What I didn’t understand was how I could have so fully misread him. He’d felt so comfortable, trustworthy, and safe. When he’d told me he was going to stay in Holly Springs, I’d believed him. My heart had soared. And now, he had completely ruined me for other men. There definitely would be no one like Jake, and it was going to take quite some time for my heart to heal.
“You packed the macarons?” Britney asked, coming into the back kitchen. It was an absolute mess, the counters stacked with boxes of desserts and the refrigerators full to the brim. I’d had enough customers the last two days that I’d needed to bake even more to satisfy the tourists and prepare for the big Christmas Eve bash.
Oddly enough, we’d made very few burgers. But that was fine by me.
If the responses I’d received on FotoFeed were any indication, the big sale was bound to be a hit. I just wished Jake was still around—and not a dirtbag—and able to see the product of his idea. I hated to say it, but he was good at his job.
“The macarons are in those white boxes in the corner,” I said, pointing. “I really wish we had those gorgeous glass cases to display everything.”
“When you win against Mark and get the lease back for the building, then you can get those glass cases put in.” She clapped her hands together. “We can redesign the whole place!”
“Brit,” I said, resting my hands on the side of my face, “was this crazy? Was I insane to propose this idea? I owe a lot of back rent.”
Her determined features zeroed in on me, bouncing the jingle bells in her hair as she spoke. “You are fighting for what you believe in. That is never a bad idea.”
I nodded. She was right. “When will Todd be here? Is he still okay to play Santa?”
“Shoot.”
“What is it?” I watched her face but she refused to look at me. Her eyes searched the floor and my stomach dropped. “What happened?”
“We broke up,” she said apologetically. “Last night.”
“Brit, why didn’t you tell me?” I stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. She and Todd had been together since the third grade—literally—and this could not have been easy on her. It was a miracle her eyes were not puffy and swollen. Or maybe not; she really was a pro with makeup. “You don’t need to be here. You can go home and mope.”
She shook her head, jingling, and leaned back. “I need the distraction.” She sighed, dropping her head in her hands. I had a suspicion she was doing her best not to break down in tears. Looking at me again, she said, “I took your advice and I asked him about it. He lied to me and said he’d never cheated. But I knew something wasn’t right; I could feel it. So I asked again, and I think he was just too tired to fight it, because he finally admitted that yes, there was someone else, and yes, we were over.” She lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. “And now we’re over.”
“Hellooo?” a voice called from the dining room. It sounded vaguely familiar, but I ignored it.
“What can I do for you?” I asked Britney.
She gave me a half-smile. “You’re doing it. Just be here for me. Hey!” she said, as though she had a sudden thought. “Let’s have a single Christmas together!”
“What about your dad?” I asked.
“Hellooo? Anyone here?” the voice called again. I ignored it, again.
“He can come,” Britney said. “He’s single, too.”
“Deal.”
I jumped when the voice came again from right behind me. “There you are!” I turned to find the woman I’d met a few days ago who was visiting from Texas. “I need to order a pie,” she said. “And I want it to be pecan.”
“Well you’re in luck. I happen to have a few ready to go.”
Her giant bouffant-style hair bounced with her as she performed a happy dance for us. “I just knew I could count on you!”
I moved into the diner and pulled a pecan pie from the refrigerator there, boxing it up and taping it closed. We completed the transaction while I asked her about her vacation, and she told me she was spending one more day in Colorado before they traveled back to Texas after Christmas.
“Be sure to come back and see me next time you’re in the area,” I said. Should I have refrained? I didn’t know if I’d be in this location next time she was in Colorado.
But then, a little positive thinking never hurt anyone.
“Bye, y’all!” she called, waving behind her as she left.
“Your first sale of the day!” Britney said, pulling a cup for herself and filling it with ice and Diet Coke. “How do you feel?”
“Like I’m going to throw up.” I looked up, taking a deep breath and letting it out. “I’m going for a walk. Can you hold down the place until I’m back?”
“It’s six-thirty in the morning,” Britney said. “Who’s gonna come to a bakery that early?”
“Women from Texas, apparently.”
Britney grinned. “Hey, she needed her pie.”
I laughed on my way outside, pulling on my coat as I went. Snow fell lazily from the sky and I wrapped my coat tighter around my neck as I walked down the sidewalk, past shops that weren’t yet open for the day. The sun was just about to make its way over the horizon and the snow had a bright hue from the fresh light.
The tree at the end of the road beckoned me and I walked toward it as though I had no alternative.
Dad, if you can hear my thoughts…I’m sorry.
I shook my head, forcing myself not to cry. It was Christmas Eve and I was not going to be a mess. Dad wouldn’t have wanted that. I was going to make a lot of sales today and earn the money I needed to keep the building.
And if Dad was still alive, he’d be right next to me boxing up pies and bagging macarons. He’d want this bakery just as much as I did, because he loved me. It wasn’t fair for me to mope about his absence—it wasn’t properly honoring his memory.
I scanned the tree for the snowflake ornament and rested my eyes on it. I may not have received an answer to my wish—I didn’t have Dad with me this holiday season—but I had come to terms with his loss. And he would have wanted that.
