Christmas in Bayberry

by Jennifer Faye

  “You obviously care a lot about your aunt and the company.”

  “I do. That’s why I want to do whatever I can to help. So talk to me.”

  “I’m sorry. I can’t. My work is confidential. Anyway, I’m still in the information-gathering phase, I’ll let you know if there’s anything you can help with.”

  Just then Carrie arrived, saving him from an awkward conversation. She placed a steaming bowl of stew in front of him and one in front of Kate. And then she supplied them each with a few thick slices of bread and a dollop of butter.

  The steam was still rolling off the bowls, but that didn’t stop Wes from taking a spoonful. It smelled so good. He just couldn’t wait. He blew on the chunky stew a few times and then took a bite. How was it possible it tasted even better than it smelled?

  “Mm…”

  Kate smiled at him. “So you like it?”

  He swallowed. “I do. This is amazing. Do you think they’d give me the recipe if I ask, so I can make it when I return to New York?”

  Her smile broadened. “A lot of people have tried, but they don’t hand out their recipes. It’s a family secret.”

  Disappointed, he said, “Looks like I might have to make regular visits to Bayberry.”

  “It’s that good, huh?”

  He nodded as he took another mouthful. For a few minutes, they ate in silence. He knew he was really hungry, but this was the best beef stew he’d ever had.

  “I might have seconds,” he said, nearing the bottom of the bowl.

  “And you haven’t even tried the home-baked bread yet.”

  He reached for a slice and buttered it. “Don’t tell me they churn their own butter, too.”

  “No, they don’t. But don’t give them any ideas. After all, Hunter’s Dairy is just down the road, so it’s a possibility.”

  He tried but couldn’t recall any dairy. His family had always gotten milk at the grocery store, like most people.

  He bit into the bread and stifled a moan. He chewed the soft bread and swallowed. “This dairy, they sell fresh milk right there at the farm?”

  She smiled and nodded. “They have a small store. They pasteurize and bottle it right there. If you’re interested, I can take you. I’m sure they’ll give you a tour.”

  He couldn’t believe it. Coming to Bayberry was truly like stepping back in time. He wondered what other things would surprise him—

  “Help!” A woman’s voice yelled from the doorway. Every head in the diner turned to find out what was wrong. “There’s been an accident at the candle warehouse.”

  Chapter Seven

  A collective gasp filled the room.

  Everyone jumped to their feet. There was a stampede for the door.

  Kate dropped her spoon in her half-full bowl. She stood, grabbed her coat and followed the crowd. Wes did the same. He paused long enough to drop some cash on the counter. Hopefully it’d be enough for the food and a tip. They rushed outside.

  The street was filled with people, all wearing the same worried expression. He too was concerned about the people at the warehouse. He hadn’t toured that part of the facility, but he guessed a lot of people worked there.

  At that moment, the firehouse whistle blew. People crowded both the sidewalks and the street. All were headed for the same destination. Wes slipped on a patch of ice. The breath hitched in his throat. His arms flailed about until he regained his balance. He really regretted wearing his dress shoes, but it hadn’t snowed yet in Manhattan, so he hadn’t been thinking about the snow when he’d packed.

  Kate paused. “Are you all right?”

  He nodded and noticed her laced boots. “Go ahead. I’ll catch up with you.”

  He didn’t have to tell her twice. She took off, and he just hoped that in her haste she didn’t slip on the ice too.

  He moved aside for the fire truck. Its red lights flashed as the siren wailed. It didn’t have far to go. The warehouse was next to the offices for the Bayberry Candle Company.

  Wes inhaled, not catching any hint of smoke. Please don’t let it be that. He was pretty sure a fire at the candle company would be more than a single fire truck could manage.

  So what had triggered the cry for help? Whatever it was, the whole town had responded. At the warehouse, people streamed through the doorway, and came to a halt when they spotted a mountain of toppled cardboard boxes next to a tall shelving unit that had been upended by the forklift.

  Kate’s aunt struggled to move the debris. “Help clear the boxes.” Her face was red from exertion. “Fred is under all of that.”

  Wes eyed the forklift. It couldn’t be moved without risking the rest of the boxes falling. And he had no idea where Fred was trapped.

  For that matter, he didn’t see Kate. Though he didn’t doubt she was nearby. He hoped she was careful. Some of the boxes had split open and there was broken glass on the floor.

  The fire chief rushed in and started instructing people on what needed to be done. To Wes’s surprise, no one turned away. They worked as a team. A line was formed and items that could be moved without causing any harm to the handlers were moved to the other side of the building. The damaged items were piled outside on the sidewalk and the parking lot.

  When enough boxes were moved, Fred’s right leg could be seen, pinned by the compromised shelving unit. The fire department took over, running lines to secure the unit. Penney and other called out to Fred, who responded that he was okay but stuck under the debris.

  It was then that Wes spotted Kate. She was standing next to her aunt. Her arm was wrapped around Penney’s shoulders as they watched the rescue.

  Wes helped to move the heavy boxes, one at a time. They worked slowly. No one wanted the load to shift and make matters worse. While they worked, Kate and her aunt talked to the man trapped beneath the mess.

