He wondered how many more times they would bump into each other before he left town. Considering she was handing out Bayberry Candle Company coupons and posting flyers, he was pretty certain he hadn’t seen the last of her.
Chapter Three
They really needed to talk.
Her aunt had been far too quiet lately.
As evening settled over Bayberry, Kate sensed something was afoot. She didn’t know what her aunt planned to do about the problems at the candle company. Maybe Aunt Penney was hoping their end-of-year sale would be enough to get them through this rough patch. Kate sure hoped so.
“Penney,” Kate called as she let herself into her aunt’s house. The place was quiet. “Aunt Penney, are you here?”
“In the kitchen, dear.”
Kate followed the voice to the large kitchen with its gas range, generous counter space, and double oven, where her aunt loved to cook and bake in equal portions. Her aunt pulled a tray of muffins from the top oven and placed it on a wire rack to cool.
Aunt Penney’s salt and pepper hair was kept short. Every strand was in place. She’d worn the same straight hairstyle as far back as Kate could remember. Just as the same red-and-white gingham curtains hung by the kitchen windows and a cherry-red tea kettle sat on the stove.
Aunt Penney smiled when her gaze landed on Kate. “You’re just in time.”
Kate inhaled deeply as she took a seat at the island. “Mm…smells great.”
“Let’s just hope they taste as good as they smell. This is a new recipe I’m trying. Banana and pecan muffins.”
“If they taste as good as they smell, you don’t have a thing to worry about.” It was well known that Aunt Penney was one of the best cooks in Bayberry.
“Thank you, dear.” Her smiling face radiated her happiness.
“I baked another batch of muffins and dropped them over at Ester Holmes’s. She’s been feeling under the weather lately, but that doesn’t keep her from gossiping.” Aunt Penney shook her head. “That woman can talk a blue streak. I was there forever.”
“Let me guess, you made your famous blueberry and cream cheese muffins.”
“Of course. And I made sure to add the streusel topping you love. Those muffins are the best cure for what ails you.”
Kate smiled. She’d heard that saying over the years, ever since her parents passed away and she’d moved to Bayberry to live with her aunt. She’d been in junior high when she’d first moved to town. It had been the worst and the best time of her life. Everyone at school had wanted to befriend her, which was exactly the opposite of what she’d expected. Coming to Bayberry had actually felt like coming home—her great-great grandparents had been the founders of the town.
Aunt Penney turned to the counter and grabbed the muffin. “I made sure to save you a blueberry muffin.”
“You did?” She reached for the muffin and peeled off the paper liner. “You’re the best.”
“Oh.” Aunt Penney waved off the compliment. “You’d say anything to get your hands on a muffin, wouldn’t you?”
“I would.” Kate played along. That was something else she loved about her aunt. She was light-hearted and let a lot of things roll right off her back. Kate took a bite of the muffin and moaned her approval. “They get better each time you bake them. You really are the best. The fact that you bake the most amazing muffins is just a bonus.”
“Thank you.” Color infused her aunt’s cheeks. “I love you too, dear.”
Aunt Penney started to clean off the few dishes in the sink. Sometimes Kate worried about her aunt. She’d never married, but part of that was Kate’s fault. When her aunt became an overnight parent, she’d devoted every spare moment to being there for all of her niece’s activities. Aunt Penney had headed up the PTA, run bake sales and even traveled with Kate’s high school volleyball team as a chaperone. All the while, she’d managed the candle company. How she’d done it all still amazed Kate.
“So how was your day?” Aunt Penney asked as she hand-washed a large mixing bowl. There were certain items that she didn’t put in the dishwasher.
“It was good. Although handing out coupons and hanging flyers took all day. You know how it goes. A hello here and a how-are-you there. It adds up. And then Harry Green’s pig got loose.”
Aunt Penney laughed. “Buttercup gets more exercise than Harry. She’s always getting loose.”
“I don’t know. You didn’t see Harry today.” Kate laughed as she pictured the older farmer in his boots and overalls chasing a squealing Buttercup down the street. “I didn’t know he could run that fast. All of Main Street came to a halt as everyone waited to see who would win the race.”
“Let me guess, it was Buttercup by a length.”
Kate nodded. “And then some. Harry was already out of breath as he ran past the pharmacy. Then they turned the corner and I don’t know what happened. Someone mentioned later that Buttercup circled back home. She probably worked up an appetite.”
“Poor Harry. I’m sorry I missed it.” They both chuckled.
As she took another bite, Kate recalled Santa and his cryptic message. “Do you know who’s working the red kettle today?”
“It’s supposed to be Sam Hansen. Why?”
Sam was tall and lanky. He had to be well over six feet tall, but this morning’s Santa had been much shorter, and his cheeks had been quite plump.
“Because I ran into him this morning. When I dropped some change in the kettle, he gave me the most cryptic message. But it wasn’t Sam.”
Her aunt’s face creased with lines. “You said you saw Santa this morning?” When Kate nodded, her mouth full of the delicious muffin, Aunt Penney said, “But Sam wasn’t scheduled to work the kettle until late in the afternoon. We don’t have anyone in the mornings. And only Fred has a Santa suit. It definitely wasn’t him, because I spoke to him, and he was at the warehouse.”
