrow Rudolph, since Una Mae was changing her stripes.
That, or the other ladies in the Auxiliary would come through at the last moment.
“It lets you win. You can go to Reedsville.”
“No.” Jay’s face hardened. “I inherited the house, and with it came explicit wishes from Uncle Jingo.”
“To blazes with Jingo Layton!” Una Mae erupted, just as her phone rang, cutting her off mid-retort. “Excuse me.”
Una Mae took the call in the other room, and Felix slunk away who knew where, giving Leela the chance to talk with Jay at last.
“What are you hesitating for, Jay? Take the money, get your partnership. Quick, while she’s letting Cookie House stay alive. This way we all get to win.”
“Do we? Do we really, Leela?” Jay looked hurt. “You want me to go?”
“I want you to have your dream.”
“But—” Jay shook his head quickly. “No. We need to discuss that topic in greater depth. Soon. But for now, we have to put on the brakes.” He lowered his voice and stepped closer, whispering. “Una Mae said some shocking things about your mother and mine while you were upstairs, and I have to tell you about them. However, for now, something else is even more urgent than that. I need to follow up on something that flew out of Felix’s mouth a minute ago.”
Leela cringed. “Ew.”
“That didn’t sound like I meant it to.” Jay laughed, and the tension dispersed. “Quick, before Una Mae Coldicott comes back from her phone call. We need to check something in the attic.”
“It’s not a good time to make out.” Leela followed him up the staircase. “But I did find something that might make the Cookie House a million times better.”
“You found it?” Jay stopped and turned around, looking at her like she’d discovered gold.
“Do you even know what I’m talking about?” How could he know about Hildy’s wishes and the glass décor?
“Of course I know about it. We found it together last week. It’s amazing! If it’s real, I mean.”
None of this computed. She climbed after his quick ascent. “Huh? Dude, I’m talking about vintage Christmas decorations in the attic—and allegedly piles more in the shed. I found an old letter in the attic saying so.”
“Vintage Christmas decorations. Okay.” Jay nodded but he clearly had no idea how it mattered. “Cool?”
“Very cool, but not relevant to this moment, apparently. All right, since it’s not that, then what are you talking about?”
They arrived at the top of the stairs and pushed their way into the dusty room where they’d spent so much time lately.
“Remember that big ceramic egg we found? Felix mentioned it cryptically, and Una Mae went berserk.”
“The decorated one? Are you suggesting it’s valuable?” Knock her over with a feather. “For more than just the gold filigree on its edges?”
“I don’t really know.” Jay resumed climbing the stairs, and Leela followed. “How much do you trust the word of Felix Coldicott?”
Leela stopped in her tracks. “As far as I can shove him.” How far can a small woman shove an ocean liner?
“Exactly. But it’s worth checking out. Maybe. Or a waste of time. I don’t really know.”
Leela must have missed a lot of conversational details while she was upstairs. What had Felix even said? “I think I remember where it was.” She grabbed the ledger and found the box listed in the inventory.
Una Mae’s boots clunked up the steps toward them, and she yoo-hooed for Jay and Leela.
“Delay her.”
“Knowing the box number will help, but we didn’t exactly put the boxes in any certain order when we finished with them.” Rookie error.
“It will take too much time to find it.”
“I’ll stop her. But I want you with me as I do. Is that okay?”
So very okay. All the Os and all the Ks in the world. Times ten.
Jay took her hand and they descended the stairs together, to face the dragon lady. Oh, and her icky son.
Jay
Una Mae saw them coming and continued up the stairway. “No need to meet in the kitchen. I’d love to see all the floors of the house. I’ve examined the second story thoroughly while the two of you dilly-dallied. What’s in the attic?”
No way was Una Mae getting up into the attic. Not until he’d deciphered her intentions. “The attic is full of worthless knickknacks. Macramé crafts, soap-on-a-rope, the occasional piece of plastic fruit.”
“Burt said you were in the process of an inventory.”
Yeah, but if Una Mae thought she was getting a view of their list, she had another thing coming.
Leela stood shoulder-to-should
er with him, creating a roadblock against Mrs. Coldicott’s progress up to the attic. Together we really do make an effective team.
“I only need to check it for one little thing.” She smiled in a way she must have thought sweetly, but it only seemed sinister. “Then, if you like, I’ll consider upping my cash offer, since I’m asking for immediate occupancy.”
