Rescuing Christmas

by Nancy Lee Badger

  He had liked the lawyer, Anne Barton, immediately. She was a beauty, but he had felt nothing when she smiled at him. His interest lay elsewhere. He had asked her to find out about any renovations in the works. As Bradley had assumed, Sean had nothing planned. The man was broke.

  Heading back along Main Street, he glanced in store windows and breathed in the clean, brisk air. Temperatures were falling hour by hour, which would mean the setup of the ice-rink and snow-making machines would do the trick. An actual snowfall would brighten up Elinor, but the manmade versions would fill a need.

  He cared about the townspeople and the fire department. He had witnessed the need for a sunshine fund, something the librarian had mentioned, which were funds to assist during a personal disaster, and would help folks like the people who lost their uninsured farmhouse, or the folks whose barn had burnt to the ground. He would see the local attorney, and have the woman find out what steps needed to be taken to get it up and running.

  He would donate the first chunk of cash to get it rolling, but there ought to be a group overseeing the addition of funds and how those funds should be distributed. The fire department auxiliary came to mind.

  Weren’t they the first to know of local fires, crashes, and other disasters? He was assured they knew the people and would see that the funds were distributed fairly.

  The long walk back to the inn had cleared his head and opened his eyes. If he owned the inn, he could stay in Snowflake Valley as long as he wanted. Mona could run things along with his best employees, back in the city. In the meantime, he’d tell the cook to expect his guest sometime soon. He hoped Mona arrived before the festival.

  ***

  Ellie sat quietly in the fire house kitchen. She wasn’t surprised her dad had finally up and left. She’d snapped at him after they had discussed what she’d seen. How could Sarah Jane fall for such a man as Bradley Wainwright, big city man? Was he seducing her own sister after thoroughly kissing Ellie? What could she do, but claim it didn’t matter?

  Her dad had tried his best to suggest she was mistaken with what she thought she saw. They both suspected that Sarah Jane was in love with someone else. Why would she allow Bradley to hug her?

  They were doing something in that building, but what? It was as if they were sneaking around, meeting somewhere Ellie normally wouldn’t enter. Why had she looked inside? Simply because, like a jealous loon, she’d followed them. Then she recalled seeing them uncover the sleigh. Another mystery she was too tired to solve.

  Finding that her cheeks were still damp, she headed to the rest room. She quickly locked the door. She was wary of men, and the recent incident with Sean was still fresh in her mind.

  The mirror doesn’t lie, Elinor.

  She looked a fright. Washing her face with cold water, she promised to forget about the Seans and Bradleys of the world. Instead, she’d work on the festival, and keep far away from her sister. No way could she see her holier-than-thou smile, saying she’d caught the man Ellie wanted. I don’t want him!

  She could lie all she wanted, but her heart thudded in her chest at the thought of his lips finding hers. They were softer than she imagined, and he tasted like heaven. How would he taste all over?

  She washed her hands, but before she could unlock the door, the alarm sounded. Entering the bay, to hear the emergency call more clearly, she knew this was not going to be easy.

  “All hands on deck!” she cried, and the volunteers working in and outside the fire house, getting ready for the festival, raced to grab their gear and she prayed the call would take her mind off everything else.

  Chapter 18

  The next morning, as Bradley passed by Sarah Jane’s store a lot later than usual, due to sleeping in for the first time in his newly purchased inn, Bradley decided to buy another paperback. Stepping through the door, he spotted Sarah Jane wiping down the counter. The petite blonde shot him a small smile.

  “Is she still not talking to you?” he asked.

  “Nope. No phone calls and she hasn’t been in, either. Dad says she said she was sure you planned to seduce me. Seeing us hug certainly got her hackles up, but I don’t think she was simply watching out for me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Bradley Wainwright, you are blind when it comes to a woman’s heart. She likes you, but saw me hugging you. How was she supposed to react?”

