It wasn’t nearly as difficult as he thought it would be. He only had to discard three beverages before arriving at one that actually wasn’t half bad. By his fourth try, he felt like even Doris would be proud.
With two travel mugs in hand, Nick locked up the house and headed up the path toward Lee’s home. The streets were newly plowed, charcoal-colored snow pressed up against the curbs like slushy barricades. Heavy snowflakes flurried around, leaving Nick’s cheeks wet where they landed. He knew his nose reddened with each cold drop.
Rounding the walkway, Nick noticed Audrey’s wreath still hanging on the door. At least this time Nick wasn’t showing up unannounced. In fact, despite the chilly temperatures, Lee was already waiting, rocking back and forth on a chair. He tossed a wave into the air.
“Mornin’, Nick!” he hollered from the porch.
“Good morning, Lee. I brought you a peppermint latte. I can’t promise it’s any good, but I think it’s probably drinkable.”
“Anything’s better than the coffee we’ve got down at that station. Can’t say I’ve ever seen anyone clean that carafe with anything more than just a quick rinse under the faucet. That coffee—that’s the kind that will put hair on your chest.” Lee took the mug from Nick after he ascended the steps to the house. He drew in a first sip. “This,” he swallowed, “well this coffee right here just might turn you into a Christmas elf!”
Nick snorted a laugh. “I felt extra Christmassy this morning. I even threw a candy cane in there.”
“You don’t say?” Lee replied, sarcasm generous in his tone. He took another drink and coughed. “What’s gotten you in this particularly seasonal mood, son?”
“Just being back home, I think. Remembering old traditions and making new ones.”
“Speaking of, I found the thing you called about last night. It’s over in the garage. Let’s take a look, shall we?”
Lee’s detached garage was just a few paces from the house. He’d never used it to store a vehicle, instead using it as a workshop of sorts. Lee pressed his shoulder into the stubborn door and it gave way on its hinges. The scent of wood shavings and oil and must hit Nick’s senses.
“Right this way.” Stepping around several fruit crates and an old table saw, Lee created a narrow path through the cluttered odds and ends.
There was a sheet-covered mound on a workbench and, like he was a magician, Lee grabbed the corner and yanked it off in one theatrical swoop. “Ta-da!” he bellowed. “Truth be told, I’m surprised I still had this old thing. Audrey asked me to clean out this shed more times than I can count, but I never seemed to get around to it. Now I don’t feel so bad about that. This is practically an antique.”
Nick walked around the table, surveying the sled from all angles. It was laden with dust, which was to be expected after so many years of not being used. A coat of paint would freshen it up and have it looking good as new in no time. He peered closer, looking for the notches in the pine that he hoped were still detectable. Just where he remembered carving them, four lines remained scratched deeply into the sled’s surface.
“Four-time champions,” Lee said, looking over Nick’s shoulder at the carvings. “That’s nothing to sneeze at.”
“I’m hoping to make it five.”
“You got any ideas for this year? I hear the theme has something to do with Christmas carols. In fact, I’ve got an old refrigerator box that you’re welcome to use to construct your sled. Although you probably have several shipping boxes of your own from the recent move.”
“I’ve yet to ship out the rest of my belongings, so I’ll definitely take you up on that box. I’ll also take you up on a little help if you’re willing to offer that, too.”
Lee beamed. “Son, I thought you’d never ask.”
* * *
IT DIDN’T TAKE long to construct the sled. Nick was grateful not only for Lee’s help, but for his creative eye, something Nick admittedly lacked. He had a vision for the Jingle Bells-themed sled, but translating that idea from his head into reality was met with great difficulty. Luckily, Lee caught onto Nick’s concept quickly and before the morning was over, they had an impressive one horse open sleigh equipped with Chrissy’s childhood stick horse at the helm, silver bells strung across the red cardboard sides, and a spray painted snow finish to top it all off.
Nick couldn’t wait to take it down the slopes.
