by Jenny Hale
“How many cookies has Grandma let you have?”
“Not too many,” her mom said when Lucas didn’t answer. “But it’s after Thanksgiving. That’s close enough to Christmas to start celebrating, I say! It’s just one long party after Thanksgiving, isn’t it?”
Lucas allowed a little amusement at his grandma’s answer to show, his gaze bouncing back and forth between Noelle and her mother. Muffy had maneuvered through Lucas’s legs and started to walk away. Noelle reached down and pet her as she walked past, and she turned around, coming back for more.
“Where’s Dad?” She knew how hard he was probably taking this. Gram was his mother, and he had spent many nights listening to Gram’s big plans for when Noelle took over the bakery. Gram had always offered it to Heidi as well, but it was Noelle who’d shown interest, talking until the wee hours of the morning with her dad and Gram, and her dad had told her that Noelle’s interest was because she and Gram were so alike. He’d also told her that he couldn’t imagine Noelle doing anything else with her life; she was such a natural like her gram.
“He took the truck to get more wood for the fire. The temperature’s dropping tonight and it’s gonna get cold.”
“It’s already cold!” Noelle brushed the gingerbread crumbs off her hands over the sink, which was full of dirty bowls and spoons from all the baking. Now everything was making sense. Her father had been quiet at dinner last night, and she could tell he was keeping to himself. She knew him well enough to understand that it was because he blamed himself for the bakery failing—she just didn’t know why the rent had gone up so high.
Her mom sank a cake stirrer into the batter of yet another bowl. “Does Lucas have warm pajamas to wear?”
The question had only been intended to keep the mood light, but Noelle had heard questions like these since they’d arrived yesterday morning. Her mother had showered her with them the moment she’d arrived. While she was just concerned, Noelle took the inquiries harder than she probably should because her mom’s worry meant that she didn’t trust Noelle to have it all together for her son.
The truth of the matter was that Lucas didn’t have winter pajamas—he’d grown out of them. Instead, he had a sweatshirt and a pair of long johns. Those were perfectly fine and warm, but Noelle remembered how her mother would always buy the whole family matching Christmas pajamas growing up, and Noelle put pressure on herself to create those kinds of memories with Lucas. But right now, what he had would have to do because they were nice and comfortable. “He has warm pajamas, Mom,” she said.
Noelle’s phone pinged with an email notification. It was Melinda Burnett. Suddenly, this job offer that Heidi had found for her took on new importance without the possibility of her working at the bakery. It was now her only potential source of income. “Do you mind if I just pop into Dad’s study to check this message? It’s about my new job.”
“Not at all. Lucas and I were getting ready to stuff gift bags with cookies for everyone.” She dropped a special dog cookie that she made each year into Muffy’s bowl. “Lucas, wash your hands, sweet pea, and you can help me fill them.”
“Thanks.” Noelle turned to Lucas. “I’ll be right back.” With a renewed air of excitement at the idea of something going according to plan, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek and left the room, feeling relieved about the fact that soon she’d be able to pay her bills without worrying about every penny. While this job wasn’t what she’d intended to do originally, she reminded herself that it was just a stop on her journey, and the fact that she’d gotten a job this quickly was a Christmas miracle.
I hope this email finds you well, she read, skimming along quickly to get to the meat of it. Melinda Burnett had been asked to manage William’s affairs in the interim until Noelle could take over. She read on and then her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when she saw the salary. She double-checked the top of the message to be sure this was the real Melinda Burnett and not someone playing a cruel joke on her. The pay was more than she’d ever made at the property management firm, and she was being given an apartment-sized suite at the house for her and Lucas. Noelle looked up, her vision not registering anything; her thoughts were racing. A prickle of elation spread along every inch of her skin as she resumed reading.
Then, she stopped when she saw the man’s whole name: William Harrington. She scanned further for the address, locating it and immediately recognizing it. The elderly man she’d be caring for was the grandfather of Alexander Harrington, who lived at the old Harrington mansion up on the hill by the school she’d gone to as a girl. As they’d walked past it, Phoebe had swooned over Alexander Harrington, blabbing on to her and Jo about her dreams to marry a prince like that. He was like some sort of prince, having gone to the most elite schools while they all attended the one in the neighborhood.
