by Kris Jett
She wasn’t the forward type, though, so she shook the thought away and stared out the passenger window. They passed cabin after cabin decorated with jolly-looking Santas, glittery angels, and giant bells. Forts for snowball fights and waving snowmen were erected in the various front yards. Every single home was decorated for Christmas. Amber couldn’t believe how dedicated to the holiday spirit the people of Snowy Ridge were. Everywhere you looked felt like a warm hug. She was starting to really like it here.
They came up to a wide stretch of land with a two-story farm house at the far end and a big lot full of hundreds of Christmas trees. Nick pulled down the gravel driveway under a giant hand-painted banner that read, Christmas Trees, and turned off his truck.
“Here we go,” he said, pushing open his creaky door.
Amber did the same on her side and jumped out. She looked around. The lot seemed massive. “Wow, did they grow all of these trees here?”
“Nah. Abe has them delivered,” Nick said. “He rotates what he sells with the season. Pumpkins in the fall, plants in the summer. That kind of thing. I guess we could have gone to chop down our own tree but we’ve always just gone to Abe’s.”
Amber widened her eyes at Nick. “I wouldn’t know the first thing about chopping down a tree.”
Nick walked toward the lot entrance and said over his shoulder. “Guess we’re in the right spot then.”
Amber followed close behind and breathed in the scent of the fresh-cut trees and smiled at Nick. “It smells so good in here.”
“Doesn’t it? I don’t think I could ever have an artificial tree. The real ones smell too good.”
Amber and Nick walked side-by-side, up and down the aisles of big fat trees, considering each one. She’d never picked a tree before and wasn’t sure what to look for. Height? Needle type? Fullness? After a while they had all started to look the same to her.
There was a roaring fire in a pit in the center of the lot and they stopped to warm their hands by it.
“Do you know what kind of tree you want for the pub?” she asked.
“At least a seven-footer,” Nick said. “But the type doesn’t matter. Do you have a favorite? Balsam, Fraser, Douglas?”
Amber thought about this. “I have no idea actually. Which type is the fullest looking ones?”
“Hmm. Maybe the Balsam?” Nick suggested.
Amber looked just past Nick’s shoulder and the perfect tree caught her eye. “Wait. I see it. It’s got to be that one.” She pointed to a tree and Nick walked over to examine it.
He spent a moment walking around it and touching various branches and then turned around to look at her. “This is the one,” he said with a grin.
While they waited for their tree to be wrapped and loaded into Nick’s truck, they stepped inside the holiday store at the front of the lot. Nick bought them two hot apple ciders and two apple cider doughnuts while Amber checked out the homemade holiday signs Abe’s wife, Gloria, had made and put for sale. Nick and Amber took their goodies and left the shop, deciding to go sit by the bonfire while they ate.
Amber wrapped her hands around her to-go cup and took a sip. “Apple-y,” she said, stating the obvious.
“They have the very best cider in town. Trust me.”
“I believe you. It’s actually been a long time since I’ve had cider. It’s good.”
“I have something else for you,” Nick said, suddenly looking a bit shy. He held out a paper bag.
Amber gave Nick a surprised look and carefully took the bag. She didn’t even see him buy anything else. She couldn’t imagine what it could be. Nick had been so sweet to her ever since the first day they met at Starlight. He didn’t have to buy her something. She carefully opened the bag and pulled out a small bundle wrapped in tissue paper. She unwrapped the paper and there sat a silver sparkling pinecone ornament. She held it up by its string and examined it. “It’s so beautiful,” she gushed. She watched it twirl on the string, catching the light from the fire in the glued on clear glitter. “I love it.”
Nick smiled. “I thought you’d like a memento from out tree hunting trip. You can save it to hang on your own tree someday.”
Amber grinned widely at Nick. “I definitely will. I’ll always treasure it.” She looked back at her ornament again. Funny how something so small could make her so happy.
“Ready to get the tree back to Starlight and decorate it?” Nick asked.
