Christmas on Main Street

by JoAnn Ross

  11

  Toyland

  “Ronnie, would you just look at these handmade doll clothes?” Ava held up a pink knitted sweater with a matching hat and booties.

  Ronnie turned from stacking toy soldiers in a row. “Cute! Those will sell out this weekend. Did your mom make them?”

  “A few, but the rest came from the sewing club down at Whisper’s Edge Retirement Community. Clint went with me last night to pick them up.”

  “Ava, you’re having a hard time keeping toys on the shelf. With less than a week before Christmas, we just might sell out of everything! But speaking of Clint, I’m guessing the rosy in your cheeks isn’t just from the successful sales. Don’t even try to deny it.”

  “I won’t.” Ava lit a sugar-cookie-scented candle and grinned over at Ronnie. “With those pointed elf boots and crazy twirling hat, you look as if you should be living in Whoville.”

  Ronnie rocked back on her heels, showing off the curled-upward tips of her boots. “Are the red-and-green-striped tights over-the-top?”

  “Yes, but it’s totally you.”

  “You mean that as compliment, right?”

  “Of course!”

  “Just checking.” Ronnie looked down at the painted face of the toy soldier. “The details on these are incredible. It makes me think that they march all around the shop at night when the lights go out.” Ronnie did a stiff-legged impression.

  “You have a vivid imagination, my friend.”

  “I know. It’s a curse, I tell ya. Have you picked out a present for Clint yet?”

  “Gourmet pots and pans.”

  “What?” Ronnie paused from her new task of placing plush teddy bears on a round display table.

  Ava shrugged. “The man enjoys cooking. He’ll love them.”

  “He cooks too? You are one lucky chick.”

  “I know,” Ava admitted. They might have been separated for fifteen years, but the loss of time somehow made reuniting even sweeter. All week, every night after work, Ava walked upstairs to a long kiss followed by a hot meal, and although Clint had to leave to help out at the tavern, he returned to spend the evenings with her. The fast-paced routine they had fallen into was exhausting but in a good way. Ava had never felt happier or more satisfied . . . in more ways than one. The thought made her blush.

  “There it is again, the rosy cheeks.” Ronnie grinned.

  “Oh stop!” Ava said with a laugh. This Christmas she’d have Clint with her at her parents’ celebration. While she loved their family gatherings, Ava always felt like she was floating in a sea of her brothers’ wives and children, belonging and yet a little bit lost. But this year things were going to be different. Ava made a mental note to remember to invite Pete.

  “I’m so happy for you. It’s like being in the middle of our own personal Hallmark Christmas movie. All we need is a soundtrack. And, you know, a boyfriend for me, the sidekick and scene stealer.”

  “I can fix that,” Ava said, and turned on the piped-in Christmas music.

  “A boyfriend?”

  “The soundtrack.”

  “Perfect!” Ronnie did a funny little elf dance to “Toyland” and then hurried across the shop to give Ava a hug. “We are kinda like babes in Toyland,” she said with a giggle.

  “Well, then, babe, as for the boyfriend”—Ava put her hands on Ronnie’s shoulders—“when are you going to make a play for Braden?”

  “I told you, Braden has a girlfriend, Ava. I won’t be a home wrecker.”

  “That would only be if he were married.”

  “Still . . .” Ronnie turned and busied herself pouring silver candy kisses into a big red bowl sitting next to the cash register.

  “When I was over at the bakery ordering more cookies, I overheard that he broke up with Stacy.” Ava wiggled her eyebrows.

  “Really?” Ronnie perked up at the news but then shrugged. “I mean, that’s cool but whatever.”

  “Well, now, I have to wonder why Braden has come in here pretty often. He doesn’t have any kids to shop for.”

  “To see you! You’re neighbors and you used to babysit for him.”

  “To see me, right. That’s why he brought you a cookie from the bakery last week.”

  “Because it was shaped like an elf and he thought it was funny.”

  “And he knows you like Grammar’s cookies.”

  “Who doesn’t?”

  “Hmm . . . and here he comes walking across the street now.”

  “What?” Ronnie squeaked.

