“Careful, Sandy’s place is addictive,” Ruby said.
Emmie laughed. “I can totally see that! But you know, I’d much rather buy something from her and support someone who is doing such beautiful work than spend money buying something generic that was probably made in China.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Ruby said. “That’s why I’ve always kept the tradition of making my guests’ stockings. Sure, it takes more work, but I really feel like people appreciate them when they know it’s a gift that comes from the heart and was made with love.”
“Well, I know I love my stocking, and Grant will love his, too,” Emmie said. “I don’t know how you do all that you do here. Running the inn must be so much work.”
Ruby nodded. “It is. It was a lot easier when I had my husband to help, but I love it here.” Ruby walked over to the Christmas tree and adjusted a silver bell ornament so it shimmered in the light. “This is my home, and I love sharing it with people. Sometimes people ask if I get lonely, but I really don’t. My guests are like my family. Some stay only a night, and some stay a week or more, but I get something from everyone who stays. Their presence is like a gift, so I plan to keep doing this as long as I can. Plus, I have people who can help me when it gets really busy. I’m very lucky I have so much support here. At Christmas Point, we all help one another out if someone needs help. You don’t even have to ask. It’s just what people do.”
Emmie smiled, thinking about what Ruby had just said. She went over and picked up the snow globe that looked like the one her mom used to have. “That reminds me of something my mom used to say,” Emmie said. “She always said at Christmas, the best gift you can give someone is your time with them.” Emmie shook the snow globe and put it down.
Ruby’s smile grew. “Your mom sounds like a very wise woman. Will you be seeing her at Christmas?”
Emmie slowly shook her head. “No, my parents passed away in a car accident.”
Ruby came over and gave Emmie a hug. “I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you,” Emmie said. “Me too.” When Emmie stepped back and looked around the room, she slowly smiled. “She really would have loved it here. Being here, I feel closer to her, closer to both of them. Christmas was our holiday. I always thought we had so many more Christmases to spend together, but then in an instant, that was all taken away. So now I guess you could say that I celebrate Christmas for all of us.”
Emmie walked over to admire one of the Santas by the fireplace.
After her parents passed away, Emmie had promised herself never to put off doing the things she really wanted to do, knowing tomorrows are never guaranteed. She had learned that saving something to do “someday” meant you were risking never having that special experience happen at all. That’s why she’d worked so hard to make this vacation special for her and Grant. She wanted to embrace every moment they had together.
Ruby joined her at the fireplace. “If there’s anything I can do to help you celebrate Christmas and make it extra special, you just let me know.”
Emmie was touched. “Thank you, Ruby. That means a lot to me. You’ve already made it so special. All I need now is Grant.”
Ruby gave her an encouraging look. “And he’s coming tomorrow and you have some great activities planned.”
Emmie nodded and smiled. “I’m thinking maybe I can even add some of today’s things he missed back in. Like the ice skating, even though I wasn’t very good at it.”
“Just don’t overschedule yourself,” Ruby said. “You want to be sure to enjoy each moment without rushing off to the next thing.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Sam said as he walked back into the room. He eyed Grant’s sweater. “Nice sweater.”
Emmie held it up so he could see it better. “Thanks. It’s for Grant. If he ever gets here.”
Sam looked into her eyes. “He’s a lucky guy.”
Emmie blushed. This time she would have sworn she wasn’t imagining it. Sam was looking at her in a way that made her think he was talking about much more than the sweater.
Sam turned his attention to Ruby. “I was starting to get a little hungry . . .”
“Of course you are,” Ruby said.
Emmie shook her head. “I don’t know how you do it.”
Sam smiled his most charming smile. “I had a long walk with Dasher. We went snowshoeing, and all that fresh air—”
“You went snowshoeing?” Emmie interrupted him.
Sam laughed. “Well, I did. Not Dasher. Why?”
Ruby answered for her. “It’s one of the activities on Emmie’s Christmas activities list.”
Sam looked impressed. “Really?”
“Why do you seem surprised?” Emmie asked.
Sam looked like he was about to say something and then changed his mind. “I’m not.” He turned his attention back to Ruby. “Can you suggest a good place in town for dinner? I’m craving a nice juicy steak.”
“Well, our best restaurant is the Christmas Cabin,” Ruby said. “They have the best steaks, but . . .”
“But?” Sam asked.
“But,” Ruby continued, “I’m afraid reservations are made months in advance.” She looked over at Emmie. “Emmie, you have a reservation there tonight, don’t you?”
Emmie took out her phone and checked her schedule. “I do. I almost forgot. I can’t believe Grant is going to miss this dinner, too.”
Emmie watched Ruby glance over at Sam.
Sam, with a hopeful look on his face, smiled his irresistible smile. “If you’re looking for company, I just happen to be available.”
“Seriously?” Emmie asked.
Sam nodded, completely serious. “I never joke about dinner.”
Ruby jumped in. “You know, Emmie, it would be a shame to let your reservation go to waste.”
“It sure would,” Sam said. “And I hear they have great steaks.”
