She shook her head. “Sorry. Only bulbs.”
His crestfallen face tugged at her heart. Would it really hurt to have a few contraband ornaments? “Oh fine. Add them, but keep them on the backside. Maybe she won’t notice.”
His face lit, then his mouth pulled down in a frown. “Are you sure? I don’t want to disappoint my mom.”
“I think hanging them on the side she won’t see will be fine.” At least she hoped Mona wouldn’t walk around the tree and give it her usual inspection. “We need Christmas tunes in here.” She clicked on the radio and sang along softly to Silent Night, a true classic.
“You have a nice voice.”
Her gaze darted across the room, where he happily unpacked a mishmash of ornaments. “Thanks.” Her mom had always told her she had a nice singing voice, but she’d never believed her. After all, Mom said she was beautiful too, and that wasn’t true. Funny, how moms could see what few others did. She shrugged off the thought and pulled out a hand-blown glass bulb Mona had purchased at a gallery last year. It truly was a work of art with waves of varying shades of red.
“That’s nice.” Stephen now stood only a foot away, a look of awe on his face. “I can see my mother’s tastes have elevated since I last helped decorate.”
She chuckled. “If those character ornaments are any indication, I’d say you’re right.”
“Hey don’t knock ’em,” he said, playfully. “How about you? What do you hang on your tree?”
She continued to pull large glass bulbs from an ornament bin that kept each one separate and safe and handed one to Stephen. “I don’t have a huge collection of ornaments like your mom, so several years ago, I went to the craft store and bought a bunch of different shaped and sized white ones. They are so pretty. Some have glitter, some are frosted, and some are clear. My favorite is a white on white angel bulb.”
“Hmm. Your tree is completely white?” He asked the question as if she’d broken some cardinal rule of tree decorating.
“The tree is green. At least it would be if I’d put one up.”
The questioning look in his eyes gave her pause.
“Since I’m here this year, there is no need to put up my own tree.”
“Ah. So what do you do for fun? It seems you’re always working.”
“Other than play in the snow, watch movies, shop, and hang out with friends, I don’t know. How about you?” She laughed and tossed a wad of crumpled newspaper at him that bounced off his shoulder.
His eyes widened. “Really? I don’t think you want to go there. The last time we had a paper fight in this house . . . let’s just say things did not end well.”
Bailey sobered. “Sorry. My inner-child sometimes gets the best of me.” She’d begun to think of him as a friend, but she’d crossed a line.
He grasped the wadded paper and flung it back at her. A soft chuckle escaped his lips when it bounced off her forehead. “I was only messing with you. But I need to head out now. Can you finish this up yourself?”
She stood, relieved. “You had me going there, Stephen. I thought for sure I’d made you angry or something. Thanks for the help.”
“Thank you for allowing me to assist.”
“As if I could stop you.” She rolled her eyes.
He grinned. “You mentioned baking last night.”
“Yes. I baked cookies. There’s a plate covered in tinfoil on the counter for you.”
He gave her a lopsided grin and a wave. “I’ll grab it on my way out.”
One look at the clock had Bailey rushing to her room. She needed to get ready for church. Although she hadn’t planned to decorate this morning, she’d enjoyed Stephen’s company. He was a difficult man to read, but he actually seemed to enjoy spending time with her. Her heart pattered a bit faster at the thought. Would he ever be able to see her for the person she was, or would he only see her as his mother’s dowdy assistant?
After going home to change and grab his Bible, Stephen headed into Bend. He gripped the steering wheel so tight his hands hurt. What was going on with him? He wasn’t himself. That much was clear.
And he really needed to stay away from Bailey so he could think straight. For whatever reason, she messed with his head—not her fault though. He didn’t expect to be attracted to anyone, much less his mother’s assistant, but he was drawn to the reserved woman. He pulled into a church parking lot. He’d never been here before but had heard good things from Bailey’s client, Mrs. Gladstone.
His family had built this building, although he hadn’t been involved with it since he’d been in France at the time. He recognized Rick’s trademark craftsmanship. His brother had a gift with wood.