Approaching the tree, I looked for the hourglass. Something inside me sought it out. This time, I wasn’t surprised by the running sand. It didn’t make sense, but I expected it now.
The sun peeked over the tops of the buildings on the other side of the street and I turned back for my diner. It was time to create my own future.
* * *
Jake
There was a line out the door when I arrived at The Bell again, and I sucked in a breath. Traveling from Palm Springs was long and had given me plenty of time to think about how I would approach Madison, but now, standing on the sidewalk before her storefront, everything I’d planned flew from my mind.
I stepped through the line and peeked through the window, finding a space between the reindeer and the sleigh that was void of paint. Madison stood at the counter, laughing with abandon. Her head was thrown back and I couldn’t hear her, but I could perfectly imagine what she sounded like.
Glancing at my watch, I looked over my shoulder to where my car sat parked on the side of the road.
Sighing, I moved back through the crowd and got into my front seat.
“You didn’t go in?” my mom asked, puzzlement on her face.
I shook my head, putting the car into drive. “It’s too busy. I’ll wait and go back in a few hours, I think. I’d rather talk to her without the crowds.”
Mom leaned over and rested her hand on my forearm, squeezing it in support.
“Are you ready?” I asked.
She sucked in a breath, her perfectly styled blonde hair not moving one bit out of place as she nodded. “I won’t ever be ready. But let’s get this over with.”
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas played over the radio as we drove through town toward the little yellow house.
“Nothing’s changed,” Mom said quietly. I wondered if she even wanted a response, so I didn’t say anything.
We pulle
d into Grandma Hart’s driveway and sat in the car in silence. I turned off the ignition and waited. This couldn’t be easy for her, but I was just glad she’d agreed to come. So what if Dad was furious that we were both missing the family networking party in Palm Springs? He and Mark could handle the Greenville Corporation and Mom and I would do our part to mend broken fences. Metaphorically, of course.
We must have sat in the car in silence for at least ten minutes before Mom opened the door and got out, and I followed her. She moved with such unsure, jerky motions that I was positive she was psyching herself up to do this. She’d been a nervous wreck since my car pulled out of the driveway in Palm Springs.
The front door opened and Grandma Hart looked outside, her eyes squinting as though she wondered who could be visiting at seven o’clock in the evening on Christmas Eve.
I could tell the moment she noticed Mom, for her eyes widened and her mouth fell open, her hand falling slack by her side.
I stepped back, watching my mom approach Grandma Hart. “Hi, Mom.”
Grandma Hart stepped forward hesitantly, Mom mirroring her actions. I was unsure who made the next move but before I could blink, they were on the porch embracing, and I was certain Grandma was crying.
I waited until they were finished, and Grandma ushered both of us into the house. Mom stepped before me, looking around.
“You haven’t updated your Christmas decorations in over twenty years.” Well, there was the critical mother I remembered. The reserved, anxious woman who’d been driving with me all day was a stranger. She shocked me when she said, “I love them.”
“Of course you love them,” Grandma Hart said, taking our coats. “This is the Christmas of your childhood.”
“Too bad it couldn’t be the Christmas of mine, as well,” I couldn’t help but say.
Mom turned sorrowful eyes on me and I regretted my words at once. “I’m sorry, Jake. I wish I could take it back.”
Grandma Hart led us to the sofa in the living room and we sat there while she took her usual chair across from us. “You cannot change the past, Heather. But you can adjust your future.”
Nodding, my mom stopped tears from falling with the edge of her sleeve.
“Now,” Grandma said, turning to me, “while you were gone there have been developments with The Bell. Madison is putting on a bake sale and trying to earn enough money and attention to convince your brother to lease her the building.”
I followed MaddieBakes on FotoFeed. I already knew. Nodding, I said, “Has she been busy all day?”
“Line out the door for most of it,” Grandma Hart confirmed. “You might want to get over there if you don’t want to miss all of the good treats.”
I turned to Mom. “Do you want to come?”
“It’s been twenty years, Jake. I think I’d rather stay here right now.”
I expected that answer. I leaned over and kissed my mom on the cheek. A degree of bewilderment hadn’t left her eyes and I wondered if she was still coming to terms with sitting in her childhood home with her estranged mother or was simply surprised that she’d finally taken action. Whatever it was, I was proud of her.
“Wish me luck,” I said at the door, pulling on my coat. “I’m going to get my girl.”
19
Madison
“Is it time?” Britney asked, coming around the counter and sidling up right beside me. She looked exhausted, and I didn’t blame her.
“Almost.” The line had been out the door the entire day. Not only had people come from miles around, but the town itself showed up in droves to lend their support. The diner was mostly cleared out except for what I’d needed for the bake sale, and my dad’s photo on the wall behind us.
It did the job I hoped it would, for I felt my dad’s presence watching over me during the course of the day.
I cleared my throat, pulling my phone from the dock on the wall and grinning in the camera before switching off the live video on FotoFeed. We’d kept it running all day to showcase the foot traffic I was garnering; I hoped Mark had followed the link I’d sent him earlier that morning and seen for himself the success we’d had.
