“I’ve had great teachers,” Sam said as he continued decorating. “But I’m not going to win any awards. I’m too slow. I don’t know how you do it so fast, and it still looks amazing.”
Emmie laughed. “I guess it’s in my genes.”
Sam eyed her jeans.
Emmie, embarrassed, laughed and swatted him. “No! Not these jeans—my genes, as in the genes I inherited from Mom, the queen of Christmas cookie decorating.”
Sam’s eyes danced with mischief. “Oh, those genes. Well, I had no idea your mom was the queen of decorating, so I guess that means I’m decorating with Christmas cookie royalty. That would make you the Christmas cookie decorating princess, right? Wait, do I see a movie here?” Sam did an elaborate bow in front of her.
Emmie was laughing so hard she had to clutch her stomach. “You’re crazy.”
Betty walked in. “Who’s crazy?”
“Sam,” Emmie said.
“Emmie,” Sam said at the same time.
Emmie and Sam looked at each other and burst out laughing again.
Betty shook her head, smiling. “Okay, I think you’ve both had too much sugar. I’m cutting you off.”
“What?” Sam looked at her in mock horror. “No!” When he quickly grabbed a gingerbread boy, Emmie snatched it back from him.
“Stop eating all our work,” she said, laughing.
Betty looked around at all the cookies they’d decorated and shook her head in amazement. “Wow,” Betty said.
Sam looked pleased. “We did it. We finished them all.”
Betty gave them both a grateful look. “I can’t believe it. You both have really done an amazing job here. I’m going to hire both of you.”
Sam smiled. “Both of us?”
Betty came over and gave him a hug. “Yes, both of you.”
“Sweet,” Sam said. “Pun intended.”
Betty and Emmie laughed.
“You both really did save the day,” Betty said.
Sam held his hands up in victory. “Cookie crisis averted.”
Emmie laughed. Sam’s enthusiasm was infectious.
“Trust me,” Betty said. “If Mayor Thomas didn’t have his cookies for his tree lighting, it would have been a crisis.” Betty looked over to the end of the kitchen counter, and for the first time, she noticed a whole section of round cookies with white frosting. They were next to the decorated gingerbread men. She walked over and picked one up. “What are these?”
Emmie joined her. “My family used to call them Gingerbread Snowballs. One of the first times I tried decorating gingerbread boys and girls with my mom, I was only about three. I was so little that every time I tried to decorate one, I’d accidentally snap the head off.”
“Oh dear,” Betty said.
Sam laughed, then quickly covered his mouth. “Sorry.”
“Trust me, at the time it wasn’t funny,” Emmie said. “I was so upset so my mom invented these Gingerbread Snowballs. Something I could decorate easily without any drama.”
Betty took a bite. Her eyes grew huge with appreciation. “These are delicious. You used different frosting.”
“Cream cheese frosting,” Sam said.
“My dad’s favorite,” Emmie added.
Sam picked one up and took a bite. “Mine too.”
Emmie gave him a look.
He tried to look innocent, but failed because he had frosting on his lips.
Emmie looked back at Betty. “We used some of the extra dough you had in the fridge.”
“And I decorated them,” Sam said. “They’re fast and easy, and you know if I can do it, anyone can.”
“We did them as a backup, just in case we didn’t finish decorating all the rest, so you’d still have enough cookies to make your order.”
Betty looked impressed. “That was really smart and thoughtful. Thank you both so much. I’m sure they’re going to be a huge hit.”
“I’m so glad,” Emmie said, suddenly getting a bit choked up. A wave of emotion had come out of nowhere, catching her completely off guard.
Sam instantly noticed and touched her arm. “Emmie, what is it? Are you okay?”
Betty looked equally concerned.
Emmie, now embarrassed, hastily wiped a tear away and forced herself to smile. “I’m sorry. I don’t know where this came from.” She looked over at Betty. “It just makes me really happy to think people will be able to enjoy my mom’s cookies. She would have really liked that. She would have loved everything about what you do here.”