So Noelle would be making a ton of money and working in a mansion? It took but a moment for her to consider the position. Immediately, she fired off an email, accepting. Then, she clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle her squeals of joy. Things were looking up!
“Hey,” her mom said, peeking her head around the doorframe. Her brows furrowed. “You okay?”
“Yes!” Noelle said. “Totally fine.” She was more than fine. She was overjoyed!
“Just wanted to tell you that Pop-pop and Heidi are coming over for dinner tonight. Has Jo finished her shopping yet? You could see if you could catch her before she heads home. Maybe she’d come out for a good made-from-scratch meal. And maybe Phoebe? I’ve got a huge roast to go in the oven. We need people to help us eat it.” She winked at Noelle, and her heart swelled with love for her mother. She was really trying to take Noelle’s mind off the bakery and she knew that having her friends and family around would be just what Noelle needed.
“Okay,” she said, still trying to straighten out her grin.
“What is it, dear?” her mother said, smiling herself at Noelle’s reaction.
“I’ll tell you at dinner.”
“The suspense is killing me.” Her mother rolled her eyes playfully, annoyed that she had to wait. But she was a good sport about it.
Chapter Four
As soon as Noelle mentioned the bakery was closing its doors, Jo was more than ready to come back out to see her friend. And all Noelle had to do was say Phoebe’s name, and Jo had already sent their friend a text.
“I love that you’re close now! We haven’t all gotten together in ages!” Jo said, her voice bouncy on the other end of the line, making Noelle smile. She knew that Jo could sense her emotions when she’d brought up Hope and Sugar, and that was what had made Jo immediately agree to come out, but Jo was obviously trying to lighten her mood. Little did Jo know that, despite the heartbreaking news about the bakery, Noelle also had something wonderful to tell everyone, and she was so glad her friends were close enough to be there to share in her excitement. While it wouldn’t make the loss of the bakery any better, it would at least bring a little joy to the season.
“I know.” Noelle couldn’t wipe the smile off her face. And she couldn’t wait to share the news with her friends. They’d never believe she was actually going to work in the Harrington mansion. The grounds were so big that, as children, the house on the hill had seemed like miles away from the street below, along which they walked home from school every day. Brick walls ran around the large expanse of the property, securing it, and there was a locked iron gate at the front. Sometimes, they’d play hopscotch on the squares of sidewalk alongside the grounds, parting ways at the end of the street.
“I’ll bring wine!” Jo said, her voice sing-songy with excitement.
Noelle reminisced about all the times the three of them had spent late nights together before they’d settled far enough from each other that their regular meetings had dwindled. In the days when Noelle had worked as many hours as she could and then run after a toddler until she was ready to drop, one of her friends would show up at her apartment with a bottle of cheap wine and they’d pop
popcorn, turn on a movie and fill up their glasses until it was gone, giggling and ruminating about the good ol’ days before their lives had gotten so crazy.
“Only if it’s the fizzy kind with the screw cap,” Noelle teased with a laugh.
“Oh, Gaawwd.”
Noelle laughed out loud, feeling the smile on the other end of the line, knowing Jo remembered those nights just as well as she did.
“Oh!” Jo said, her voice trailing away from the phone. She came back and said, “Phoebe just texted. What time?”
“Mom’s dinner will be ready at six.”
“Give me twenty minutes. I’ll beat her there! With the wine.”
Heidi had arrived at the same time as Jo, the two of them chattering away as they both greeted Noelle. Noelle had been buzzing around, turning on lamps, lighting candles, and setting out pre-dinner nibbles. The air radiated Christmas: the sound of carols through the speakers in the living room, the smells of sausage, stuffing, and gingerbread wafting around, the lights, and the warm, cozy fire glowing.
Jo swung the bottle of wine into Noelle’s view. “Screw cap,” she said with a wink, and thrust it into her hands. “Where’s that darling boy of yours?” Before Noelle could reply, she let herself in and headed to the kitchen, leaving Noelle with her sister.