The bell above the door dinged and I glanced over, but it wasn’t Jake. It was Patrick…with the new Kindergarten teacher.
“Are we too late?” he asked.
“We’ve got a few slices of key lime pie left and an assortment of dark chocolate cookies.”
“I’ll take two slices of pie,” he said.
Britney began preparing the slices while I ran up the transaction. “I thought you were going to Arizona for Christmas,” I said. “Are your parents here instead?”
Patrick shook his head, glancing at the Kindergarten teacher with a joyful grin. “I found a reason to stay.”
Nodding, I handed over their change and Britney gave them the slices of pie. It felt good to be right about one relationship. Patrick and his new girlfriend looked cozy and sweet. I imagined wedding bells in their future, and lots of little children and dogs.
“Okay, Brit,” I said, turning toward her. “I can’t put it off any longer. I think it’s time.”
She whistled, gathering the attention from the room. “It’s happening! Maddie’s making the call!”
A few cheers rang out, buoying up my esteem. I found Mark’s name in my phone and dialed, putting it up to my ear.
The bell over the door dinged and I glanced over, shocked to find Jake standing in the doorway, his hands slung in his pockets and his gaze directed at me.
“Mark speaking.”
“Hi Mark, it’s Madison Bell,” I said, watching Jake. He stood still, watching me intently. “I’ve got some numbers for you and I think you’re going to be pleased.”
“I want your total number of customers for the day as well as gross and net gain.”
I paused, stunned by his directness. As a landlord, he was entitled to create whatever parameters he wanted for a lease agreement, but this was bordering on crossing the line. Clearing my throat, I ignored the pounding in my heart as Jake slowly started toward me.
“Well,” I said into the phone. “I’ve made enough to pay the back rent in full, as well as the next two months’ deposit. I can send the check immediately if you want to email me a contract.”
“I’m afraid that isn’t going to be enough,” Mark said. “I’ll take the back rent so we can avoid pressing charges, but you need to be out by the end of the night.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said, my blood boiling. “You made me an agreement!”
Jake approached me, saying, “Can I have the phone, please?”
I turned my back on him. This was my fight to win. My dad’s photo faced me, but I didn’t let that derail me. “You agreed to let me lease—”
“I agreed,” Mark cut in, “to consider it. I’ve considered it and I think you’re a liability.”
“You Grinch!” I yelled into the phone. “How can you possibly be so selfish? I’ve proven myself today!”
Jake came around me and reached his hand out. “Now can I have the phone?”
“Yes,” Mark agreed in my ear, “you’ve proven yourself for one day. That’s not sufficient data to determine a lease.”
“But we can do month-to-month—”
“Maddie, please give me the phone,” Jake said with more force. His eyes implored me in a way I could not argue and, reluctantly, I handed him my phone.
“Hey Mark,” he said, looking into my eyes while he spoke to his brother. “You’re off the account. Indefinitely.” There was a pause, and he added, “Then go ask Dad.”
Hanging up the phone, Jake handed it back to me, and I felt my world slip from beneath my feet.
“The place is yours, Maddie. Don’t worry about Mark.”
Words escaped me and I was utterly stunned. “But…how?”
Shrugging, Jake offered me a smile that caused my heart to squeeze. “I bought the building from my dad, and Mark has no say in who I decide to lease it to.”
&nb
sp; I didn’t know whether I wanted to kiss him or hit him more. But the truth of his dishonesty sat between us and I couldn’t move. I merely said, “Thank you.”
“My pleasure. Hey, listen” —he lowered his voice, stepping closer— “can we go somewhere and talk?”
“Yes,” Britney said, pushing me toward Jake. “Yes, she can. I have this place covered.”
I looked back at her and she widened her eyes. If I could read her mind, I knew she’d be saying, Don’t screw this up, Mads. He deserves a second chance.
Or was that just my inner voice speaking to me? I guess I could at least give him a chance to explain.
We made it outside and the sky was dark. Snow gathered on the sidewalk and tree branches, creating a perfect winter wonderland.
I crossed my arms across my chest as we made our way down the sidewalk. “I just don’t know what to say.”
“Thank you?” he offered.
“No, I mean I really don’t know what to say. I’m grateful, of course. But I’m still furious.”
He nodded. “You have a right to be. I should have been honest from the beginning. But when I met you, I knew I couldn’t follow Mark’s orders and force your eviction. I knew I had to try and help you.”
“Then why didn’t you say that?”
He looked at me until I turned to face him, returning his gaze. “Would you have listened?”
“I don’t know.”
Smiling, he said, “And we never will know. But my intentions all along were good. I screwed up, and I’m sorry, and if there is any way you can find it in yourself to forgive me and give me a second chance, I will consider it a Christmas miracle.”
I glanced over his shoulder at the giant town tree and the snowflake ornament hanging at eye level. “Christmas miracles aren’t real.”
He followed my gaze behind his shoulder and glanced at the tree.
I continued, “I’ve wished on a snowflake every year for my whole life and I’ve never gotten what I wished for.”
Snowflake Wishes (Holly Springs Romance Book 1) Page 15