The memory of Mia and her friends from Snowflake High School drifted through her thoughts. The cheery voices of Caro, Sara, Holly, Taye, Nate, and Charity replayed as if those days happened only yesterday. She let out a deep sigh. Oh, Charity.
Jesse turned onto Bristlecone Lane, slowed down and pulled the car in the driveway. “We’re home!” he said.
Mia smiled. “I can’t believe this place is yours for the whole month. You’re going to have a wonderful time here.”
“You’re welcome to visit as often as you want,” he said. “Mi casa es su casa.”
Mia did a double take. “That’s so sweet. Thank you. I didn’t know you knew Spanish.”
“I don’t,” he said. “What did I just say? It’s a phrase I’ve heard.”
Mia laughed.
“It’s the name of that Mexican restaurant in Denver,” said Kristi.
“Oh, that’s right,” he said. “I knew I had heard it somewhere.”
“It means my house is your house,” said Kristi.
“Does it?” said Jesse.
Mia laughed again.
The corners of his mouth lifted in a grin. “I’m just teasing. I knew what it meant.” He turned the engine off and glanced at Mia. “And I meant every word. Mi casa es su casa.”
Mia’s heart melted. “Gracias.”
“That means thank you.” Kristi swung the back door open and jumped out of the car.
Amy bounded outside after her.
Their enthusiasm seized Mia. “I’ll race you outside,” she said to Jesse.
“What?”
Mia pushed the door open and bounded onto the driveway.
Jesse fumbled with the door and struggled to get out of the driver’s seat.
By the time he did, Mia already stood by him. “What took you so long?”
“That’s not fair,” he said. “You had a head start and you’re younger than me.”
“Not that much younger. I’m just faster.”
“Is that right?” he said. “I’ll beat you the next time.”
“We’ll see.” Mia winked.
He smiled and shook his head then glanced up at the tree on the car roof. “Okay.” He clapped his hands together. “I need help with bringing this monster into the house.”
Mia clapped her hands too. “I’m ready. We can do this.” She paused. “I hope.”
“I’ll help too,” said Kristi. “I’ll open the front door.”
Jesse grinned and gave her the keys.
She and Amy rushed off to unlock the cabin door.
Jesse pulled a Swiss pocketknife out of his pocket. “Are you sure you’re strong enough to help me carry this? It took two big guys to lift it at the tree lot.”
“If I fall on my face, it means I couldn’t.”
He watched her with an amused grin then cut the twine that held the netted tree to the bike rack. It fell away. “Why don’t you hold the front part of the tree? It’s probably lighter.”
Mia reached for it with her gloved hands.
Jesse tucked the knife back in his pocket and stuck his gloved hand underneath the middle part of the tree. With his other hand, he grabbed hold of the stump. “Okay,” he said. “Let’s pull it off the roof. Are you ready?”
“I’m ready.”
They tugged at the fir tree. It slid across the slick surface.
“I’ve got it,” he said. “Let me know if it’s too heavy.”
“I will.”
They dragged it off all the way.
The netting wrapped around the branches made it easier to move but not lighter. The weight bore down on Mia. She clenched her body to keep the tree steady and parallel to the ground.
“It’s heavier than I thought,” said Jesse with a strained voice.
“Let’s hurry,” said Mia. “I don’t want to drop it.”
“On the count of three, we’ll move. One, two, three, go.”
They trudged toward the house with the fragrant tree in their clutches.
“Do you need our help?” asked Kristi.
“No,” said Jesse. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Mia felt a tug.
“Ouch,” said Jesse.
“What happened? Are you okay?” She stretched her neck to get a glimpse of him from over her shoulder.
“I think I poked an eye out. Kristi, is my eye still there?”
Kristi stepped out on the porch. “I think so.”
“Are you sure?” he said. “I can’t feel it.”
“Your eye is fine,” she said.
“Whew. I thought I had lost it.”
She and Amy snickered.
So did Mia.