  “Hey, you’re starting to sound like an elf,” Ava teased, but Ronnie’s attention was fixed on the young man heading their way. Reaching up, Ronnie touched her funny hat, licked her lips, and smoothed her puffy little skirt. Ava put a hand to her chest, remembering that breathless, fluttering feeling when Clint walked into a room. She pressed her lips together, thinking that young love was so fresh and exhilarating. But it could also be fleeting and uncertain. What Ava had with Clint was built on young love but was now deeper, stronger, and more powerful. Ava smiled softly.

  And, yes, better.

  Just as Ava had thought, Braden gave her a brief wave and then walked over to where Ronnie pretended that straightening the bows on the bears was extremely important.

  “Oh hi, Braden!” Ronnie did a commendable job acting surprised. “What brings you in here?”

  “Aw, just out shoppin’ and I thought you might give me an idea of what to get my mom,” Braden said in that slow cowboy way.

  “Oh . . .” Ronnie nodded. “But this is a toy store,” she reminded him with a grin.

  “I know.” Braden tipped his cowboy hat back a notch. “But I was wondering if you might take part of your lunch hour to help me out? I’m heading over to the feed store, but I’ll take you to Wine and Diner if you can help me find the perfect gift for my mom.”

  Oh, how in the world could Ronnie refuse Braden’s oh so cute request? Ava had to smile.

  Ronnie glanced over at Ava. “Oh, I don’t know; we’ve been so busy.”

  Braden didn’t miss a beat. “Ava? Can you spare Ronnie for a little while this afternoon?”

  “Sure.” Ava nodded. “Ronnie, I’ll text you if we get swamped.”

  “Thanks,” Braden said and turned back to Ronnie. “I’ll drop on by around noon.” And then, with a tip of his hat, he quickly went on his way.

  “Well, now . . .” Ava said, but Ronnie had a deer-in-headlights look.

  “I can’t go walking around town dressed like this!”

  “I told you that you didn’t have to wear the costume every day.”

  “The kids love it, but that’s here in the store. I can’t go to lunch dressed like this.”

  “It’s never stopped you before.”

  “And I wasn’t with Braden!”

  “Besides, it’s kind of Hallmark movie–ish, don’t you think?”

  Ronnie laughed. “I think we’re rubbing off on each other.”

  “And I like it! It was about time I let my hair down and lived my life. Now get back to work, my little sidekick. We’re about to get busy.”

  • • •

  The rest of the weekend passed in a holiday-colored blur. By Monday afternoon, the lack of inventory coupled with the threat of snow had Ava sending Ronnie home and closing A Touch of Whimsy early. Her decision to close also gave Ronnie the opportunity to go out to the Greenfield farm for a bonfire and ice skating party. Ava remembered how she’d loved the bonfires down at the Sullys’ cabin by the river—sometimes shared with friends, but often just the two of them creating memories of their own.

  “I know. I’m home early,” Ava said to her delighted puppy. “Gives me time to wrap presents before Clint gets home,” she said. She put her hands to her cheeks. “Home,” she whispered and then smiled. She and Clint hadn’t spent a day apart since the night of the mistletoe. While Clint rented the condo over by the stadium, she almost felt as if her loft had become his home. Their relationship had gone from zero to eighty in nothi
ng flat, but everything about it felt right.

  After changing into comfy sweatpants and a hoodie, Ava poured a glass of sweet tea and hauled out her Christmas gifts to wrap. She gave Rosie a pig’s ear to keep her busy and then turned on her favorite Amy Grant Christmas CD. Hopefully, she’d have the presents wrapped and beneath the tree by the time Clint walked through the door. Wrapping was usually a task that Ava rather dreaded, but she found herself humming along with Amy Grant and happily adding little decorative touches to the gifts. When she got to the big box filled with the copper-bottomed cookware, Ava laughed, bringing a curious doggie look from Rosie.

  “I know. I’m acting silly. I guess that’s what being in love is all about. I just can’t stop smiling.”

  When it got to be a little bit late, Ava began to wonder why Clint wasn’t home. But she shrugged it off. He’d mentioned planning something special, and maybe he was like most guys and doing some last-minute Christmas shopping. Perhaps Sully’s was simply too busy to allow him to take his dinner break. “I think I’ll just take a hot bath,” Ava said, getting an alarmed bark from Rosie. “Not a bath for you,” Ava assured her dog. “I just need to soak these tired bones. By the time I’m done, Clint should be here.”