“Is Pop-pop here?” Heidi asked, tugging on the wine bottle to inspect the label. She shook her head, amused at Jo’s choice, her almond curls bouncing, as she shrugged off her coat and draped it on a chair. Their mother had been puttering around the house behind Noelle for the last few minutes, straightening things and lighting more candles, alight with the joy of having everyone over. She loved this kind of thing, and she was in her element. She swooped in and scooped up the coat, kissing Heidi on the cheek with a loving hello.
Noelle grinned at her mom as she swished away from the door, the coat under her arm. “Pop-pop’s not here yet,” Noelle said, feeling lighter than she had in days. It felt nice to have a little normalcy finally, and the prospect of a new job didn’t hurt her mood either. Her sister scrutinized her curiously, and Noelle knew her constant smiling was giving her away, but Noelle wasn’t going to budge on her good news until she had everyone together.
“Gus, the fire is wonderful,” their mother nearly sang, Heidi’s coat still tucked under her arm as she stopped briefly to warm her hands. He smiled at her compliment, but Noelle thought he still looked tired.
Perhaps her announcement would lighten the mood for him, even if just for the night. Her father had worried about her terribly—he’d told her so when she’d first called them after losing her job. Then she could tell after he’d given her the news about the bakery closing that he’d felt so guilty about it all. Her being let go wasn’t his fault, but he’d seemed to take it as if it were. She knew he’d do anything he could to give her the bakery, so whatever had happened with the rent must have been pretty hard to overcome.
Noelle focused on the firebox in the large, stone hearth; it was blazing, the flames licking their way up the chimney. The warmth of it was a perfect accompaniment to the six red-velvet stockings that hung from the mantle, all embroidered with their respective names: Gus, Nora, Heidi, Noelle, Lucas, and, of course, Muffy.
After receiving a hello from Jo, Lucas came in and settled on the sofa, a book in his hands. As he got comfortable, he smiled shyly at his aunt Heidi.
“How’s my sweet nephew?” she said, plopping down beside him. She tucked a curl behind her ear and leaned toward him.
“Fine,” he said quietly, with a happy look on his face.
“Look at you, reading that big book all by yourself,” she said, before turning wide-eyed toward Noelle. Noelle knew that the average six-year-old didn’t read chapter books, let alone ones as large as that. Even before he’d entered school, he devoured the little storybooks himself whenever Noelle hadn’t been able to read them to him. That was when they’d first gone to the library. She’d had to get him a library card at the age of four just to keep up with his reading habit.
Lucas acknowledged her comment brightly, his eyes already on the page.
Heidi left him to it. She was always good at being around Lucas. Strangers would look at Noelle questioningly when his responses weren’t like most kids’. He didn’t say much to them, but it wasn’t because he didn’t like people. That was just how he was. Noelle had met with his teachers, worried that he might have trouble making friends, being so quiet. His teachers had told her that, while his relationships were limited, they appeared fine, he didn’t seem overly bothered, and his scores at school were exemplary—he didn’t show any signs of anxiety over his shyness. When required to answer things, his replies were reasonably relaxed, nothing to cause any concern.
The doorbell rang and Noelle’s father answered it. “Oh, no. Not you,” he teased, the first spark of amusement Noelle had seen since she’d arrived showing in his face.
Phoebe was at the door. She held up her bustled white gown and stepped inside, the hoop skirt barely squeezing through the doorway. She was holding a cookie tin and wine, her tiara a bit lopsided. Wobbling the bottle of wine upward as she tried to keep the headpiece from completely falling off her head, she said, “You didn’t think I’d let you escape from me for an entire holiday, did you, Gus?” Phoebe wedged the wine between her body and elbow now as she leaned in for a hug, wrapping her thin arm around Gus’s large frame. She moved her enormous dress before the lace got caught in the door and kissed his cheek.