Betty came over and put her arm around Emmie. “Well, I’m very grateful that you’re here and sharing this memory with us all. The best part of Christmas is sharing traditions and keeping those traditions alive.”
Sam nodded. “I couldn’t agree more.”
Emmie took a deep breath and smiled. “Me too. This has been so great, all of this, and a new Christmas memory I’ll always think of now whenever I make cookies again. That’s why I wanted to come up to Christmas Point, to make new memories, so thank you.”
“Wait.” Sam got out his phone and joined Emmie and Betty. He held up his phone to take a selfie of the three of them. “Then we better document this moment.” Sam snapped a picture-perfect photo of them laughing together.
Emmie’s phone rang.
It was Grant.
Chapter Nineteen
Emmie’s phone rang again.
“Aren’t you going to get that?” Sam asked.
Emmie glanced back at her phone. “Of course.” She picked up Grant’s call on FaceTime. “Hi,” she answered and smiled when she saw Grant’s face.
Only he wasn’t smiling. He looked confused.
“Where are you?” he asked. “And who are you with?”
Emmie looked at her phone screen and realized Sam was in the background talking to Betty. Emmie quickly adjusted her phone, so it showed just her.
“I told you. I’m at the bakery helping out,” Emmie said. “We had a cookie crisis.” She laughed. “You wouldn’t believe it.”
Grant didn’t laugh back. “That was hours ago,” he said.
Emmie nodded. “Well, it takes a while to decorate ten dozen cookies.” She turned her phone around so she could show Grant the cookies. “See!”
Silence.
Emmie quickly looked back at the phone. “Did you see all the cookies?”
“You’re breaking up,” Grant said.
Betty walked over. She looked into Emmie’s phone. “Hi there,” Betty said to Grant and waved. “Sorry about that. I don’t have the best cell service in the kitchen.”
Grant’s picture was breaking up.
“Grant? Are you still there?” Emmie asked. She lost the connection.
Betty gave her an apologetic look. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Emmie responded. “I’ll just try and send him a text, and I’ll call him when I get back to the inn.”
“Maybe he’s calling to say he’s on his way,” Betty offered.
“I hope so,” Emmie said. With all the fun she’d been having, she’d completely lost track of time. She looked over at Sam. “Wow, it did get late. I better get back to the inn so I can call Grant back.”
“I’ll come with you,” Sam said and joined her.
“Are you sure you’re good here?” Emmie asked Betty.
Betty smiled her brightest smile. “I’m more than good. I’m great. I even have the extra Gingerbread Snowballs you made. I really thought I was in trouble, but you two have been my Christmas miracle.”
Sam looked honored. “I don’t think I’ve ever been called anyone’s Christmas miracle before.”
Emmie smiled at Betty. “Me either. But I should be thanking you, because this truly has been something special. Something I’ll never forget.” Emmie gave Betty a heartfelt hug. “If you need any more help, you know where to find us.”
Sam gave Betty a kiss on the cheek. “We’ll see you later.”
As they left the bakery, Sam was humming “We Wish You a Merr
y Christmas.”
“I can’t believe we just did that,” he said. “We decorated ten dozen cookies! Isn’t that some kind of Guinness World Record for Christmas or whatever you’d call it?”
Emmie laughed. “I have no idea, but it really was fun. Even if my fingers are a bit numb.” She wiggled her fingers.
Sam patted his tummy. “I’m so full. I think I gained a pound for every dozen we decorated.”
Emmie smiled back at him. “That’s what you get for eating almost as many as you decorated.”
Sam stood up straight and lifted his head higher. “I was only doing my civic duty and helping the mayor as taste tester.”
“I wasn’t aware he gave you that job,” Emmie said in a teasing voice.
“Well, he hasn’t yet. That’s why I’m practicing. So I can be sure to get it right! I want that job. That job was meant for me.”
Emmie laughed. “I can see why you’re a writer. You definitely live in a fantasy world of your own.”
