Christmas at Mistletoe Lodge: New Holiday Romances to Benefit St. Jude Hospital

by Sabrina York

  When they arrived, Jackie was visiting with an older woman at the counter. Bella settled into her bed and received a few passing nuzzles from customers, while Emily made her way to the back and slipped on an apron.

  Jackie waved as she retrieved a rack of cups from the dishwasher. “I thought I saw you sneak by. Nice to see you, Emily.”

  “Sara and Mike took off for Seattle, so I thought I’d come in for a few hours.”

  “It’s been steady today, nothing crazy, but a good crowd out and about doing some holiday shopping.”

  The door opened, and a couple with two teenagers took their seats at a table near the blue sofa. The woman shed her coat and scarf and came to the counter. “Hi, Pam, what can I get you?” asked Jackie.

  Her experienced fingers pressed buttons on the tablet while she chatted about the snow in the forecast and holiday plans. The woman handed Jackie a credit card and tilted her head in Emily’s direction. “Looks like you have a new helper.”

  Jackie laughed and handed her the card back. “Actually, a new boss. This is Emily, Sara’s sister. Mike and Sara are on their way to Europe.”

  “Oh, my goodness.” Pam slipped the card back in her wallet and smiled at Emily. “I should have recognized you, but it’s been so long. I’m Pam Logan. I went to school with Sara. I’m not sure if you remember me?”

  Emily returned the smile and winced. “Sorry, Pam, like you said, it’s been so long, and with ten years between us, I’m a little fuzzy on Sara’s classmates. I’m lucky I can remember my own.”

  “Well, it’s wonderful to have you here for the holidays. I’m sure Sara is thrilled. I know how much she misses you.”

  Another pang of guilt hit Emily. Sara never let on how much she missed Emily. Each time she told her sister she couldn’t come home, she never judged her and always said she understood. It seemed everyone in Snow Valley knew how much Sara missed her kid sister. Jackie handed Pam her receipt and said, “We’ll bring this right over to your table, Pam.”

  “Wonderful. Nice to see you again, Emily.” She wandered back to join her family.

  Jackie slid a laminated two-sided document down the counter. “I found my cheat sheet. This will help you distinguish the different types of drinks.” She pointed at the mocha, cappuccino, and steamer. “Steamers are popular with kids who don’t like coffee. It’s just steamed milk and flavored syrup.”

  Emily tackled the two steamers, a caramel cinnamon and a vanilla. After she topped them with whipped cream, Jackie handed her the caramel sauce and encouraged her to squeeze it and make a squiggle of a tree on top of the caramel flavored one. For the vanilla, she showed her how to use a metal stencil and shake a dusting of cinnamon on top of it in the shape of a star.

  Emily smiled when she added her creations to the others. “Those steamers look terrific,” said Jackie, gripping the tray and delivering the drinks to Pam and her family.

  Peppermint mochas were popular throughout the day, as were cappuccinos and lattes. Jackie stressed the importance of the brewing times for the different types of tea on the menu, and when Emily was moving too slowly, she jumped in and helped her to make sure the drinks were always served hot. By closing time, Emily was getting the hang of the different quantities of milk and foam in each of the drinks, along with the special flavorings and syrups customers requested, but was still slow. She learned the combinations, with each customer’s special additions, were limitless.

  As she and Bella picked up a container of soup from Rosie’s and walked to the Jeep, Emily had a new appreciation for the baristas of the world. Their job was more complicated than she imagined.

  6

  Despite staying up late to watch a Christmas movie, Emily was awake early on Monday. Bella was sprawled across the bed, still sleeping, so Emily snuggled under the covers waiting for the first light of the day. She and Bella made a pact not to tell Sara about the sleeping arrangements. Emily’s phone chimed with a text from Sara letting her know they had landed in London. The sound and movement woke Bella who stretched and yawned, giving Emily what she thought was a conspiratorial smile.

