by Tonya Kappes
“Granny will die.” Belle Greenlee chomped her gum with a shit-eating grin on her face.
Everyone in town knew matchmaker Hazel Greenlee had Mitch and Maggie all set to marry. There was even gossip going around town that she already had the wedding planned all the way down to the paper plates and paper wedding bells.
“I think it’s great.” Tommy Elswick rang the cow bell behind the bar to get everyone’s attention.”A round of drinks on the house.”
The entire bar erupted in cheers and sang along with the Garth Brooks song, “Friends in Low Places.”
“Thank you.” Mitch raised the mug Tommy had given him in the air.”
“I’m so excited!” Susie Benton stood up and hugged them both. Her left eyebrow raised just a smidgen. “I knew something was going on between you two. I could just feel it.”
“We just started dating a few weeks ago. Only a handful of people know.” Wendy took her beret off and her long blonde hair tumbled down her back.
Yes, she was beautiful, Mitch thought.
“Like who?”Tommy leaned over the bar to get the full scoop.
“Don’t look at me.” Mitch pointed to Wendy. “She did all the talking.”
He was surprised it hadn’t gotten all over the small town.
“I told Beth and Liz Day.” She nodded with pride.
“Not me?” Susie flung her head to the side, her curls flying into everyone’s beer. “Why Liz Day?”
“Because she’s doing a little decorating from the mayor’s office and it certainly needs a woman’s touch.” Wendy insisted on Liz Day, the newest shop owner and only interior designer in town.” The Mole Hole Interiors will help design the office. Plus, using a local shop should help the town’s economy.”
“I’m a woman and I’m Mitch’s assistant.” Susie did have a good point. “But, I’ll forgive you if Benton’s IGA does the catering for the hoedown on the big day.”
“You know it.” Wendy and Susie clinked their mugs together, splashing beer everywhere.
Susie Benton’s family owned the only grocery store in Grandberry Falls and made the best pork barbeque this side of the Mississippi, according to all the residents of the town.
“Aren’t we putting the cart before the horse?” Mitch reminded them. “We are just dating.”
Mitch hadn’t given much thought to marrying anyone other than Maggie. No, that thought needed to disappear, he thought, glancing over at Belle Greenlee.
He turned and walked toward her, easing into a smile.
“You don’t have to say anything.” Belle squeezed his hand that was gripped on the bar like he was holding on for dear life. “I won’t tell Granny.”
It wasn’t Hazel that Mitch was worried about. It was Maggie.
Always Maggie.
“You have to let her go.” Belle pulled her bleach blonde hair into a pony tail. Her blue eyes pierced him like one of the icicles hanging from the falls.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Mitch tried to cover up his emotions, but he had never been good at it.
Maggie could read his every emotion and apparently so could all the Greenlee’s. He chalked it up to their superstitious instincts.
“Mitch, I saw you outside by the falls with Maggie. Funny how the falls always have a way of bringing you two together.”
He looked around, dismissing Belle’s comment, and making sure no one was around.
“Is Maggie a…a…” Mitch cleared his throat. He shuddered inwardly at the thought of the word he was trying to say.
“Engaged?”
He ached with inner pain.
“Yes.” Belle looked down. She was avoiding him and he knew it.
“Good for her.” A sensation of intense sickness and desolation swept over him. He looked at Wendy who was intently focused on him.
He waved.
She smiled.
It was only natural to feel pain after loving a woman for twenty-five years only to find out she’s engaged.
His smile broadened. Wendy was here. She was his future. No sense in living in the past.
Chapter Four
Even though the sign on the door read “closed”, Maggie tapped on it anyway. There was a light on upstairs and she was sure Celia Briggs was up.
The Ladybug Florist didn’t open for another hour, but Maggie had managed to avoid seeing Granny last night and this morning.
Normally, they would get up and go have breakfast at The Fatted Pig for some of Mamie’s biscuits and gravy, but normally, Grady wasn’t with her.
“Maggie?” Celia was wrapping the robe’s tie around her waist.
