Christmas in Icicle Falls

by Sheila Roberts

  Muriel’s smile faded a little. “I’m not sure.”

  “Well, whatever it’s about, I’ll be sure to buy a copy.”

  “I appreciate that. Happy New Year, Sienna.”

  Yes, it was, indeed.

  This time nothing prevented Tim from coming over for a holiday celebration. He arrived bearing a giant pizza and fireworks. “Leo will love it. And don’t worry, they’re safe and I’ll be the one handling them.”

  His daughter Amy was carrying a decorated tin. “We made you cookies, Leo.”

  This had Leo jumping up and down with delight. And he pretty much remained in that ecstatic state all evening. They devoured pizza, drank hot cocoa, played Leo’s favorite games—Cootie and Candy Land—and then settled in to watch movies. Halfway through the second one, both Amelia and Leo were asleep and Amy was hanging on by a thread.

  But at a little before midnight Tim and Sienna got them stirring and everyone trooped out to the front of the house to set off fireworks.

  They’d barely gotten started when Cratchett opened his front door. “You know, some people are trying to sleep,” he yelled.

  “Well, that’s a dumb idea on New Year’s Eve,” Tim yelled back, and Cratchett slammed his door.

  Sienna couldn’t help smiling. “And just when I thought he was becoming human.”

  “Well, you know what they say. Rome wasn’t built in a day,” Tim said, and he set off another noisy firework.

  They weren’t the only ones. Soon the sky was alight with showers of brightly colored sparks and the air was filled with booms.

  Tim’s supply ran out but they all lingered on the front walk, watching the show other people were putting on. He slipped an arm around Sienna and said, “Happy New Year.” And then, to make sure it was truly happy, he kissed her.

  * * *

  “I told you,” Cecily had said after her mother informed her that she and Arnie were now an item. Then, before Muriel could chide her for being an I-told-you-so, she’d added, “I’m glad. He’s a sweet man. By the way, Serena wants to be a flower girl.”

  “Aren’t you jumping the gun a little bit there?”

  “You have to get married. It’s your third, but it’s Arnie’s first. Anyway, I know you, Mom. You wouldn’t be comfortable just moving in together. Bad example for the grandkids,” she teased.

  “Well, darling, first he has to ask me.” Had he been back to Mountain Jewels?

  When Cecily made an effort at a mysterious smile, Muriel had known that he had, indeed.

  Sure enough, they were about to pour their champagne to toast in the New Year when he produced a ring box. “Let’s start the New Year right,” he said, handing it to her. “I know you already have diamond rings but...” He hesitated. “You will marry me, won’t you?”

  “Of course I will,” she said and kissed him.

  “Good. Now, open the box and let’s get this on your finger before you change your mind.”

  She opened it to find a fourteen-karat white-gold pavé-set ring with an emerald-cut center diamond. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Not as beautiful as you,” he murmured and kissed her. “I can’t get enough of kissing you,” he said. “I hope I live to be a hundred.”

  So did she.

  Chapter Twenty

  Every holiday celebration eventually comes to an end, but the memories last forever.

  —Muriel Sterling, A Guide to Happy Holidays

  Muriel Sterling-Wittman—soon to be Amundsen—held an open house for all her Icicle Falls friends on the afternoon of New Year’s Day. Anyone who was anyone put in an appearance. After all, Muriel’s family was the chocolate royalty of the town, and she was the queen. She was also the closest thing to a celebrity Icicle Falls had. But more than that, she was simply well liked.

  “I wouldn’t miss your party for the world,” Beth Mallow told her.

  “Me, either,” put in Daphne Hawkins. Daphne had taken over running Primrose Haus, a popular wedding venue in town, after her mother married. She herself had married a local man, Hank Hawkins, who owned a prosperous lawn service company.

  She noticed the ring on Muriel’s finger. “Wow, what’s this?”

  Arnie, who hadn’t left Muriel’s side, put an arm around her shoulder. “We’ll be calling you soon.”