  When Emily descended the stairs, the fresh smell from the tall noble fir tree Scott had delivered last night greeted her. The scent transported Emily to the many outings she’d taken with her mom and dad to cut down a tree. They always had a picnic lunch and hot chocolate on hand and made a fun day of it. She wondered what her parents would think of their old house, not to mention the sprawling resort out the back door.

  While Bella ate breakfast, she filled the tree stand with water. Happy to see clear skies and no new snow on the ground, she drank a quick cup of coffee and got ready for the day. Armed with Sara’s red binder, she and Bella drove downtown and parked around the corner from Latte Da.

  Jackie was laughing and visiting with the customers in line while she juggled cups and ingredients and turned around drinks and plated pastries with incredible speed. Emily settled into Sara’s desk and concentrated on the day’s tasks, which consisted of confirming arrangements for Friday’s work at the lodge.

  She took a break and made herself a chai tea latte, which was almost as good as the one Sara made her at home. After lunch she had an appointment with Carol at the Mistletoe Lodge to go over the tasks her staff would be handling on Friday and Saturday.

  She resisted another hearty sandwich for lunch and joined Jackie in her choice of soup and salad instead. As soon as they had finished, the phone rang and Emily picked it up, expecting a call back from Clive about the sleigh.

  With Clive promising to deliver Santa and Mrs. Claus at two o’clock sharp, she checked another item off her list. He was sure there would be plenty of snow for the grand entrance.

  As she disconnected, she heard a familiar voice at the counter talking to Jackie. A voice she hadn’t heard in fifteen years, but one she’d know anywhere. The deep voice chuckled when Jackie asked if he wanted his usual. “Yes, my special hot chocolate, with just a splash of coffee, so I can technically call it a coffee. It’s really more like mocha ice cream.”

  She remembered he never drank much coffee, but loved hot chocolate.

  “How about a little peppermint?”

  “Why not? It’s Christmas after all,” said the voice.

  Emily sat frozen in her chair, hoping she was wrong. Jackie worked the steam wand, and the noise masked most of their conversation. “To go, Nick, or for here?”

  Emily gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. She picked up the phone and held it to her ear in case Jackie got the urge to introduce her to Nick. Nick was still here in Snow Valley? Memories of the last time she saw him flashed in her mind. Nick, the boy she thought would be by her side forever. The boy she had loved since they were kids growing up in Snow Valley together. The boy who always made her smile, until the last day they spent together. The day her dream had evaporated, and she had left for New York City alone.

  Nick’s voice brought Emily back to reality. “Better get it to go, I’m on my way to a meeting and then back to the hardware store. We’ve been swamped.” A few seconds later, he added, “Thanks, Jackie. See you soon.”

  A loud voice said, “Hey, Mayor Morgan, how are you today?”

  Nick responded and said, “Busy with all the holiday activities but doing well. Hope you’re enjoying the holidays, Sam. We’ll see you at the tree lighting Friday, I’m sure.”

  She sucked in a breath and muttered, “What? Nick Morgan is the mayor? You’ve got to be kidding me.” Emily’s heart pounded in her chest. She hung her head and whispered, “Sara conveniently left out that one minor detail.”

  7

  Emily collected Bella and rushed out of Latte Da, making excuses to Jackie and promising to see her later in the week. She was certain her face would give away her feelings, and she didn’t want to talk about Nick. She wasn’t ready.

  She dropped Bella at home, not trusting herself to remember her once at the lodge. Concentrating on the items on her list proved to be difficult. As Carol went t
hrough each point, Emily’s mind kept wandering. When she had been in Snow Valley last, ten years ago now, she had made a trip to Morgan’s Hardware, curious if she’d run into Nick. She wandered the aisles and accepted condolences on the loss of her mom from everyone she ran into, but Nick wasn’t among them. She remembered Nick’s dad had passed away less than a year after she left for college. She had assumed Nick stayed in Snow Valley and took over the store. She finally mustered up the courage to ask one of the men she recognized who had worked at the store forever. She learned Nick was in the military following in his father’s footsteps. She never imagined he’d be back in Snow Valley and now the mayor, of all things.

