He rolled his eyes but was grinning as they were led to a small table in the dining room. The lights glowed off the tall glass walls and surrounded a stage where the second tree sat in the corner behind a man playing the cello. Soon, Haley’s husband joined in playing soft holiday music on his violin.
“Wow,” Kenna said as Leon ordered them both a hot chocolate and a plate of caramel brownies and fudge. “It’s so beautiful.”
“Knew you’d like it. Miss Haley goes all out. Her family, which the town was named after, used to have these events long ago when this was an apple orchard. The family had a lot of money back then. She’s carried on the tradition since moving here from Texas.”
Their snack arrived. She sipped at the mug and tasted the brownie. “That’s yummy. Is this your favorite kind of dessert?”
“I do like chocolate. What’s yours?”
“Cheesecake. But I’m very picky about it. I want thick, creamy, insanely sweet cheesecake drizzled with strawberries or cherries.” Her mouth watered just thinking about it.
“I make fantastic cheesecakes.” He held up the last piece of fudge. “These came from the candy maker. Did you get a chance to see her store?”
Kenna’s eyes widened with delight. “Oh yes, it was beautiful. I could have spent all my petty cash in there, but I only bought a few gifts for my family. And some of her divinity. She has candies that are covered in gold, I couldn’t believe it.”
The Prater couple finally found them and they all headed outside together to catch a carriage ride to the Lodge.
Sage snuggled up to her husband, probably hoping to draw extra warmth from him, Kenna suspected. She liked the couple who were about their age. All of them seemed very acquainted with the Victorian and the owner, who’d made a couple of quick appearances. Haley stopped at every table, greeting people and making small talk before she drifted back to the kitchens. Leon and Nick grinned at each other with a shake of their heads.
Nick leaned toward Leon and asked, “You miss working here?”
He shrugged. “Sometimes. It was more laid back so long as Miss Haley wasn’t having one of her conniption fits.”
The three of them laughed at the joke. Kenna missed hanging out with friends like this. She’d been so busy with school work and writing essays this past semester that she rarely made time to meet her college friends.
Kenna found herself hovering in that lull where she was nearly done with her studies, but the future was too foggy for her to work out a clear plan. She was determined to make some serious decisions over the holiday break.
Leon pulled at her arm and she absently slipped her hand into his before she realized what she was doing. Her mind had been a universe away, lingering in that dreamland of uncertainty. Her cheeks flushed and not from the cold wind. She tried to let go, but he was helping her into the carriage and didn’t release her until she was seated opposite Sage.
The Praters glanced at each other with a strange smile, then carried on their conversation about their time working for the Winters’ family.
Sage said, “Well, I miss it some, too, Leon. We did have fun. Haley wasn’t that bad. Sometimes she got a little stressed when there was a large crowd. Nobody expected her restaurant to be as successful as it is now, you know?”
“It’s the southern comfort food that draws them,” Leon said. His arm rested on the seat behind Kenna. She fiercely resisted the urge to snuggle in closer to him. He smelled like warm spices and a hint of cedar that made her think of the deep, thick woods that surrounded her family home. She wondered what kind of cologne he wore.
Lights ran along the open carriage. A brown horse pulled them over the trail that wound through beech and pine trees. Thousands of stars hung overhead. Kenna tilted her head back to take it all in. So beautiful.
Sage sighed and rested her head against Nick’s shoulder. “I love just sitting and looking up at the stars. Especially on clear nights like this. I’ve probably made a thousand wishes.”
“Have they come true?” Leon asked.
She shrugged. “I have no complaints. I love my life.”
Nick pressed a kiss on the top of her head and said, “Yep, me too. We’re blessed.”
Kenna’s heart ached to wonder if she would ever be able to say the same thing. A star streaked across the tops of the trees. She couldn’t help herself and made a wish. A ridiculously out-of-the-question wish. She dared a glance at Leon who was watching her intently. Her heart jammed into her throat and she quickly looked away. If he knew what she’d been thinking, he’d probably laugh her out of the carriage.
* * * *
Leon was in serious trouble of falling hard, hard, hard for Kenna Allender. He didn’t care how different they were. Nor did he care that she came from a family of tree growers. She was pure of heart and lovely to be near. There was nothing fake or demanding about Kenna, but she wasn’t boring or a push-over, either.
She’d actually gotten him out of his rut and brought life and color back into his life.
Sage and Nikolai, with all their cuddling, weren’t helping at all. He so wanted what they had. Not what Marcy had in store for him. His mind was made up. First thing in the morning, he’d call her and let her know that he’d not be coming to New York. Not now, and not ever.
She would be fine. He didn’t want to stand in the way of her having the life she truly wanted. Nor would he allow her to stand in the way of him having the life that he wanted, as well.
Once they reached the Winter’s hunting lodge, the four of them joined the snowball wars going on, then moved on to watch a snowman building competition that was underway.
Kenna clapped her mittens and cheered with the rest of the onlookers.
He loved her sense of wonderment. Everything was amazing to her.
Marcy, who usually scoffed at most things, acted like she was above being impressed. She said that attitude was necessary to get where she wanted to go in life.