“If the winner is chosen based on looks alone, this sled will surely win you the title,” Lee said, admiring their final product as he appreciatively stroked his moustache.
“That’s only half of it. We need to hope this thing is more aerodynamic than it looks. It’s a bit clunky, isn’t it?”
“I think it will do just fine. They’re all clunky, homemade contraptions. That’s just the nature of the beast. So, when do you plan to show Chrissy?”
“Right now. That is, if you can help me load it into the back of the truck.” Nick peered through the garage window out at the street and the suddenly clearer skies. “Looks like the snow’s even let up for a bit.”
“I think we shouldn’t waste any time then. To the truck we go!”
* * *
JUST AS HE had hoped, Chrissy was working at her candle shop, her sedan parked right outside the storefront along the curb. Nick wasn’t sure how to go about the whole thing. Should he formally ask her to be his sledding partner, unveiling the sled in some dramatic fashion as though asking her to a school dance? Or should he just mention it in passing, and, if she showed interest, show her the sled he’d spent the entire morning crafting with her father?
Nick didn’t have much time to equivocate because Chrissy suddenly came barreling out of the store, her face downward, focused intently on a piece of paper in her hands. Her eyes were narrowed and her mouth pinched tight.
“Chrissy?” Nick attempted to summon her attention.
Her gaze shot up to his. Instantly, her features relaxed. “Nick! What are you doing here?” And then her eyes traveled the path of Nick’s, landing on the ornate sled perched in the bed of his truck. “Is that…?”
“Chrissy, would you care to be my partner for the sledding race tomorrow?” Apparently he was going the prom-posal route.
“Jingle Bells?” Her eyes were saucer wide. “Is that a Jingle Bells theme?”
“It is. I’m glad it’s obvious. I was a little worried it didn’t translate well. But I figured since we were once the Dashing Duo, it was only fitting.” He forced a smile that trembled each time he tried it out on his lips.
“Nick, I…” She paused and then her face returned to the tight, concerned look she wore when she came out of the shop moments earlier.
“It’s no big deal if you don’t want to, Chrissy,” he began backpedaling. “Your dad and I just whipped this up. It’s totally fine if you don’t want to be partners for the race. I should’ve asked first.”
“Dad worked on this with you?”
“He did. In fact, all of the creative stuff is his doing. I just chose the carol.”
Chrissy walked over to the sled. “My dad had the idea to use that stick horse?”
“That was me, actually.”
“And he thought to string all of these jingle bells along the edges for the trim?”
“Well, that was me, too.”
Chrissy nodded. “And the painted snow?”
“I do know how much you love fake snow.” Nick smiled hesitantly. He couldn’t decipher her reaction and it had his head spinning with doubt.
“This is one of the most thoughtful things anyone has done for me lately, Nick.”
“It’s really not all that thoughtful. It’s just a cardboard-covered sled.”
“It’s more than that. The other night at dinner, I saw how uncomfortable it made you when I suggested we compete in this year’s race together. And I get that. It’s been a long time. But you put all of that aside and created this beautiful sleigh just for me. That means a lot to me, Nick.”
“You mean a lot to me, Chriss
y.” He could see her eyes briefly expand in surprise before she composed her expression. “And winning title number five means a lot to me, too,” he tacked on, hoping to avoid coming off too strong.
“Then I say we get signed up to take this puppy on the slopes tomorrow. I, for one, am eager to reclaim our rightful place on the podium. You know, Doris and Nita currently hold the title.”
“I’m eager for that, too,” Nick agreed, but that was just one title he hoped to reclaim when it came to Chrissy.
Chrissy
CHRISSY PULLED THE slip of paper from her nightstand, though she didn’t need to read it again to recall its wording. This one she had easily memorized.
