by Susan Sands
“It’s good to know there’s that option for sure,” Alexis said. “I’ve been craving another veggie pizza since the day I arrived.”
“Momma will be glad to hear it,” he said. Then, “Ow, Bailey, watch it.” As she hit an unexpected rut in the road. “I thought they’d fixed that.”
“I had to move over to pass a truck. Oh, that was Daddy.” She honked.
“Bailey, I swear you’re getting your Alabama accent back stronger every day we’re here,” Alexis teased. “It’s pretty adorable.”
“What? No, I’m not,” Bailey said, horrified. She knew it to be true. She’d caught herself saying y’all many times, and several other dialectical missteps. “You’d better get me back to Cali, ASAP.” She laughed but suddenly had a sinking pain in her gut. The thought of heading back to L.A. made Bailey pause.
“I don’t find this conversation funny at all. In fact, it’s pretty darn insulting,” Seth piped up from behind her ear.
“We don’t mean to o-ffend,” Bailey said in her best Alabama accent. “It’s just that I’ll get made fun of if I go back to L.A. with an accent. It’s happened before. Every time I spend any length of time in a Southern location, I start to drawl again.”
“Well, I reckon you come by it honestly, don’t you?” he drawled.
“The two of you are too cute for words right now,” Alexis crooned. “I wish I’d recorded this for my social media. Can you do it again?” She held up her phone as if she wanted to capture it.
“No,” Bailey nearly yelled.
“No,” Seth nearly yelled at the same time.
“Oh, well, I’ll be quicker next time…y’all.” Then she laughed and laughed.
As they entered the outskirts of Ministry, it had grown dark and the entire town shone with Christmas beauty. “The lights are beautiful, and so colorful. I don’t quite remember things being this well-decorated when we were kids. I mean it was great, but this is incredible,” Bailey said.
“Every year, it’s been improved upon. They add something, more lights or a new feature. It’s pure Christmas town now. I think it could rival any other quaint holiday destination anywhere.”
“The temperature is getting near freezing and the last time I looked, there was some possible light snow in the forecast,” Bailey said. “Right on time for filming.”
“Y’all better grab that while you can because it doesn’t happen around here very often,” Seth said.
Bailey knew this and hoped they would have at least a little snow that would stick so the special effects folks wouldn’t have to break out the fake stuff. “Fingers crossed. It would sure make things easier.”
Chapter Fifteen
The weather had called for snow. But only a half inch or so, and whether it stuck depended entirely on the temps hovering right around freezing. When Alexis whooped and hollered at five o’clock the next morning, Bailey couldn’t imagine what could be happening.
“It’s a winter wonderland in Christmas Town, Bailey!” She knocked on her door. “C’mon, get up!”
Bailey yawned and stretched like Mrs. Wiggins’s current alive cat, Scarlett O’Hara, who she hoped was snugly inside and warm for this weather event. “Coming,” she groaned.
Alexis loved snow. Bailey had discovered this fact since working with her. Bailey liked the idea of snow but working in it was not as dreamy as it appeared on camera. Good thing she’d brought her snow boots.
Then it occurred to her: The Jingle Jog was today. Rain or shine. Or snow? Bailey wasn’t certain about that. Could one do a 5K in the snow?
As Bailey and Alexis drank coffee and ate cereal, they answered emails with regard to the filming schedule and locations logistics, and how things might need to be adjusted with regard to the snow. Snow was a good thing when filming a Christmas movie. But when it was somewhat unexpected, it tended to throw things into a tizzy, even before the shooting began.
Bailey and Alexis stared out the window in their pajamas together like a couple of little girls at Christmas. “Look at it. It’s like a scene straight out of one of our movies. Or an old postcard.” Alexis sighed at the sight of Ministry decked out for Christmas, the snow coating the roofs of the old buildings with their colorful lights and green garland with red bows. The streetlights shone with a cap of snow topping each one, the poles wrapped like candy canes with red and white on a diagonal.
