by Nancy Fraser
Matt’s gaze settled on the intricately carved snow scene on the wooden ball in Ariana’s hands. His mind traveled back to a Christmas past, of the tree in the living room, tucked into the corner by the fireplace, and decorated with those old ornaments. When he and Kat were young, his parents didn’t have a lot of money—most of what they made went back into the inn or the hardware—so they used what they had. These ornaments had been passed down from his dad’s side of the family. He remembered how the lights on the tree would bounce off the wood and provide a warm glow in the room. It was a happy time.
“Yes. They are. My great-grandfather carved them, or so the story goes. I haven’t seen these in years.” He reached for the ornament and carefully inspected it, turning it over in his hands. “They still look good but could use a good polish. I can do that.”
Ariana looked up, another ornament in her hand, and made eye contact. She appeared to be studying him now. “Are you okay, Matt?”
“Yes. Just memories.” Just a few ghosts of Christmas past.
She held his gaze for another moment, then set the ornament back into place. “We could use these on the window trees if we can find them. Or perhaps the sunroom could use a tree. Over in the corner? What do you think?”
It was thoughtful of her to ask his opinion. “That would be great. I’ve always liked these ornaments. It wouldn’t hurt me to enjoy them again....”
Ariana drew back, her eyes wide, and her mouth open. “You? Enjoy a Christmas something? My ears. What am I hearing?” Laughing, she softly punched his arm. “Just kidding, you know.”
“Of course.” And he didn’t mind. Not really.
She spanned the attic then. “My goodness. Look at all the stuff in here.” Turning, she eyed him again. “And no, I never lived in a house with an attic like this in California. We always lived in a ranch style home, which only had pull down stairs in the ceiling that lead to a place I never wanted to go. This...” She spun again, “is incredible.”
“It’s just a lot of old junk.” Matt grinned.
“It’s a lot of beautiful and interesting old junk. Oh look. I see lights over there.”
Matt stood for a moment watching Ariana bounce from one thing to another. He had to smile at the joy she was getting from poking into all the assorted holiday trimmings. From boxes of greenery to a stash of red ribbons and bows to two more boxes of tree ornaments, and finally, to three plastic tubs full of electric candles and two spare boxes of light bulbs.
She was a refreshing beacon of light in his formerly dark and clouded world.
“Ariana? Thank you,” he said aloud.
She looked up and caught his gaze. “For what?”
“For your efforts. Helping me see the joy of the season again.”
Blinking, she held his gaze, and for once, it appeared she didn’t know what to say. “Is it working?”
“Maybe a little. But Ariana, this is still difficult. I....”
She stood and approached him, touched his hand. “You don’t have to explain, Matt. I don’t want to push. You’re welcome, of course, but if my obsessive enthusiasm about Christmas gets to be too much....”
“I will tell you.”
“Good.” She broke the connection between them and went back to rifling through a box of lights. “Now, if only those bulbs will work, and if we can find the little trees.”
The serious mood broken, he stepped forward. “Over here.” He knew exactly where those were. Leading her to the side of the attic, he opened another door and ducked to step inside. “Watch your head.”
Ariana followed. “Wow.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because... Wow. Is this the tree room?”
He swept an arm toward the center. “Yes. You asked for Christmas trees, madam? Here you go.”
“And all shapes and sizes.” She whipped back, her wide-eyed gaze landing on him. “We have our work cut out for us. How many windows again?”
Matt smiled, then laughed out loud. Watching her was like watching a kid in a penny candy shop—and for some reason, that gave him a bit of joy. “Forty-two. And yes. That, we do. I’m at your command.”
She sailed off to inspect the trees. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he was enjoying this day, and her.
ARIANA FELT BOTH OVERWHELMED and excited. “So, we really get to decorate with all of this stuff?”
“Any and all of it. Whatever you want to use,” Matt told her.
“I’m hoping I don’t bite off more than we can chew... But Matt, I want to use it all.”