He pulled the door open and stepped into the space, immediately feeling at home. Earth-toned walls framed tile floors. His mother’s touch was apparent, from the reclaimed wood feature wall to the lighting. Talk about being wired to notice details. He blocked out the design features and strolled into the sanctuary where worship music streamed through the speakers. A seat near the back appealed, and he sat.
A short time later, he noticed Bailey rush in wearing black slacks and a purple jacket. She slipped into a row a section over and focused on the screen above the stage. He stood with everyone else and joined in the worship, doing his best to block Bailey from his mind. He knew few of the songs since he’d been out of the country and many were new, but he enjoyed worshiping nonetheless.
His mind strayed to all that was going on with his family as the pastor dove into the book of Mark and spoke on giving thanks—fitting. Thankfulness didn’t flow from him. Frankly he was uptight. Concerned with the changes he saw in his mother, afraid she was dying, irritated that he didn’t quite fit into the family business anymore even if Rick said he could have his old position back, frustrated that everything had changed, and to top everything else off, Bailey’s secret admirer was annoying him too.
Then again, the attention seemed to be good for her self-esteem, so he shouldn’t be so bothered. But he was. He had no claim on her, but he had come to care about her almost as soon as they’d met, and he didn’t want some mystery dude breaking her heart.
What was it that made Bailey doubt herself? She’d shined that first day he’d helped her redecorate Mrs. Gladstone’s house, but he’d noticed her insecurity from time to time. Especially when she was with his mother. Did Mom intimidate her? And what had Bailey so upset last night when he saw her through the glass door in the kitchen? She’d tried to hide it, but he’d seen her red-rimmed eyes. His heart went out to her, but he didn’t know what he could do other than be her friend. It would be a fine line to balance between being her friend and her boss.
Chapter Nine
Sunday afternoon Bailey scooted out of her car and waved to Nicole and Sarah, waiting beside Nicole’s Mini Cooper. Bailey’s boots sank into the inch or so of fresh snow that covered the sidewalks. Good thing she’d worn sensible footwear today. The drive here had been uneventful, and best of all, she hadn’t spotted the silver car. Maybe it had been a coincidence after all. She grinned and took in the quaint western-themed town. She’d never done her Christmas shopping in Sisters, Oregon, but she had high hopes of finding the perfect gift for each of the people on her list.
She strolled over to her friends. “I hope you weren’t waiting long.”
“We got here right before you.” Nicole zipped up her white puffer jacket.
“Are you ready to shop?” She couldn’t wait!
They looked at each other with looks she couldn’t decipher.
Didn’t they enjoy shopping? They’d been friends for over a year, but shopping had never come up. This adventure had been her idea. Had they come only out of politeness? “Is everything okay?”
“Yes,” Nicole said. “We were hoping for lunch first. Neither of us took time to eat after church.” Her friends went to a service in Sunriver, so they’d traveled farther than she had from Bend.
“Oh. Sorry. I didn’t think about food, but now that you mention
it, I could eat.” Bailey wanted to get through her list today, since she’d be so busy in the coming weeks, but food was a good idea. “How about Sisters Coffee?” It was one of her favorite places to sit and relax.
“Perfect.” Relief showed on Sarah’s face. “They make good sandwiches and pastries.”
Nicole led the way across the street toward the coffee shop. “It’s busy.”
Bailey wasn’t the least bit surprised since this was a popular stopping place for travelers. Her parents had made a point to eat here every time they visited the area when she was a girl. She fell in love with the pastries at Sisters Coffee along with Central Oregon during those vacations. “I’m sure it won’t take too long.” Her stomach rumbled. “At least I hope not.” Funny she hadn’t even realized she was hungry before the idea of food was brought up.
They stepped inside the lodge-like shop. Rich aromas scented the warm air. A fire crackled in the grand stone fireplace off to their right, and the hum of voices welcomed them. This place felt like a big bear hug—warm and cozy.
