Her mom had gone to bed, but Celeste was waiting for her, seated at the kitchen table with a mug of chamomile tea for each of them. “You’re such a pig,” she greeted Jenna. “Two men when some women don’t even have one.”
Was she talking about herself? Jenna slid onto a chair and picked up her mug. “What happened to the cop? Is there something you’re not telling me?”
“No, no. We’re fine.” Celeste frowned at her mug. “I invited him to come down here for New Year’s, and he turned me down.”
“Maybe he had to work.”
Celeste shrugged. “I’d kind of thought we’d reached the meet-the-family stage, but I guess not. Things’ll come together when they’re supposed to. But never mind me. We’re talking about you.” She pointed at Jenna with her mug. “You’ve got two great guys interested in you. You need to make up your mind.”
Jenna had made up her mind. To be through with men. But that was before Brody and Seth came into her life. It was a new year, time for new resolutions. Resolution Number One: be open to love.
“I’m going to make some changes this year,” she vowed. Her sister had a good point. She did have two great men in her life. One of them had to be right for her.
“I hope so,” Celeste said. “You need to have sex again before you die.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Jenna said. “And now I’m going to bed.”
“Me, too,” said Celeste. “It’s been fun, but I need my beauty sleep.”
They turned off the lights and went upstairs, Celeste humming “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” “It’s stuck in my brain,” she said when Jenna told her to stop already.
And then it was stuck in Jenna’s. And once she fell asleep there it was, playing again. She was on a yacht anchored off the pier in Moonlight Harbor, holding a fancy drink with an umbrella in it and dancing to the music and singing at the top of her lungs. It was a balmy summer night with a full moon and she was wearing a bikini. She’d lost fifteen pounds. Yeah, she was dreaming. And she was wearing a Santa hat.
And look who was joining her. Here came Brody in a red Speedo. He was wearing a Santa hat, too, as he shuffled up to her. “Happy New Year, Jenna. This year’s gonna be a good one,” he said and put an arm around her.
Seth Waters approached from the other side. He, too, was in a Speedo. His was green. And he had on a pirate hat. “Yes, it is,” he said. He held up a sprig of mistletoe. “Come on over here and give your favorite pirate a kiss.”
Jenna started toward him, but Brody pulled her back. “She doesn’t want a pirate. She’s through gambling on losers. She wants a Santa baby with some money. Don’t you?”
“I don’t know what I want,” Jenna wailed.
Now here came her sister, jumping up from the sea in a mermaid tail. “It’s okay,” she called. “You don’t have to know yet. Just be open to finding out. And give me your drink,” she added, scooping it out of Jenna’s hand as she flew past.
“My drink! Where’s my drink?”
Jenna woke to find her sister staring at her. “You didn’t have enough to drink tonight? Is that the problem?”
“Sorry,” Jenna muttered and rolled over.
“What were you dreaming?” Celeste asked.
“I guess I was dreaming about the new year,” Jenna said with a smile. Then she shut her eyes and went in search of that yacht.
She never found it again, but she did get the message loud and clear. She was done with closing herself off. Whatever the new year offered, she was ready for it.
* * *
That took care of Resolution Number One. Resolution Number Two was to never again suggest a holiday festival.
Annie Albright was finishing her morning shift at Sandy’s when Jenna walked into the restaurant, headed for the meeting room. “Are you okay?” Annie asked. “You look kind of scared.”
“I am kind of scared,” Jenna admitted. “It’s the first time I’ve seen a lot of these guys since the festival.”
“Nobody blames you for the weather,” Annie assured her.
“All the same I’ll bet you were glad you didn’t end up doing a food booth, after all.”
“Well, yeah,” Annie admitted. “But don’t worry. Some of the members have already come in, and nobody seemed too mad.” She’d hardly finished speaking when Susan Frank walked through the lobby looking like a thundercloud about to burst. “Well, almost nobody,” Annie amended. “Good luck,” she added, and then went to clear a table, leaving Jenna with no excuse to postpone going in to face the festival firing squad.
Many of her fellow chamber members were in the meeting room already, standing in groups, visiting. She swallowed and walked in, bracing herself. “There you are,” Kiki Strom called, beckoning her over. “We were just talking about you.”
Since Kiki was talking with Nora and Tyrella, Jenna figured it couldn’t have been all bad. These women were her friends. “We survived the big storm,” Kiki said to Jenna with a smile.
“Barely,” muttered Susan Frank, inserting herself into the group.
Once again, Jenna braced herself.
But she was spared as Brody, who’d been on the opposite side of the room talking with Ellis West and Patricia Whiteside, summoned everyone to the table. Jenna scooted over to Brody and sat next to him, figuring that if anyone could save her from tarring and feathering it would be the president of the organization.