“Mrs. Coldicott, I—”
“Don’t say no, Dr. Wilson. Not until you’ve heard my offer. I believe it will be extremely tempting.”
Leela squeezed his hand—hard. Almost like she was telling him he should consider it.
“Mother!” Felix called from the base of the stairway. Could four people logically be jamming themselves into this narrow passageway? “Mr. Basingstoke is back and wants to show you the paperwork. And I need my lunch soon.”
Of course Felix did.
“Yes, sweetums. But Mother is checking something upstairs. The thing you like.”
“Mother! Mr. Basingstoke is here.” He stomped his foot, and it echoed up the stairwell. “He told me to come get you all. If we don’t sign the paper, we don’t get me a house.”
Una Mae retreated a step, wobbling on a spiked heel but catching herself on the stair rail. “I’ll be right there, sunshine.” Finally, she peeled her gaze from Jay’s and turned around.
Jay held Leela back as the Coldicotts retreated. Something is definitely not right with those people. When they were out of earshot, he whispered to Leela. “Thanks. I don’t want them in the attic.”
“You don’t trust them either?”
Nope.
Jay descended, with Leela still holding his hand.
Downstairs, Burt would be waiting for signatures and a commission. Jay was going to owe Burt an explanation.
Leela
In the kitchen, Burt and Una Mae stood beside the pile of hundred-dollar bills. How Jay could give them up, she still couldn’t believe, but bless him for it. This house deserved Jay Wilson, not Felix Coldicott.
Jay kissed Leela on the temple, then left her side. “Burt, I need to talk to you privately.”
“I’m through with private discussions!” Una Mae screeched and shoved a pen into Jay’s hand. “This offer will expire, Jay Wilson. My patience is not infinite.”
It had to be hot air. Didn’t it? Leela held her breath, taking a step backward away from the battle zone.
She bumped right into the cologne-soaked Felix Coldicott.
“So, Leela.” Felix placed a paw on her shoulder, sending a shudder up her neck. “So, my Leela. How is your father?”
The non sequitur jarred her. “What about my father?” Dad was not part of this discussion. “He’s fine, thank you. His health is improving.” That might or might not be true, but Dad was a fighter. He wasn’t going to let the accident conquer his spirit.
“He’d be a lot more fine if he hadn’t married your mother.” Felix guffawed and rubbed his hands together. “My mama says so every day. Your mama, quote, ruined his potential. She made him go to work when he could have had Mama’s money and lived the life of a gentleman.”
What on earth!
“What are you talking about, Felix?” Leela squirmed out of his grasp and wheeled around. His eye gleamed when his gaze landed on her. She took a step back, as if by instinct.
“Hush your gossiping mouth, Felix,” Una Mae hissed.
Jay dropped the pen and strode toward Leela. “This isn’t gossip, Leela. Una Mae admitted some of this herself while you were upstairs earlier.”
“Are we signing this thing or not?” Burt asked.
Una Mae skittered over to Felix, pushing him toward the door. “Son, I think it’s time you did a little exploration of your new home. Let’s finish up that paperwork, Dr. Wilson. We’re almost finished now.”
A wave of pity roiled up from Leela’s gut. Felix might not be all there. His lecherous gaze could be due to mental deficiency. The off-center comments, the leer in his eye, the obvious lack of social acumen—he couldn’t be completely there.
“Felix, can you explain this to me?” she asked from a safe distance.
“No, Felix.” Una Mae stood between Felix and the listeners.
He pushed his face over her shoulder. “Your mama stole Mr. Miller right out of my mama’s grasp.” His eye gleamed, like he was revealing something salacious. “She’s not gonna forgive. She’s not gonna forget.”
Wait. What? Una Mae and Dad? Not even! Never! The mother was as delusional about romantic relationships as her son.
Felix pushed his mom aside, and she bumped against the wall. Felix stalked toward Leela. Jay stepped forward to stop Felix’s progress, but Leela held out a hand. “I need to hear this.”
“’Cause of all that, my mama isn’t gonna let your mama have a seat at the Ladies’ Auxiliary table ever again, not even if it’s through you—my Leela.” He stepped closer, his hot breath in her face. Leela retreated a pace reflexively. “You’re really pretty, you know? Just like your mama. I saw her picture once.”
He really wasn’t all there. But his words still revealed the roots of Una Mae’s vindictive crusade.