  Elinor liked him? Kissing her was bliss, yet she usually pushed him away. “She ignored me last night, too.” After the fire crew returned to the fire house from the fire in a shed at the recycling center, the auxiliary had made sure they had coffee and soup. Last night was clear, but bitterly cold.

  “Elinor walked through the bay, shrugged out of her bunker gear, and disappeared into the rest room. She never came into the kitchen, so I gave up and left for home.”

  “Home? Don’t tell me you have decided to stay?”

  “I would be lying if I said I was not considering it, since I now own the B&B, but why stay? Every time I see her, my chest aches. I do not need any more pain.”

  “I wish you’d stay.”

  “You are a great gal, Sarah Jane, but I need more.” He headed for the bookstore side of the business. When he found himself running his finger along titles in the Romance section, he knew he was lost. Elinor should be his. He would try one more time to make her see that he only had eyes for her, or he would leave town for good.

  With his purchase and two cranberry-almond scones in a bag, he headed down the street. One more chance meant he had to make her hear his side of the story. Ignoring her own sister meant she believed what she thought she saw, and that was wrong.

  Elvira called to him from across the street. “There you are. Is everything ready with the-you-know-whats?”

  He waited for a pickup truck to pass and crossed the street. “If you mean the ice rink and the snow-making machines, they are already working hard to get the ice frozen and a mountain of snow ready.”

  “Wonderful! The committee needs to meet one more time, to tie up loose ends. The auxiliary suggested the fire house. We noticed it will be needing a little more sprucing up, and several folks are bringing twinkling holiday lights to hang. Can you come?”

  He nodded.

  “See you soon!”

  Bradley did his best to smile at people he passed, but his head was still wrapped around how to appease an angry woman. He continued his stroll down Main Street, but stopped abruptly. A new business shingle was being installed. “Anne Barton, Attorney-at-Law. She found an office.”

  The woman in question walked outside and waved to him. “Bradley! Isn’t it fabulous? This storefront was vacant. It’s small, but fine for a one woman show.”

  She wrapped her arms around him, then gazed at him adoringly. The thirty-year-old blonde was well appointed. Her navy suit jacket and short skirt matched her three-inch heels while her white silk shirt barely covered the tops of her generous chest. The fragrance of expensive perfume filled his nose, but he found it less pleasing than the scent of soot and girly soap.

  Where had that thought come from?

  “And as you are my very first client, I’m taking you to lunch.”

  Her smile was spectacular, but his body did not react. Not in the way Elinor’s touch made him turn to granite. “I am game, only because I have more I need accomplished. Since you are the very best attorney in town—”

  “The only one, you mean?”

  “The best, as I was saying, how about some home cooking at the Peabody Inn? I know for a fact that the cook has all the fixings for salad and a sandwich. My treat.” He kissed Anne’s forehead.

  “If you insist.”

  “Can you walk in those heels?”

  “Darling, I can do anything in these heels.” She rose on her tip-toes and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. “Let me grab my purse and winter coat, then close up.”

  As she disappeared back inside, he turned his face to the sunshine and spotted Elinor. She stood not twenty feet away, an
d her expression could slam a man to the ground. Why did she look like she wanted to drag him tied feet-first behind a speeding fire engine?

  “Elinor, how are you doing?”

  Before she could answer, Anne stepped out of her door, locked it, and slid an arm through Bradley’s. “Ready to go, handsome?”

  “Not as well as you, it would seem,” Elinor said. With that, she turned and jogged toward the station. Officer Jackson leaned back against his squad car, shaking his head. “I swear, boy, you sure know how to rile up the women of Snowflake Valley.”

  He and the lawyer walked to the inn with her chatting non-stop. All he could think about was the hurt radiating from Elinor’s eyes. He finished the last bite of his sandwich while Anne continued to talk. If she did not take a breath, she would never finish her salad.

  “This place could be a gold mine,” she said, pointing at the inn’s chair rails and light fixtures. “A little sprucing up and some modernization, and this will be making money hand over fist.”