Phoebe had a shock of red hair and freckles, and it worked for her—she could be on the cover of a fashion magazine, which was perfect, given her choice of profession, as she was an actress. Never quite able to break into the scene, she’d done bit parts in commercials here and there and she kept a string of steady day jobs, always holding out for her big break. She’d just started dating a chiropractor named Paul, and he was always buying her gifts, the latest, a pair of silver earrings. Phoebe had told Noelle that he couldn’t wait for Christmas and she’d opened the little box over a gluten-free pizza and two glasses of champagne. While her career was at a standstill, Phoebe was happy and it looked like she might have found her perfect guy.
“Just promise me you won’t blow anything up,” Gus said with a smirk, ignoring the fact that she was dressed like a wedding-colored Cinderella—probably nothing Phoebe did surprised him anymore. It was good to see him back to his normal, teasing self.
“That wasn’t me! It was your daughter! Set him straight, Noelle,” she said, walking into the room and kissing both Noelle and Jo on the cheek before swishing her way toward the kitchen, to make herself at home like she always did, puffy layers of satin and lace trailing behind her. She wrinkled her nose with a cutesy smile and a little wave at Lucas, who giggled and looked back down at his book as she left the room.
“She’s going into the kitchen!” Gus called out in mock warning, and they all laughed.
When they were nine, Noelle and Phoebe had decided to make a cooking show using her parents’ old movie recorder. They weren’t allowed to use the gas stove, so they decided to fill the microwave to the brim with the marshmallow-chocolate sandwiches. The sugar in the marshmallows began to caramelize and burn, sending the spongy cubes bursting and splattering. The loud pops and burning smells caused Noelle’s parents to come racing into the kitchen where they found the chocolate-marshmallow explosion, dripping and oozing from the microwave while the girls smeared it around on the cabinets, the floor, each other, trying to wipe it up. It had been the running joke that neither of them was ever allowed to cook again, and that joke had followed them into adulthood.
“What in the world are you up to now, wearing that get-up?” Jo asked, her eyes dancing with hilarity already, as they joined her in the kitchen.
“I’m still in character,” Phoebe said with seriousness before breaking into an enormous grin. “It’s my latest acting gig—good for the résumé. I brought clothes to change into, by the way. They’re in my bag,” she said over her shou
lder as she stood by the large island.
Muffy barked, alerting everyone that Pop-pop was letting himself into the kitchen through the side door. Noelle greeted him as he wiped his boots on the mat, wobbling a little and missing it. He shrugged off his coat and Noelle’s mother took it from him after a quick hug. “Hi, Dad,” she said. While he was Gus’s father, Noelle’s mother had called him Dad since they were young. He’d asked her to the minute Gus had told him they were engaged. “I’ve opened some wine. Want a glass?”
“You know you can assume that every time,” he said with a wink. Then he saw Phoebe in her gown and shook his head. “I’m underdressed.” Pop-pop knew all too well how playful Phoebe was. She and Noelle would visit the bakery together when they were kids. Phoebe, only in elementary school, would offer a sugary smile to customers and convince them to get an extra pastry, and it worked every time. They’d leave chuckling at her candor, bags of cookies and cakes in their hands. Pop-pop had told her that if she ever needed an extra buck, he’d put her to work as soon as she could legally be behind the counter.
“Yes, you are,” she said with a grin, dropping the tin and wine onto the island and pulling off her tiara. “You know the legendary Santa—the one who sits in the bookshop downtown? He needed a Snow Queen. He told me at church last Sunday.”
“Mr. Santori? I love him,” Noelle whispered, so Lucas wouldn’t hear his real name. “He’s so sweet.” Mr. Santori dressed up as Santa Claus every year. His wife was a seamstress and had made the most gorgeous red-velvet suit with white cuffs and satin buttons. He had even had the local shoemaker design a wide black leather belt to match his boots. Every Christmas, Mr. Santori would sit in the old bookshop, reading books. He started in October, well before the Christmas season, telling the kids that he wasn’t working yet. People who lived in town knew that their kids could write early Christmas lists and give them to Santa before the Christmas craze started. The tradition got bigger, and Hope and Sugar Bakery had even supplied milk and cookies free of charge the whole months of October and November. That was before Gram had passed away. Noelle wondered if anyone had provided cookies since.