by Lee Hollis
She walked over to him; and when his eyes met hers, she gave him a comforting hug.
“He wasn’t just my employee. He was my friend. I trusted the guy with my life. How could he have done such a horrible thing? How could I not see it?”
“It’s not your fault, Lex. You can’t blame yourself.”
She could tell he was tormented. Nothing she could say was going to make him feel better. It was going to take time.
All she could think to do was give him another hug. He latched onto it like a lifeline. He held her there, tight in his arms.
Perhaps a moment too long.
His embrace felt warm. It felt safe to be in his big arms again.
Finally she let go.
He leaned in, savoring the moment, with his lips puckered.
Hayley reared her head back a bit too fast to avoid the kiss.
That stopped Lex cold.
And it was at that moment that he finally knew and accepted it.
Hayley had made her choice.
His arms dropped back down to his sides and he forced a smile. “Merry Christmas, Hayley.”
“Merry Christmas, Lex.”
Chapter 39
The following day was Christmas Eve. Hayley was anxious to leave work early in order to spend the night with her family. Hayley was looking forward to a quiet, noneventful holiday. Her brother, Randy, was going to host a dinner on Christmas night, so Hayley could spend Christmas Eve with her kids.
During lunch she received a call from Sabrina asking if she would join her for a cocktail at Drinks Like A Fish. Hayley tried to beg off, but Sabrina was insistent, promising it would only be for one round and that she would be home in plenty of time to cook dinner for her kids and do any last-minute wrapping and decorating. Hayley agreed; and after wishing Sal, Bruce, and the rest of the Island Times staff a happy holiday, she drove over to her brother Randy’s bar.
The bar was surprisingly full for Christmas Eve. Randy had left early to have a romantic dinner with Sergio at home, so his crack bartender, Michelle, was on duty, serving the customers. Hayley spotted Sabrina at a corner table away from the bar. Hayley waved at her and crossed over to join her.
“Thanks for meeting me, Hayley,” Sabrina said softly, twirling the lemon from her vodka tonic around the inside of her glass.
“No problem. What’s up?”
“I want you to be the first to know. I’m resigning as county coroner.”
“Sabrina, no!”
“I’ve had a good run. I think it’s time for some new blood.”
“But you’re so good at it—”
Sabrina raised an eyebrow.
“I’m not joking, Sabrina. Everybody makes a mistake.”
“I’ve made several the last couple of years and in very high-profile cases.”
“I am so sorry if I played any role in your decision. I never meant for you to quit.”
“Rest assured this has very little to do with you.”
“Then what?”
“I’m just tired of carving open dead bodies. I want a new challenge.”
Her words sounded hollow. She wasn’t exactly being forthright. They made eye contact and Sabrina instantly saw the doubt on Hayley’s face.
“Jerry’s leaving me,” Sabrina said, taking a swig from her vodka tonic.
“What?”
“Told me this morning over breakfast. Can you believe it? I told him I was burned out and needed some time off, and maybe he could get a part-time job to help pay our bills for a few months. And before I even had the chance to take a bite of my blueberry waffles, he was asking for a divorce.”
“Oh, Sabrina, I am so, so sorry.”
“He prattled on about how the magic was gone, how we had grown apart, but that’s just a lot of crap. He was using me. Do you know how many dead carcasses I’ve carved up these last few years to support his career as an artist? I am such an idiot.”
Hayley reached over and squeezed Sabrina’s hand. “You’re not the idiot. Jerry is.”
“I feel like such a failure. My first marriage to Matt went down the toilet. And now I’ve lost Jerry.”
“You haven’t lost anything. You’ve gotten rid of deadweight. And now you’re free. This is the first day of the rest of your life. You can do and be anything you want to be.”
“You sound like a fortune cookie.”
“Yes, I know. I eat way too much Chinese food.”
They smiled at each other.
Sabrina continued to grasp Hayley’s hand, and she looked down at the table as she spoke. “I know we’ve had our differences over the years, Hayley, and I may not have been as nice to you as I could have been in high school. . . .”
That was a humongous understatement, but Hayley wasn’t about to spoil the moment by pointing it out.
“And maybe lately I’ve been feeling threatened by you and your success. . . .”
Success? What success? Successful people can pay their winter heating bill.
“But from this point on, I want to start fresh. I want us to be friends,” Sabrina said, finally raising her eyes to meet Hayley’s tentatively. “I don’t have a lot of friends.” She had no idea how Hayley was going to react to this “Come to Jesus” moment.
Hayley grinned. “Well, if you really want to be my friend, then you should know the most important thing friends always do for me.”
“What’s that?”
“Order me a drink.”
Sabrina laughed and then signaled Michelle.
Chapter 40
Hayley left Sabrina and was pulling into her driveway by 6:30 P.M., which was plenty of time to whip up a nice dinner for the kids. She hadn’t spoken to Aaron, so she was unaware of his plans or if he was going to spend part of the evening with them.
She saw the Christmas tree lights blinking through the window as she got out of the car and walked up the porch steps and inside to the kitchen.