Gowns and tuxedos
A night of dancing for all
You’re formally invited to the
Heirloom Point Winter Ball
She set the note on her pillow. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she yawned and stretched, pushing down her thick comforter into a fabric accordion at the foot of her bed. A slice of winter sun slipped through the small opening in the drapes on her window and it painted the room with a strip of radiant light. Chrissy could feel the warmth on her cheeks and while she credited it to the morning sunlight, she also suspected it might have a little something to do with the invitation.
Chrissy hadn’t been to a dance since prom, even though Heirloom Point hosted a ball each winter season. She’d always found an excuse not to attend. One year it was a root canal. The next it was a sprained ankle. Last year she happened to conveniently come down with a twenty-four-hour stomach bug.
This year, she had no real reason not to go. Even still, the thought of setting foot on a dance floor gave her jitters. Maybe Nick wouldn’t even be in attendance, but she doubted that. If she had suspected the notes had been his doing before, this most recent one just solidified that hunch. It was obvious Nick had been going out of his way to mend their broken past, from his peace offering salt dough ornaments to the surprise Jingle Bells sled. Chrissy felt like she was starting to successfully interpret his intentions and there was an immense sense of relief in that.
She was eager to set out for Sugarcrest Hill, and readied herself for the day quickly, especially since she’d overslept. A light snow had fallen throughout the previous night, but let up just before dawn. That left a beautiful, fluffy dusting all across the town. Perfect conditions for a sledding race.
After eating a breakfast of toaster waffles and a banana, Chrissy laced her snow boots onto her feet and slung her newly purchased down jacket over her shoulders. Even though the snow no longer fell, it would still be cold on the slopes, the wind whipping with force as their sled careened down the hillside.
Nick had texted an hour earlier to let her know he’d already driven by to check out the course. He said he even saw a few competitors taking a practice run down the mountain. While Chrissy figured that might be a good idea for their team, too, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to make it there in time. Everleigh had told her that they would close the course a half-hour before the race was set to begin, and a quick glance at the clock let Chrissy know she only had ten minutes until that designated time.
She tried to hurry to the event location, but the streets she needed to drive hadn’t yet been plowed and she really didn’t want to slip and slide her way through town. She took her time, safety of the utmost importance. As she suspected, when she finally pulled into the lot, she could see Everleigh, megaphone in hand, calling the entrants in from the hill.
“Competitors, off the slopes!” she shouted. “Off the slopes!” She turned toward Chrissy who had exited her vehicle and walked over. “Hey, sis!” Everleigh screamed, her voice still echoing through the megaphone. Chrissy cringed. “Sorry.” Everleigh released the button on the handle. “Hey, sis,” she repeated, this time at a reasonable volume. “I just saw Nick with your sled. I didn’t realize you two were competing together this year.”
“I didn’t either. It was sort of a last minute decision.”
“The LOL’s are quaking in their orthopedic boots. They figured they were a shoe-in until they saw the Dashing Duo listed on this year’s entrant’s form. I’m supposed to be impartial, but I secretly hope that sled of yours is faster than it looks. It would be nice to humble Doris a bit.”
“She’s nothing if not confident.”
“And bossy,” Everleigh added. “Rumor has it she was out here last night measuring the course and evidently it’s two feet shorter than last year’s. She had a mini fit over that. I had to restring all the boundary lines and reset the markers before sunup. I tell you, for a volunteer position, this is really demanding. Anyway, go find Nick. You missed your chance for a practice run, but you still have time to work on some last-minute strategies.”
“Sounds good. See you in a bit, sis.”
“See ya.”
The base of the mountain was filled with racers, each sledding team paired off as they huddled around their designs. Some themes were easily recognizable, like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman with their respective characters painted on the sides in cartoon-like drawings. Other sleds took a bit of creative interpretation. Chrissy stared at Tucker and Marcie’s sleigh for a long while before it finally clicked. Their sled had varying strips of cloth tacked to the sides, all in shades of green.
“Greensleeves,” Chrissy said appreciatively as she stepped toward her friends. “I like it.”