“Really?” That was odd. Very odd. And then Kate told her aunt what Santa had said to her.
Aunt Penney shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you, but I must say I’m intrigued.”
“Intrigued? I highly doubt he even knows who I am, much less what my future holds.”
A teasing smile came over Aunt Penney’s face. “You never know. It might have been old St. Nick himself.”
Kate shook her head indulgently. “And I ran into another stranger in town.”
Aunt Penney turned, curiosity written all over her face. “Do tell.”
“It’s no big deal.” Although in a town this small, a new face stood out. “I literally bumped into him twice in a matter of a few minutes. There was something familiar about him, but I couldn’t put my finger on where I knew him from. Maybe he just looks like someone I know, or maybe we met once. I know it’ll eventually come to me.”
“You’re that curious about a stranger?” Aunt Penney picked up a dish towel to dry the bowl.
“It’s not like that,” Kate said, even though she wasn’t sure she believed her own words. “Besides, I’m sure he’ll be moving on quickly.”
“You’re so sure of that? What if he finds he likes it here in Bayberry and decides to stay?”
Kate wasn’t going to play her aunt’s games. “Then I definitely wouldn’t be interested.”
“Ah, yes, your rule about not dating Bayberry residents.”
She shouldn’t have said anything. Kate finished the muffin. Aunt Penney was always encouraging her to date this person or that person. Kate did date, but it was never anyone from Bayberry. The town was just too small to get involved with someone and have it go wrong.
After all, there was only one grocery store, one pharmacy, one movie theatre. There was one of just about everything. Running into people you knew was just a fact of life in Bayberry. She didn’t want to ruin the comfort and ease she felt around town.
“It’s a good rul
e.” Kate crinkled up the muffin liner. “It keeps things uncomplicated.”
“Uh-huh. And it means you spend a lot of Friday nights at home curled up with a book.”
Kate shrugged. “I like to read.”
“I know. But you’re young. You have your whole life ahead of you. You need to do more than work and read.”
“I do. I was just out visiting with everyone in town today.”
“Because you were passing out flyers about the sale. To my way of thinking, that’s work.”
“But fun work.”
“Listen Kate, I’ve been meaning to talk to you—”
Deck the halls…
Kate’s ringtone sounded. She withdrew her phone from her pocket, checked the caller ID, and then looked apologetically at her aunt. “I’m sorry. I need to get this.”
“No problem.”
Kate had been waiting to hear from Carrie. She and her friends were having trouble getting their schedules lined up in order to plan the Candlelight Dance—Bayberry’s biggest event of the year.
Kate pressed the phone to her ear. “Hey, Carrie.”
Carrie told her that everyone was available this evening. Kate didn’t want to run out on her aunt, but if she and her friends didn’t firm up some plans for the dance, there wouldn’t be one. And once they all got together, they’d start talking about this and that. Before they knew it, the hour would be late.
Kate asked Carrie to hang on a second. “Aunt Penney, I’m really sorry, but Carrie, Abby and Sadie are available to talk about the dance. Would you mind if I go meet up with them?”
“Not at all.” Aunt Penney smiled. “If you need any help with the planning, just let me know.”
“Thanks. We will.”
Kate took off out the back door, resuming the phone conversation. “I’ll be over to your place as soon as I grab my binder and laptop.” When Carrie offered to order pizza for everyone, Kate said, “Sounds good. See you soon.”
Kate climbed the steps to her garage apartment. It was nothing fancy. In fact, Aunt Penney was horrified that Kate would want to live out here instead of in the house where she’d been living since she was fifteen. But Kate wanted her own space. The cozy apartment had one bedroom, one bathroom, a small kitchenette and a living room. Kate knew someday soon she’d have to get a bigger place, but this arrangement worked for now.
Besides, she had more important things on her mind—like helping to make this year’s holiday sale the biggest and best. Otherwise, she didn’t know where Aunt Penney would come up with the funds to keep the candle company in operation.
Chapter Four
Some things didn’t change.
Like internal alarm clocks.
Wes always woke up at five a.m. to allow himself time to answer emails before he showered and headed to the office. Today, his inbox was suspiciously lacking its usual long list of unread emails. He wondered if Chad had somehow managed to intercept his business correspondence. The thought didn’t sit well with Wes.
With the promotion in the balance, he had to make quick work of his project in Bayberry and get back to the main office. The longer he was away, the more time Chad would have to take over his accounts. And Wes couldn’t allow that to happen.
Since Bayberry didn’t have any hotels, and the closest one was more than an hour away over narrow mountain roads, he’d snagged the last available room at the Bayberry B&B. For a man who hadn’t even owned a car since he lived in Manhattan, he was all right with not driving in the snow. The B&B would do just fine.
He showered and dressed in a suit and tie, then grabbed his attaché case and headed downstairs. Christmas carols played softly in the background. In the large foyer that served as a lobby stood a live pine tree decorated with white twinkle lights, red ribbon and silver ornaments. In fact, every available spot in the lobby, sitting area and dining room was decked out for the holidays. This town really loved Christmas.