“Oh, Celia, I’m sorry.” Maggie turned to leave, thinking Celia must have been sleeping.
“Wait. Come on. I’ll put on a pot of coffee.” Celia opened the door for Maggie to follow her.
Maggie stepped into the English florist shop and stopped.
She inhaled.
There was nothing more powerful than the smell of fresh flowers. Nor was there anything more beautiful than a flower shop decorated for Christmas. There were decorated Christmas trees wherever Maggie turned. Each one had a different theme.
“I love this.” Maggie pointed to the lattice fencing hanging from the ceiling with white Christmas lights intertwined with holly and garland.
Interesting, Maggie thought. She’d never seen lattice fencing hanging from ceiling.
“Thank you. I got a lot of ideas while I was in Los Angeles.” She motioned for Maggie to follow her to the back of the shop.
“Los Angeles?” Maggie questioned.
Celia darted around making coffee. Maggie picked up every flower she could just to smell.
“Didn’t Hazel tell you?” Celia held up her ring finger. “Sam asked me to marry him.”
“Congratulations!” Maggie hugged Celia.
She had forgotten all about Sam Barber, the famous actor who showed up in Grandberry Falls, and stole Celia’s heart.
“I can’t believe I forgot.” Maggie’s cheeks flushed from embarrassment. “Tell me about it.”
Celia poured a couple cups of coffee and then opened the back door for Charlie, her schnauzer so he could go out and bounce around in the freshly fallen snow.
“It was everything I dreamed of and more.” Celia’s smile said it all.
Maggie looked over her shoulder to see what Celia was gazing at.
“There’s my man. Sam, this is my friend Maggie.”
Maggie opened, and shut her mouth. Sam was even better looking in person.
Celia laughed.
Maggie blushed at her own excitement. “I’m sorry. I’ve never seen a movie star in person.”
“No different than you.” Sam cuddled up to Celia. “I’ll be living here fulltime soon and I’m sure we’ll run into each other a lot.”
“Maggie doesn’t live here. She’s a lawyer in New York City.” Celia corrected. “She’s Hazel Greenlee’s granddaughter.”
Sam nodded. “So you’re getting married to Mitch, right?” He gestured to her diamond.
“Oh my God, are you engaged?” Celia grabbed her hand.
“That’s why I’m here.” Maggie gently pulled her hand away. She did notice her ring was a tad bit larger than Celia’s, and she preferred the smaller one. “No, I’m not marrying Mitch. Grady, my fiancé, is at Granny’s house and everyone is sleeping. I thought I better get over here and see if I can talk Celia into doing the flowers for my wedding.”
“Yes!” Celia clasped her hands together. “I’d love to. When is it?”
“What happened to the mayor?” Sam looked confused.
“No, Sam. That’s Hazel for you.” Celia took out a pen and her calendar. “Don’t mind him. He doesn’t understand small town gossip.”
Maggie was all too familiar with Granny’s matchmaking skills, especially when it came to her and Mitch. That’s another reason she hadn’t told Granny about the engagement. She knew she had to do it in person. And since she’d been gone, Maggie h
ad been the big subject of the rumor mill, leaving her little desire to visit. But she loved Granny and could put up with whatever gossip floating around out there.
And she loved Mitch Dozier—as a friend. But Granny wouldn’t leave it at that. Even the intimate night she and Mitch shared before she left for college wasn’t enough to keep her in Grandberry Falls.
That night only killed their life-long friendship.
She fiddled with her ring.
“I haven’t even told Mitch.” Maggie picked up the mistletoe sitting on Celia’s work station and twirled it in her fingers.
“He’ll know soon enough.” Celia sat one of the coffee mugs in front of her. “Hazel hasn’t mentioned anything about your engagement.”
“Granny doesn’t approve of my life in New York City. She says it’s no place to live.”
With a few more little details, Maggie and Celia tentatively set a few dates to talk and firm up the plans for her wedding. Even though the wedding wasn’t until the spring, Maggie was eager to book The Ladybug Florist since it was the only one in town.
