by Nicole Ellis
Cassie could only stare at him, still trying to decipher what was happening. Finally, she eked out, “You did this?”
He nodded nervously, then a smile curved his lips. “Well, I had a little help. The kids cut out the paper snowflakes, Libby made the gingerbread, and Meg stored everything for me in the barn while I was getting things together. I’m sorry about the mess in the kitchen. Libby had to get home to her kids and I told her I’d clean up later.”
Cassie nodded slowly as she looked around the room, still feeling like she’d been hit over the head – but in a good way. The decorations were stunning, and they cast an enchanting glow over the whole bakery.
Her family and friends had come together to do this for her. She ran over to Kyle, hugged him tightly, then kissed him. “Thank you.” She wanted to thank the kids too, but didn’t see them. “Where are Amanda and Jace?”
“Oh yeah.” He winked at her. “I forgot to tell you that Zoe offered to take them for the evening.”
She raised an eyebrow. “I thought the three of you had big plans for game night.”
His eyes twinkled as they caught the light from the tree. “They understood that I needed to do this for you. Besides, I think Zoe is making Christmas cookies with them at the house.”
She had about a million questions for Kyle, but right now, she was feeling too warm and cozy to care. She moved closer to the train set. She’d always wanted a Christmas village display at home, but with little kids running around it hadn’t seemed prudent. Kyle had wisely set this one up on a table, out of reach of any small children who came into the bakery.
Her favorite was a small white church with a tall steeple, its roof covered in snow. A close second was the bakery, with loaves of bread featured prominently in its windows. In front of the town’s Christmas tree stood a man, woman, girl, and boy. The train itself looked quite familiar.
“Did this come from Gustav’s Toy Shop?” she asked. Gustav had a vast collection of toy trains that were on a continuous loop around his shop, but she doubted he’d have parted with any of them. Perhaps he’d ordered one for Kyle though.
“Good eye. I talked Gustav into lending me one of his train sets this year, and I promised him that if you liked it, we’d order one from him for next year.”
“He actually let you borrow one of them?” she asked, kneeling down to peer into the lighted ceramic buildings.
Kyle laughed. “I had to check over his last five years of tax returns in exchange for borrowing it.” He hung his head. “That’s why I missed out on the dinner party. There were some things on his tax returns that looked off to me and I’d promised him that I’d review them all by that Monday. I got so wrapped up in my work that I totally spaced on the party. I feel really bad about that.”
Cassie couldn’t take her eyes off of the tiny village and the train circling it. “I think you’re forgiven.” She turned to him. “But why did you do all of this?”
He winked at her and flipped a switch that stopped the train in front of the man and woman holding hands. On top of the coal car sat a small box she hadn’t noticed before. Kyle picked it up, opening it to reveal a gold band set with multicolored stones – then sunk down to one knee.
Cassie’s own knees weakened as she stared at him.
“Cassie Thorsen, I love you more than anything else in this world.” He sighed and looked down at the ring, then back at her. “I know I’ve said this before, but this time, there’s no going back. I want to spend my Christmases, other holidays, and all the rest of my days and nights with you and the kids.” His eyes shone brightly as he looked directly into hers. “Will you marry me?”
A warmth spread through her body until she was sure she glowed like the lights strung around the room. “Yes.” She cupped his face in her hands and leaned down to kiss him deeply. “I would love to marry you – again.”
He stood and slipped the ring on her finger. As she examined the band, he said, “You can wear this along with your original wedding ring, or just wear this one. All four of our birthstones are represented in it.”
“When did you have time to do all this?” She couldn’t stop looking at the beautiful new ring that felt both odd and so right on her finger.
He chuckled. “Of course the ring came in when we were at the pumpkin patch. The jeweler had so many questions for me that day and I thought you might have suspected something was up when I kept leaving to talk to him.”