“Good morning, Mr. Adams.” Mrs. Murphy bestowed a big, rosy smile upon him. Her red hair was pulled up in the back. Dangling from her ears were reindeer earrings. And she wore a red jumper with a white turtleneck. “Can I get you anything? Coffee? Eggs? Toast?”
He really wasn’t up for food. Even though this was his second day in Bayberry, he still hadn’t gotten a feel for this project. His stomach would be tied up in a knot until he got the lay of the land. And it didn’t help that he felt as if he was out of the loop concerning the promotion.
Wes smiled at his host. “Thank you. But I’m good right now.”
Mrs. Murphy nodded. “Remember, we’re closed for dinner. But don’t worry. There’s a diner in town. They stay open until eight.”
“Thanks for the reminder. I have to get to work.”
“The candle company, huh?”
His work was always confidential. He normally worked with very big corporations, but on special occasions he worked with smaller family-run companies like the Bayberry Candle Company. Wes was known for his discretion, but he’d never worked in a town quite as small as Bayberry. He had a feeling it was going to be much harder to keep his presence under wraps—more like impossible.
Choosing to pretend he hadn’t heard her question, he said, “I hope you have a good day.”
He made a hasty exit. If he had to hazard a guess, Mrs. Murphy probably knew everyone who worked at the candle company. And then his thoughts strayed to Kate. She must work at the candle company if she was hanging the flyers.
A gust of cold air rushed through the openings in his coat. A chill overtook his body. He walked a little faster. Exercise would warm him up. So would stepping inside a nice warm building. He inhaled the below-freezing air. It was certainly a wakeup call.
As he moved along the quiet side street, he recalled his school days. Most of all, he remembered Kate’s sunny smile, but when she didn’t think anyone was looking there was pain in her eyes. He’d always wanted to talk to her and somehow comfort her, but what does a fifteen-year-old boy know about emotions and making someone feel better?
Still, it had been her outgoing nature and lack of pretense that had initially drawn him to her. He wondered what she was like now that she was all grown up. At least she still had that same bright smile that could chase away the clouds.
The thought of running into her again appealed to him. Just the thought of her made him want to smile. The day definitely had possibilities.
Kate had worked late into the night. This morning, she was tired, but in a rush to get to the office. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun. She ran a hand over it, trying to smooth the flyaways the blustery morning had created.
It wasn’t her favorite hairstyle, but it was convenient. She just didn’t have time to mess with a curling iron this morning. She’d even forgone her morning chat with Abby at the Steaming Brew and instead opted for a to-go cup. She had a lot to catch up on at work.
She’d do anything and everything to help her aunt pull off a Christmas miracle and replace some of their equipment in the new year. Because without it…well, she didn’t want to contemplate how the company would survive otherwise.
The workers of the Bayberry Candle Company were like one big family. It wasn’t a huge business, but Kate envisioned one day expanding their distribution from the New England area until Bayberry was a nationally recognized name.
The best part was that the employees didn’t punch a time clock and then count the hours until they could leave. They had potluck lunches, birthday celebrations and work anniversaries. Kate couldn’t imagine ever living or working anywhere else. Bayberry would forever be her home.
She hustled down the hall to her office. At the doorway, she came to a halt. What in the world?
There was a man seated at her desk. He had his back to her and he appeared to be sorting through a stack of papers on the credenza behind her desk.
The crime rate i
n Bayberry was nonexistent, unless you counted Harry’s horse getting loose in the summer and stealing Mrs. Woods’ apples. That man had the most ornery, headstrong animals in the county. But no human had ever broken into the candle company.
“What are you doing here?” Kate strode over to her desk.
Her hand hovered near the edge of it. The phone was within reach. The sheriff wasn’t far away.
When the stranger turned around, she gasped. She recognized him as the good-looking stranger from yesterday. He certainly hadn’t struck her as a criminal. After all, would a thief introduce himself before breaking in?
He certainly looked comfortable in her seat. He had papers and files spread across her desk like he’d just moved in. But this was her office, not his.
She opened her mouth to say so when he held up a finger. “I’ll be with you in just a second. I just have to—”
“You’ll be with me right now.” Kate put her hands on her hips, waiting for an explanation.
He obviously wasn’t intimidated by her outraged tone as he finished typing some numbers into the spreadsheet on the screen of his laptop. “There we go.” He pressed Enter, set aside a stack of papers, and then turned his full attention to her. “Sorry about that.”
“And who would you be?”
A puzzled look crossed his face as he got to his feet and held out his hand. “I’m Wes Adams.”
She didn’t mean his name. She remembered his name and how much of a hurry he’d been in. She wondered if he was always in such a rush. But there was one other thing she recalled from their earlier meeting—his baby blue eyes.
They were the shade of a warm sunny afternoon—the kind where you could let yourself relax and just take in the beauty of the day. And then she realized she’d been standing there staring into his eyes for a bit too long. As heat climbed to her cheeks, she glanced down at the gray tiled floor.
With effort, she shoved aside her unwanted attraction. She didn’t make any move to accept his extended hand. “What are you doing at my desk? No one is supposed to be in here but me.”
Christmas in Bayberry Page 3