  Twenty minutes later, they lifted the last box. Fred was flat on his back, conscious but disheveled. Everyone insisted that he not move. Doc Watson made his way through the crowd.

  “Okay. Everyone step back.” The doctor carried his black medical bag, and with quick steps crossed to the patient. “Let me have a look at him.”

  The onlookers moved toward the door, except for Kate’s aunt. Penney moved closer to Fred. She knelt down next to the injured man. Worry lines bracketed her eyes and mouth.

  Wes was able to make his way through the crowd to Kate’s side. He saw similar lines of worry etched upon her lovely face. He longed to wipe away her worry, but all he could offer were a few words of encouragement. “He looks pretty good.”

  “Santa just has to be all right,” she said.

  “Santa?” His gaze moved from her to the man on the floor of the warehouse.

  “Fred is always our Santa for the holidays. He’s really good at it. You should hear his “ho-ho-ho.” He sounds totally legit.”

  “I’m sure he’ll be back on Santa duty soon.”

  “I hope you’re right. Not because we need a Santa, but because I don’t want anything to be wrong with him. He’s a really great guy.” She didn’t take her gaze off Fred.

  “It appears you’re not the only one who thinks so.” Wes nodded toward her aunt, who was fussing over Fred.

  “I bet that’s the best medicine he could have. With her taking care of him, he’ll be better in no time.”

  “Why? Is there something going on between the two of them?”

  Kate shook her head. “It’s no secret that Fred has it bad for my aunt, but she never gives him a chance. She brushes off any comments about Fred’s feelings for her as small-town gossip.”

  They stood quietly for a bit while the doctor examined Fred’s leg. Wes told himself he should get back to work. There was nothing else he could do here. He glanced over at Kate. The worried look was still evident on her face. There was no way he was leaving her—not until they knew Fred w
as all right.

  Still, he felt useless standing around. “Can I get you anything?”

  Kate folded her arms over her chest as she shook her head. She wasn’t the only one waiting to hear the outcome. Most of the town was within shouting distance, either inside the warehouse or just outside the door.

  The doctor straightened and walked over to address the crowd of concerned onlookers. “Fred would like you all to know that other than a few scratches and bruises, he appears to be all right. His one leg is a bit banged up. I’ve ordered him to get an x-ray and to stay off his feet for the rest of the week.”

  Applause rose in the crowd followed by relieved murmurs.

  Fred was now sitting up, holding his right side while attempting to get to his feet with Penney’s help. Wes rushed forward and lent the man his arm. A fireman offered to take over for Penney, and between the two men, Fred was soon on his feet, keeping his weight on his good leg. Penney rushed outside to bring the company pickup to the door, as she insisted on driving him for his x-ray.

  Her face was pale and her lips were pressed in a firm line. Wes couldn’t help wondering if Penney’s concern was purely a coworker’s friendly concern, or if perhaps she felt something for Fred, too.

  “Ms. Taylor, if there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know,” Wes said.

  “I told you to call me Penney. We don’t stand on formality around here.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” When she arched a brow at him, he said, “I mean, yes, Penney.”

  “That’s better.” She smiled at him, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. Then she turned her attention to Kate. “I’m going to take care of Fred. Can you see about cleaning this mess up for the sale?”

  Kate nodded. “Don’t worry about a thing.”

  “With you here, overseeing things, I won’t. It’s not like you don’t do most of the work around this place as it is.” Penney turned back to Wes. “And you’ll be here if she needs any assistance?”

  It wasn’t part of his job, but that didn’t stop him from automatically nodding. “Kate doesn’t have to worry. And neither do you.”

  After Wes helped Fred into the pickup, he closed the door and waved them off. There was definitely more brewing between those two than friendship. It was then that Wes gave himself a mental shake. Since when did he wonder about other people’s personal lives?

  Back in New York, this sort of thinking wouldn’t even cross his mind. It must be Bayberry. There was something about this small community that drew him in. How was it that he’d been in town for less than forty-eight hours and was already feeling as if he belonged here?

  He’d already considered sending the information to Watson & Summers and completing the report there, but that wasn’t going to work. So much of the candle company’s data was stored on paper that it made it impossible to complete the project anywhere but in Bayberry.

  He turned to Kate. “I should get back to work.” And then he thought of something. “If you would like your office back, I’m more than willing to move elsewhere. Just point me in the right direction.”

  She shook her head. “There’s no need. I’m going to be here the rest of the day, cleaning up this mess and then making sure every screw and nut is secure. I want this warehouse to be perfectly sound.”

  “I don’t think you have to worry.”

  She arched a brow. “Why do you say that?”

  “On the way to the truck, Fred said it was his fault. He had too many things going on and told the new guy the wrong thing. One thing led to another and the forklift hit the shelving unit that fell on Fred. He kept saying it was no one’s fault but his own.”

  Kate breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m just glad he’s all right and no one else was hurt. Now to get this place ready for the holiday sale this weekend.”

  As much as he wanted to get back to work, he couldn’t just walk away and leave Kate with this huge mess. “What can I do to help?”

  She looked at him as though seriously considering the question. “You can go finish your report for my aunt. I know she’s anxious for your results.”