“I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not,” Sam said, his smile growing wider. “But I’m going to take it as one. So thank you very much!”
Emmie laughed again. “You’re welcome.”
Sam looked past her, and his eyes widened. “No way.”
“What?” Emmie spun around to see what he was looking at.
Excited, Sam pointed to a small food cart alongside the street selling roasted chestnuts. “We gotta get some!” He was already heading that way.
Emmie had to practically run to keep up with him. “What happened to your stomach?” Emmie yelled after him. “I thought you were full.”
Sam laughed as he glanced back at her. “Of cookies, for now, but chestnuts—there’s a whole other compartment in my stomach for roasted chestnuts. These are like Christmas gold. We can’t pass these up!”
“No thanks, but I don’t think I could eat another thing,” Emmie said as she joined him at the chestnut cart.
Sam gave her an incredulous look. “But these are roasted chestnuts. You know, like the song says, ‘Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.’” He picked up a bag and held them under her nose. “Can you smell that? That’s Christmas! How can you say no to Christmas?”
The guy running the chestnut cart smiled at Sam. “That’s a good one,” the guy said. “I’m going to start using that.”
Sam nudged Emmie. “See, come on. I’m buying. You’ve gotta try some.” When he handed the guy money, he put some extra chestnuts in Sam’s bag. Sam smiled at him. “Thank you.”
The guy nodded. “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas,” Sam said.
As Sam and Emmie walked away, Sam held the bag out to Emmie again.
Emmie shook her head. “Seriously, I’m so full.”
“Your loss,” Sam said as he popped a chestnut into his mouth and savored the taste. “You don’t know what you’re missing.”
“Actually, I don’t,” Emmie said.
Sam gave her a surprised look. “Wait, what? Are you saying you’ve never had roasted chestnuts before, and you call yourself Miss Christmas?”
Emmie laughed.
“You’re up here at Christmas Point and you’ve planned this epic Christmas adventure for your boyfriend. How is eating roasted chestnuts not on your list or your app or whatever you’re doing?”
Emmie thought about it. “That’s a good question. I didn’t read anything about these roasted chestnuts, so that’s why they aren’t on the list.”
Sam held out the bag again. “But now you’re going to add it to your list, right?”
Emmie finally gave in and took a chestnut and tried it. She looked surprised, then pleased. “Right,” she said. “Because these are really good. I like the smoky flavor.”
“‘Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,’” Sam said again.
Emmie nodded. “I know the song. Now I know the chestnuts.”
Sam laughed.
Emmie tried another one and smiled back at Sam. “Okay, okay, I’m converted. Roasted chestnuts are now being added to my must-do Christmas list. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Sam said. He looked quite pleased with himself as he held the bag out to her again, and she took another chestnut.
They took a few more steps in silence while they both munched on the chestnuts.
“My sister loved these when we were kids,” Sam said.
Emmie looked at him, noticing his voice was softer, almost like he was remembering. Then she saw a pretty wreath hanging on a light post. She walked over to give it a closer look. It was made with several different kinds of evergreens and had real pinecones and little red bows attached all over it.
“This is pretty,” she said, glancing back at Sam.
He joined her. “But it’s not as good as our Christmas Spirit Wreaths.”
Emmie smiled back at him. “Nothing is as good as our Christmas Spirit Wreaths.” I gave it to Grant, even though he was a little hesitant.”
“Hesitant?” Sam asked. “What do you mean?”
“He wasn’t sure if he should hang it in his office,” Emmie said. “He said he didn’t need decorations at work.”
“What?” Sam made a face, showing he didn’t agree.
Emmie laughed. “I know, right? I told him people were going to think he was Scrooge if he didn’t get into the spirit with his Christmas Spirit Wreath, so he promised to hang it up. He’ll probably put it on his door, so everyone can see it.”
“That’s what I did with mine,” Sam said.
Emmie smiled at him. “Me too.”
