by Olivia Miles
Cora gave him a soft smile. “Well, we can call this a practice run, and I’m sure your grandmother would be proud.”
He swallowed hard, considering those words. Proud? He’d never thought to make his grandparents proud; he’d been too busy trying to impress his father. But now he thought about everything he’d done and was doing. He wasn’t so sure how his grandmother would feel about him at all if she knew that he was planning to sell her properties in Blue Harbor.
“Besides,” Cora said with a mischievous gleam in her eye. “It was worth it to see Candy’s expression when she opened the door on us.”
It would have been an even more amusing expression if she’d caught them kissing, which she might have done, if she’d held off a few more seconds.
Phil didn’t know what to make of that. He should be relieved, really, that they’d been interrupted before he went and did something that made all of this even more complicated than it already was.
But now, looking into her pretty blue eyes, he felt the pull again, to go with something he hadn’t factored into his life in a long time. His heart.
He was leaning in, he realized, letting something other than common sense guide him. Cora was looking up at him, her gaze searching, and before he could do something he regretted, he reached up a hand and lightly brushed some flour from her cheek with the pad of his thumb. Her skin was soft, smooth, and warm.
“Flour,” he said, holding up the evidence.
“Oh.” Cora blinked and then brushed a hand to her face, scrubbing at the remnants.
“I should probably check on Georgie,” he said, eager to get out of the kitchen. It was better once they were in the big room, surrounded by people huddled at tables, all talking, laughing, while carols blasted from the speakers. He could almost picture his grandmother at one of the tables, happily rolling out dough or lining up gumdrops. These were her friends. Her community.
And he was about to take away her last ties to it, even though he knew that there was no sense in holding onto it.
That there never had been, or so he’d once believed.
“She’s having a great time,” Cora observed, watching the little girls with a smile.
Phil looked down at her, admiring the way her eyes glimmered from such a simple pleasure. One that he, too, was enjoying.
“I am too,” he admitted.
Cora looked at him, her grin turning teasing. “See? I knew there was some Christmas spirit in you, after all.”
Phil shook his head as he walked back into the crowded room to find his daughter.
His Christmas spirit had been buried in a deep place a long, long time ago. Leave it to Cora of all people to dig it out of him.
8
The snow fell for days, and even though it was steady, Cora kept an eye on the windows of the shop, hoping that it would stick and that they would have a white Christmas.
In truth, she was hoping for something else, too. A visit from Phil. A run-in at the bakery or café. Something that would make her stop thinking about that moment at the gingerbread event and if it had all been in her head. That more had come from it than a lopsided cookie house with a candy-covered roof.
Her hope panned out on Wednesday afternoon, when she saw Phil and Georgie coming down Main Street on her way back from delivering a holiday wreath to Bella Clark at the bookstore. They were up ahead, coming toward her, the oversized pom-pom on Georgie’s red hat flopping adorably.
She slowed her pace so that she wouldn’t reach her shop before she had a chance to say hello, but there was no need. Georgie had spotted her and broke away from Phil, running toward her excitedly. “It’s the Christmas lady!”
Cora laughed, especially at Phil’s frown.
“Her name is Cora, Georgie,” he corrected.
“I know, but she’s also the Christmas lady!” Georgie insisted, and Phil just shook his head, giving her a look of apology.
“I’m flattered,” she told him, once they were standing closer. His eyes were clear, and lit with amusement, and his grin sent a chill down her that had nothing to do with the wind. “And it’s true! I am the Christmas lady!” She hesitated, knowing that it was cold and that she should probably get back inside, but it was a slow day, and the winter weather didn’t bother her much, and not just because she was dressed in a warm coat and scarf, either. Seeing Phil again, well, it was pretty hard to think about anything else.
“What are you up to today?” she asked, wondering if Georgie had roped Phil into more festivities. Ice skating at the town square, perhaps? Or maybe picking up some more decorations for the house?
“Daddy has a meeting.” Georgie crossed her arms and pouted dramatically. “He always has meetings.”
Phil held up his hands. “Business doesn’t stop just because it’s Christmas.”
Cora knew this much was true, but she had the sense that Phil rarely stopped working, and that Christmas wasn’t exactly high on his radar. Still, he was trying to give Georgie a good holiday, and she knew firsthand growing up how much her father struggled as a single parent at times.
“Just a short meeting this time,” he told Georgie. He drew a breath, raising his eyebrows at his daughter. “And even though it won’t take long, it apparently isn’t much fun for a nine-year-old to sit quietly for an hour.”
Cora recalled the conversation she’d just had with Bella and decided to take a chance. “They’re just about to do a holiday story time hour at the bookstore. I can take her if you want?”
Georgie’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. “Oh yes, Daddy, can I go?”
Phil frowned, and did his best to ignore Georgie’s excited pleas. “I don’t want to impose…”
Cora just brushed away his concerns. “I didn’t take a lunch break today, and my assistant can cover the counter for a bit. It’s a slow day anyway. The holiday rush is mostly over now, if you can believe it.”
“Please, Dad?” Georgie looked up at him hopefully.