Conflicting emotions ran through her. She’d been so suspicious that Kyle had gone back to his old habits, but everything had been for her. Tears streamed from her eyes as she looked at each of the brilliant gemstones in turn. Amethyst for her, peridot for Amanda, pearl for Jace, and emerald for Kyle.
The ring represented everyone in their family. He’d put so much thought into his proposal and the ring itself. How had she ever doubted his commitment to her and the kids? She wrapped her arms around his neck and locked eyes with him. Their relationship had undergone ups and downs, but some part of her had always known he was her forever.
11
Tia
Tia stood outside the cottage – her cottage – and stared up at the window of what would be her new bedroom. She’d been looking forward to moving in since September, ever since Zoe and Shawn had offered to rent it to her. There had been times when she’d thought her dream of living there might never come to fruition. Even now, it still didn’t seem real. This, Cottage Twenty, was now her new home.
She tightened her grip on the cardboard box of bedding she held and cast a backward glance at her aging sedan, parked at the edge of the lawn. All of her belongings fit into the car, and it hadn’t been a big deal to move from just down the street where she’d been staying with Zoe. As property of the resort, the house would be furnished – which Tia greatly appreciated, because every piece of furniture she’d owned had been ruined when a leaky pipe had flooded her old apartment.
She peeked over the top of the box and made her way onto the porch. Someone had wedged a piece of wood under the front door to keep it open, so she walked right inside and up the stairs to the second floor. It had been a while since she’d seen the room that would now be her bedroom. She set the box down on the floor and looked around.
True to her word, Zoe had furnished it with a queen-sized bed that took up half the room – but would be a welcome upgrade after sleeping on a couch for almost two months. A nightstand stood next to the bed, topped by a lamp with a charming lace-patterned shade and a base that resembled a stack of crystal balls. Nearby, a tall bookshelf had been placed against the wall, next to a chest of drawers. The window had been fitted with a white roll-down shade that looked like it would block out most of the early morning light for those rare days when she chose to sleep in.
The stairs creaked under someone’s weight, then Meg appeared in the entrance to Tia’s room. “What do you think of the chest of drawers?”
Tia hadn’t noticed anything special about it, but judging by the excitement on Meg’s face, she’d thought she’d better give it a closer look. She walked over to the piece of furniture and examined it, running her hand over the smooth wood surface. It had the look of a refinished antique.
“It’s beautiful. I love the color of the stain.” The deep brown went well with the white furnishings and the dark walnut planks of the hardwood floors. The overall effect was that of simple luxury, similar to what Zoe had selected for the main Inn.
Meg beamed at Tia’s statement. “I tried to match the floors.”
Tia looked at the chest again, then back to Meg. “You did this?” Tia ran her finger along the smooth finish, then gasped suddenly, a realization striking her. “Is that what you were hiding in the barn?” Her new roommate had never struck her as the crafty type – though Tia shouldn’t have doubted her, since Meg was quite creative in the kitchen. “I love it.”
Meg’s cheeks flushed with pleasure. “I did one for each of our rooms, but this is the one I found the journal in when I was cleaning out t
he barn. I figured it may have belonged to Davina, and if so, it made sense for it to be returned to the room where she had lived.”
Tia knew the first journal they’d found was important to Meg, and it meant a lot that she’d given Tia the dresser she’d found it in. Impulsively, Tia turned to Meg and gave her a big hug.
“Thank you.” Tia sniffled as her eyes filled with tears. She wiped them away with the back of her hand.
“Don’t cry. If you cry, I may have to take it back.” Meg grinned at her.
“I’m not crying.” Tears of happiness continued to fall, belying her assertion.
“Uh, I’m pretty sure you are.” Meg disappeared into the hallway, returning with a box of Kleenex she must have retrieved from her room. She offered them to Tia, who gratefully plucked one out of the box and dried her eyes.
Tia wasn’t normally so emotional, but this was a big day. Since moving out of her parents’ house after high school, she’d lived in a series of shabby apartments. It felt good to live in a house again, especially one like this. It made her feel more independent. She had a feeling she and Meg were going to have fun living together, even if it would be an adjustment for both of them to share their space with someone else, long-term.