Amber looked at him, startled. “You want me to help decorate it? Won’t I be intruding? I mean, is it like a tradition for your bosses or something? I don’t want to get in the way.” Amber didn’t want Nick to feel like he had to keep her entertained. She didn’t want to feel like a burden. Though, in truth, she’d love to help him decorate the tree.
Nick reached out and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Of course you wouldn’t be in the way. I need you.”
Amber didn’t know if it was the crackling fire or the apple cider she had just drunk or something else entirely but she felt warm all over. Suddenly decorating this tree with Nick was the most important thing in the world to her right now. “Then I’m there.”
Chapter Six
Nick and Amber dragged the tree into Starlight and set it up in the empty waiting tree stand in the corner. There were still several families in the pub having dinner. There was a mom and dad with what look like triplet ten-year old boys, all still wearing their snowmobile gear from waist down. There were two girls, best friends or sisters he’d guess, sharing a large plate of nachos and laughing so hard tears were rolling down their cheeks. And there was an older couple, either in their late forties or early fifties, Nick guessed, who appeared to be at the beginning of their relationship. Possibly even on a first date from the delicate way they were talking to each other. Nick was a big-time people watcher. Every day he’d study the different people who came to eat or grab a drink at the pub and try to figure out their story.
“I’m getting all sticky,” Amber cried out from above.
Nick was laying on the ground, twisting the metal spokes into the trunk base while Amber held the tree in place for him. He had branches scratching at his face and resting on top of his head so he was trying to get the tree set in place as quickly as he could.
“Sorry,” he called out to her. “I should have gotten you a pair of gloves. Sap is a nightmare to wash off.”
“It’s okay,” she said. “I should have known. Or guessed anyway.”
Nick slid out from under the tree, stood up, and gave it a once over. It looked pretty good to him. “What do you think?” he asked Amber. “Does it look straight?”
Amber got a mischievous gleam in her eye and suddenly put one sticky hand on each side of Nick’s face. “It looks perfect,” she said, giggling.
Nick might have been annoyed if it were anyone else but Amber with her hands stuck to his face, but he liked her hands there. “Looks like you’re stuck with me then,” he said softly as he put his hands over hers and looked deep into her eyes. They stared at each other and Nick felt his pulse quicken.
“Whatcha doing?” Jessie said, suddenly appearing behind Amber with a pitcher of water in each hand.
Amber jumped, startled, and ripped her hands away from Nick’s face.
“Yee-ouch!” he yelled, instinctively reaching up to his now burning cheeks with his own hands. “I think I just had my face waxed.”
Amber’s eyes grew wide. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
Nick smiled. “It’s fine, really.” To Jessie he said, “This is Amber. She’s in town with her family for the holidays. They’re working a lot and she had some free time so I asked her for some help. She was just showing me what happens when I forget to give my assistant tree wrangler gloves.”
Jessie looked from Nick’s pink cheeks to Amber’s sap-covered hands and cracked up. “I like her!” she said to Nick. “And here I thought you were just a big fan of my cocoa,” she said to Amber.
“Oh, I am,” Amber said, nodding.
“Huge.”
Jessie looked at Nick. “Here, take care of watering the tree.” She set both pitchers of water down on a nearby table. To Amber she said, “come on in the kitchen with me a sec. I’ve got something that will get that right off.”
Nick watched Amber follow Jessie to the kitchen. While his cheeks were still a bit stingy, he’d relive that moment a hundred times over to have Amber look at him like that again. There was something there between them and he knew she was feeling it too. But then reality suddenly came crashing down. She was only here for another week and then it was back to school for her and he’d probably never see her again. Maybe he needed to pump the brakes a bit. Even though it was the exact opposite of what his heart was telling him to do.
Jessie, Diedre, and Amber came strolling back toward Nick, holding stacks of boxes marked “Ornaments” in their arms.
“Decorating team is here,” Diedre announced happily. “Decorating the tree is always my favorite part of the holiday.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind my helping?” Amber said shyly.