She was surprised to smell a turkey roasting in the oven as she entered the house. She could also see a hot apple pie cooling on a rack, which was sitting on top of the stove.
“Gemma?”
“In here, Mom.”
Hayley wandered into the living room to find Gemma, Dustin, and Aaron sitting on the couch, drinking eggnog, and watching a cheesy Hallmark holiday movie on TV. Something with Andie MacDowell and one of the handsome guys from that old show Ugly Betty. Hayley had seen the movie before. It was about a small-town family on the verge of bankruptcy who were going to be evicted from their home by an evil bank on Christmas Day and how the six-year-old son writes to Santa Claus asking for help—and, lo and behold, he actually shows up.
It didn’t matter.
Hayley was more interested in what was happening right here in her living room.
Aaron was hanging out with her kids.
And there was a holiday feast ready to be eaten in her kitchen.
“Can I ask what’s going on here?”
“Aaron cooked dinner. We were just waiting for you,” Dustin said, eyes glued to the flat-screen television.
“I’ve been racking my brain trying to come up with what to get a gourmet chef for Christmas and it finally dawned on me.”
Hayley folded her arms and looked at Aaron with anticipation.
“And what’s that?”
“A night off from cooking.”
“Smells good, doesn’t it?” Gemma said, taking a sip of eggnog from her mug. “I helped with the sweet potatoes.”
“And I ran to the store to get the apples for the pie—so, technically, I helped too,” Dustin was quick to add.
Hayley took off her coat while Aaron stood up and bounded into the kitchen to pour her a cup of eggnog. He was back in a flash.
“I added a special ingredient to ours,” he said, winking, as he handed it to her.
Hayley took a small sip and nearly choked on the 90-proof bourbon.
“That’s certainly a strong Christmas spirit,” Hayley said, coughing.
“The kids told me opening their Christmas stockings is a family tradition around here, so I made sure to fill them up with goodies I bought at the store today,” Aaron said proudly.
Hayley glimpsed over to the fireplace and saw three red stockings with white furry trim hanging from the mantel, each embroidered with a name.
Mom. Gemma. Dustin.
“Aaron, I feel terrible. I didn’t know you were coming over tonight. I would’ve gone out and bought you a stocking.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. The kids have that covered.”
“What do you mean?”
“They already gave me a gift. Best one I could ever imagine.”
Hayley reacted with surprise. “Really? What did they give you?”
“Permission to spend the night.”
Aaron pinched her butt cheek and dashed off to the kitchen.
“I’ve got to check on the turkey.”
Hayley laughed.
This was going to be one Christmas for the books.
Island Food & Spirits by Hayley Powell
With all the events that unfolded during this holiday season, it was no surprise I finally collapsed in my bed after coming home from Christmas dinner at my brother Randy’s house. I quickly fell into a deep sleep and had the craziest dream. It was in the future. Twenty years or so. And I am happy to report I looked pretty darn good. Very few gray hairs. Not too many wrinkles. I guess that’s why they call it a dream.
I was married again. That was my first shock. My husband and I were sitting in our living room and waiting for our guests to arrive on Christmas Eve. We were sharing a lovely bottle of Off the Vine wine made from our very own Bar Harbor vineyard, which we had purchased some years back. Yes, how fitting I became a winemaker. The extra yearly income was a nice boost to our lifestyle—and, best of all, we had loads of wine at our disposal to share with family and friends.
The first to arrive at the house was Liddy, one of my oldest friends, and still one of my two BFFs, who had scored a huge multimillion-dollar sale on a mansion on the island that once had been owned by a former reality-TV producer a few years back. The commission had allowed her to retire finally and see the world and collect pieces of art. She had recently brought back her latest acquisition from her travels to show off at the party. Not a painting—rather, a stunningly handsome young man from Costa Rica. “Young” being the operative word. I wasn’t sure if he was old enough to drink the wine we were serving.
Next to arrive was my other best friend, Mona, with a few of her grown children who still lived on the island. Mona was carrying a newborn baby in each arm, but I am relieved to say they were her grandchildren. Mercifully, Mona had passed menopause years ago. I was starting to lose count of the grandchildren her offspring were constantly providing for her, but she was thrilled and proud of each and every one of them.
Next was my brother, Randy, who still owned his bar, Drinks Like A Fish, which had become so popular he bought two more properties and now had three highly successful Bar Harbor watering holes for the locals and visiting tourists to frequent. Randy, of course, was still with his husband Sergio, who was as handsome as ever (although Liddy’s boy toy gave him a run for his money). Sergio was still the chief of police for Bar Harbor. Poor Officer Donnie! Sergio’s second in command was waiting patiently for Sergio to hand over the reins to him, but my brother-in-law loved his job so much that he wasn’t ready for retirement just yet.
My son, Dustin, soon arrived. He looked to be in his early thirties and had grown quite tall and very handsome. Hanging onto his arm was a lovely woman, his fiancée, Destiny.
Mona’s grandchildren eagerly ran to Dustin, since he was bearing free copies of his latest, successful video game, a futuristic James Bond-type adventure, which, of course, I never understood. To no one’s surprise he had become a popular video game designer in California, where he and his future bride resided.