“It’s beautiful,” Bailey agreed. It was still dark and no one stirred on the street yet, though she expected the caterers were hard at work making breakfast for the cast and crew, the producers, directors, grip and gaffer were in the electric truck working out their plans for the day. This town would all come to life earlier than Ministry was accustomed to, well before daybreak and very soon.
“We’d better appreciate its beauty for another couple minutes. Because this place is about to start hopping,” Bailey said.
“Don’t I know it,” Alexia agreed with a sigh.
Mr. Stone normally took over once they got on location, but Bailey and Alexis had come to Ministry early, so they were the boots on the ground and knew the lay of the land here. It fell to them to get releases signed by homeowners if additional driving shots or blocking off a street from traffic needed doing.
Bailey texted Seth. Is the Jingle Jog still on?
Yes. Street is clear and JJ is on! I’ve got my running shoes and sweats ready to go…
Thanks so much.
Bailey forwarded the information to Mr. Stone.
“I guess I’ll get suited up. Running in the cold isn’t my favorite thing to do,” Bailey said to Alexis as she placed her bowl and spoon in the dishwasher.
“I don’t run, but if I did, you bet it would be today.” Alexis grinned as she continued texting and emailing. “Do we know how many runners to expect with this weather?”
Bailey still didn’t know. “Can you send an email or call Maureen Laroux? But wait until at least six thirty,” Bailey said. “I’ve got to take a shower and wake up.”
“Nice tree, by the way.” Alexis pointed to the sweet Christmas tree Seth had helped her bring over from her daddy’s attic. Bailey had removed the ornaments and they’d gently wrapped the tree, with the lights on, in plastic wrap to move it here. She’d replaced the ornaments, and miraculously the lights had come on again when it was plugged back in.
“Thanks. It was our family tree when I was a little girl. We found it in the attic.” They’d been so busy since that evening, Bailey and Alexis hadn’t had any time to discuss the precious family heirloom tree with its sweet red Noel ornament.
“Wow, Bailey, what a fantastic find. It certainly makes our place feel festive. I love having it here.”
Bailey nodded, determined not to get choked up just looking at it. “Me too.” Bailey turned and headed toward the bathroom, “I’ll be out in twenty minutes.”
Dressing for work today was slightly challenging as Bailey had agreed to run the Jingle Jog as part of the community, and to add numbers to the event for filming purposes, in case there weren’t enough to fill things in. Bailey ran regularly when back home in L.A., so doing this wasn’t a stretch for her. She’d only gotten in a few runs since arriving in Ministry, due to her slothfulness. Every day she’d intended to get up earlier to run before the day started.
Bailey dressed in thick leggings with a pair of looser running pants on top that she would likely remove just before the race started. On top, she wore a running bra, tight tank, long-sleeved T-shirt, and finally a long-sleeved nylon zip jacket as a top layer. In cold weather like this, layering was important. Unfortunately, she would need to wear her waterproof boots with her running gear until the race began to save her running shoes from getting soaked by the snow.
Seth said the road that the race was being run on was clear, which meant that it should be dry by the time the race started. The more traffic on a road during the night of a snowfall meant there was less possibility of any slick spots where ice might accumulate. And Bailey was pretty sure the tow
n had taken precautions with sanding or salting the roads if snow was in the forecast ahead of the race this morning.
Ministry might be a tiny town in Alabama, but it was run pretty efficiently when it came to keeping its citizens safe. If nothing else, it had good people working hard for the right reasons. The politics weren’t non-existent, but they were a micro chasm of the divisiveness in today’s world. The contentious issues in Ministry hardly seemed to reflect those of the rest of the country. The biggest town hall meeting conflicts were whether or not to allow businesses to open before noon or serve wine and beer on Sundays. And there was the old fight regarding where the money for high school athletics should go. Seems the girls’ basketball team was well-funded for the first time in school history this year.