Ellis West sat down on her other side. “Looks like you guys survived the storm okay,” he said. “Sorry we had to close down and couldn’t help your people out. Thought for a while there I was going to save some of my food, but in the end, I tossed it all.”
“Oh, Ellis, I’m sorry,” she said.
“Hey, that’s the food business. Sometimes you take a hit. You gotta roll with it.”
Kiki had settled on the other side of him. “Well, I must say, we did okay. Sold out on those mini-flashlights shaped like sharks, and we moved a lot of sweatshirts.”
“We all survived. That’s the main thing,” said Ellis. “Even the upholstery in my convertible.” He pointed a finger at Jenna. “But I’m not letting you have it again next year.”
Who was he kidding? There wouldn’t be a next year.
Lunch was served, and Jenna picked at hers, feeling like a prisoner trying to enjoy her last meal.
Finally, Brody called the meeting to order. Jenna endured the secretary’s reading of the minutes and the treasurer’s report. Then it was time for old business. She took a deep breath and waited for the lethal injection.
“So,” Brody said, giving her an encouraging smile, “the festival.”
“I told you we shouldn’t do it,” said Susan Frank.
“And you were wrong.” Kiki’s sharp response made Susan blink.
She recovered. “Weren’t you at the parade?” she challenged.
“Of course, I was,” Kiki snapped. “We had a float in it.”
“Well, if that wasn’t the biggest disaster,” Susan began.
No, probably the biggest disaster had been the mess down on the pier, with booths closing before the people who’d rented them had even been able to cover their costs.
“We had some challenges,” Nora admitted.
“But we rose to them,” Tryella said.
That they had.
“My guests actually found it all rather an adventure,” said Patricia.
“I did a ton of business,” Cindy announced.
“So did I,” said Wilma Spike, who owned Sunken Treasures Consignments.
“A lot of my people decided to stay on through the new year.” This was from Wendy Burton, one of their newer members, who’d recently opened a B and B.
“So did a lot of mine,” said Jenna, emboldened.
“I managed to keep the coffee coming,” Rita Rutledge told them.
“I
sold out of stock,” Courtney said.
That goaded Susan into saying, “I made sales.”
“Then why are you squawking?” Nora demanded.
“I’m not squawking. I’m just saying that having a festival down here in the winter is a bad idea.”
“Well, I disagree,” Kiki said firmly. “I think we should do it again next year. Maybe a little earlier in the month, though.”
“The first weekend in December,” suggested Rian LaShell. “That way, even if we have another storm, people will still have a chance to get home by Christmas.”
“Good idea. All in favor?” asked Kiki, taking over.
“That comes under new business,” Susan scolded.
“Well, let’s get down to new business, then,” Kiki said and cocked an eyebrow at Brody.
“I guess we could move on to new business,” he said. “We have a motion on the floor to put on the Seaside with Santa festival again next year. Do I have a second?”
“I’ll second that,” said Nora.
“Okay,” Brody said. “All in favor.”
They almost all raised their hands.
“Opposed?”
“Me,” said Susan, raising hers. “You’re all nuts.”
“Or maybe we’re all visionaries,” Kiki said.
“It’s a sick vision.” Susan consoled herself by grabbing another dinner roll from the basket in front of her.
“We need to go back to old business,” Kiki said. “The committee didn’t get to give their report on how the festival went.”
“Oh, brother,” Susan groaned. “We know how the festival went.”
“We need to announce who was voted the best-dressed business for the holidays. Don’t you all want to know who won?”
“Yes,” said Cindy eagerly and Susan let out a disgusted snort.
“Well, the winner of this year’s contest is...Beach Babes,” she finished with a smirk.
Susan blinked in surprise.
“Unless, of course, you don’t want to accept the prize on general principles,” Kiki suggested.
“The people voted,” Susan said haughtily. “I’ll accept.”
“I guess everyone liked those colored lights on the clothes racks and all the mannequins wearing Santa and elf hats,” Kiki said. “It was cute,” she said later to Jenna after the meeting broke up. “And she had that darling miniature sleigh filled with dolls and teddy bears in the window, all wearing little Santa hats and sunglasses. If she could dress people as well as she did her shop, she’d be rich.”
“Maybe she won’t whine so much next year,” said Nora, who’d joined them.
“Don’t hold your breath,” Kiki told her. “You do realize what all this means,” she said to Jenna.
“I get to live another day?”
“You get to be in charge again next year,” Kiki said with a smile.
Heaven help her.
“You definitely should be in charge next year,” Brody said when he took her out to dinner that night to celebrate. “You did a really impressive job of pulling the festival together in a very short amount of time.”
“I almost had a nervous breakdown,” she said.
“Nah, you didn’t even come close. You were great. But then, you were great even before you came up with the festival idea,” he added, making her face heat with embarrassment. He raised his wineglass to her. “So, here’s to a new year and new adventures.”