***
“Yes, thank you.” Hazel said into the rotary dial phone and turned to glare at Maggie as she came in the back door. “I’ll tell Maggie you send your congratulations.”
Sheer black fright swept through Maggie. She hadn’t been in town twelve hours and someone other than Belle knew.
Belle was the first person Maggie told after Grady proposed. And Belle promised not to tell granny until after Maggie brought Grady home.
“Hi.” Maggie wrapped her arms around Granny and inhaled deeply.
Aww, Maggie thought, taking in Granny’s patchouli oil and the warmth of the wood burning stove going full blast. All of these great childhood memories felt good this time of the year.
Granny pulled away. Her wrist to elbow bangles jingled as she flipped off The Home Shopping Club. She tucked her long, flowing grey hair behind her ears. Her long Grecian skirt swayed with her every move.
It had to be serious if she was turning Paula, the host of The Home Shopping Club and Granny’s favorite host, off. Paula could sell Granny a pet rock, and Maggie had seen it happen.
“Don’t be sweet talking me.” Granny pointed with one hand while resting the other on her hip. “You hear me?”
“Yes, Granny.” Maggie was going to kill Belle.
“Now you’ve done and got yourself in a pickle.” Granny glanced at Maggie’s ring. “You go on and give that back.”
Maggie’s mouth dropped. She knew Granny was going to be a hard nut to crack, but it was looking more like impossible.
“But…” Maggie stammered.
“But nothing. I don’t know anything about this boy’s family or his upbringing.” There was fire in Granny’s eyes. “I might not be your momma and daddy, but he should have good enough manners to ask me if he could marry you.”
Maggie couldn’t argue. Granny did have a valid point. Maggie had asked Grady about it. He had laughed, calling her old-fashioned. “Besides, your dad is dead.” Now his words rang again, loud and clear, in her ears.
This very occasion was the first thought she had when the state trooper told her that her parents were killed. Even at such a young age she realized all of the importance of major milestones she’d reach without them.
“There you are.” Grady ruffled his hair with his hands and yawned. “I reached over and you were gone.”
Maggie could feel the anger coming from Granny’s eyes without her looking at them.
“You must be Granny.” Grady held out his hand.
“Yes.” Maggie’s jaw clinched making it hard to smile. “My granny.”
Granny didn’t shake Grady’s hand or acknowledge Maggie’s comment. She poured two cups of coffee and slid them towards Maggie and Grady.
“You can call me Hazel.” Her voice was heavy with sarcasm. The crease between her brows deepened. “So what’s this I hear about a wedding? And if it’s true, I’m not happy to hear about it from Wendy Owens.”
“Wendy Owens?” Maggie hadn’t talked to Wendy since the dreaded five-year class reunion.
That was the point when Maggie realized she’s become the outsider in Grandberry Falls, and began to limit her visits to see Granny to twice a year. Once in the summer and then again at Christmas.
“Yes Wendy Owens. She said to be sure and congratulate you.” Granny’s hair dangled over the counter as she leaned over. “When were you going to tell me or ask me if you could marry her?”
Grady fiddled with the handle on the mug. Maggie took his hand. “Granny, I wanted to tell you in person.”
“Tell her what?” Belle was in full regalia.
Her bleach blonde hair completely flat-ironed, and lips dolled up, completed her tight black turtleneck and leggings.
“About the engagement.” Maggie waited to see if Belle was going to respond.
“Oh.” Belle looked between the three of them before grabbing her purse off the table. “I’ve got to go to work.”
“On Christmas eve?” Granny asked.
Maggie was relieved to see the pressure taken off her.
“Some people need to have perfect hair and nails for the hoedown tonight.” Belle took a bite out of the coffee cake on her way out.
“Wait.” Maggie stepped in front of her sister, and flicked the kitchen light on. “How did Wendy Owens know about the engagement?”
Granny pushed them both out of the way and turned the lights off again. “What’s gotten into you? That city is what has gotten into you.”
Maggie couldn’t think straight and wasn’t quick enough to stop Belle from leaving.