Daddy kept Bailey well informed, whether or not she asked for the updates. It was heartening to learn that there was progress here, though often slower than the rest of the country.
“You ready?” Alexis asked and handed Bailey a to-go cup of coffee.
“Don’t I look ready?” Bailey laughed, taking the cup. She’d put her running shoes in a tote bag that held her iPad, clipboard loaded with notes, and other work-related items she needed for the day.
“Nice hairdo.”
Bailey rolled her eyes. A ponytail with a headband was the only way to keep her hair out of her eyes when she ran. It wasn’t especially glamorous, but otherwise it would drive her nuts. “Are you finished scrutinizing?”
“Yes, I’m done, and I was only kidding.” Alexis nudged her in the side as they made their way out into the hallway and locked the door.
A loud yowl startled them and Alexis stifled a scream. “I’m never gonna get used to that.”
Scarlett O’ Hara, the calico cat stood a few feet away, staring at them with her hazel eyes.
Bailey walked over and gave her head a quick scratch. “You stay inside, Scarlett. It’s cold out there.”
*
Seth had been working since five a.m. making sure the streets were clear for this morning’s race. The current temperature was thirty-three degrees. The snow had stopped falling but wasn’t melting because the sun hadn’t come out yet. It was barely six thirty but the movie people were in full swing from his perspective.
Ben Laroux, the mayor, was due to arrive at his office at the far end of the town square today. Apparently, he’d flown in last night from the trip he’d been on with his wife, Sabine. This information had come to him from Sabine’s sister, Rachel, the town photographer, who was ever present at local events.
Ben’s return would take some of the responsibility for being the point person with the studio off his shoulders. But as much as Seth had kept Ben informed, Ben was walking into something he knew very little about in reality. Seth intended to be here and continue to do whatever was necessary to keep things on track with the movie folks.
“Hey there, Sheriff,” Alexis, Bailey’s coworker said as they entered his office. “Nice boots. I gave Bailey a hard time about hers, but yours are even better.”
Bailey and Cheryl exchanged greetings, as Cheryl worked at her computer, not intending to participate in the race, which allowed Seth to take the time and not worry about missing a call.
Bailey appeared ready to run the race, apart from her snow boots. He was dressed similarly but had a pair of his old cowboy boots on. “I keep ’em for special occasions,” he answered Alexis’s snarky comment.
“Alexis is projecting, so don’t mind her. We came to check in before heading out to the location. Thought we’d stop by the catering tent on the way. You’re welcome to join us,” Bailey said, her golden-brown eyes bright and so very lovely.
“I was about to head over there and see about crowd control, so I’m honored to be in such fine company.” He reached down for his running shoes and a jacket.
“Cheryl, you got things covered here?” Seth asked.
Cheryl nodded and raised her hand in a wave. “Y’all break a leg.”
The three of them made their way across the square to where the equipment and trailers were set up at the base camp. The three inches of snow made the town a winter wonderland. “Bailey, looking good. Sounds like we’ve got about a hundred runners, so plenty enough for getting some great shots. We’ve got releases for shooting on the main thoroughfare, and the cones and barricades are up to keep anyone from parking in those areas,” Mr. Stone said.
“A hundred? Wow. I did not expect that.” Bailey didn’t need to run with those numbers, but since she was already dressed and ready, why not? “Okay. I’m available if you need me to bail on the race to handle anything.”
Mr. Stone shook his head. “We’ve got Alexis here to handle anything that might come up. You go on and do the race. If you see anything along the way, you can report in on your earpiece.”
He handed her a small com device to stick in her ear as a way to communicate with the team. It’s how they made certain things went smoothly in real time while on set or off set filming. “Got it.”
Mr. Stone turned his attention to Seth then. “I’d like to thank you for getting things ready for our arrival, Sheriff. With this unexpected snow, our first day of shooting could have been a real booger. But the streets look good and we’re on schedule.”
“You’re welcome. Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”
“I understand the mayor is back in town?” the older man asked.
