“Sweetheart, one day you’re going to wake up and wonder where your life went. I want you to be able to say you’ve lived it to the fullest.” Mom reaches for my hand.
I wriggle mine from under the sheet and take hers. Pierre sniffles but keeps working on my mother.
“Work does fulfill me.” I shrug. “At least it used to.”
“You’re strong and independent. And I’m glad your happiness doesn’t depend on another person the way mine did on your father.” That’s the first time she’s said anything like that. It’s easy to see how hard it was on her. She tried to keep a brave face when I was young, but I can’t imagine being blindsided the way she was and having a child to raise on her own.
I never once felt like a burden, though there had to be times it was beyond tough.
And Colin is doing the same thing for Perry that Mom did for me. Maybe that’s why I connect so well with him. We understand each other even though we don’t know one another all that well.
He works hard but can let loose. I’ve had nothing but my job and my mom for so long that it’s consumed me.
“I don’t know what I want,” I admit. I’m self-sufficient, and she’s right . . . I don’t need anyone else to be happy. But until I met Colin, I didn’t realize how lonely I was.
That there’s more.
And I want more.
I want kids and close family gatherings. I want to laugh and find my way through mistakes with a partner by my side. I want nosy neighbors. And magic.
Guess I know more about what I want than I thought. But what am I willing to do to get it? Everything seems perfect in Winter Valley. Is that simply the new shine of the place?
What if it isn’t everything I think it can be?
“Yes, you do.” Mom looks at me with knowing.
“How do I know it’s the right thing?” I’m not in a position to take risks . . . especially if they don’t work out.
“We never know until we try. Sometimes the things that seem the most right in the world are totally wrong.” She speaks from experience, and I’m certain that is in reference to my father. “And sometimes what seems most wrong is exactly what we need.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Audrey
“Daddy, we have to finish today. It’s Christmas Eve eve.”
Perry drops her spoon in the empty bowl of oatmeal and jumps up, tugging on Colin’s sleeve.
“We’ll get it done, Cupcake.” He scoops a bite of breakfast casserole in his mouth and points at his plate. “I need my strength.”
Perry seems a little dissatisfied with his answer but accepts it. “I’ll help clear the dirty dishes. But hurry up.”
It’s my turn to stare. Do all four-year-olds volunteer to do chores? I’m pretty certain I didn’t. And what did they need to finish? Last-minute gifts for the family?
Judging by the look on my mother’s face, she’s astonished too. I definitely must not have been like that. “Let me help you, sweetie,” she says when Perry totters the bowl in her small hands.
“You still haven’t finished?” Morgan asks, shoveling the remains of his breakfast in his mouth as if it might escape if he doesn’t.
“There hasn’t been a lot of free time.” Colin sets down his toast.
Perry appears at his side. “Done, Daddy?”
“I’m finished.”
I marvel at his infinite patience. He never gets irritated with her energy or demands.
“Are you done, Unicorn?” She stands beside me. Colin’s plate is dangerously close to tilting the crumbs onto the floor.
I snatch the last grape from my plate. “Done.”
“Let’s take one plate at a time,” Mom suggests.
Perry reluctantly agrees, carrying Colin’s dish to the sink.
“Are you going shopping?” I ask.
Colin looks a little horrified at the idea. “Definitely not.” He cocks his head. “Unless we need to make a last-minute trip to the hardware store.”
“It closes early today, Daddy. We gotta hurry up.” Perry skips to him and pulls on his sleeve again, dirty dishes forgotten.
Then she turns to me, grabs my hand, and uses all her strength to tug. “Come on, Unicorn.”
She manages to get me halfway out of my chair. I look at Colin for guidance. They seem to have a big day planned, and I don’t want to intrude.
His chair scrapes on the wood floor as he stands. “Come on, Unicorn. What are you waiting for?”
We make the short trek to their house hand in hand, then head down the driveway around the back of the house to the separate garage. Colin lifts the door and quickly closes it once we’re inside.
The only light comes through the dusty windows in the door. I pull my coat tightly around my body and wish I’d remembered to wear my cap. It’s freezing.
Colin grabs a pull chain in the center of the room, and an overhead bulb comes on. In the dim illumination, I find there’s no room for a car in here.
Tables and workbenches with tools are everywhere in organized chaos.
He’s in construction. Of course, he’d have a workshop.
Colin starts a fire in the wood-burning stove, and heat begins to warm the space.
Perry does a fairy flutter over to the largest table. What looks to be a half-finished house and little pieces of furniture litter the surface.
“Are you making a model home?” I inspect the work more carefully. The house is a replica of any of the Victorians in town, complete with the front porch . . . and steps. Hopefully, those wouldn’t be icy.
“We’re Santa’s helpers,” Perry says as she attempts to climb up onto a tall stool.
I give her a boost and pick up the tiny piano. It’s so detailed, the keys are notched and painted black and white.
Colin flips on another set of overhead lights and an adjustable lamp that sits on the table. “Are you any good at painting?”