She and Jesse stepped on the porch.
“How are we doing?” he asked.
“You’re doing great,” said Kristi. “You’re almost at the door.” She and Amy entered the cabin to make room for them.
“Be careful,” said Kristi. “Move a little to the right.”
“Who’s right?” said Jesse. “Yours or mine?”
“Yours,” said Kristi.
Mia and Jesse stepped through the door.
“You’re too close to the table,” said Amy. “You might hit the lamp. I’ll move it away.” She lunged forward and scooted it aside.
The tree came within inches of it.
Mia’s legs shook. They burned like fire.
“Just a few more steps,” said Kristi. “You’re almost there.”
They headed toward an empty spot in the living room.
Kristi raised her hands. “Okay. You can put it down now.”
They laid the tree on the floor.
Letting go felt so good. Mia relaxed her body.
“I think I need to sit down.” Jesse dropped his weary body on the edge of the sofa and breathed hard.
Mia gave him a sympathetic gaze. “It’s the altitude. There’s less oxygen up here compared to where you live. It makes you get out-of-breath.”
“Is that it?” he said. “I thought it was the aging process.”
Mia laughed.
Jesse spent a few seconds catching his breath. “Okay, where did I leave the tree stand?” He glanced around the room.
“It’s over here.” Kristi grabbed it from the floor beside the sofa and handed it to him.
He rose to his feet, took it and knelt in front of the tree. He positioned the stand over the stump.
“When should we remove the netting?” asked Mia. “I’ve never had a tree with netting.”
“My mom always cut it off after the tree was standing up in the tree stand,” said Kristi. “Uncle Jesse, do you have scissors?”
“I bought a pair at the hardware store,” he said. “They’re on the table.”
Kristi approached the rustic-style dining table. A pair of scissors sat beside the cardboard packaging from the tree stand and a bag from Ollie’s Hardware Store.
Jesse tightened the screws from the stand, and Mia helped him raise the tree. With his body towering over hers, she guided the tree to the upright position. The fragrance of pine and Jesse’s aftershave dazzled her nose.
Kristi snipped at the threads on the netting, and Jesse pulled it away, freeing all the branches.
Everyone stepped back and gazed at the tree.
“We did it,” said Mia with a tired exhale.
“Thanks for your help,” said Jesse.
“It was my pleasure.”
“How should we decorate it?” he asked. “Kristi, where did your mom get the decorations for your tree last year?”
“We bought them at Snowflake Discount Mart. They’ve been on the shelves since the day after Thanksgiving.”
“Great,” he said. “We’ll go there.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s late now. June said you need to hurry back and study for a test. I can pick you up after school tomorrow.” He stepped away from the tree. “So, anyway, welcome to my abode, everyone. What do you think of the place?”
“I like it,” said Amy.
“Me too
,” said Kristi. “It’s better in person than in the pictures.”
Mia walked around the living room, admiring everything. She stopped at the wall-to-wall windows, which offered a spectacular view. “It’s like a dream. I wish I lived here.”
She walked through the spacious kitchen, inspected the oven, and admired the sunken-in bathtub in the bathroom.
Stopping in the doorway of the master bedroom, Jesse’s black suitcase and carry-on bag on the bed caught her attention. Sadness tugged at her heart. Jesse didn’t have a real home, did he? Mia may have been a guest at Snowflake Inn but at least she could stay in one place. Jesse had a studio apartment near his workplace headquarters in California, and he had rented a room at the Blue Jay Motel when he visited Snowflake, but he couldn’t stay long at either place. Moving around from one town to another must have been hard.
Kristi and Amy stopped at the Christmas tree.
“Are you coming with us to buy the decorations for the tree, Mia?” asked Kristi.
“Oh, um.” Mia glanced at Jesse. “I’ll still be at work.”
“We’ll wait until you finish,” said Jesse. “Come with us.”
“I would love to go with you,” said Mia.
A grin formed on his perfect lips.