“Yes, sir. I expect him any time now. He’s not one to allow things to happen in Ministry without making certain all goes smoothly.” Seth understood he would be considered second class now that Ben was back, no matter how much work Seth had done to try and help make this a success.
Mr. Stone nodded. “I’ll pass the information along to the others.”
Seth assumed he meant the producers and directors and execs. Mr. Stone, he’d been told, was ultimately responsible as the liaison between the town’s authorities and the studio. Though in this situation, Bailey had taken point since she had the connections in her hometown.
Now that Bailey’s boss was here and Ben was back, both Bailey and Seth would fall to the background to some degree, which worked for Seth because maybe it meant he and Bailey would be able to spend a little time together without her being so stressed about her job.
Bailey led Seth over to the catering tent where she grabbed a quick breakfast burrito, a banana, and a small bottled orange juice. “Feel free to have something. You’re considered part of security and included in the catering numbers.”
Seth hadn’t realized that. “Oh. Okay. Thanks.” He’d had his usual green protein shake early this morning, but since he would be running a few miles shortly, he figured a few more calories wouldn’t hurt. Not that he counted them, he just rarely ate a second breakfast. The food these chefs put out looked fantastic.
There was a breakfast buffet with eggs, bacon, English muffins, and oatmeal. Then there were omelets made to order, alongside the breakfast burritos filled with the choice of meat or not. There weren’t biscuits and gravy, or grits offered, but he guessed those things were too much to ask. But they were also too heavy for a guy who was about to run a few miles.
So, Seth grabbed an apple, a protein bar, and a water for now. He could eat lunch someplace in town later in the day. The idea of running on a full belly didn’t sit well.
“We can sit for a minute and eat before we head over to the staging area,” Bailey said. As she unwrapped her food, she stopped and looked at him, her expression uncertain. “I’m heading over to Daddy’s tonight after filming wraps up. I told him I would go through some more stuff in the attic. I wondered if you wanted to join me?” she asked.
The invitation caught Seth by surprise since it seemed he’d been the one to insert himself into her personal space every time they’d been together since she’d gotten to Ministry. “I’d be happy to join you in that ’90s show.”
She laughed at his pun referencing her old living room furniture dating back at least the nineties. One of
the favorite shows they’d watched together was That ’70s Show. “You’re funny. Maybe you should come back to Hollywood with me.”
She said it offhandedly, joking. But Seth, for a split second, got a rush of excitement at the thought of her wanting him to be with her, no matter that it was in L.A. “Better watch who you invite to follow you home. Somebody might take you up on it one day,” he drawled.
“I didn’t—” she sputtered.
He didn’t let her finish, instead gathered their trash and headed toward the large waste bin without looking back, so she didn’t see the huge grin on his face. Served her right.
*
Bailey could only imagine the shade of crimson her face must be. He knew she was kidding. Didn’t he? Why on earth couldn’t she take better care with her words? Fortunately, he’d walked away to let her get her foot out of her mouth instead of staying around for her to insert it more firmly.
She had to admit that having him around hadn’t been the worst thing these past couple of weeks. She’d staved off allowing herself to think about how much she would miss that. Seeing him every day, his smile, the occasional brush of his calloused hand against her back. It would have to be enough.
Inviting Seth to Daddy’s house after work tonight had been indulgent and probably very stupid, but Bailey had given in to basking in the pure pleasure of his company. It was temporary and oh, so tempting to spend every minute she could with Seth before going back.
Bailey would figure out how to go back to life as it was before this opportunity had arisen. She had to admit to herself that when the light bulb in her brain had lit up with this idea for moving the film here, there was an equal amount of dread and excitement about the idea. Because Bailey had known, without a doubt, it would mean running into Seth McKay repeatedly.
“Ready?” Seth asked, cutting off her depressing train of thought.
“I’m ready to outrun you, Sheriff,” Bailey replied, grinning.
“That will never happen, so shall we have a wager?” he challenged.