“Only if you’re sure—”
“We’re sure!” Cora and Georgie said in unison.
“In fact, if we don’t hurry, we might just miss the Christmas cookies!” Cora took Georgie’s mitten-covered hand in her own, deciding to send a quick text to Natalie when she got to the bookstore.
“Okay, then. I’ll be quick. Behave,” he said to Georgie.
“And have fun!” Georgie finished for him.
Cora could only shake her head. Georgie was only nine and she was already giving her father a run for it. She could only imagine how things would be in a few years.
If he was anything like her father, left to raise not one, but four teenage daughters on his own…Phil didn’t stand a chance.
“I think this will be a lot more fun than sitting with your dad while he works,” Cora said.
“Did your dad work all the time too?” Georgie asked.
Cora thought about it. Her father and her Uncle Steve had inherited Conway Orchard long before she was born, and her dad was there seven days a week back when he still ran it. She’d never considered it work, though, because it had never taken him away from her. It was a family business. They were all included when it came to picking and harvesting, and each of her sisters and cousins had a wine blend named after them.
“Adults have a lot of responsibilities,” Cora told her. “I work a lot too.”
“Yes, but you have a fun job!” Georgie insisted. “That’s different.”
Cora laughed. It was true; she was lucky to do what she loved. And so far, she didn’t get the sense that Phil loved what he did, it was just something that was important to him. But was it the most important?
Maybe not, considering he had caved to Georgie’s request. He just might not know it yet.
They hurried back to the bookstore, joining a few other children and their parents who were coming in for today’s event, most of whom Cora knew, of course. There were very few new faces in town other than tourists or summer people, and she’d grown up with nearly everyone who
still resided here. Some of her former classmates looked on with curiosity but said nothing. It would be just like the Christmas lady to bring a little girl over for a holiday story hour, after all.
Still, Cora wondered just what kind of business could be so pressing. Just before she stepped inside the bookstore, she looked down Main Street to see Phil walk into the real estate office. She bit her lip to hide her smile. So maybe Phil was starting to see the charm in this small town, after all. Maybe, a long holiday visit would lead to something more.
*
Phil walked into the local real estate office for the appointment he’d scheduled with Lanie Thompson. She hadn’t been shy about the fact that she was happy he had pushed back the meeting from Thanksgiving weekend to today.
“The holidays are a big thing around here,” she said again now as she led him down the hall and into a small office. She closed the door and gestured to a chair.
“I’ve noticed,” he said as he took a seat opposite her desk. “My daughter is certainly enjoying the experience.”
“And you’re from Chicago,” she said, reviewing her notes. She glanced at his ring finger, and he stifled a grin.
“Only here for the holidays,” he said firmly.
His gut tightened on the words though. It was easy to get caught up in the way of life here. It had happened before and it was happening again. But his days were numbered, and there was no sense in leading anyone to believe otherwise.
Lanie gave a look of disappointment. “A shame.” Catching herself, she said, “I mean, about your grandparents not coming back to town. They loved it here so much. They were such a big part of the community.”
Phil didn’t deny this, and he pushed aside the guilt he felt over what his grandparents had lost.
“My grandfather requires around-the-clock care and it’s easier for them both to be where they are.”
Lanie nodded. “Well, they’re certainly missed.”
Yes, Phil was beginning to see that. He was also beginning to see why, despite what his father had always said about this town being too quiet and slow-paced, his grandparents saw something more in it, even if more was less in their minds.
“So you’re the executor of your grandparents’ estate,” Lanie said, looking at him expectantly.
“Yes,” Phil assured her. He had full legal authority to do what he wished with the properties.
The question he was starting to ask himself was, what would they wish? They’d come to love the cottage just as much as the house on Main, but even after they’d downsized, they couldn’t part with the big Victorian. What made him think it would be any easier now?
Nonsense, he told himself. They were past that point in life, and they wouldn’t be coming back to town. Holding onto the Main Street property would be sentimental, and that was bad business as far as he was concerned. It wasn’t about what he wished. It was about what was best, logically speaking, and doing what needed to be done.
“And you wish to sell both properties?” Lanie clarified.
There was that word again. Was it just him, or did she raise an eyebrow?
Silence stretched. Phil wasn’t stupid enough to think that in a town this small, word wouldn’t travel. And Lanie looked to be around Cora’s age, or close enough that they would know each other. Chances were high that like everyone else in town, Lanie had attended the tree-lighting ceremony as well as the gingerbread event and had seen them together.
Still, this was a professional meeting, and he was a client. In his experience, that meant this discussion didn’t leave these four walls.
“There’s no reason to hold onto them, as far as I am aware, unless you think there is financial incentive to renting them both out long term?”
Gathering all the facts, he told himself, just like he would in any business transaction. Still, he held his breath as he waited for an answer to the question.
“Well, I don’t know how much the holiday shop is paying for rent…” Lanie shuffled some papers on her desk.
Phil did. And he knew it wasn’t worth his while to collect that amount if he could sell for more. The small apartment upstairs was a poor use of the space. To his understanding, the remainder of the second-floor space was vacant.