“Is all your stuff moved in already?” Tia asked.
Meg shook her head. “About half, but I don’t really have that much. I got rid of a lot when I moved back home from Portland.” She scrunched up her face. “I’m grateful I had the opportunity to live in the apartment over my parents’ garage, but going from a one-bedroom apartment in Portland to their small studio wasn’t easy.” She glanced back toward the hallway and her own bedroom. “It’ll be nice to have more space to spread out.”
Tia nodded. “I know what you mean.” She hadn’t thought about it much, but this move probably meant a lot to Meg too. Meg had lived in Oregon for many years, until she moved back home when her mom, Debbie, had been diagnosed with cancer. Although Meg was happy with her decision to return to Willa Bay, it must have been a dramatic change to go from having her own place in a big city to living with her parents in a small town.
“Speaking of moving,” Meg said, “I have an appointment to get to, so I’d better get the rest of my stuff out of my car.” She smiled at Tia, then headed back down the stairs, a bounce in her step.
Tia followed suit, quickly bringing in the rest of her belongings. Once she’d transferred everything to her new bedroom, she set the cigar box containing the journal on top of the chest of drawers. As soon as she did, an odd sense of rightness came over her, like Davina approved of Tia occupying her old bedroom.
Before starting to unpack, Tia flopped on the new, bare mattress and stared up at the recently painted white ceiling. Coming to Willa Bay had been a fresh start for Tia, but moving into the cottage felt like a big milestone in her life and career. Here, she’d be closer to both work and to some of her new friends.
Her eyes strayed to the cigar box once more and her thoughts turned to another new friend – Cal. Their lunch date had been over a week ago, and since then, they’d only seen each other in passing. Their date had gone well – better than she could have hoped for. She’d been a little surprised with how open he was about his reasons for moving to Willa Bay, but she’d found his honesty refreshing. It had seemed like they’d established a real connection, and she’d thought a second date would be a given.
But, since then, he hadn’t called or texted her, and she didn’t know if he’d had a change of heart. Of course, she hadn’t contacted him either, and perhaps he was wondering the same thing about her. As she’d read more of Davina’s journal over the last week, she’d wanted to tell him about it. Her gaze strayed aimlessly to the ceiling as she mentally reviewed their time together.
Enough, Tia. She sat up abruptly, bouncing a little as the mattress springs reacted to the shift in weight. Next time she saw Cal, she’d ask him out. Even if he declined, she’d have her answer and wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore. Things were going so well in her life that she didn’t want to be stressing about whether some guy liked her or not.
“Earth to Tia.” Zoe waved her hand in front of Tia’s face.
Tia looked over at her, startled. She’d been so deep in thought that she hadn’t noticed Zoe entering the room, much less standing next to her. “Hey.” She scooted over to the edge of the bed, plopped her feet on the floor, then opened up the nearest box.
Zoe chuckled. “Nice to have your own space, isn’t it?”
Tia flushed, feeling a little guilty for being so happy about it – but Zoe had been sharing her small home with Tia for the last two months, and probably felt just as good to have her own space back. “It is.” The giddy feeling from earlier returned, replacing any thoughts of Cal. “Meg and I are really excited to live here.”
“Well, I didn’t mean to interrupt you, but I wanted to check and see if there was anything else you needed.” Zoe surveyed the room and gave a small satisfied nod. “If you don’t like any of the furnishings, we can probably swap them out with something else. I’ve been buying out the local antique shops, and between those items and what we salvaged from the barn, I have plenty to choose from.”
Tia shook her head. “I love all of it.”
Zoe sighed with relief. “I’m glad you do. I had fun picking things out for your bedrooms.” She walked over to the chest of drawers. “Did Meg tell you she refurbished this for you?”