“Are you kidding? Of course not,” Jessie said. “We’d love help.”
The four set to work. Nick and Amber passed strings of lights back and forth as they circled the tree while Diedre and Jessie unpacked ornaments and set them carefully on the table.
“Oh, sweetie, you remember this one?” Diedre asked, holding up a blue ball ornament with a tiny white handprint on it. Each of the fingers of the hand were given a small winter cap and face to make them look like five snowmen sitting in a row.
“Here we go,” Jessie said to Nick and Amber, “prepare yourselves to hear where every single ornament in that box comes from.”
“It’s so precious!” Diedre said, still gazing at the ornament.
“Is that your little hand, Jessie?” Nick asked.
“Yes, yes, once upon a time I was completely adorable and made cutesy ornaments for my mommy. But now I’m your boss so don’t you forget that buddy,” she teased.
“Aw, it’s so cute!” Nick said. “Let’s measure your big Jessie hand against it.”
Diedre and Amber giggled.
“All right wise guy. You be careful or that’s what I’m getting you for Christmas this year.”
“Please?” he kidded and everyone cracked up.
“Do you have a lot of handmade ornaments you made as a child Amber?” Diedre asked.
Nick shot her a nervous glance. Would she? She said she didn’t celebrate.
“I do,” Amber replied. “Just things I made at school or in Brownies. You know, like fake stain glass looking scenes made from color tissue paper. There were some jingle bells I made out of this cinnamon dough that got hard so you could keep it forever. And there was a toilet paper roll manger set I made in kindergarten. I think my mom saved it all in a box somewhere.”
“Oh, that all sounds sweet. I love handmade stuff.” Diedre rummaged in the box some more. “Now this one here is my absolute favorite,” she announced. She held up a silver ribbon with a string of bottle caps on it.
Jessie’s face changed and she smiled sadly at the ornament.
“What is it? Amber asked.
Diedre placed the bottle caps in her palm and rubbed them lightly with her other hand. “A long, long time ago, my husband proposed to me right here in Starlight. Over there actually,” she said with a nod at the fireplace. They all twisted their heads to look at the spot and then returned to Diedre. “He brought me to Snowy Ridge for a romantic weekend getaway,” she continued, “and we were here in the pub, having a few beers and he popped the question. He was so nervous, bless his heart. I said yes of course. Anyway, later I come to find out that he had saved all of our bottlecaps from that night and he hammered a hole in each one and made me this ornament.”
The group was silent.
“Did he give you anything else for Christmas?” Jessie asked in an apparent attempt to lighten the mood. “Actually kinda sounds like a cheap gift.”
“Jessie!” her mom scolded. “It was romantic! And I don’t remember, I’m sure he did give me another gift but this is the one I cherish. It’s sentimental.”
“I know, I know, just messing with you, Mom.”
Amber cleared her throat. “You said he took you here for a weekend. So, you didn’t always live here in Snowy Ridge?”
“Oh no. We actually both came from Cleveland, Ohio,” Diedre said. “I was a receptionist for a dentist and Stan was doing construction. We came to Snowy Ridge when we got engaged and then again for a little winter getaway and we just didn’t want to leave. And then we saw Starlight was up for sale and just took a leap of faith. We bought it and I’ve been here ever since.”
“A leap of faith,” Amber repeated.
Diedre nodded.
“That’s really cool. And brave,” she added.
“Felt kind of foolish at the time to tell you the truth. But it worked out for the best. We loved it here.”
“I can see why. It’s all so wonderful.”
“Hey,” Jessie said, like she suddenly had a thought. “Is your family doing anything special for Christmas Day dinner? Come celebrate with us.”
“Yeah,” Nick agreed.
Amber waved her hand. “I couldn’t do that.”
“Please do,” Diedre said. “We have a big celebration right here in the pub. We close for the day and we all pitch in cooking the meal. Most of the staff comes. And lots of our friends from town who aren’t leaving to celebrate with family or don’t have much family to begin with. It’s a nice crowd and we always have a good time. Invite your parents. The more the merrier. We’d love to have you all.”