“But here are some sales comps for both properties.” Lanie slid two sheets of paper across to him. “As you can see, the property on Main Street has a lot of potential. I always have people looking for a prime location for a small inn.”
“And the cottage?” he asked, trying not to place too much importance on the commercial property, even though he knew he was just kidding himself.
“It’s waterfront, which helps. I’d need to see the condition, if there are any upgrades that would make sense, but to answer your question, both will sell quickly. The cottage will likely sell to someone from the city looking for a seasonal vacation home. If you list them both in January, I can probably have them both under contract before March.”
“That soon?” From their original call, he’d expected to get things underway, but he hadn’t expected closure to come so abruptly.
Lanie smiled proudly. “You came to the right agent. I’m the best in the county.”
She was, and he’d known that when he made the appointment with her originally. Only back when he’d made the appointment, he was sitting in his corner office in the West Loop of Chicago, checking an item off his to-do list.
Now, everything felt muddled, and permanent. And selling the properties wasn’t about scratching off another task.
It was about losing something. For good. And he wasn’t so sure how he felt about that anymore.
Only one thing was for sure. If he wanted to go through with selling the property on Main Street, he’d have to tell Cora, and soon.
*
Georgie listened to the Christmas story with rapt attention, more than once causing Bella to give Cora a wink as she turned the page in the picture book. It was an old classic, one that Cora knew by heart, of course, and she turned to Georgie when they finally reached the end.
“Have you heard that story before?”
“Sure I have! But not since last Christmas!” Georgie flashed her a grin and lined up behind the other children who were eager to grab a sugar cookie from the tray before they were gone.
“She’s a sweet kid,” Bella said, scooting up beside Cora.
Cora suppressed a smile. She could only assume that one of her sisters had either told Bella directly, or that one of their mutual cousins had. It had been a long time since Cora was seen even talking with any eligible guy other than Bart, after all. She had reason to assume that bets had already been placed on when they would finally get together.
“They’re visiting for the season,” Cora said. “Georgie is actually the Keatons’ great-granddaughter!”
Bella raised her eyebrows. “Well, now that you say it, I see the family resemblance in the eyes.”
“Beautiful eyes,” Cora murmured, and then, catching herself, she cleared her throat. “I mean, doesn’t she? Georgie, I mean?”
Bella just pressed her lips together and said pertly, “I heard from Maddie the father is rather handsome too.”
Cora blushed. There was no sense in denying that, and no reason to either. Bella was a friend, bordering on family, and besides, there was Phil coming through the door now, looking exactly as handsome as Bella had claimed.
“Daddy!” Georgie waved him over and crammed the rest of her cookie into her mouth. “We read a Christmas story and a Christmas song, and there were even Christmas cookies!”
Phil laughed as he brushed some crumbs from the corners of her mouth. “I can see that! Did you save any for me?”
Cora chimed in, “You just missed them, I’m afraid.” She motioned to Bella, saying, “This is Bella Clark, she owns the store, and she also happens to be an almost cousin of mine.”
Phil looked perplexed. “Almost cousin?”
“We share cousins,” Bella explained. “I’m on the mother’s
side of the family. Cora is on the father’s side.” She extended her hand. “My sister Natalie also works at Harbor Holidays during the busy season.”
“I see,” Phil said, grinning at Cora in a way that made her stomach roll over and her heart begin to speed up. “It certainly seems that everyone in Blue Harbor is connected somehow.”
“That’s small-town life for you.” Cora pulled in a sigh, noticing that Bella was giving her one of those subtle looks. A look that said that Cora should try to drag out this social opportunity a little but longer. She should probably get back to the shop, but it wasn’t pressing. And she had spent such a lovely hour here with Georgie in this cozy room.
A room that was beginning to feel a little warm now as she took her coat from the hook and shrugged it on.
A parent of a little boy that Cora recognized as a fan of her North Pole model train set pulled Bella into a conversation about gift ideas for her husband, leaving Cora, Phil, and Georgie alone near the front door. Once Georgie was securely bundled in her winter gear, Phil held open the door, letting them both pass through.
It was still early in the day, and Cora had the impression that Phil wasn’t exactly sure how to entertain his daughter for the rest of the afternoon.
“There’s a skating rink set up in the town square,” she mentioned, hoping that her tone came across more casual than eager. She was the Christmas lady, just as Georgie had said.
A Christmas lady with an undecorated and unlit tree in her living room. She couldn’t help it; until she knew where it came from, it didn’t really feel like hers. Still, she knew that she would decorate it soon. Perhaps even tonight, that was, if she wasn’t too tired from a few laps around the rink…
“They still do that?” Phil grinned fondly. “My grandfather took me one time. I’ll never forget it.”
“Of course they still do it,” Cora said. “It’s tradition.”
“Blue Harbor has a lot of those, I’m noticing,” he said, before quickly adding, “Not that I’m complaining.”
“My, my, we may just get you into the spirit of things after all,” Cora said, and without any further discussion, they walked toward the town square together.