  “Congratulations,” Daphne said. “I’m sure we can find a date for you. But don’t wait too long. We’re filling up fast.”

  “I have no intention of doing that,” Arnie said. “She might change her mind.”

  “Never,” Muriel said with a smile.

  Olivia arrived with her two daughters-in-law in tow. “The men are keeping an eye on things so we can party,” she said, hugging Muriel. She reached out and drew a slender young woman in ripped jeans and a jacket up to Muriel. “You haven’t officially met my new daughter yet. This is Meadow.”

  Daughter, not daughter-in-law. How things had changed at the Icicle Creek Lodge. “I’m happy to finally meet you,” Muriel said. She almost added, I’ve heard so much about you, but reconsidered. In light of the bumpy start she and Olivia had gotten off to, that could possibly be taken the wrong way. “Welcome to Icicle Falls.”

  “Thanks,” said Meadow. She was smiling as if she’d been invited to the White House and not simply an open house. “I love it here. And it’s epic being at the lodge with everyone. Olivia—Mom,” she corrected herself with a blush, “she’s awesome.”

  Now Olivia was blushing. “Well, maybe awesome in the making,” she said.

  Now Meadow was taking in Muriel’s house. “You sure know how to decorate,” she said, looking around. “This place is really cool.” To Olivia she said, “We should redo the lodge, make it more like this. What do you think of that?”

  It was probably a good thing Olivia didn’t say what she thought. “We’ll see,” she said. “Why don’t you and Brooke try some of Muriel’s appetizers?”

  “Okay,” Meadow said eagerly. “Come on, Brooke. Let’s go for it. We’re both eating for two. We may as well make the most of it while we can.”

  “She’s a work in progress,” Olivia said, her cheeks pink.

  “She’s enthusiastic,” Muriel said. “And, you know, maybe it is time to update the lodge just a little.”

  Olivia looked at Muriel as if she’d just stabbed her in the heart.

  “Or not,” Muriel said quickly. “But it’s nice that she wants to be involved. And she certainly loves you.”

  “God knows why,” Olivia said. “I’ve wondered more than once who the ugly tree over at our place was.”

  “We all have our ugly-tree moments,” Muriel said, thinking of her behavior when Arnie and Dot were on their cruise.

  Pat and her husband joined them now. “Happy New Year, everyone. And congratulations,” she said to Arnie, who was looking like a man who’d won the lottery. As he and Ed began visiting, Pat asked, “Did I just hear you talking about ugly trees?”

  “You did,” Muriel confirmed.

  “Well, speaking of, I’ve got news. Harvey Wood is selling me our building. He’s even giving it to me for a decent price.”

  “Will wonders never cease?” asked Olivia.

  “Speaking of wonders.” Pat nodded in the direction of the front door, where Bailey was letting in Sienna Moreno along with her son and a large good-looking man with two little girls in tow. Lila Zuckerman was with her. And Robert Cratchett. “It looks like Sienna has finally established good relations with her neighbor,” she said as they handed over their coats and scarves.

  “Who’s the other man?” Olivia asked.

  “Not sure,” Pat said, “but how much you want to bet he and Sienna are becoming an item?”

  “Not taking that bet,” Olivia said.

  The mystery was solved when Si
enna brought her crowd over to join them. She was bearing a plate of cookies and a bottle of wine. “Thank you so much for inviting me,” she said after Muriel and Lila had greeted each other. “I know it was tacky to bring extra people, but Pat told me you wouldn’t mind.”

  “Not at all,” Muriel said. “I don’t believe I’ve met this man,” she said, smiling at the large man standing next to Sienna.

  “Tim Richmond,” he said and then introduced his daughters.

  “And this is Leo,” Pat added, laying a hand on Sienna’s little boy’s shoulders, not an easy feat considering the fact that he was bouncing up and down as if he had springs on his feet.

  “Hi, Leo. Happy New Year,” Muriel told him.

  “Happy New Year!” Leo crowed.