“All of it?”
“I have ideas running through my head. Brilliantly beautiful Christmas ideas.”
“Oh boy.”
She twisted back. “I thought you were going say Bah, Humbug, and I was about to chuck this ball of tinsel at you.”
“Naw. I think my inner Scrooge is still sleeping in today, for some odd reason.”
“Good. Keep him there.”
“I’ll try.”
Ariana caught his eye. There he was again, just looking at her like she was this odd character or something. “So, okay, I know I’m weird about Christmas.”
He shook his head. “No. You are incredibly bubbly and energetic about Christmas. Nothing weird about it at all. I think I’m the weird one.”
“I think you’re softening.”
“I think you may have something to do with that.”
Her heart kicked up a beat and for some reason, that startled her a little. She turned away, ignoring the heart-thumping thing. “Then my job here is done.” Or maybe just beginning. Ariana hesitated, and looked at him again.
His gaze skittered over her face.
A switch had flipped a minute ago. Why was her heart fluttering wildly in her chest just now? Not thinking about that.
“I’d say we’re off to a good start.”
She nodded and dismissed her wayward thoughts.
“Agreed. Before we drag stuff downstairs, I want to get a look at all forty-two of those windows. Maybe make some sketches and a plan.”
“Sounds good.” Matt reached for the two boxes of light bulbs and box of candles. “I’m going to take these with us so I can test out these bulbs.”
“Great idea. Let’s get started.”
He led the way out of the attic. Ariana followed, watching Matt carry the boxes down the stairs, wondering why all at once she felt a little differently toward him. Somehow, in such a short time, her feelings for him had done an about face, swinging from empathy to... To something different.
Chapter 5
ARIANA STEPPED BACK and perused the arrangement. It was the last one she’d pulled together, and this one was simple—a single candle, some holly, and a red bow. This window was situated in a short hall off the entry, leading into the dining room. With all the decorations in the rooms on either side, she didn’t feel they needed to go overboard in this spot.
The aroma of gingerbread wafting down the hallway tickled her nose and teased her appetite, leaving her with a warm, cozy, Christmas-y feeling. Hours had passed since breakfast and her tummy was growling, so she hoped to grab something to eat soon. Plus, the scents of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger weren’t helping matters any. She tilted her head to one side, satisfied the uncomplicated approach there was perfect, and nothing else needed to be added.
Matt stepped up beside her. “That looks nice.”
“I think so, too.”
“All the candles are secured in the sunroom windows,” he added. “Thanks for getting the greenery ready there. The sunroom is going to look awesome tonight.”
She glanced his way. “I love the addition of the tree in the corner. The colors will pop through the windows. Plus, those wooden ornaments look even more awesome since you polished them. They really seem to glow. I can’t wait to get pictures of everything.”
He moved closer. “You’ve done a great job here, Ariana. Aimee and Kat are going to love this.”
That was certainly her inten
t. “It was fun. If it’s the one place we can keep Aimee out of until tonight, that would be great.”
“I was just in the kitchen. I think they will be busy for a while longer.”
“Good.” She stared at the window for another few seconds, cocking her head to the side, studying it from all angles. “If I can get a good picture of this, it will be great for my blog post tomorrow.”
Matt stood silent beside her.
After a moment, the stillness between them felt awkward. The atmosphere crackled between them a little. She peeked his way. The smile he wore earlier had dissipated. “Matt?”
“Hm?”
“Everything okay? You have a look.”
He shook himself and stepped forward to fiddle with the candle. “I’m fine. Glad those bulbs worked.”
Ariana wasn’t so sure, but she wasn’t going to push it. “Me too. I can’t believe you had all those extras in your truck. I mean, who would have thought?”
He chuckled. “I know my sister. I grabbed those before I left the store, just in case.”
Glad to see him smile again, she faced him, crossing her arms over her chest. “So. You actually do have some Christmas decorations in that store of yours.”