At the lodge, a small band played upbeat holiday music that people were dancing to. Sage yanked Nikolai after her. Leon and Kenna found a vacant table. He offered to get them both a cup of hot chocolate, hoping to put a little distance between them.
“I love your friends,” she exclaimed when he returned. “They are so cute. And very nice.”
Leon had heard most of her story while she was in the hospital, but he wanted to know everything there was to know about her. Yes, she would be leaving soon, but…maybe…why couldn’t they remain friends? Her family farm was only a couple of hours from Madison Creek. He wasn’t sure about her college, though.
“I bet you have a lot of friends back home.” He said.
Maybe Uncle would give him time off now and then so he could drop in for a visit.
She shrugged one shoulder. “Not really. Our farm is kind of isolated. And most of my friends have already left college. I was the youngest of the group.” She rubbed her hands together and breathed into her palms. “Tonight has been so much fun. I’ve fallen in love.”
Leon choked on his drink.
His startled expression brought a laugh from Kenna. “With this town. We live too far out in the boonies. And the closest town to us is so small, it doesn’t offer much of anything. Not like Madison Creek.
He dabbed a napkin to his mouth, hoping he’d not spewed chocolate all over the place.
“I love it here, too.” He wanted to tell her that he’d love it more if she stayed, but he couldn’t ask that of her. She had a life. School. A plan. “Do you enjoy dancing?”
He wasn’t ready to hear about her plans to move far away from Madison Creek. From him.
Her face lit up again. “Oh, yes!”
Of course, she did. He stood and held out his hand, knowing he was taking an even bigger risk with his heart.
* * * *
Of course, Leon would be a good dancer, Kenna mused as she tried desperately not to step on his nice leather shoes. Graceful, gentle, and skilled. He was patient as she eventually learned the steps
and fell in sync with him.
The soft holiday music was like a magical waltz. Leon swept her away in his arms like Clara who was taken off to the land of sweets by the handsome nutcracker. He elegantly spun her through the crowd, the colored lights and glittering tinsel blurring into an enchanting bubble around them.
The people around them faded into the background. He never took his silvery eyes off her. She wanted to look away, knowing her face had to be burning red, but his smile held her transfixed.
The song had stopped, but he kept moving until the next started. When he turned her into another spin, Kenna threw out her arms, tilted her head back as her long braid swept in an arc around her shoulders. Such bliss. The music carried her away, and she fell into the rhythm of the beat, no longer caring how she looked. She was having way too much fun.
Leon laughed and pulled her closer to him. “You’re amazing, do you know that?”
Kenna’s steps slowed. Had he said what she thought he said? She started to shake her head, but he nodded in response.
“Yes, you are. I’m really sorry about your car, but I’m not all that sorry that I walked into your path. I’ve enjoyed this past couple of weeks with you. I wish—” He stopped dancing and stood still, like an animal caught in a car’s headlights. His eyes widened as he drew in a deep breath.
“You wish…what?” She moved in closer, resting her hand on his chest. Her palm felt the rapid beat of his heart, even through his thick, downy sweater.
A ringing came from the pocket of his jeans. He reached for his phone, brows furrowed as he read over the message someone sent. “Oh, no!” Worry creased his brows. “Kenna, I…I need to go.”
“Now? Is everything all right?” She started to pull away when he caught her by the hand and led her back toward their table.
“I’m so sorry. I don’t want to cut your night short. I can see you’re having so much fun. But something has come up.”
“What’s come up?” Nikolai asked as he and Sage returned to the table with steamy cups of hot cider. The scent of baked apples and cinnamon followed them.
“Nick,” Leon looked to his friend, “Would you mind making sure Kenna gets back to her camper for me? I need…I have something to take care of. Something important.” His dark skin paled as if he were genuinely worried about something.
“Please forgive me?” He asked Kenna.
She shook her head. “Oh hey, nothing to forgive. Things happen. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
At her last question, his countenance brightened. “Yes. I will see you at lunch. We’ll talk more then.”
“Okay. I’ll be starting to pack everything up, but probably won’t leave until early the next morning.”
The light went out again, but Leon nodded. “Then, I’ll definitely see you tomorrow.” He bent forward and brushed her cheek with a kiss before rushing out of the lodge.”
Sage was nudging her husband. “Told you he was smitten.”
Nick hushed her, but Kenna heard it all the same. The thought he might care about her was absurd. Yet, her cheek tingled at the spot where he’d left his kiss.
Don’t let yourself get carried away, Kenna Allender! This means nothing!
All the same, she’d pack slowly. Just in case.
Chapter Nine
By the time Leon reached his apartment, most of the damage had already been done. Marcy had stripped his tree of every ornament Kenna had made and had even tossed some of his family’s heirlooms.
“What are you doing here?” He asked, trying to keep his temper in check. Leon Jovino was not quick to react. He prided himself in remaining even-keeled, but this was pushing his limit.
“Well, since you decided to not come to me, I came to you.” She laughed as she swept her hand toward the tree. “What is this joke? If you wanted to decorate, you, of all people, could have done better than this.” She pulled Kenna’s stick star from the trash basket. “There might still be time to hit the store…oh wait, not here in small-townsville, everything’s already closed. This isn’t a problem in New York.”