  “We won’t stay long,” Sienna promised.

  “Stay as long as you want,” Muriel said. Her house wasn’t big but that would never stop her from filling it with guests.

  “Girls, why don’t you take Leo over to the refreshment table and deposit our cookies?” Sienna said.

  “Cookies!” Leo’s bouncing went into high gear.

  “Only one for you,” Sienna told him sternly, and the girls led him away. “And this is my neighbor, Mr. Cratchett.”

  “I’m glad you could come,” Muriel told him.

  “Nice of you to have me,” he said and produced a bottle of champagne.

  Muriel was no expert on champagne, but even she knew an expensive bottle when she saw one. “Thank you. This is lovely.”

  His cheeks turned russet and he brushed aside her thanks. “Just something I’ve had lying around.”

  “Well, it was very thoughtful of you,” Muriel said.

  “I like to think I’m a thoughtful man,” he said and gave Sienna a look that dared her to contradict him. “Come on, Lila. Those kids are like locusts. They’ll eat everything on the table if we don’t keep an eye on them. You two probably aren’t going to,” he said to Tim. “Parents these days,” he added with a shake of his head and led Mrs. Zuckerman away.

  “He’s a work in progress,” Sienna said.

  “Aren’t we all?” said Olivia, giving Muriel a wink.

  They watched as Cratchett filled Leo’s plate and then demonstrated dangling a spoon from his nose.

  “He used to do that for us as kids,” Tim explained to Muriel. “These days he’s a changed man. You can take credit for a lot of that,” he said to Sienna.

  “I think most of the credit goes to Mrs. Zuckerman, but I was inspired by Muriel’s book. And her ugly tree,” Sienna added.

  “There’s your next book idea,” Pat said to Muriel. “Why don’t you write about how the ugly tree helped us all this Christmas?”

  It was a good idea. “Maybe I will,” Muriel said.

  The party lasted all afternoon, with people coming and going, all of them smiling and happy and excited for whatever the New Year might bring. People talked, people laughed, people hugged. Men swapped jokes and women admired each other’s outfits, while the children devoured the treats on the table.

  And, adorned in all its finery, the ugly tree stood watch over it all.

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from STARTING OVER ON BLACKBERRY LANE by Sheila Roberts

  Our Favorite Recipes from Icicle Falls

  With this being the last book in their series, the gang from Icicle Falls wanted to leave you with a good taste in your mouth. In the following pages, they’ve shared some of their favorite recipes from throughout the series, and we hope you enjoy them as much as they did. Merry Christmas from everyone in Icicle Falls. May your table be filled with good things and your hearts be filled with love!

  Olivia’s Eggnog Muffins

  Ingredients:

  1¾ cups flour

  4 tsp baking powder

  ½ tsp salt

  ¼ cup sugar

  ¼ cup shortening

  1 egg

  1 cup eggnog

  ¾ cup candied cherries, finely chopped

  ¾ cup walnuts, finely chopped

  Directions:

  Cream together sugar and shortening. Add egg and mix thoroughly. Sift in all dry ingredients, adding alternately with eggnog. (Note: You may need to add perhaps another tbsp of eggnog if your muffin batter looks a little too dry.) Bake for twenty minutes at 350 degrees F or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

  Muriel’s Brie in Puff Pastry Appetizer

  Ingredients:

  1 cup apricot jam

  ½ cup sliced almonds

  1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

  1 round 14–15-ounce Brie cheese

  Directions:

  Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Roll pastry out to make it wider. Cut rind from Brie and place in the center of it. Spoon apricot jam on top of Brie and sprinkle with almonds. Fold pastry over, crimping edges together. Place on cookie sheet and bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool on cookie sheet on wire rack for 10 minutes before serving. Serve on a platter with crackers and/or sliced apples.

  Cecily’s Winter Salad

  Ingredients:

  2 cups butternut squash, cubed

  4 cups baby spinach (Buy the spinach that’s bagged and prewashed—so much easier.)