  He had noticed a few well-worn sections of the dining room’s carpet. Wood floors would make more sense. The guest bathroom, at least in his room, needed a better vanity, and the toilet ran all night.

  “My priorities must be to find a suitable manager. Once one or two people can work on making sure guests are welcomed and accommodated perfectly, then I will make a list of renovations. I am glad Sean followed the rules you set down. The employees have no idea the place has changed hands.”

  “Are you keeping this a secret?”

  “Not entirely. There is someone who would think I was taking over the town with my big city ways if she knew, so let us keep this to ourselves.”

  “I want to use you as a recommendation.” She pouted.

  “Anne, you can use Mona’s name. She is the one who got the deals finalized. Get her okay, first. She’s coming to town either today or tomorrow. Let us see how the Christmas Festival goes. If what I engineered is a bust, you might not want my name associated with yours.”

  “And if you are crowned the local hero for helping raise all that money?”

  “Fine. After the festival, we can talk.”

  The cook entered the dining room with two plates. “My best pumpkin pie. Enjoy.”

  She disappeared back into the kitchen. “I am very glad Sean did not have a last-minute fit, and fire the staff. They know what they are doing. I plan to raise their salaries after the first of the year.”

  “Mmm,” was all Anne could say.

  Bradley also filled his mouth with the best pumpkin pie he had ever had the pleasure to taste. The meal was over too soon, but he could tell Anne wished to get back to her brand-new office.

  They walked back down Main Street.

  Anne giggled beside him and grabbed his hand. “Look at the sign. That’s me! My first storefront office. I am so excited!” After she let him go, she walked to her business as fast as her spiked heels would take her.

  “What was that all about?”

  He had not realized Sarah Jane’s business was nearly across from Anne’s. She held a cleaning cloth in one hand, but had crossed her arms. He crossed the street and walked over to her.

  “What do you mean?”

  “That’s Anne Barton, the new lawyer.”

  “You are correct.”

  “But, why was she fawning all over you? If Ellie saw that—”

  “Unfortunately, she already did and she looked as angry as you. Anne is simply thrilled to have found office space in town. She also just had her new sign hung. As her first client, she and I shared lunch. If she was a man, neither of you women would bat an eyelash.”

  Sarah Jane’s shoulders slumped. “You’re right. It’s just that you two looked so comfortable with each other.”

  “I am a client. I hired her to do a job that was just finalized. She respects my needs, business-wise, and is grateful I gave her the opportunity. Your sister hisses and berates me whenever money is mentioned. Can you blame me for enjoying a little female adoration?”

  “Of course not. You and Ellie are like ships that nearly crash in the night. I want her to be happy.”

  “I understand that. If she showed me that she really cared about me talking or touching or, in this case, being touched by another woman, I might stop.”

  Sarah Jane nodded, then returned to the store. She paused in the open door. “We are going to work on our booth soon. Does Anne know?”

  “I doubt it, but she has nothing to sell.”

  “She can sell herself. I mean, her skills. Tell her to make a list to post and get some free items to give people. She might have had pens made up with her name on them. How about business cards or small calendars? That sort of thing. The idea is for all the businesses to have their booth up tomorrow afternoon as soon as they close the road to vehicle traffic, then close up by five in order to get over to the festival.”

  “I’ll tell her. Thanks.” Sarah Jane returned to the warmth of the store. Bradley realized the temperature had crept lower and he wished he had brought his hat and gloves. He headed back to Anne’s storefront and stepped inside.

  “Back so soon? Do you wish to buy me dinner?”

  He laughed. “No, but Sarah Jane over at the bookstore wanted to let you know they will be closing Main Street tomorrow afternoon. She suggests you put up a booth or a table, with a sign. Something to help attract new customers. Close up by five, then I will see you at the Christmas Festival.”

  “Sounds like a great way to introduce myself to the townspeople. Will there be dancing?”

  “There will be music to dance to. Save me a dance?”

  “You’ve got a date, handsome.”