Amber looked at Nick.
“I’ll be there,” he said. Even though it was a little unusual to be having Christmas dinner with someone you’d only met a few days prior, Nick really did want her to go.
“Okay,” Amber finally said. “I’ll talk to my parents. And you have to let me bake something for dessert.”
“Deal,” Diedre said.
Chapter Seven
Amber had given Nick her cell phone number the night before after they’d finished decorating the tree and he’d insisted on walking her home to the cabin. So, she wasn’t too surprised when she had received a text from him that morning. But all the same, she found she was completely delighted. This little trip to Snowy Ridge, Wisconsin, which she’d thought was going to be lonely and uneventful, had suddenly turned into lovely and exciting. It had begun with her trying to find ways to fill her days and now she was jumping out of bed wondering what might happen that day.
Nick had gotten the afternoon free from work and wanted to take her to a cake decorating class at Patterson’s Bakery. She couldn’t wait. Baking was her heart and what she did in her free time at home. She hadn’t been able to do any while living in the dorms at school so hanging out in an actual bakery for the afternoon was right up her alley.
When Amber said goodbye to her parents that morning she’d told them it was another day of reading for her but as soon as the door closed behind them she set right to work, putting together her outfit. She wanted to wear something cute but still comfortable for working with food so she went with a soft flannel shirt, skinny jeans, and her tall brown boots.
Amber heard Nick’s truck pull up and shrugged on her coat. She was pulling on her wool hat when the doorbell rang.
She flung open the door. “Hi, there.”
Nick looked handsome. He was wearing jeans and a long sleeve navy sweater, that outlined the muscles in his arms, and a gray puffer vest. His hair had a little gel in the curls today and his dark eyes were bright and happy. His cheeks were pink from the cold and he grinned so hard at her that she noticed the dimple in his right cheek looked somehow deeper. He was definitely happy to see her and she felt likewise.
“Ready to go?” he asked.
They pulled up outside Patterson’s and Nick put the truck in park. Amber took a deep breath in and let out a, “Wow.” Nick was right. Patte
rson’s was beautiful.
There was a big pink and red wine-color striped awning with fancy black lettering that spelled out Patterson’s Bakery. The store window was full of fancy pastries and big fluffy croissants. There were glazed fruit tarts and giant scones dripping in orange icing. A fancy crystal-looking chandelier hung from the top and the whole display truly had a Parisian feel to it. Even more so when they walked into the store.
How had Amber not seen this place? It was amazing. There were cute café tables with pairs of chairs all around the open room and the whole left side of the store was filled with massive glass cases hosting even more decadent desserts. And the cakes! The cakes were the masterpiece of all this sugary goodness. There were at least a dozen beautiful cakes in the middle of the store, intricately detailed with edible flowers and ribbons and fancy swirled designs. They had cakes perfect for anything from a birthday party to a wedding. And the cupcakes! There were rows of enormous cupcakes covered in three-inch high frosting in flavors that ranged from peanut butter to key-lime. It was all so divine.
Amber took a deep breath in of all the sweetness and let out a happy sigh.
Nick looked at her. “It’s pretty amazing, right?”
“Amazing,” she echoed.
“Hey, Nick, how are you doing? Are you two here for my class?” a woman asked as she approached the two.
“Yeah, we’re here to decorate cakes,” Nick replied. “Eileen, let me introduce you to Amber.”
“Hi, Amber, nice to meet you. I’m Eileen Patterson and this is my place.” Eileen wiped her hand on a towel and offered it to Amber.
Amber took her hand politely and shook.
“I’m so glad Nick brought you in. Generally, he just stops in for something to eat but the class is a lot of fun. I’ve been trying to get him to take one of my classes for forever. Nice place to meet women. Are you from out of town?” Eileen spoke quickly and without taking a breath.