Mia smiled too.
“Anyway,” he said. “We should go before June sends a search party to find Kristi.”
Everyone strolled to the door and stepped outside.
Kristi and Amy bounded toward the driveway.
Jesse slipped the key in the lock and turned it. “What time should I pick you up tomorrow to go see those people you want to see about Kristi?”
“My lunch hour starts at noon,” said Mia. “I’ll be ready then.”
They stepped on the walkway.
“I’ll be praying that one of them says yes,” he said.
“Uncle Jesse,” said Kristi.
He glanced her. She pelted him with a snowball. It hit him with a thump and broke apart. The powder fell around his jacket.
Kristi and Amy burst into laughter.
He twisted his mouth. “So, you want to play, huh?” He stepped toward the snow-covered lawn, crouched and gathered snow with his gloved hands. He crunched it together between his palms and pulled his hands apart.
“Is that your idea of a snowball?” said Kristi. “It looks more like a golf ball.”
Mia stifled a laughed.
“Hey, I’m a city guy, remember? We don’t do snowballs where I live. Not in my part of the state.”
“Here,” said Mia. “Let me show you how it’s done.” She crouched beside him, scooped up snow and dropped it on his palm. “That should be enough.” She laid her hand underneath his and bent his fingers around the mound. She guided his other hand over it and helped him squeeze the snow into a clump. “Make sure it’s packed together and round. Otherwise, it won’t fly far enough.”
She raised her head. He wasn’t even watching what she was doing. He was watching her instead. Mia’s face warmed. “Let’s see what it’s like.”
They pulled their hands apart and revealed the perfect snowball.
“Uncle Jesse,” said Kristi.
He glanced at her. Another snowball pelted him.
His mouth fell open. “You’re asking for it.” He bound to his feet.
Mia’s gaze traveled up his legs. They seemed to go on for miles.
He pulled his arm back and flung the snowball at Kristi.
She screamed and turned away. It hit the middle of her back and fell apart.
Jesse erupted in laughter.
Kristi swung around and faced him. Revenge marked her expression. She scooped up more snow, formed it into an even bigger ball, and flung it at Mia.
It smacked Mia’s shoulder. She gasped. “What was that for?”
“That was for helping him!” Kristi brushed the snow off her hands and watched Mia with a satisfied smile.
Mia gathered snow with quick moves. She formed it into a round clump, bound to her feet and flung it at Kristi.
A snowball fight broke out between the four of them—Kristi and Amy against Jesse and Mia. Snow flew everywhere. Laughter filled the air.
Mia’s foot hit a rock. She lost her footing and fell forward.
Jesse caught her in his arms. “Whoa,” he said. “Are you okay?”
“I think so.”
His strong fingers gripped her arms. His broad shoulders shielded her from the chilly air. Did she have to let go?
She released her grip on him and stepped back, but their gazes remained locked.
A snowball slammed into each of them.
The teens’ laughter rang through the air.
The ringtone on Jesse’s phone chimed. He pulled his glove off, grabbed the phone from his pocket and glanced at the screen. “It’s June,” he said. “Kristi, we need to go.” He gave Mia a parting glance and turned and rushed to the car.
Mia watched his tall figure for a moment then hurried after him.
Chapter 10
How long had it been since Mia smiled so much? She couldn’t remember. Standing behind the counter inside Cupcakes on Main, her face beamed like the frosting on a lemon buttercream cupcake.
The bell on the front door chimed.
Jesse entered the shop.
Mia’s face brightened even more.
“Am I too early?” He strolled to the counter.
“Diane is still at lunch. She’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“It smells incredible in here,” he said. “Are you baking more cupcakes?”
“I just finished. Are you in the mood for one?”
“You bet I am.”
“Follow me.” Mia turned toward the kitchen.
Jesse moved behind the counter and followed her. He glanced around the room with his mouth agape. “I’ve always loved this kitchen. I wish I had one like it.” He stepped in front of the baker’s rack and glanced at the baking supplies. “One of these days I’m going to slow down and do more cooking.”