  As he left and stepped onto the sidewalk, he knew he wanted to dance with a brown-haired, chocolate-eyed firefighter, and also try his hand at ice skating arm-in-arm with her. A sleigh ride would be thrilling if he could share the ride with Elinor.

  Elinor. What a quandary.

  She reacted to his kisses, yet pulled back every time. Until he could get her alone for some quality time, their future was still unclear.

  Chapter 19

  The man kissed or hugged a woman whenever Ellie ran into him, but why did it bother her so much? Any minute now Bradley Wainwright would leave town and the world would get back to normal. Keeping Sean at a distance, while repairing her relationship with her sister came first.

  Not that I will seek out Sean Peabody.

  The hot little blonde she saw Bradley stroll with down the sidewalk was more to his liking. She was sharply dressed, wore high heels, and had an air of citified charm. Both Sean and Bradley would follow her anywhere.

  Yeah, no way could I compete with that.

  After witnessing their intimacy in the middle of the sidewalk, Ellie wanted no part of any man.

  “Excuse me.”

  Elinor started. She hadn’t noticed a small red coupe had pulled up next to where she stood near the bookstore.

  “Are you talking to me, ma’am?”

  The driver laughed. She wore her brown hair in an elegant bun, and her hazel eyes sparkled. She might be fifty or seventy, without a line on her face. Elinor could see she wore a very expensive wool coat and a pashmina scarf. She rolled her window all the way down.

  “Yes, because I am in search of a man who seems to have made himself quite at home, as long as I really have found Snowflake Valley?”

  “Yes, ma’am. This is Main Street.”

  “Please, I’m not that old, but I am looking for The Peabody Inn.”

  “And who is the man?” Ellie asked, but figured she already knew the answer.

  “The man in question is Bradley Wainwright.”

  Elinor sighed. Was every well-dressed woman trying to hook up with the man she’d foolishly fallen in love with?

  “The Peabody Inn is straight ahead, about two blocks. Gray with white gingerbread trim. Bradley might be there, or you might find him inside the Bookstore & Café.” She pointed to the store next to them.

&nbs
p; “How convenient. Thank you. I’m here to see what this Christmas Festival is all about. He claims it’s money well spent. I hope to see you there, miss.”

  “I’m, ah, Ellie.”

  Why did I tell her that?

  The little car drove away, and Ellie went through her mental list of tasks still needed in order to make tomorrow’s festival a success. Unless it snowed, that type of success might prove unobtainable, but she could dream. Too bad her dreams kept zeroing in on Bradley Aaron Wainwright.

  ***

  “Mona! You’re here!” Bradley grabbed her overnight bag, tossed it on the stairs, then hugged her.

  “I told you I would arrive soon. See how easy it was to rent a car?”

  “I rented a car, once, then ran it off the road. I am glad you’ve arrived safe.”

  She kissed his cheek. “I wanted to get a look at this place. It needs a little work, but I think it has good bones.”

  A petite woman stepped up to the desk. “Welcome to the Peabody Inn. You must be Ms. Ashwell. I have the Oak Room ready for you.”

  “Call me Mona.” She signed the register and glanced at him.

  “You’re on my tab. Stay as long as you like.”

  “You’re a good boss, Bradley.”

  The cook, who also welcomed guests added, “Dinner is at seven-thirty. I hope to see both of you there.” The cook’s left eyebrow raised.

  “Yes, Mona and I will be there. We’ll even do breakfast, but we will have tomorrow’s dinner at the festival. Mona, you will not believe the food this town produces.”

  “Let me get some rest, then tell me all about this festival.”

  Later, when they came down to dinner, Bradley described the festival and what its success meant to the town and, more importantly, the fire department.

  “You seem right at home here. Should I worry?” she asked?

  He felt the heat rise in his face. “I met a woman. Elinor. She’s a firefighter.”

  “Hmm. Brown hair? Goes by Ellie?”

  “Yes! How did you—”