  Sara had played a sneaky trick on her, knowing full well that she would have never agreed to coordinate a party for Nick. Nick had broken her heart all those years ago, and even now, she knew she wasn’t over him. She’d never had a serious relationship since their falling out the night before she left for college. The night he told her he couldn’t go with her. Comparing every guy she dated to Nick had left them all wanting. When she was eighteen, she was sure Nick was her soulmate. At thirty-three, she hadn’t found another.

  What she had pictured as a happy day, starting a new adventure with Nick, turned into a nightmare. She had cried during the entire flight across the country. He failed to give her a good reason for his last minute change in plans, only told her he couldn’t go and he didn’t want to leave Snow Valley. After she learned he’d joined the military, it was obvious it wasn’t his attachment to Snow Valley, but his lack of one to her. She had longed to call him those first months she was at NYU. Emily missed him and needed to talk to him, but her wounded pride wouldn’t let her make the call.

  Now, in a matter of days, she was going to have to face him. This had all the makings of a disaster.

  Carol’s raised brows and expectant look forced Emily back to the present. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

  “Did you get a firm headcount from the mayor’s office yet?”

  Emily looked at her notes. “Uh, not yet, but I’m speaking with the mayor’s assistant tomorrow morning, so I’ll let you know then.”

  The lodge stored most of the decorations for the event, with the city contributing the rest. Carol provided Emily an updated list of all the decorations they stored for the event, and together, the two bundled up for a golf cart ride with Stan, the maintenance manager, who took them to a storage building for a first-hand look. He explained the staff would retrieve the mountain of decorations and stage them near each tree. Emily’s eyes widened at the organized and labeled stacks of crates and boxes. All Stan needed was a list of the color schemes or themes for each tree, and he’d make sure the appropriate boxes were placed in the right rooms.

  Emily signaled her understanding and made a note. “I’ll work on it tonight and get it to you in the morning.”

  Before dropping them back at the lodge, Stan gave her his card with his office and cell numbers. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call.” She thanked him and made sure he had her number.

  She and Carol discussed the party treats, and while the resort provided most of the food, a favorite local bakery was making gingerbread house pieces for the kids to assemble. Carol’s list of specialty treats the lodge was providing was endless. The selection of decorated cupcakes, cookies, lollipops, brownie trees, Christmas crunch popcorn, and reindeer chow were sure to please the youngsters. Along with all the sweet treats, they were making reindeer sliders, pigs-in-a-blanket, Christmas shaped sandwiches, fruit kabobs, veggie sticks and dip, cheese and fruit platters, and sliced strawberries and bananas put together and decorated to look like Santa hats.

  Next on the list were the activities and games. The lodge and the city provided staff to run the games. Elves from the Mistletoe Lodge would handle the cookie decorating station, charades, and the outdoor snow art competition. Marcy and her staff would dispense hot chocolate with homemade snowmen marshmallows, along with Christmas punch.

  Even with her preoccupation with Nick, Emily was getting excited as they discussed the details. Although irritated with Sara, she wanted to make sure the party was a huge success.

  As soon as she and Carol finished, Emily wandered over to Latte Da and checked in with Marcy. With the weekend over, things were quieter. Only a handful of guests milled around the lobby, but they were all holding Latte Da cups. Marcy saw her and smiled. “How’s everything going for the party?”

  “Moving right along. Do you have all the hot chocolate and punch supplies you need?”

  Marcy nodded. “It’s all here. I’ve got the staff scheduled to help with anything I need Friday afternoon and all day Saturday. I added some extra cups to Thursday’s delivery, just in case, but I think we’re set. It’s always such a fun event, and this is Mayor Morgan’s first one, so it will be special for him.”

  Emily smirked. “Yes, it will be.” Her stomach lurched when she thought of Nick. “Well, I’m off to get a list ready for the maintenance crew. I’ll see you tomorrow, I’m sure.”

  When she got home, Bella was waiting at the door, tail wagging, her leash in her mouth. Emily laughed and scratched the dog’s chin. “Subtlety isn’t one of your strengths, is it?” Emily clipped on the leash and accompanied Bella on a quick walk. With each step, she contemplated how she was going to face Nick. She complained to Bella, who proved to be a very good listener.