“I’ll drink to that,” she said and they clinked glasses.
She had no idea what the new year would bring. But one thing she was certain of. No matter what, life was good at the beach.
* * *
Holiday Recipes from your Friends at Moonlight Harbor
Since you couldn’t be at the cookie exchange at Aunt Edie’s, some of the women thought it would be nice to share their recipes. Happy holidays from your friends in Moonlight Harbor.
Aunt Edie’s Fruitcake Bites
Courtesy of Kathie Follett
These can be baked in muffin pans or in mini-muffin pans.
Ingredients:
1 box pound cake mix and the ingredients that are listed on the box to bake the cake
(usually butter, eggs and water or milk)
½ cup mini chocolate chips (or more to taste)
Maraschino cherries (from a 10 oz jar or larger), chopped and drained on paper towels
½ cup dried cranberries or currants
And if you prefer:
½ cup of chopped dried apricots
½ cup of chopped pecans
Directions:
Make the cake mix according to package directions. Fold in each additional ingredient one at a time and gently mix.
If desired you may add ½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract and a tablespoon of orange zest.
If baking in muffin tins fill each ¾ full. Bake according to package directions. (Baking time may vary depending on what size muffin pan you use.)
Store in airtight container and enjoy!
Patricia’s Rock Cookies
Courtesy of Shirley Rembold
Ingredients:
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter
3 eggs
1 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water
2 ½ cups flour
pinch of salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 lb pitted dates
1 lb chopped walnuts
Directions:
Mix all ingredients and drop by teaspoonful onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 350˚ for 10 to 12 minutes.
Annie’s Hungarian Kiefles
Courtesy of Cathy Marrone
Ingredients:
2 cups sifted flour
½ lb cream cheese (room temp)
½ lb butter (room temp)
Fillings: prune, apricot, raspberry jam
Directions:
Mix ingredients for dough and refrigerate 1 hour. Roll dough out thin.
Cut into squares approximately 2 ½ inches. Place ½ teaspoon filling on each square. Pull opposite corners up so they meet in the middle and press with a fork to seal so they don’t pop open in the oven (but even if they do, it doesn’t matter). Bake at 350˚ for 5 to 8 minutes.
Courtney’s Potato Chip Cookies
Courtesy of Deanna Willis Simmers
Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups crushed potato chips
1 cup pecans, chopped
2 eggs
Directions:
Cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Add flour and baking soda and mix well. Add chips and nuts. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake 11 to 13 minutes at 350˚.
Cindy’s Whipped Shortbread Cookies
Courtesy of Linda Thorpe Moore
Ingredients:
1 lb butter
1 cup powdered sugar
½ cup corn starch
3 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
Directions:
Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar together, then add corn starch. Add flour gradually to blend and then add vanilla. Mix till it looks like whipped cream. Drop by teaspoon on cookie sheet and bake at 350˚ for 10 to 15 minutes. Add some holiday sprinkles on the top before baking!
Nora’s Holiday Drop Cookies
Courtesy of Renee Brancato Durdan
Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
3 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
dash of salt<
br />
4 heaping tsp shortening
3 eggs
½ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
Directions:
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix in shortening. Make a well and add eggs, milk and vanilla. Batter is a little tacky. Drop by tablespoonful onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake about 8 to 10 minutes at 350˚ until slightly brown and transfer to wire rack to cool.
To frost cookies, make a thick icing from confectioner’s sugar and milk to get desired consistency; ice cookies and decorate immediately with red and green sprinkles, nonpareils or other Christmassy decorations. These cookies do not stack well at all, so serve them on a platter. Makes about 3 dozen depending on size.
Happy Eating!
Acknowledgments
I want to thank my wonderful editors Paula Eykelhof and Michelle Meade for helping me with this project and all the special people at Harlequin who continue to give me gorgeous book covers and support my endeavors so wholeheartedly. Thank you to my fabulous agent Paige Wheeler. You’re the best! A special thanks to Cheron and Harold Wittman and Jane and Bob Hughes, float-making experts who tried to explain to me how the process works. I probably still didn’t get it all right but I appreciate your efforts guys! And finally, a big thank you to all my friends on my Facebook like page who so kindly shared their cookie recipes for this book. I can hardly wait to try them!
“Sheila Roberts makes me laugh. I read her books and come away inspired, hopeful and happy.”
—Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Don’t miss a single moment in the unforgettable Life in Icicle Falls series from Sheila Roberts.
Catch up on the complete series today for heartwarming tales of small-town romance:
Welcome to Icicle Falls (novella)
Better Than Chocolate
Merry Ex-Mas
What She Wants
The Cottage on Juniper Ridge
Sweet Dreams on Center Street
Winter at the Beach Page 30