Ten minutes later, they found a table being vacated not far from the stone fireplace and snagged it.
Bailey pulled her secret admirer’s Christmas card from her purse and handed it to Nicole. “That showed up in Stephen’s car the other day when we were shopping.”
“What do you mean showed up?” Sarah asked.
“It appeared out of nowhere. I have no idea how it got there except that we saw Spencer at the tree lot and Spencer delivered flowers to me the other day. He says the flowers aren’t from him. I’m inclined to believe him, but all the evidence points to him, so . . .”
Nicole pressed her lips together.
Bailey lowered her voice. “Do either of you think Spencer is my admirer?”
Sarah shook her head. “He’s a no nonsense kind of guy, not a romantic. I don’t see him having anything to do with something like that.”
“And yet he delivered the flowers,” Bailey said. “What do you think, Nicole? He’s Mark’s friend, so you know Spencer best.”
“I’d have to agree, he’s not a romantic. Then again, the man is full of surprises. He once loaned Mark and me his canoe on the spur of the moment.”
“So you’re saying it’s possible he’s my admirer?”
“I’m not saying anything.” Nicole looked away.
Could her friend know something and wasn’t saying? If that was the case, then she really had no reason to worry, but what if Nicole was actually concerned, but stayed quiet so Bailey wouldn’t worry? What if the person leaving things for her was actually the silver-car person?
“Okay then, what’s our plan for today?” Sarah asked. “My list is short.” She sent a pointed look toward Nicole. “Should I tell her?”
Bailey looked from one woman to the other. Did this have something to do with her secret admirer or was there something else? Her stomach knotted, and the old phrase two’s company, three’s a crowd, ran through her mind.
Nicole nodded. “You can trust Bailey.”
Curiosity threatened to override good sense, but Bailey pressed her lips tightly together. This wasn’t about her, and she didn’t want to make Sarah feel uncomfortable.
“I know. It’s so embarrassing though.” She sighed. “I’m a recovering shopaholic. It’s a serious problem that’s taken me a long time to overcome and to pay off the debt I accumulated. Now I try to only shop from a list, which I’ve kept short today so I don’t get sucked back into my old ways. Christmastime is rough. So going from store to store might be problematic for me.”
“Thank you for trusting me, Sarah. Maybe we can visit only a store or two and call it good?”
“That’ll work.” Relief shown on Sarah’s face.
“My list is short too.” Nicole pulled out her smartphone and opened to her notes. She flashed the list toward them. “I imagine it won’t take long to make all of our purchases.”
Bailey shifted in her seat. “My list is kind of long, but since I have my own car, the two of you can take off when you’re ready.” She’d been looking forward to this day, but understood Sarah had a problem, and she refused to be the cause of her falling into old habits.
“How is work going, Bailey? Nicole told me about your boss.”
“It’s been weird. Mona’s in the hospital, and I’m running the business.” For which she felt completely unqualified. “I’m supposed to hire an assistant, but I’m not getting any response to my ad. It’s probably the time of year causing the problem, but I can’t do it all alone. Even from her bed, Mona was a big help, but now she isn’t doing anything.” Forget the fact she felt so lacking half the time. What if she messed up and lost a job for the company? More than anything, shopping today was cathartic. She needed to stop worrying about work.
“What about her son?” Nicole asked. “I thought he was helping you. From what I hear, the two of you make a good team.”
Who had her friend been talking to? “To a point, yes. But it’s not like he’s an interior designer. He doesn’t draw up designs and meet with clients.” But from what she heard, he could if needed. Apparently he was an architect with an eye for both interior and exterior design.
“He’s the uncle to those kids we saw at Bachelor?” Sarah dug into her sandwich.
“Yes.”
“He’s good looking,” Sarah covered her full mouth as she spoke. “I heard he’s a widower.”