  As they made their way home, she gasped. “I wonder if Sara told Nick I would be filling in for her or if he’ll be as surprised as I was.” Bella didn’t answer, but her gentle brown eyes comforted Emily.

  “Speaking of Sara, I need to text her.” She dug out her phone, not bothering to do the math or caring what time it was in London. She texted one word, Nick!

  She dried Bella’s feet with a towel they kept near the back door and slipped out of her boots with heels that were definitely not made for walking. The welcoming scent from the tree tickled her nose and made her smile. She usually made do with a tiny table top tree, if she even bothered, and the lovely smell made her think of her mom. The tree had always been her favorite thing.

  She fixed Bella’s dinner and got to work on the themes for each tree at the lodge. Sara’s binder had lists from previous years, and she used all the traditional favorites, plus a few unique ones. Emily had used all the color combinations she could think of and added a coffee and tea themed tree for the one closest to Latte Da. As she watched Bella stretch out in front of the fire, she jotted down a pet-themed tree.

  She used a pencil to sketch out the locations of the various activity and game stations. The lobby area, library, Latte Da, two meeting rooms, and the upstairs balcony area would be utilized for crafts and games.

  Not feeling like eating much, she fixed some tea and toast. As she ate, she checked her messages and saw nothing from Sara yet. She studied her list for tomorrow, hoping she wouldn’t run into Nick when she met with his assistant in the morning. Emily tapped a reminder in her phone to ask her to meet at Latte Da instead of City Hall.

  She added boots to her list for tomorrow and trudged upstairs with the click of Bella’s paws following her. Her intention of getting started on the tree downstairs had dissolved with the appearance of Nick and the energy she had wasted thinking about him.

  She laid in bed, comforted by the weight and warmth of Bella against her, flipping through channels, looking for something to take her mind off meeting Nick. Even if she didn’t see him tomorrow, she was going to see him Friday at the Mistletoe Lodge. The more she thought, the more she remembered. The anger and hurt she had held onto for fifteen years bubbled to the surface. She planned to give him a piece of her mind and rehearsed what she’d say as she struggled to get to sleep.

  8

  When Emily woke on Tuesday, she saw a reply from Sara. Sorry I didn’t mention Nick. I was afraid you’d run back to NYC. It’s time you two talk. Don’t be mad at me. Love you, Sara.

  Not trusting herself to compose a response, she tossed her ph
one on the bed and stomped downstairs to let Bella out and brew a cup of tea. As she sipped Earl Grey with a splash of cream, she circled the tree and took the lids off the storage containers. The first box she opened held the old mercury glass ornaments she remembered her mom always used. They had belonged to her grandmother.

  She touched the frosted glass and smiled at the memories they evoked. Most of the boxes contained modern ornaments and several specialty ones with Sophie and Jake’s names. There was even a dog ornament with Bella’s name. She sighed as she opened the box heaped with strings of lights. Decorating would give her something to do in the evenings, instead of worrying about Nick.

  At eight o’clock, she called the mayor’s assistant, Jean, and asked if she could treat her to coffee at Latte Da while they met. Emily let out a breath when Jean jumped at the idea. She hurried to the Jeep, hoping to replace her leather, heeled boots with something warmer and more substantial.

  There were only two places to find boots in Snow Valley – the farm supply store and the hardware store. She imagined the gift shop at the resort might have something, but it was sure to be out of her price range. The shoe store she remembered from her childhood had long since closed, and she’d have to drive forty miles to find more choices.

  She and Bella wandered into the feed and farm store and headed to the clothing department. It was a serve yourself kind of place, and she tried a few styles but couldn’t find a good fit. She did spy a sale on a rack of basic turtlenecks and long-sleeved sweaters. She hadn’t packed many clothes, so she picked out a few and grabbed a dog cookie for Bella. Her shoulders slumped as she guided Bella to the Jeep, knowing she’d have to go to the hardware store. Literally, the last place on earth she wanted to visit.