She shook her head in disbelief, and watched Granny light the candles sitting around the kitchen. It had completely escaped Maggie’s mind that they eat breakfast over candlelight on Christmas Eve to ensure a safe holiday, then after breakfast they gather the candle boxes from the barn and put them in all the windows. The candles burn all day and night ushering in Christmas. It’s been a superstitious tradition in the Greenlee house as long as Maggie could remember.
Maggie looked over where Grady was—he wasn’t there. She peered down the hall. The bathroom door was shut, and she could hear the water running. He’d escaped this time, she thought, but he can’t hide from Granny for very long.
Maggie grabbed her coat and slipped in a couple apples. Before she got out the door, Granny stopped her.
“He is going to sleep on the couch for the rest of your trip. I won’t have you sleeping together before this wedding you are talking about.”
Maggie rolled her eyes, took Grady’s keys off the table, and went to talk to her parents.
Chapter Five
“Merry Christmas Eve, Mayor.” Mamie pulled the ink pen out of her tight bun, and tapped the pad. “What can I get ya this morning?”
“Surprise me.” Mitch winked.
He didn’t even know why he grabbed a menu at The Fatted Pig. The menu never changed and neither did his order of biscuits and gravy. Normally he would be eating by candlelight at the Greenlee farm, but not this Christmas Eve. Belle had never extended the invitation as she had done years prior. But he figured there was just too much stress from the eminent domain case. That would dampen anyone’s Christmas. He was wrong.
His mind wasn’t clear. It hadn’t been since last night by the falls. He tossed and turned all night at the thought of Maggie Greenlee having a new name.
“Hey, buddy.” Tommy patted Mitch on the back. “Can I sit down with you?”
Tommy didn’t wait for Mitch to respond. He took his spot across from his best friend.
“I heard she was in town.” Tommy said. He grabbed the menu in front of Mitch.
Mitch didn’t have to ask who, he already knew Tommy was talking about Maggie. The entire town was talking about Maggie. Plus they’d been in this situation before. Twice a year as a matter of fact. And every time, Tommy was there to pick him up.
“The usual for you too?” Mamie yelled across the coun
ter to Tommy.
“Extra gravy.” Tommy winked at Mamie. He was always putting on that bachelor charm. “And I’ve never seen you in here for Christmas Eve.”
“Merry Christmas, Mayor.” Clarice nodded
“Merry Christmas Eve.” Mitch replied. “I hope y’all be at the hoedown tomorrow.”
Mitch was relieved that Clarice had said hello. It got him out of the hot seat with Tommy.
“Ain’t missed it in over forty years.” Clarice smiled and joined some of the women from her yarn group.
“You aren’t going to avoid me.” Tommy said. “I see my Christmas coin toss wish in the waterfall didn’t come true. Damn legend.”
Tommy smiled.
“What was your wish?” Mitch asked, making room for the plate Mamie was attempting to put down.
“I wished she wouldn’t come back this Christmas.” Tommy said. “And any guy in town would love to be in your shoes, dating Wendy Owens.”
Mitch was in no mood to argue. His relationship with Wendy was new. She was a great girl, and a catch. There was no denying it. And he wasn’t even sure what his feelings for Maggie were. He couldn’t’ distinguish if he was upset because she was engaged and she didn’t tell him or that he did have some more intimate feelings for her.
He would’ve sworn she’d be back after their intimate night they shared. He clearly recalled them taking the time to explore, to arouse, giving each other pleasure. It might have been a spur of the moment decision, but it wasn’t quick.
“I know. It has nothing to do with my feelings for Wendy.”Mitch kept his voice down.
The Fatted Pig was getting busy and he had to hurry.
“How long you gonna be taking up this four-topper?” Mamie patted her foot. “You know it gets busy in here with the Christmas Eve special and don’t you need to work on that eminent domain case for Hazel?”
Mamie was right. The week after he took office, wouldn’t you know that the government had hired a big law firm out of New York to slap an eminent domain case on the Greenlee farm. They claim an outlet mall close to the interstate would boost the state economy.