“Um, yeah. I think.”
“Brushes and paint are right there.” He motions to the end of the table as he gathers the tools he needs. “You can see the color scheme we’re going with.”
The tiny pieces of furniture are arranged in groups by room. There’s a scrap piece of wood in front of each cluster labeled with the room and swatches of color swiped on them.
“Are these the wall colors?” I ask.
“Yep.” Perry points at them one at a time. “Main . . . accent wall . . . trim.”
I notice one labeled bedroom has a square of wallpaper affixed to it. A replica house complete with wallpaper and trim? This is amazing. He’ll sell the real-life version of this house the second someone sees it.
Except Perry said they’re Santa’s helpers. What does that mean?
Colin sets out tools in front of his daughter and studies the partially finished house for a moment. He pulls apart the two sides. “Think it will be easier to paint the inside before we put the roof on, Cupcake?”
I nearly drop the artist's paintbrush in my hand and melt into goo on the floor. He values his daughter’s opinion, and he’s teaching her to make decisions. Because he’s a great dad.
She concentrates, weighing the options. “I think so.” She turns to me. “What do you think, Unicorn?”
“I agree. Especially if you’re wallpapering some of them.”
“You’re right. We should do that first.” Colin grabs a few rolls and adds them to the pile on the table.
He measures and cuts while Perry sorts everything by room according to the set of plans almost as big as she is.
I set to work on the furniture while watching them. They have a flawless rhythm as if they’re a team. Come to think of it, they are. Sometimes, they communicate without speaking. A lot of times, Perry bosses Colin around.
And there are tons of smiles and laughs.
“Maggie is going to love this,” Perry says as Colin screws the hinges to connect the two sides.
“Who’s Maggie?” I ask as I paint the last piece of furniture—a baby crib.
I glance at Colin to expand Perry’s explanation.
“There’s a Christmas tree at the library that has paper ornaments with the wishes of kids whose families are struggling this year. Perry picked Maggie. She wants a dollhouse and a jacket with matching mittens.”
“Nana and I shopped for the clothes,” Perry says proudly. “Daddy and I have been working on the best dollhouse ever for weeks.”
It is the best dollhouse ever. And this is the best family ever. They could’ve bought one at the store, but instead, they built something special out of love for a little girl in need.
There are ways to volunteer in LA, but life is so chaotic that it never occurred to me to think of others like this. Because I’m always working . . . just like my mother said.
Perry and Colin have taught me to look beyond myself.
To see there’s more.
She’d included me in the close-knit unit, and I’m humbled by that.
Even if I have to let them go soon, a piece of them will always be with me because it’s contagious.
Their love.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Colin
Christmas Eve morning, Perry and I drive to Newberry to buy some last-minute presents. It’s a tradition to open one present tonight. I want to make sure Audrey and her mom feel at home. I hope they’ll become a part of our family.
“What do you think about this one?” I point at a sweater.
Maybe my sisters are right; I don’t have any sense of women’s fashion. Buying her jewelry seems too forward for tonight’s present, doesn’t it?
Was I married for so long I can’t remember the basics of dates and gifts?
I dated Remi when I was twenty-three, so it’s been over a decade. She made a specific list of what she wanted for her birthday or Christmas. We stopped going on dates long before the separation. She was too busy to do anything fun.
This is the first time since the divorce I’m doing something only for me. Am I going too fast? Probably, but I’m sure about my feelings. This is a chance I don’t want to miss. Audrey fits so well with my family, and best of all, Perry adores her.
I understand it’s been only a week since we met. However, if I learned anything from my marriage, it’s that feelings can’t be forced.
Emotions can’t be constrained.
They are free to do as they please. Audrey is easy to love. My heart beats differently for her. I pray that she feels at least close to what I do, if not the same.
Perry scrunches her nose and shakes her head. “Audrey liked my pink scarf.”
“Do you think we should get her something like that?”
She gives me a sharp nod. “And a hat.”
At the jingle of the door on the next store, Mrs. Giles turns to look at us and smiles. “Perry, Colin, it’s so good to see you.” She lifts the tray of cookies off the counter. “My granddaughter and I made them. You should try one.”
I wave a hand and shake my head. “Thank you, but I’ve eaten too many cookies this week. You can have one if you want, Perry.”
My daughter skips toward the counter, and before she takes the cookie, she grins. “Dad, look. A unicorn for Audrey!”
It’s a rose gold unicorn pendant with a set of earrings to match.
“Can we get it, please?”
“That’s a brilliant idea,” I agree.
We get the set for Audrey, a bracelet for her mom, and enough sets of scarves, mittens, and hats for all the ladies. Before we leave, I spot a snow globe keychain that reads Winter Valley at the bottom. We have Mrs. Giles wrap them for us.
“Colin,” she calls on our way out. I halt and look over my shoulder. “Can you come over on the twenty-eighth to change the jingle bells for my regular bell, dear?”
“You got it,” I say, waving goodbye.