“That’s true.” Bailey’s face heated. She couldn’t explain why, but talking about Stephen felt weird. Maybe it was because she’d never had a bunch of girlfriends who sat around chatting about boys when she was a teen. She gazed at the tall, skinny Christmas tree in the corner of the shop near the hearth, reminding her of Stephen and decorating the tree with him this morning. She’d enjoyed their time together. She shouldn’t have had so much fun when Mona was laid up in the hospital.
Based on what Stephen said, this could be her boss’s last Christmas. She owed a lot to Mona. The woman had believed in her enough to mentor her and turn over the business to her. If only she believed in herself. Unless . . . Did Mona really turn things over to her, or had Stephen done so out of desperation until he could find someone more suited to the job?
“What’s wrong?” Nicole asked. “All of a sudden you look like you could be sick.”
“I’m fine. Just letting my thoughts stray to an unpleasant ‘what-if.’” She quickly ate the remainder of her sandwich and washed it down with the rest of her mocha. “Are you ready to shop?”
Her friends nodded.
Sarah pushed back from the table. “I already know what I’m getting everyone.”
Nicole’s eyes widened. “What?”
“Coffee beans from here. It’s the perfect gift, and I won’t be tempted by a bunch of stuff while browsing the other stores, since my list will be completed.”
“You’re going to get coffee for everyone on your list?” Bailey asked. She thought to purchase a nice selection for her parents but had other items in mind for everyone else.
Sarah nodded solemnly. “It’s for the best. My family understands, and they are all coffee addicts, so this is perfect.”
The lunch rush had dwindled so Bailey joined her, and in less than ten minutes she had her parents’ gifts purchased.
“Now where should we go?” Nicole asked. “I want to get something special for Mark.”
“I can’t believe you’re getting married on Christmas Eve.” Sarah shook her head.
Bailey’s eyes widened. “I didn’t even think about the date being Christmas Eve. I’ll be in Salem for Christmas.” Disappointment washed over her.
“You have to come. We’re having a very small wedding at our church in Sunriver with only a few friends.”
The last thing Bailey wanted to do was disappoint her friend, but her family was counting on her. Maybe she could go to the wedding and drive home right after. She didn’t like the idea of traveling on the pass at night, especially if the weather was bad, but her friend’
s wedding was important too. “Okay. If the weather cooperates, I’ll be there.”
Nicole grinned. “Thank you. Now what should I get for Mark?”
“I have no idea.” She didn’t care to admit she’d never had a boyfriend to buy a gift for. She guided them across the street to an art gallery. “This place has nice pieces. Maybe they’ll have something that speaks to you.”
“Art isn’t really his thing.” Nicole pointed toward another storefront. “But he enjoys reading.” They meandered into the bookstore instead. Nicole found several books she wanted and decided on a couple she thought Mark would like, including a first edition by one of his favorite authors. “Okay. Now to shop for the girls on my list. Let’s head to the main drag. I saw a place I want to check out.”
They walked until they came to a women’s clothing store and went inside. The place looked pricey, but that didn’t deter Nicole or Sarah. They both quickly found several outfits to try on.
Sarah held up a solid black dress with classic lines. “This would look great on you, Bailey.”
“I’m not shopping for me today.”
Nicole waved a hand. “You never shop for you, and it’s about time you freshened your wardrobe.” She shot a conspiratorial look toward Sarah. “After all, you are the face of Belafonte Designs, and you need to look the part.”
Bailey shriveled on the inside. Nicole had basically said what she’d known since she was a kid—she was lacking. “What do you suggest?” Her voice came out strangled sounding.
Nicole’s brows scrunched. “Giving you a makeover isn’t intended to be an insult. It’s my Christmas gift to you. I know we let you think today was your idea, but Sarah and I have had this planned ever since we learned that you’re taking over for Mona. Your suggestion to go shopping today worked in our favor.” She handed her an envelope. “Merry Christmas! Open it.”
Bailey looked from Nicole then to Sarah and back to Nicole. “You did this for me? Why?”
“Because we care about you. I don’t know who made you feel like an ugly duckling, but you are a swan who needs to spread her beautiful wings.”
A Christmas Homecoming Page 9