Emmie shrugged. “Actually, I’m just thinking I’ll go into town and grab a quick sandwich or something. I’m still not that hungry after everything I ate today.”
The look of disappointment on Sam’s and Ruby’s faces almost made her laugh. Sure, she’d been looking forward to having dinner at the Christmas Cabin, but that’s when she was planning to have it with Grant. She’d heard so much about it. It was always written up in the press as one of the best restaurants in the region. It had won countless awards for its cuisine, featuring steaks and local game, like deer and elk. It was also known for its spectacular Christmas decorations.
When she looked over at Sam, he smiled back, and she felt herself rethinking canceling the reservation. She did hate the idea that she didn’t know when she’d have another chance to try the restaurant. She also thought about how she needed to live by the promise she’d made to herself not to put something off she really wanted to do until someday.
She looked up at Ruby. “I guess it would be a shame to let my reservation go to waste.”
“It would,” Ruby agreed.
“It really would,” Sam piped in.
Emmie fought to keep herself from laughing at Sam’s obvious play for an invite. She wanted to have a little more fun with this. She took a step closer to Sam. She looked into his eyes. “Then I guess I know what I need to do,” she said.
Sam nodded and smiled that smile of his that could melt any heart.
“I better call the restaurant and tell them it will be just me.” Emmie gave Ruby a little wink that Sam couldn’t see.
Sam’s smile slowly faded.
He looked so bummed out, Emmie couldn’t stand it any longer. She laughed and swatted his arm. “I’m just kidding. You can come if you want.”
Sam let out a sigh of relief and clutched his heart. “Okay, you know what, that wasn’t nice.”
“Who said I was nice?” Emmie flashed him a satisfied smile.
Watching them both, Ruby laughed. “You two are terrible.”
Emmie was still smiling. Her mood had improved greatly.
Sam wa
s already leaving the room.
“Where are you going?” Emmie asked.
“I’m getting out of here before you change your mind. What time’s dinner?”
“Our reservation’s at seven,” Emmie said.
“Then you should probably leave here by 6:30 P.M.,” Ruby said.
Emmie looked at Sam. “Does that work for you?”
“It works great,” Sam said. “I’ll see you then.”
Dasher followed Sam out of the room.
Ruby looked at Emmie. “So it looks like Sam’s your date for dinner again.”
“He’s not my date,” Emmie interrupted. “It’s just so hard to get a reservation and I’ve been wanting to go and I really don’t like eating dinner alone and—”
Ruby reached out and touched her arm and gave her a reassuring look. “I only meant your dinner date. That you two are having dinner again.”
“Oh.” Emmie breathed a sigh of relief. She had no idea why she was getting so flustered. It was just dinner. It was no big deal.
Ruby eyed her shopping bags. “So do you have a pretty new dress in there that you can wear to dinner?”
Emmie looked concerned. “Do I need one?”
Ruby nodded. “Everyone dresses up to go to the Christmas Cabin. That’s part of the fun of going.”
“Of course,” Emmie said. “I knew that. I saw some pictures online. I did bring a dress from home for the dinner. One of Grant’s favorites . . .” When her voice trailed off, she tried not to feel guilty that she was taking another guy to one of the most romantic restaurants in the state.
It was the kind of restaurant where you went to celebrate special occasions—birthdays and anniversaries—and it was also known as a favorite place for people to propose. Now that she was thinking about it more, she realized that going with Sam was probably not the best idea. But she knew it was too late now. She couldn’t take back the invitation.
She was sure all Sam cared about was getting a good meal. He knew she had a boyfriend. She needed to get a grip. It was only dinner.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Emmie stood in front of the mirror in her room checking her reflection. This was the third outfit she’d tried on, and she still wasn’t sure it was right. She looked over to Dasher, who was lying on her bed watching her.
“What do you think?” she asked him.
She did a little spin and modeled her black pants and blouse.
Dasher put his head between his paws. He did not look impressed.
Emmie sighed. “Too casual? Ruby said everyone gets dressed up.” Emmie picked up a striking red dress and held it up in front of Dasher. “What do you think of this? Too much?”
Dasher stood up, barked, and wagged his tail.
Emmie laughed. “Okay, let’s try the red dress.”
Fifteen minutes later when Emmie came downstairs, she felt a little self-conscious. She wasn’t sure how she’d let a dog talk her into wearing her favorite red dress. She’d been saving the dress for her last night with Grant but figured she could always wear it again with him. It was one of her favorite dresses, because it was elegant but simple and always made her feel festive. It was Christmas red and had a halter-top neck lined with rhinestones. Its hemline was a few inches above her knees, showing off her shapely legs. She always paired the dress with three-inch heels also decorated with rhinestones, but she knew that tonight with all the snow she’d have to wear boots. She decided to wear the heels downstairs and then put on the boots and change back into her heels when she got to the restaurant. She had added some curl to her hair to give it a little extra bounce and had put on just enough makeup to highlight her best features. She had figured that if she was going to do this dress-up thing, she was going to do it right, but now she was second-guessing herself. Maybe she’d gone a little overboard.