Someone needs to tell the entire town that I’m not the handyman. I spent too many years in college to get a degree in architecture and urban planning to mount shelves, oil doors, or change the seasonal decorations.
“Why are you laughing?” Perry looks at me suspiciously.
“Because I’m happy, baby girl,” I answer.
I’ll take the townies asking me to do odd jobs over not spending time with my daughter and my family any day.
Dinner during Christmas Eve is fun, as usual. This year it’s Morgan and Colt’s turn to cook, which is really a way to say it could be anything. They brought Chinese takeout because the pizza place closed at three.
At eight, we open presents, and right after, I take Perry to bed.
“Tomorrow, we’re going back home, Cupcake.” I tuck her in bed.
“Can Audrey read me a bedtime story?”
I glance toward the door where Audrey stands watching us. “Would you mind?”
“I’d love to,” she says with a smile, making her way toward us.
Perry hands her one of her new picture books.
“Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney,” Audrey begins.
My heart hammers as I watch them interact. Audrey feels like the missing part of our little family. I just refused to see it until now. When Audrey finishes, we say our good nights.
“Are you staying?” Audrey asks as we make our way downstairs.
I shake my head, interlacing my fingers with hers. “Come with me,” I whisper. “We’ll be back before Perry’s awake.”
By then, we’ve reached the main floor. Everyone is talking in the living room.
“Maybe not,” Audrey says, sucking on her bottom lip. “I . . . they’re going to think something is going on between us.”
“Something is going on,” I confirm, giving her a peck on her mouth. “They’re aware of it.”
“Come on,” I insist. “I want to wake up with you in my arms.”
My plan didn’t work as I expected. I wake up, extend my arm to reach for Audrey, and my bed is empty. So much for waking up together. I search for a pair of sweats and go look for her.
She’s in the den, curled up on the sofa looking out the window. The full moon shimmers brightly, illuminating the room. It’s so easy to see the frown that might become permanent if she continues to worry about her boss.
“You’re awake.” I sit right next to her and take her into my arms. She snuggles closer to me.
“I was thinking,” she mumbles. “The view from here is beautiful. The snow, the moon, and the lights twisted around the windows, roofs, and trees twinkling. It’s magical.”
“It’s beautiful,” I agree. “Living in New York, I missed all this. Here, at night you can look up at the sky and watch the stars sparkle, see the moon reflect upon the snow, and enjoy the extra time you get when you live in a town like this.”
“That’s the incentive? Move to Winter Valley where Father Time grants you three more hours?”
I laugh with her.
“There’s your jingle to promote the town,” I joke. “Life is different. You focus more on family than your next promotion, not getting fired, or keeping your business afloat.”
She remains silent, her gaze focused on what’s happening outside.
“You need to come back to bed. If you don’t, Santa might skip the entire town.”
“That’s ridiculous.” She chuckles. “Maybe he’ll skip it because you’re naughty and he’s punishing the entire town.”
“Or . . . we can go to bed, do naughty things, and make our own magic.” I scoop her into my arms and carry her back into my bed.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Audrey
Christmas morning is chaos.
Literally.
It’s not even daylight, and there is wrapping paper strewn everywhere. If we want to find the floor, we’ll have to wade through the sea of gift wrap and ribbon. Speaking of ribbon, Perry has tied some around all the Bradford men’s heads, complete with bows on top.
The ladies got ribbon bracelets instead of headbands. We all look so festive, and Clar
issa has taken no less than five thousand pictures. I know because I demanded she text all of them to me.
I had a moment of panic when I woke up this morning that Mom and I would be an intrusion on their family Christmas, but that diminished the second Perry came to my room first, shouting for me to hurry downstairs.
She’d be a great fire alarm.
The gifts are thoughtful. Mrs. Bradford gave me a cookie cookbook, which we all got a laugh out of since I’m now the “official” baker at the B&B. The sisters gave me a renovation planner . . . which I can definitely use . . . unless I’m fired. But maybe I can find my own projects to do. Maybe I can have my own business.
The brothers chipped in and gave me a Costco-sized package of white Styrofoam coffee cups. That started another round of laughter.
The gift tags on the next few boxes indicate they’re from Perry and Colin. A pair of mittens, a hat, and a scarf that match the ones all the Bradford ladies received is in one box. Once again, I feel a part of this family. They’ve accepted me and even my mother, who also receives the matching set.
And then I waste no time attaching my keys to the snow globe keychain.
My eyes glass over when I see the unicorn pendant and earrings. None of these gifts are meaningless. They’re thoughtful. Kind.
I swallow hard.
I have one present left to open from Colin.
Butterflies take flight in my stomach. I glance around to find him watching me carefully. Everyone else is absorbed in their own conversations.
Gently, I tug on the ribbon.
My heart beats a little faster when I slide my finger under the tape securing the wrapping. Not so long ago, this man was a stranger, but now his gift means more than any I’ve ever received. How did that happen? How did he and his daughter work their way into my heart?
Holiday with You Page 13