“Yes.” Tia sighed and gazed out the window, drinking in the view of the bay, just past the bare trees on the other side of the gravel lane. “I still can’t believe how much work everyone put into the cottage. It’s just perfect.”
“You deserve it.” Zoe gave Tia quick hug, then stepped back to look directly at her. “The Inn is almost fully booked for events for next summer. The resort is a success, and I couldn’t have done it without you.”
Tia’s cheeks warmed with the praise. She knew Zoe was happy with her work at the Inn, but it was still nice to hear it from her. Life was really coming together for Tia. She had a job she loved, friendships that grew stronger every day, a great place to live – and maybe a new relationship with Cal.
Part of her wanted her parents to see just how well she was doing, but a stronger part hoped she could convince them not to come out for Christmas. Having her parents intrude upon her new life could throw things into chaos, and she was done with family drama.
“Tia?” Meg’s voice came from the foot of the stairs.
“Yeah?” Tia called back down.
“Uh, there’s someone here to see you.”
Cal? Tia thought. Before she could respond, Meg jogged up to the second floor, taking the steep stairs two at a time.
“I would have come downstairs,” Tia protested as she moved closer to the landing. “You didn’t need to come up here.”
Meg shook her head. The troubled look in her eyes made Tia freeze in place. “Who is it?”
Not even a little out of breath from exertion, Meg whispered, “He’s outside.”
“Who?” Tia whispered back, feeling a little silly now.
“Antonio.”
Tia stepped back. “My brother?”
Meg nodded.
Tia sucked in her breath and ran to the window, with Meg and Zoe close on her heels. Sure enough, her older brother stood on the front lawn, pacing in small circles with his hands stuck firmly into the pockets of his heavy gray sweatshirt.
Why was Antonio in Willa Bay? Tia had a sinking feeling that she already knew the answer to her question – her parents had sent him to check up on her.
12
Samantha
“Hey,” Mandy said, sticking her head into Sam’s room.
Sam looked up from the purple-and-green floral rug she’d unfurled across the floor. “Hey.” She frowned at the matching purple bedspread she’d bought earlier that day while shopping the Black Friday sales with her sister, Libby. Were they too bright for the small space? “What do you think of the colors? Are t
hey too much?”
Mandy crossed the room and took a closer look at the rug. “I don’t think so. I think they’ll brighten up the place.” She wrinkled her nose at the pale wall behind the bed. “I’m not sure what they were thinking with this paint color. It makes me feel like I’m in a hospital or something.”
Sam grinned, thinking of Mandy’s room, decorated in varying shades of pink with accents of other vivid colors. Mandy had even covered the entire wall next to her loveseat with a collage of diverse artwork she’d sourced from local thrift shops. No one would ever accuse Sam’s co-housemother of having a boring apartment.
“My sister talked me into buying them, but I’m not sure if they’re me.” Sam eyed her purchases again. The floral design was growing on her.
“They’re perfect.” Mandy smiled, then glanced at her watch. “Anyway, I was just stopping by to let you know I’m heading out now.”
Sam returned her new friend’s smile. “Okay. Thanks for letting me know.” Mandy was leaving for the weekend to visit her older sister’s family in Cannon Beach on the Oregon coast, and Sam had been trying all day to distract herself from thinking about it. Once Mandy left, Sam would be solely in charge of the younger-girls dorm – and therefore responsible for any issues that may arise. Luckily, only a few girls remained at school over the holiday weekend. There shouldn’t be any problems, but one never knew. A shiver of apprehension traveled through Sam’s body, but she forced herself to smile. “Have fun with your sister.”
“I will.” Mandy turned to leave, then hesitated. “You may want to check on Kimmy Douglas. She seems a little mopey, but when I asked her if everything was okay, she clammed up.”
Sam clutched the throw pillow she’d been stuffing into a pillow case that matched her new bedding, gripping it so tightly she was sure she would leave permanent marks. “Do you think she’s okay?” As the youngest of three sisters, Sam had never been responsible for mothering any younger siblings. This was all-new territory for her.