Emmie looked around at all the cute shops decorated for Christmas. “This really is the quintessential Christmas town.”
Sam nodded. “You know I always wanted a Christmas like this when I lived in L.A. It’s hard to get into the Christmas spirit when all you have around you is palm trees and it’s seventy degrees.”
“I think you can have Christmas spirit anywhere,” Emmie said. “Christmas lives in your heart, in your memories.”
Sam looked into her eyes. “That’s a really good way to think about it. So no matter where you are, you can always have Christmas with you . . . I like that.”
They continued to look into each other’s eyes for a second until Emmie’s referee whistle app alert went off, shattering the moment. Several townspeople walking by gave her a look as she hurried to turn it off.
“Sorry,” she said. “Is it getting louder, or is it just my imagination?”
“I don’t know,” Sam said. “My ears are still ringing from the first time it went off.”
Emmie rolled her eyes. “Ha-ha, funny.”
“So what does the app say you’re supposed to be doing now?” Sam asked.
Emmie looked closer at her phone. “I need to make a call and check in at work, and I still need to try and call Grant back, too. I sent him a text that went through, but he hasn’t responded yet.” Emmie held her phone up and smiled. “It looks like I have a pretty good signal right here, so I better try making my calls now. You go ahead. I’ll see you back at the inn.”
“Okay, sounds good,” Sam said.
Emmie watched Sam walk away for a few seconds before she first tried calling Denise. She needed to make sure everything was going okay with their final plans for their big Christmas dinner. When she got Denise’s voice mail, she left a quick message to call her back or text her if she needed anything. Her next call was to Grant, but it also went right to voice mail.
“Seriously,” she said, frustrated, “why isn’t anyone answering their phone?” Just when she was about to put her phone away, she got a text from Grant that said: In a meeting. Can’t talk. Call later. XOXO.
Emmie stared at her phone and willed herself not to get upset. She needed to do something, and she needed to do it now. She turned back around, and with a look of determination, headed back into town.
Chapter Twenty
As Sam continued to walk back to the inn alone, he found himself smiling thinking about the day h
e’d just spent with Emmie. He couldn’t believe how one giant mix-up, where he’d gotten Emmie’s first Christmas scavenger hunt clue instead of her boyfriend, had turned into one of the best days he’d had in a while. It had been a long time since he had laughed so much and felt so relaxed.
When his sister, Katie, had passed away, he didn’t know if he’d ever truly enjoy anything that had to do with Christmas again. So much of what he’d loved about Christmas was because of her and the time they’d spent together. Every Christmas memory he cherished most had her in it.
He thought it was almost as if Katie knew what a struggle the holiday would be for him after she was gone, and that’s why she’d made him promise to keep celebrating Christmas and to continue doing the things they had always done together.
But doing what he’d promised was so much harder than he’d ever thought. As soon as Thanksgiving was over, instead of feeling excited about Christmas, he had felt a sense of dread. He was worried that he wouldn’t be able to keep his promise and celebrate Christmas without her, because it was just too hard.
He knew that by shutting down emotionally, he’d also shut down his ability to write. He had learned the hard way that he couldn’t simply go numb in one area of his life and still move forward in another.
Now his entire career was in jeopardy. He’d never missed a deadline with his publisher before. He was embarrassed and angry with himself. But still, as much as he wanted to write, when he sat down at his computer, no words came to him. He would sit for hours, but all he could do was stare at a blank screen, and the longer he couldn’t think of anything to write, the more he felt like he was letting everyone down—Candace, Katie, his publisher, and himself.
Usually words came to him so fast he couldn’t keep up trying to write them all down, but that had all changed. He thought about what he’d told Emmie earlier, that you really had to feel it to write it. He knew his problem was that he hadn’t really let himself feel anything since his sister passed away. The problem was, knowing why he hadn’t been able to write anything and knowing how to fix it were two different things.
But today, while he hung out with Emmie and did Christmas activities with her, he had started to feel something again.
Finding Christmas Page 14