She almost went back upstairs to change into the pants, but Dasher blocked her path. “Okay,” she whispered to him, “have it your way, but I better not be the only one dressed up.” She took a deep breath, walked into the living room, and instantly saw she wasn’t the only one who had made an effort.
She couldn’t take her eyes off Sam, who was standing by the fireplace, looking incredibly handsome. He was talking to Ruby, saying something that was making Ruby laugh. As she watched Sam, Emmie’s first thought was that he looked like he’d just stepped out of a GQ magazine. Instead of wearing a traditional business suit, he was wearing an impeccably cut pair of pants and a jacket that looked custom-made for him, the way it fit his body so perfectly.
Emmie, feeling incredibly nervous all of a sudden, smoothed an imaginary wrinkle out of her dress and stood up taller as she walked toward them. Dasher was right at her heels.
When Sam glanced over and saw her, his jaw literally dropped open.
It made Emmie blush, and at that moment she was thankful she’d worn the dress.
Sam took a step toward her. “You look amazing!”
Emmie laughed at how he didn’t even try to hide how he felt. She admired him for that. He always just put it right out there, so you never had to wonder what he was thinking.
She gave him an appreciative look. “And you clean up pretty well yourself.”
Sam did a little pose. “Candace made me buy this for one of my book signings. I thought I was seeing her up here, so that’s why I brought it. I’m really more of a jeans and T-shirt kind of guy. Or I wear fleece or flannel.”
Emmie laughed. All her nerves had faded away.
Ruby gave them both a look of approval. “Well, I think you both look wonderful and just perfect for the Christmas Cabin.”
When Emmie’s referee whistle alarm went off, Dasher started barking, and she gave everyone an apologetic look as she hurried to turn it off.
“Let me guess,” Sam said. “Your app’s telling you it’s time for dinner?”
Ruby shook her head. “That app is really—”
“Annoying?” Sam finished for her.
Ruby fought to hide a laugh.
Emmie looked embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I need to turn the volume down.”
“Or turn it off,” Sam said to Ruby, and Ruby nodded in agreement.
Emmie gave them both a look. “Okay, you two, stop picking on me.”
“We’re not picking on you,” Ruby said.
“Just the app,” Sam finished for her.
Ruby nodded. “Exactly.”
Dasher barked at Emmie.
“And we already know how Dasher feels about it,” Sam said as he petted Dasher. “You’re a good boy and a smart boy.”
Emmie couldn’t help but laugh. She grabbed Sam’s arm. “Okay, come on. Or we’re going to be late, and the app will start going off again.”
“No!” Sam cried out in mock horror.
Ruby followed them to the front door. “You kids have a wonderful night.” She got Emmie’s coat and handed it to Sam.
After Sam gallantly helped Emmie into her coat, she slid off her shoes and traded them for her snow boots by the front door. “We will. Thank you.”
“Don’t wait up,” Sam said, joking, as he grabbed his own coat.
Emmie swatted him with a shoe. “What?”
Sam laughed. “Isn’t that what I’m supposed to say?”
“What you’re supposed to do is be quiet, or I’m taking back my dinner invitation.”
Sam snapped his mouth shut and jokingly zipped his hand across his lips. He then surprised her when he started humming “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
She gave up and laughed. “You’re impossible.”
For an answer he just smiled widely but kept humming.
BY THE TIME they got to the restaurant, Emmie was feeling more relaxed than she had in a long time. Sam had this way of making her forget all her stress about Grant’s being delayed and just live in the moment. He was constantly making her laugh, and she liked that she had to stay on her toes to keep up with his witty banter. They had a spirited debate about what was the best Christmas movie
—she picked The Holiday and he had chosen the classic It’s a Wonderful Life, and she’d had to admit she loved that one, too.
When they drove through a clearing in the forest and the Christmas Cabin came into view for the first time, all Christmas movie banter was forgotten.
Emmie caught her breath when she saw the cabin. The restaurant was even more beautiful than it was in pictures, and that was saying a lot. “Wow,” she said softly.
Sam nodded in agreement. He looked equally impressed.
The restaurant was set in an enchanting small log cabin, tucked away in the woods. It was trimmed with multicolor sparkling Christmas lights that matched the lights on all the surrounding trees.
The cabin had a little deck that was decorated with Christmas wreaths and a Christmas tree, and through one of the windows, you could see the glow of the burning fire.
Sam drove right up to the door to let her out so she wouldn’t have to walk too far in the snow. For a moment, she just continued to stare at the cabin. She didn’t have the words to express what she felt. Grateful, humbled, awestruck—none of those words were big enough, so she just sat in silence taking it all in.
When she finally turned to look at Sam, she found he was watching her, smiling.
“I know,” he said. “I feel it, too. This place is—”
“Magical,” Emmie said softly, looking into his eyes.
Sam nodded. “Exactly.”
Emmie looked away first, grabbing her bag. “Thank you. I’ll see you inside.”
By the time Sam caught up to her, she had already changed back into her sparkly shoes and given her boots and coat to the coat check attendant.
Sam gave her another appraising look and did a low, soft whistle. “And I thought you looked good in an apron.”
Finding Christmas Page 16