“I told you, Marcy—”
“Merci. You need to get used to calling me by my new name. I’ll be horrified if anyone hears you calling me—”
“Nobody will hear anything,” he shot back, anger tinging his words. “Not from me, anyway. If you’d pay attention to something besides yourself for a change, then perhaps you would have heard me the first time. It would have saved you a plane ticket.”
“Oh, that’s no big deal. I told my manager I needed to make a quick trip to get a few things. She arranged the flight. Now listen, don’t blow this big chance, Leon baby. Everything is all set. There’s nothing here for you.” She moved around the couch and came to stand in front of him. Her hands rested on his chest and began sliding upward.
He grabbed her wrists to stop her. “Listen to me, Marcy. I. Am. Not. Going. I don’t want to live in New York. This is my home. My community. I have a job here.”
“No, you don’t. I stopped in at the Lakeshore before I came here. Your uncle and I had a nice little talk about your future. He agrees that he’s holding you back and has decided to let you go. So, see? Nothing is stopping you.”
“You did what?” His vision clouded as his grip tightened around her wrists until she jerked away from him.
For a moment, all Leon could see where fireworks exploding before his eyes.
* * * *
Kenna woke up late the following morning. Stretching in her rumpled bed, her foot hit against the box of wreath making accessories. Oh man, pack-up day. She had only a handful of trees left and no idea how close she was to matching Murry’s total sale. By the end of the selling season, Dad kept everyone’s totals a secret until he announced the winner during Christmas dinner.
With the cash she had from selling ol’ George, that two-thousand bonus would be a nice down-payment on a new car. She might not even need to buy used if she budgeted her payments right.
Would it be worth it to stay and try to sell the remaining trees? Kenna decided what she needed to do was get up and going. Leon let her use his shower in the mornings while he went in early to help his uncle at the restaurant. She checked the time and realized it was wasting. If she wanted that shower, she needed to get moving.
He promised to meet her for lunch. Last night…oh, last night, was it real? She stopped in front of the small mirror hanging over the also small bathroom sink. Her hair was rumpled but fell around her face in soft waves. Once again, she thought about Mom telling her to not compare herself to others. That God made her special, unique, a one-of-a-kind with great value and a purpose.
Kenna sighed and filled her toothbrush with paste.
God didn’t lie. The Bible said each and every person was made for a reason. Isn’t this what this season was all about? God sending his best gift because he loved humanity so much? Because they were important to Him?
One of the reasons she loved Christmas so much, aside from the presents, was the extra dose of love and joy people often expressed during this season. Giving more. Going all out on their decorations. The celebrations!
It was a time for miracles, and she needed a miracle more than she needed her wishes on stars granted. Her future depended on it.
She rinsed, then smiled at her reflection. “Don’t sell yourself short,” she told her image. Maybe the future was a blur. Maybe she was full of uncertainty, but she’d trust in the Lord and find her way through. And, maybe, just maybe, Leon would be a part of her future. Maybe.
Her smile widened in the mirror. She quickly turned away and hurried to collect the things she needed.
Kenna would definitely ask to return to Madison Creek next year. She already loved this town and the people who lived here.
The overcast sky threatened snow. Maybe those clouds would dump a couple of feet of snow and she’d have to stay an extra day or two.
As she walked across the street to his place, her bag of fresh clothes hanging from her shoulder, she w
ondered for the millionth time what he had been about to tell her. What did he wish for? Her mind had come up with a hundred possibilities that her rationale instantly excused.
They’d become friends. She hoped he’d be willing to stay in touch. Maybe she could come back next year. She’d exchanged numbers with Sage and Nick. They’d told her to come to visit during her break at school. Even Miss Haley told her she could stay at her Inn and had promised to buy trees from her first if she returned next season.
Kenna secretly hoped she’d be working for her parents, doing their bookkeeping for them. Why wouldn’t they let her work for the family business? She intended to broach the subject when she was home during their holiday break.
Unlocking the apartment door, Kenna entered and immediately stopped. Something was different. First off, was the heavy scent of flowery perfume. It hung in the air like a storm cloud. Then there was the darkened tree. Leon usually left on the lights for her every morning. But the tree looked odd. Bare. Setting her bag on the end of the leather couch, she moved toward the tree, wondering why the trash bin sat next to it.
Maybe something had happened. She hoped the lights hadn’t caused a fire, but there was no scent of smoke in the apartment. Only that perfume. It tickled her nose.
She turned in a half-circle, searching the living room when her gaze fell on a pair of silver gloves and matching scarf. Talk about flashy. Kenna’s nose wrinkled as she held in a laugh.
Perhaps he’d had an unexpected visitor and that’s why—Oh. Wait.
The smell. The sparkly accessories. Leon had told her about his girlfriend. Well, a little bit. He never seemed too eager to say much about her.
Except that she was a fashion model. The pictures all around the apartment told the whole story. She was petite, glamorous, beautiful, and everything Kenna wasn’t, nor really wanted to be.
A Thousand Wishes: A Romance Christmas Story (Madison Creek Town Series Novella Book 4) Page 7