  “I meant, what can I do here to help you with this mess.”

  “I know what you meant, but I have plenty of help.” They both glanced at the two dozen employees already setting to work. When Kate looked back at him, she said, “I really do need you to finish your report, so we can get things back to normal in the new year.”

  He resisted telling her that his preliminary evaluation had already established that the business could never go back to the way it used to be. If the candle company could be saved, drastic measures would need to be taken. But for now, that information was only for his client, Penney.

  “If you need me,” he said, “you know where to find me.”

  Wes headed back to the office. He had a lot of work ahead of him. And he intended to work late, as he’d already lost a large chunk of the afternoon due to the accident.

  Things were almost back to normal.

  Kate had worked past quitting time. The warehouse had been cleaned up. The forklift had been inspected, and the accident was confirmed to have been due to operator error. Kate had hoped it would be a mechanical issue, as she knew Fred would feel absolutely horrible about causing such a mess, especially right before the big warehouse sale. Kate and Penney hadn’t cared about the mess—they were just glad Fred hadn’t been seriously hurt.

  Kate was running out of time to get everything in place. She only had a few days until the warehouse was opened to eager shoppers. And with Doc Watson ordering Fred to rest for the remainder of the week, they were also out a Santa, who was a big draw for the kids. The adults enjoyed taking photos of their children with the man in red—comparing little Johnny and Suzie to how they looked in prior years’ photos. In a lot of ways, it was more like a Christmas party than a sale. But without Santa, it wouldn’t be much of a celebration.

  Unless Kate could find a replacement Santa. But whoever she picked would have to be about Fred’s size. There was only one Santa suit in town. She started with the men at the candle company.

  Dave? Too tall.

  Ronnie? Too short.

  She called her aunt to check on Fred, who, according to her aunt, was being a terrible patient. Aunt Penney said she wouldn’t be home for dinner and told Kate about the leftovers in the fridge. Kate told her not to worry. She could fend for herself.

  Kate was still mulling over the Santa situation when she stopped by Mel’s Grille. When she walked in, everyone called her name. The usual crew included Mr. and Mrs. Green, Aunt Penney’s neighbors; Reverend Smith and his wife as well as their little girl; and a few others.

  Then Kate’s gaze settled on her childhood friend. Carrie stood behind the counter in her waitress uniform. Kate smiled as she made her way to the counter. It had been a long day. She collapsed onto a stool with a weary sigh.

  “It can’t be that bad. I saw that hottie you were having lunch with.” Carrie grinned at her from across the counter.

  Kate shook her head. “That’s just Wes.”

  “Is ‘Just Wes’ single?” Carrie waggled her eyebrows.

  “Yes, but it’s not like you’re thinking. He’s in town for work, and I was supposed to be showing him around. But then there was the accident.”

  “I heard about Fred getting hurt, but I heard it wasn’t anything serious.” Carrie brought a cup, filled it with coffee and placed it in front of Kate. Then she retrieved creamer from the little fridge behind the counter, grabbed the container of sweetener and set them next to the cup. “I hope the gossip mill didn’t get the facts wrong.”

  “They’re right, as always. Fred is just a little banged up, but nothing serious. At least that’s what Aunt Penney is telling me.”

  “Aunt Penney?” A definite note of interest rang out in Carrie’s voice as her eyes reflected her curiosity. “How would she
know?”

  “She’s taking care of him.”

  “Really?” Carrie’s voice was drawn out as a smile lit up her face. “I knew I was right about those two.”

  “Slow down there, Ms. Matchmaker. I didn’t say they were dating or anything. My aunt is just helping him out since the doc has him resting for the rest of the week.”

  Kate refused to start any gossip. If her aunt heard, she’d just dig in her heels even further about not getting involved with Fred.

  “Bet it won’t be long now until Fred convinces her to go out,” Carrie said.

  Kate muttered under her breath. “I hope so.”

  “What did we miss?” Abby sat next to Kate.

  Sadie Plummer sat on the other side of Kate. “If there’s gossip, I want in. I’m always the last to know.” When everyone looked at Sadie, she shoved her black-framed glasses further up on her nose. “Not for the paper.”

  Sadie had left Bayberry after high school. She’d earned a journalism degree in college, to the approval of her father, the editor of The Bayberry Gazette. When she landed a job in Atlanta, no one thought she’d return to Bayberry other than to visit at the holidays.

  Then last month, she’d quietly moved home. She took the vacant apartment above the newspaper and started working with her father. No one knew why she’d returned. She never said, and they hadn’t wanted to pry. When she was ready, she’d share. Till then, it wasn’t anyone’s business but hers.

  Kate shook her head. “We were just talking about Fred.”

  “And Penney.” Carrie piped in.

  “I heard she insisted on taking care of him.” Abby reached for a menu as though she hadn’t memorized the whole thing over the years. The only thing that changed was the daily specials.

  “Does that mean they’re finally getting together?” Sadie was the romantic in their group. She could quite often be found with her auburn head bent over a romance novel.

  “No.” Kate really wanted to change the subject.

  Carrie’s mouth opened, but before she could argue, a customer raised their cup. “Could we get some more?”