“I’m so glad you get it,” Tucker said. “Over twenty t-shirts and sweaters sacrificed their lives for this silly sled. My entire wardrobe became sleeveless overnight. I sure hope male tank-tops are making a comeback, because that’s all I currently have in my closet.”
“Um, yeah, I sincerely doubt that will happen,” Marcie said with a roll of her eyes. “Chrissy, I just saw Nick with your sled. It’s amazing! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!”
“I wish I could take credit, but that’s all Nick’s doing.”
“Either way, it’s totally awesome. Almost as good as those little old ladies.”
“Really? Theirs is that good, huh?” Chrissy glanced around. “I haven’t seen it yet.”
“Oh, you have to go check it out. They brought their A-game, for sure.” Marcie slugged her brother in the shoulder. “Come on, Tuck. Let’s jump back in this sled and practice our maneuvers.” She gave Chrissy a look that indicated annoyance with Tucker. “I swear, this brother of mine doesn’t know his right from his left. I tell him to lean one way and he goes the other. It’ll be a miracle if we can even keep this thing within the course boundaries. I bet we end up disqualified when all is said and done.”
Chrissy laughed. “I’ll leave you two to work that out.”
“Alrighty, friend. See you on the slopes!”
Each look at the sleds had Chrissy humming a different holiday tune. There was Little Drummer Boy and Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree with their musical notes and instruments incorporated into the design scheme. Others were more traditional carols like Silent Night and White Christmas. Then, a few yards up, she saw Kevin and Joe, each with a hammer poised in hand, making final changes to their toboggan.
“Wow,” was all Chrissy could utter as she got closer. “You guys built this?”
“In fairness,”—Joe shrugged, tapping his hammer in his palm—“I’ve already built it once before, this is just a smaller version of it.”
“Do you know what carol it’s supposed to be, Chrissy?” Kevin asked. He encouraged her answer with a smile and quirk of his prominent brow. “I’m hoping it translates.”
“Well, since this is a replica of the McHenry house, and you’ll be at the helm this year, my best guess is I’ll be Home for Christmas?”
“You most definitely are more than just a pretty face!” He gathered her into a hug that lifted her from the ground. He had a habit of doing that. “It’s spot on, right? And I have that summer spent rebuilding your home to thank for my acquired construction skills.”
“I’m glad it w
asn’t a total waste of your time.”
“Chrissy, time spent with you could never be considered a waste.” He flashed that disarming smile again. It made Chrissy uneasy at the way her stomach fluttered in response.
“I should find Nick. Looks like we’ll be starting any minute.”
“You guys did a good job with yours,” Kevin offered, though the compliment wasn’t a particularly glowing one.
“Thanks.” Chrissy bowed out of the conversation and peeled herself from Kevin’s appreciative gaze. “See you on the hill.”
“You might not actually see us. We’ll be flying by.”
“Gotcha.” She nodded and gave the father-son team a thumbs up.
It didn’t take long to spot Nick with their sled. He looked up as soon as he heard her approaching. “Hey, Chrissy. I was beginning to think maybe you stood me up,” he teased through an adorably lopsided grin.
“I did get a bit distracted by all of the sleds on the way in. I can’t believe there are so many this year!”
“Right? Everleigh said there were close to twenty pairs entered in the race.” He grunted a little as he pressed up from his crouched position. “I don’t know. I still think we have a pretty decent chance with this trusty old sled. It hasn’t let us down in the past.”
“I’m sorry I missed our opportunity for a trial run. I slept in later than I should have.”
“No biggie. I don’t think we need one, anyway. And I’m honestly not that confident that this makeshift creation will survive more than one run. But we probably should at least sit in it before we take it up the hill.”
“Agreed. You first?”
“It’ll work better if I’m in the back, if that’s alright with you. That way I can help steer the end with my weight so we don’t fishtail like that one year.”
An Heirloom Christmas Page 13