“They were tucked in the back room, left over from when Mom and Dad managed the store. They are old. That’s why I wanted to test them first.”
“I see. Makes sense.”
He stood for a moment, looking past Ariana to the window. “They’ve been gone a while, my parents, but both of them have been on my mind a lot today.”
Maybe that’s why his attention keeps drifting. “That’s understandable, Matt.”
He didn’t say anything for a minute or two. “You know, for a long time I avoided Christmas because it dredged up too many memories. This year is different, for some reason. I am welcoming the memories.”
Ariana moved closer and touched his forearm. “How long have they been gone, Matt?” The instant she said the words, she wondered if her question was out of line. A sliver of panic raced over her abdomen. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have....”
His gaze transfixed on the candle. Matt seemed far away again. Ariana waited while he gathered his thoughts—and maybe his emotions—then briefly made eye contact and headed for the kitchen.
“A long time.” He stepped into the hallway. “How about we check on the gingerbread girls?”
“Sure.”
Ariana watched him move down the hall. His off-and-on somber mood tugged at her heart. She wished she’d not asked the question, but at the same time, Matt, at least, had shared something personal. That was positive, she hoped.
Her thoughts wandered back to what Kat said the night before. It’s not my story to tell. So, if Matt wanted her to know more, he’d tell her. She just had to be patient.
He turned. “You coming? I’m starved.”
“Yes. In a few minutes. I want to run up to my room and get my camera.”
THE SMELL OF BAKING gingerbread was even more overpowering in the kitchen than throughout the rest of the house. Ariana immediately began snapping pictures of Kat and Aimee as they baked. Aimee kneeled on a stool at the kitchen island—a pillow under her knees—rolling out gingerbread dough. She wore a too-big apron wrapped around her waist and tied in the front. She had flour smudges on her cheeks, dough on her fingers, and a smile on her face. Glancing up as Ariana aimed the camera her way, she smiled a big, toothless grin. Ariana snapped the picture.
“That one is awesome.”
Aimee grinned wider. “We’ve been baking all day.”
“I know. I could smell the ginger all over the house.” Ariana stepped closer to the island. “Are you tired?”
“A little. Mostly, it’s fun.”
“She was a big help today,” Kat called out from across the room. She peeked into the oven. “Just a couple more minutes on this one. We’ll be finished soon.”
Ariana snapped another picture of Kat. Then, looking about, she noticed all the gingerbread layers cooling on racks. “Goodness. When did you say the gingerbread house assembly happens?”
“Tomorrow,” said Aimee. “We always do it on Christmas Eve. It’s—”
“Tradition.” All voices in the room chimed in at once. Including the male voice coming from the breakfast nook, which was decidedly the loudest.
Aimee giggled. “Uncle Matt. You’re funny.”
He rose from the table, a sandwich plate in hand, and reached over to pinch Aimee’s nose. “And don’t you forget it, elf.”
“I’m not an elf.” Aimee giggled some more and batted at his hands.
Ariana snapped a quick picture of the interaction between the two.
Matt turned to Ariana. “Sandwich fixings are on the table.” He dusted the crumbs off his plate into the garbage and stashed the plate in the dishwasher. “Still hungry?”
“Famished. Thanks.”
“No problem.” Brushing his hands together, he added, “I’ve got some things to take care of outside—looks like the snow has stopped for a while—I’ll be in the barn if either of you need me.”
Kat turned. “In the barn? Are the lights finished?”
Matt approached his sister and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Relax. All done, sis. And you can thank Ariana for the expertise. It’s going to look great tonight and I can’t wait for you to see it. However, we’re requesting no peeking until later. Okay? That includes both you and the elf.” He ticked his head toward Aimee.
“I’m not an elf, Uncle Matt!”
“What?” He turned and swept Aimee off the chair and swung her around. “I’m sure your ears are pointed. Let me see.” Sitting her back down on the stool, he went about inspecting her ears. “Hm...” he said softly. “I was sure I saw points there last year. Maybe they don’t come until Christmas Eve.”