  12

  Blue Christmas

  Clint whistled his way down the hallway, heading for his father’s office. The tavern was a bit dead, due to the threat of a snowstorm that the weatherman was still trying to track. In Kentucky, just a few inches of snow were enough to send loaves of bread and gallons of milk flying off the shelves, but they were saying this one could dump a foot of snow on them if the conditions were right.

  Clint was anxious to get over to Ava’s. Instead of visions of sugarplums, he’d had visions of Ava dancing in his head all day long. Clint closed his eyes and paused before he reached the office door. He’d taken the day to go Christmas shopping, and when he entered Designs by Diamante, the jewelry store over on Wedding Row, all he had intended to purchase was a necklace or maybe earrings. But instead he’d bought a ring.

  At Clint’s request, Nicolina, the talented jewelry designer and owner of the shop, started showing him necklaces, but his gaze kept traveling over to ring display. With a soft laugh, Nicolina steered him over to the ring case, and a diamond droplets ring seemed to be calling his name. Framed in matte gold, the teardrop diamonds circled the finger. Earthy and elegant, the unique ring reminded Clint of Ava. The teardrops were a testimony that he would want to see only happy tears, and Clint realized it was the perfect gift.

  Although they were going to her parents’ house on Christmas Day, Clint wanted to give the ring to Ava tomorrow on Christmas Eve. He was going to finally say what he had been longing to say for the past couple of weeks. He loved her. He wanted this Christmas to go from being a second chance to a new beginning and he wanted the setting to be perfect. After thinking about it for a few moments, he smiled suddenly, knowing that his dad’s cabin down by the river would be just right. They used to sneak there when they were teenagers, and the cabin was where Clint had told Ava he loved her for the first time.

  “Perfect!” Clint said with a smile. “Who the hell knew I was such a romantic?” He had his work cut out for him since he knew he would need to air the cabin out and stock it with supplies for a special dinner. First he needed to stop by the tavern and let his father know his plans. But as he walked down the hallway toward his father’s office, he overheard him on the phone.

  And it stopped him cold.

  “Maria, I didn’t tell you about my heart condition because we’re divorced.” Pause. “I know we share a son together. But you gave up the right to know about me when you left. Don’t give me that,” he growled. Then he paused again. “No, I don’t want your help! Clint is here.”

  Clint inhaled sharply and stepped back, leaning against the wall. When he was a kid, hearing his parents argue used to make him break out in a cold sweat, but this time all he did was shake his head. “Well, it may not have been your intention, but you are upsetting me, Maria” After a pause Clint heard, “Really? I know it’s the holidays. Bury the hatchet? Look, if you’re worried that I’m going to kick the bucket, you can stop. Clint has me eating rabbit food and exercising. I’m healthy as a horse.”

  Clint knew he shouldn’t eavesdrop, but he couldn’t help himself.

  “Well, he shouldn’t have told you. No, I don’t need your help. Okay . . . okay, I will. Bye.”

  Clint stepped into the office and folded his arms over his chest. “Seriously? Mom wanted to come here and you just blew her off?”

  “Only because you had to run your mouth and tell her about my damned heart.”

  Clint looked up at the ceiling and then back at his father. “She asks about you, Dad. She always does, and she’s been asking nonstop since she found out you were having some health issues.”

  “She . . . she does?”

  “Yeah. Look. I know how you feel. Putting your heart out there feels like you’re up to bat, it’s the bottom of the ninth, two outs, full count bases loaded, and you’re down by one. What did you always tell me?”

  “Swing with no fear.”

  “Exactly. That’s what I’m trying to do, and I hope you’ll do yourself a favor and do the same thing. Taking a risk is better than never knowing.”

  “Did I say that too?”

  Clint grinned. “No, it was a wise little elf. And speaking of Christmas, I have some shopping left to do. Do you need me to bartend tonight?”

  “No. Get your shopping done. I’ll be fine.”