Leela rounded on Una Mae. “You’re jealous of my mother? Is this why you’ve been bent on killing the Cookie House this year—because it was my mother’s legacy? You planned to torpedo it all along. Then, when I was involved, you had to step up your game. Ruin it from a distance. And now by throwing money at the man I love. You’ll stop at nothing, it seems.”
“Felix imagines things.” Alarm laced her tone.
Felix lunged for Leela. “You’re gonna be mine. Mama promised.”
“He imagines things?” Jay took Leela by the arm, leading her out of Felix’s range of motion. “Like Fabergé eggs?”
“What are you talking about?” Leela had missed something important. Fabergé? She’d seen the egg upstairs, but no way was it an old Russian heirloom like a Fabergé. Not in Massey Falls. Russia was on the other side of the world.
Una Mae simmered like a pressure cooker’s whose gauge gone way past the red line.
“This.” Jay pulled out his phone and typed something in. He pulled up a picture and showed it to Leela. It was a pretty, decorative egg with gold filigree similar to the one they’d found upstairs.
“That’s not a legend,” Felix chanted. “That’s not a myth. It’s a truth. I saw it in a old newspaper. I told Mama about it just last night.”
“Felix!” Una Mae strained. “I think it’s time you went home.”
“I read lots of old newspapers, guys. I’m not stupid.”
“Burt”—Jay turned to the real estate agent—“you know much about antiques?”
“I see a lot of them during estate sales when properties are going on the market, but I’m not an appraiser. I’ve got a buddy in Torrey Junction who owns a shop and appraises professionally. He’s a glass expert, but he has connections. Why?”
Leela started putting things together. The egg they’d found, the speed of the sale, the insistence on cleaning out the attic—all of Una Mae’s strange behavior compounding into this crazy moment.
“Thanks, Felix. We appreciate your help.”
“Felix!” Una Mae went into shrill mode. “Don’t you remember our plan? We went over this. This was how we kill two birds with one stone—you get your expensive, pretty egg, and your girlfriend, and I get revenge on the girl who stole my boyfriend. Son! You like killing birds with stones.”
Jay stepped toward Una Mae. “I can’t sell the Layton Mansion—or the contents of the attic—to you. I’m sorry. And yes, the Cookie House will be held here.”
Una Mae swallowed a noisy scream. “No, it won’t. I won’t let it. I don’t care what the contingency says in the contract! If I lock the house, no one can bring cookies in. If I burn it down, all the better. It’ll be mine. I can’t be forced into it.”
“You won’t have a say.”
“I’ll still have a say on the Ladies’ Auxiliary!” Una Mae yelled. “You, Leela Miller, won’t be on
the Ladies’ Auxiliary board, you daughter of the woman who stole my one true love.” Her eyes glittered with hot orange lava.
Leela grabbed Jay’s elbow for support and solidarity against the madwoman. “All the notices have been printed. It’s happening here.”
Una Mae looked as if she might literally explode, with her head popping right off her body.
Felix patted his mother’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Mama. I’ll kill you a different bird.”
Jay took the sales contract and ripped it in half. “Take your cash.”
Una Mae let out a stifled scream, then grabbed her pile of money and stomped out, slamming the front door hard enough to rattle all the windowpanes.
The storm was over. The sun was coming out. Burt shook his head. “I’ll see you two later. Let me know if you still want to sell, son. I’ll be glad to draw up another contract.”
There was a reason that guy was the best real estate agent in Massey Falls. Nothing unnerved him. His sedan tore off down Society Row.
Jay laced his fingers through Leela’s and led her out of the kitchen and into the grand ballroom, which she’d seen by peeking through the windows the first day she met Jay. It was so much grander from this perspective.
Leela trailed along beside Jay, across the parquet floors, her feet floating like they were made of helium.
He hadn’t sold the house. He might stay. “I’m so glad this place didn’t end up getting burned down by Una Mae Coldicott. You’ve done too much to restore its glory.”
“It really is a great place. Especially when I see it through your eyes.”
“Thanks for not selling to Una Mae.” And maybe not to anyone else, please? Please say you’re not leaving Massey Falls, Jay. Don’t go off to Reedsville. Not just when I’m starting to rely on you.
“If what’s upstairs is what Felix says, I think Dr. Harrison here in town might be getting a new partner in his large animal clinic.”
“You mean that egg thing really could be valuable? It’s not just Felix’s freaky imagination?”
The Christmas Cookie House: A Sweet Holiday Romance (Christmas House Romances) Page 11