Aimee giggled again. “I don’t have points, Uncle Matt.”
He shrugged. “Well, let’s wait and see tomorrow. I do think I see little ear buds starting to grow, though. You better go look in a mirror.”
“What?” A wide-eyed Aimee hopped off the bar stool and ran out of the room.
Kat wiped her hands on a dish towel, tossed a quick glance to Ariana, and then gave Matt a long, hard look. “Excuse me. Who are you and what have you done with my brother?”
Matt feigned innocence. “What?”
Smiling, Ariana shrugged. “This guy sort of appeared this afternoon.”
Kat faced Matt and gave him a bear hug. “Well, I like him.”
Rolling his eyes at Ariana, he hugged his sister back, then settled his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed away. “Let’s forgo the mushy stuff.”
Kat grinned ear to ear.
Matt’s phone binged and he fished it out of his pocket, glanced at the face, and then turned. “Gotta take this. Later.”
“Dinner is at six.” Kat called out. “And then the lighting.”
Waving with one hand, he headed down the hall, his phone held to his ear with the other.
“Well, that’s that,” Ariana said. She watched him disappear down the hallway. Her heart felt light and happy for Matt. And, for herself. She liked him, despite his quirks, and wanted him to be happy.
“And he’s been like this all afternoon?”
“Off and on.” She swiveled to look at Kat. “He’s had a few nostalgic moments mixed in, I guess you would call them, but he was okay. I was surprised he didn’t balk at anything. We actually worked very well together.”
Moving closer, Kat said, “I told you he was a good guy.”
“I know. He is.” Ariana glanced down the hallway where he’d gone. “I like him.”
“I think the feeling is mutual.”
Ariana’s attention shifted. “What? I certainly didn’t mean...”
“I think it’s you. I’ve tried to pull him into Christmas for years without success. You pop in here for a day or two and....”
“Oh no. It’s not me. I think he’s just ready to leave whatever it is behind
.”
“Maybe.” Kat grasped Ariana’s hand. “But I still think it’s you.” Kat squeezed her hand then dropped it and headed to the oven. “So, what is this about not looking at the lights?”
“Well, if you could, do you mind keeping Aimee out of the sunroom until after the lighting? You too. Okay?”
Kat gave her the side-eye and crossed her arms. “But I need to set up the cookie trays. We always have cookies and cocoa in there after the lighting.”
“I’ll get everything set up for you.”
Kat paused. “Actually, with finishing up here and trying to get dinner on, that would be awesome. Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“Are you kidding me? I live for this stuff.”
“Oh, that’s right. Silly me.” Smiling, she added, “You know where the cookies are. The fancy trays are in the built-in cupboard in the dining room.” She checked the oven. “Oh, and in the bottom of the hutch in the sunroom, I have a few decorations I’ve used there in the past. Help yourself. Whatever you want.”
“Great. I’m on it. Right after a sandwich.”
Aimee burst back into the room. “I don’t have ear bugs!”
Kat and Ariana burst out laughing.
THE SUNROOM WAS LIT up and glowing. The lights from the candles and the Christmas tree bounced off the floor-to-ceiling windows on three walls, only adding to the magical effect. From the inside looking out, the reflections amplified the amount of light in the room. Ariana perused every nook and cranny—she wasn’t sure she could get more Christmas in the room if she tried.
Trays of cookies sat on end tables and the coffee table, as well as on the buffet top of a built-in hutch to her left. Also there, sat two thermoses of hot cocoa, a pitcher, and assorted candy additions for the hot chocolate, such as marshmallows, red hot candies, candy canes, and other chocolate meltables. She’d pulled fancy dessert plates and cups from the cupboard in the dining room, along with some candlestick holders and candles. She had forks and spoons and stirrers and napkins, too. All she needed to do later was to light the candles.