  Clint was about to tell him that he was heading out to the cabin, but the phone rang and his father started talking to a vendor. Instead, Clint grabbed the keys to the cabin from the hook on the wall and headed out the door. He’d call his dad later. Right now he had some work to do.

  13

  We Need a Little Christmas

  “No, Ronnie, for the last time, I haven’t heard from Clint,” Ava said from where she shelved the last of the toys that they still had on hand. “He hasn’t returned any of my calls or text messages yesterday or today.”

  “Have you talked to Pete?”

  “No,” Ava answered flatly. “If there were some kind of emergency or something, Pete would have called me. I think . . .” She swallowed hard. “I think that this thing between us has just moved way too fast for him and he’s having second thoughts.”

  Ronnie stomped her elf boot so hard that the curled toe wiggled up and down. “Ava! It’s Christmas Eve. You and Clint need to be together.”

  “Apparently he doesn’t think so,” Ava said, trying her best to keep her voice steady. “Look, he left me once before without looking back, and I guess he’s doing it again. But listen, sweetie, you should go home.”

  “It’s only noon. We’ll have some last-minute shoppers.”

  “I can handle it,” Ava gently assured her. “Look, I’m going to be okay. You can go.”

  “Oh, Ava, I just don’t get it.” Ronnie frowned and looked as if she were going to burst into tears. Ava knew the feeling but forced herself to keep a stiff upper lip.

  “What can I say?” Ava shrugged. “Life is weird.”

  “This just sucks.” A tear slid down Ronnie’s cheek, nearly Ava’s undoing. “This is not a Hallmark movie ending,” Ronnie protested in a sad tone. “I mean, look, we’re having a white Christmas and everything.”

  “Another reason you should go. The roads are terrible and getting worse.”

  “Ava, I have a four-wheel-drive truck. I’ll be fine.”

  Ava walked over and put her arm around Ronnie’s shoulders. “Hey, I’m going over to my parents’ farm later on. After a glass of my dad’s spiked eggnog, I’ll be fine. Please, Ronnie. Head on out and enjoy the holiday. I don’t want to think you’ll be sad on Christmas Day. As a matter of fact, I’m going to close up in a little while.”

  Ronnie sniffed but nodded. “All right, but text me later, okay?”

  “I will,” Ava promised and gave R
onnie’s shoulders a firm squeeze. “Now shoo!”

  After Ronnie reluctantly left, it was difficult to keep her chin up any longer and Ava’s lips trembled. Not wanting a customer see her dissolve into a puddle of tears, Ava was about to walk over and lock the door when a woman entered. After swallowing hard, Ava managed a wan smile. Wait . . . she looked familiar.

  “Hello, Ava. I know it’s been a while, but I’m Maria Sully.”

  “Clint’s mom?” Ava asked and then felt silly. “Of course you are. May I help you?”

  “As a matter of fact, yes.” Her rich brown hair was cut in a flattering layered bob framing her face. Shiny cowboy boots peeked out beneath her jeans, and she wore an expensive-looking leather coat with a jewel-toned scarf artfully tied around her neck. Maria had to be somewhere around sixty, but you would never guess it.

  “What can I do for you, Mrs. Sully?”

  “I’m looking for Clint. I haven’t heard from him since yesterday, and it’s not like him not to return my calls.”

  Ava felt a flash of alarm. “Did you talk to Pete?”

  She nodded. “Yes, and he said Clint had asked for the night off last night to shop, and he assumed he was with you. So he’s not?”

  Ava shook her head. “I’ve been trying to contact him too.” She put a hand to her chest. “Have you been over to his condo?”

  “He’s not there.”

  “Oh . . .” Ava frowned.

  “I have to ask, do you know why he might have left?”

  “If you’re asking if we had a fight or something, the answer is no. Quite frankly, I’m totally hurt and confused. I have to wonder if Clint was feeling overwhelmed about the seriousness of our relationship. But if he was leaving, surely he would tell you or Pete.”

  Maria shook her head. “Something isn’t right. I’m worried sick, Ava. I’m going to head over to the tavern and see if Pete knows anything. In the meantime, if you hear from him, let me know.” She dug inside her purse and pulled out a card. “My number is on here.”