Last, but not least, the door flung open again and in breezed my daughter, Gemma, who had grown into such a beautiful woman! (Mothers are always biased, I know.) I’m proud to admit she had followed in her mother’s footsteps, or at least a small footprint of it. Gemma had chosen not to go to vet school, but had moved to New York City and was now a well-known food writer. The restaurant world clamored for her to come try out their delicious creations in hopes they would get a glowing review in the newspaper and her online blog. But, of course, in true Gemma fashion, she was a tough critic, with a fierce reputation, in the close-knit but competitive group of top-ranked food writers. She rarely gave rave reviews. You had to knock her off her feet. If you did, then your restaurant was suddenly on everybody’s radar and reservations became near impossible to get. My husband and I, however, dined at most of them, thanks to my powerhouse daughter’s connections.
I would like to take at least a sliver of credit for her impeccable palate. But whenever I did, I would get the same withering look she used to give me when she was a teenager. “Oh, Mom!”
Following behind her was her adoring businessman husband, who thought the world of his food critic wife and my equally adorable two twin grandsons, Jack and Daniel. Somewhere in their names I feel there is a loving nod to their grandmother there.
Gemma also had become quite the cook in her own right. She was carrying my husband’s favorite, her sweet potato casserole, which she had made for him our very first Christmas after we were married. He looked forward to it every year since. As soon as Thanksgiving was over, he would start sending her little reminders not to forget to make her sweet potato casserole. Now it was a running joke between the two of them. They had become very close over the years.
Suddenly I was jolted awake by shouting downstairs. The kids were arguing over who was going to get the last piece of pie in the fridge. It was only the day after Christmas. They had another whole week at home before the end of the holiday break. But I knew somehow I’d get through it. As I climbed out of bed and put my robe on, I had one nagging thought in the back of my head. It was that dream set in my future Christmas. As I headed downstairs to referee my kids’ wrestling match, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Who in the world would have ever thought I would end up marrying him?
Merry Christmas to everyone, and as you toast New Year’s Eve and Day, don’t forget to grab yourself a favorite bottle of wine from one of your local vineyards. Plus, this year at your own Christmas dinner, be sure to try one of our family favorites: a Christmas sweet potato casserole.
Powell Family Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
5 to 6 good-size sweet potatoes peeled, boiled, drained, and mashed (enough to make 3 cups)
½ cup melted butter
cup milk
¾ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
Pinch of salt
Topping
5 tablespoons melted butter
cup brown sugar
cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mash your sweet potatoes and add the melted butter, milk, white sugar, vanilla, beaten eggs, and a pinch of salt. Stir until well blended together. Pour into a shallow baking dish.
Now for your topping: In a bowl combine the melted butter, brown sugar, flour, and pecans. Using your fingers, mix together to make a crumbly topping, then sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potatoes. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is a golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Merry Christmas!
Please read on
for an exciting sneak peek of
Lee Hollis’s next Hayley Powell mystery
DEATH OF A CUPCAKE QUEEN
coming soon from Kensington Publishing!
Chapter 1
Sabrina Merryweather was not the kind of woman you kept waiting for long. And Hayley was panic-stricken that she was already almost a half hour late meeting her for an after-work cocktail. This explained how the back left tire of Hayley’s Kia
ran up over the curb as she tried to quickly parallel park outside her brother Randy’s bar, Drinks Like A Fish.
Hayley had been delayed at the office by an irate caller complaining about his name being misspelled in today’s Island Times “Police Beat” column.
Seriously? You want accuracy in the report of your Driving Under the Influence conviction? Unbelievable.
Hayley checked her watch as she jumped out of the car and slammed the door shut. She dashed forward but was slung back suddenly by something snagging against her shoulder blade. She had been in such a hurry that she didn’t notice she had shut her bag inside the car. The leather strap attached nearly dislocated her shoulder. Hayley lost her balance and landed butt first on the pavement, her arm still dangling from the now limp strap.
Hayley composed herself and casually glanced around to make sure no one had seen her embarrassing pratfall.
No such luck.
A couple of gum-chewing skateboarders, in shorts hanging low enough to see the label of their Jockey underwear, nudged each other with their elbows and guffawed at Hayley, who was now using the strap to pull herself up on her feet. She hit the unlock button on her remote, slowly opened the car door, and daintily removed her faux Fendi bag, which had been trapped inside.
As the snickers and giggles a few feet away persisted, Hayley brushed herself off, locked her car again, and marched inside the bar, head held high.
God, it’s only Monday.
She found Sabrina sitting alone at a table next to the wall, sipping a cocktail, a bright smile on her face. Whatever happy pill she was on, Hayley wanted a prescription. Pronto.
Sabrina had left her post as county coroner months ago after her husband had filed for divorce. She resigned in order to reassess her life and figure out where she wanted to go from here. Since that time Hayley hadn’t seen much of her at all. Which, to be truthful, wasn’t such a bad thing considering Hayley had never been all that fond of her former high-school nemesis in the first place.