“Maybe I should sell you the shop.”
Jesse turned and brought his dark eyebrows together. “What do you mean? Sell me the shop?”
Mia waved her hand. “Never mind. I didn’t mean anything by it.” Did she? She stepped toward a half a dozen cupcakes on the table and held out her arms. “Tada.”
Jesse’s eyes widened at the sight of the sweet confections. “Those look amazing.”
“Thanks. They’re a new recipe.” Mia picked one up and handed it to him. “Try it. And give me your honest opinion. I’m still experimenting with the ingredients. Any suggestions would help.”
Jesse took the cupcake with a careful grasp and studied the swirly frosting and cookie crumbs that dusted the top. “I almost don’t want to eat it. It’s so perfect. What flavor is it?”
“It’s gingerbread cookie. It’s different from just gingerbread because I used cookies in the mix, and the frosting is a brown sugar cream.”
He peeled away part of the cupcake liner and took a bite of the cupcake. The expression that seized his face spoke louder than words. “This is incredible!”
“Do you really think so?”
“It’s better than incredible. It’s...I can’t even find the words.” He swallowed and took another bite.
“Do you think it needs more molasses? How about more spices?”
He shook his head. “Don’t change a thing. It’s perfect.”
Watching him enjoy what she had baked was sweeter than all the molasses in the world.
“Your customers are going to love these,” he said.
“Actually, they’re not for our customers. They’re for Joy at the homeless shelter. She asked if we could make holiday flavors besides pumpkin spice for a dinner party that she’s attending.”
Jesse stopped. “Do you mean you’re not selling these here at the shop?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
The bells on the front door chimed.
“I’m back
.” Diane’s voice echoed from the storefront. Her footsteps grew nearer. “Hi, there, Jesse.”
He mumbled a hello with his mouth full.
Her eyes widened at the sight of the cupcakes. “You finished?” She approached the table. “They turned out beautiful, Mia.”
“Thanks.”
“You should taste them,” said Jesse. “I could eat a dozen of them right here and now.”
Diane set her handbag on a chair, reached for a cupcake, tore away part of the cupcake liner and took a bite. Her reaction was like Jesse’s. Only, a bit more dramatic. Her words sounded garbled. “Oh, Mia, you have to make these for the shop.”
Doubt covered Mia’s expression. “Remember what happened with the last gingerbread cupcakes we made? They were a total flop.”
“But these are different,” said Diane. “We can debut them like we did the pumpkin spice flavor and advertise them as our Christmas flavor.”
“That’s a great idea,” said Jesse. “These are delicious.”
“Do you have any other new flavors that we can debut?” asked Diane.
Mia shrugged. “I can try to think of something.” She reached for a pastry box on the table. “I’m going to take a couple of these to Joy and see if she wants some for her dinner party.” She placed two cupcakes in the pastry box. “I have to admit, I had fun creating these. I forgot how much I enjoyed coming up with new recipes.”
JOY CHENG’S WHOLE BODY seemed to melt the instant she bit into a gingerbread cookie cupcake. “Oh, my.” She vocalized her delight.
“I told you there were delicious,” said Jesse.
“You weren’t exaggerating. I’ll take them,” she said.
Relief swept through Mia. “That’s great. I’m so glad you like them.”
“When should I pay for my order?”
“Call me later, and we’ll figure out the details. I’m on my lunch break right now.” Mia clasped her hands together. “Before we go, I want to get your advice about something. Jesse’s niece, Kristi, needs a foster home, and I was wondering if you know anyone who can help.”
“Oh.” Joy set the cupcake on the counter.
“Since the homeless shelter here assists people with finding a permanent home, I thought you could point us in the right direction.”
“So, Kristi needs a foster home, huh?” said Joy.
Mia's Gift (Small-Town Christmas Wishes Series Book 1) Page 6