  ½ cup pomegranate seeds

  handful of yellow baby tomatoes, halved

  ½ a red pepper, finely diced

  ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped

  Directions:

  Cook squash until tender but firm. Drain and cool, then cut into bite-size cubes. Toss that and other ingredients with spinach. Serve with oil-and-vinegar dressing.

  Sienna’s Enchiladas

  (courtesy of Linda Barrows)

  Ingredients for Sauce:

  1 medium onion, chopped

  1 clove garlic, finely chopped

  ¼ tsp cloves

  ½ tsp cinnamon

  2 tbsp chili powder

  ½ tsp sugar

  3 tbsp butter

  ½ tsp salt

  1 large can tomatoes

  1 small can condensed tomato soup

  3 tbsp oil

  Directions for Sauce:

  Sauté onion and garlic in oil; add tomatoes, soup, cinnamon, cloves and chili powder. Simmer until thick (about 45 minutes). Add butter, sugar and salt.

  Ingredients for Filling:

  1 medium onion, chopped

  1 clove garlic, finely chopped

  1 pound lean hamburger

  1 tsp salt

  ½ tsp ground oregano

  dash cumin

  3 tbsp oil

  2 cups water

  Directions for Meat:

  Sauté onion and garlic in oil; add meat and fry until brown. Drain off grease. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer until almost dry (45 minutes).

  Final Ingredients:

  flour tortillas

  sharp cheddar cheese, grated

  Final Directions:

  Dip tortillas in the sauce and place in 9-by-13-inch pan (lightly sprayed with cooking oil). Fill with 2 tbsp of meat and 2 tbsp of cheese. Fold in place with seam side down. When you’ve used up all your filling and tortillas, pour the remaining sauce over all and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.

  Note: If you’re in a hurry, you can omit the water from the meat and just fry your onions, garlic and meat.

  Muriel’s Fruitcake Cookies

  Ingredients for Cookies:

  2½ cups flour

  2½ tsp baking powder

  1 tsp salt

  1 tsp nutmeg

  ½ cup butter & ½ cup shortening

  (O
riginal recipe called for 1 cup shortening, but everything’s better with butter! Keep the ½ cup shortening, though, as using only butter leaves the cookies pretty delicate and hard to work with.)

  1 cup sugar

  1 egg

  1 cup milk

  1 cup raisins

  1 cup candied cherries, chopped

  1 cup walnuts, chopped

  1 cup dried apricots, chopped

  Directions for Cookies:

  Cream butter, shortening and sugar. Add egg and mix thoroughly. Sift in dry ingredients, adding alternately with milk. Drop by spoonful (Beth uses a soup spoon) onto a lightly sprayed cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes (until lightly browned). Cool on cookie sheet. After cookies are cool, frost with rum glaze.

  Ingredients for Glaze:

  2½ cups powdered sugar

  8 tbsp rum

  Directions for Glaze:

  Mix sugar and rum together until smooth. Spread a small amount on top of each cookie and let dry and harden before storing.

  Bailey’s Peppermint Cupcakes

  (Makes 18 to 24 cupcakes)

  Ingredients for Cupcakes:

  2¼ cups cake flour

  2½ tsp baking powder

  1 tsp salt

  1½ cups sugar

  ½ cup butter (1 stick)

  2 eggs

  1 cup milk

  1 tbsp oil (for extra moistness)

  1 tsp peppermint extract

  Directions for Cupcakes:

  Sift dry ingredients minus the sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar, butter, eggs and two-thirds of the milk. Mix slowly to combine, then add the remaining milk, peppermint extract and oil and beat for a minute on medium speed. Pour into lined muffin tins (leaving some head room at the top) and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes (until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or cake springs back to the touch). Cool slightly, then remove to wire racks.

  Ingredients for Frosting:

  6 ounces (½ a 12-ounce bag) white chocolate chips

  ½ cup heavy whipping cream

  ½ cup butter, room temperature