A Heartwarming Christmas: A Boxed Set of Twelve Sweet Holiday Romances

by Melinda Curtis

  “Fine. But you don’t get Sprout either.”

  “It was Sprite.”

  “That’s even worse.”

  “I think Sprite is cute.”

  “It’s soda pop. It’s not a good name for…” He stopped in front of Timeless. “…a cat. Why are there no lights on in your shop? And the closed sign is out. Where’s Allison?”

  Andrea saw the darkened windows and knew instantly what had happened. Dipping her head, she squeezed her eyes shut and gripped her temples.

  Chapter 8

  Allison met them at the door carrying an antique chamberstick complete with lighted taper. A fully lit candelabra perched regally atop a French armoire, bathing the antiques and old furnishings in a lovely glow. Somehow the beauty of the scene made the situation seem even worse.

  “I didn’t know what to do. I had to close. Not only can customers not see, but the cash register doesn’t work.”

  “You did the right thing.”

  “Why is there no power?” Ben asked. “The other shops have it.” He glanced out the window as if to confirm this obvious circumstance. “Do you want me to check the breakers?”

  Allison’s eyes found Andrea’s, whose mouth was opening and then closing again. She strode toward her sister, handed over the chamberstick, and like a bad actress went on in a stilted tone, “The lights will be back on soon. I called the utility company and straightened out this misunderstanding.” She added a wink, turned and sailed across the room with a wave in Ben’s direction. “Lovely to see you again, Ben.”

  “Allison, you don’t have to go. I’m going to tell him.” She was going to tell him some of it anyway. As embarrassing as it was, there was no point in keeping it from him any longer. He would figure it out. How many reasons could there possibly be for the electricity being off in only her shop?

  “Tell me what?”

  “Are you sure?” Allison asked. “Because I have this under control.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Her gaze flicked toward Ben as if to remind Andrea of his presence.

  Andrea smiled, appreciating the sisterly protection. “It’s fine. You can say it in front of him.”

  Allison squeezed her palms together and tipped up onto the balls of her feet. “Okay, this is actually really exciting. I sold the necklace you gave me and paid the bill. You would have been so proud. This guy in Camden tried to lowball me, but I did my research just like you taught me. I gave him a price; he insulted me with a counter offer. I started packing it up like I had another deal brewing, which, of course, I didn’t.”

  “How much did you get for it?”

  Allison quickly relayed the rest of the story along with the price she’d ultimately secured. Andrea was proud, not of the fact that Allison had sold the necklace, but because she’d done it so well. A mix of guilt and affection followed.

  “I am proud, but you loved that necklace. You didn’t have to do that.”

  “I know, but I wanted to help and I knew if I paid the bill with money connected to Dad in any way, you would never forgive me. So, Merry Christmas. To you. From me. Just me.”

  Her sister added a happy grin, and Andrea wasn’t sure she’d ever loved her more.

  “In light of all this—sorry, no pun intended, but there’s something I’d like to run by you.”

  “What is going on?” Ben interjected. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but we’re standing around chatting in the candlelight like it’s a perfectly normal thing to do.”

  Andrea inhaled deeply and faced him. “I’m having what is commonly referred to in the business world as a cash flow problem.”

  ~*~

  Ben listened, concerned about Andrea’s circumstances, but puzzling over how she could have allowed this to happen. Her financial situation explained some of her odd behavior as well as her preoccupation with making every dollar she could.

  “There were a couple expensive, but very special items I went out a limb for that didn’t pan out in the immediate way I’d anticipated. As soon as I turn a few of these items over, I’ll be fine.”

  “Very special,” Allison repeated in a further show of sibling-like solidarity.

  Andrea gestured around the shop. “Obviously, I have the inventory. I’m just not very liquid. It’s a temporary problem and I...”

  He watched her carefully as she chattered on. Overextending herself like this was irresponsible. He’d formed the impression that Andrea had a great head for business, in addition to her expertise with antiques. Plus, she had to have some funds at her disposal—a line of credit, a home equity loan, or even credit cards for an emergency situation. How could a few transactions add up to this extreme?

  Something told him that in spite of what she’d claimed, he wasn’t getting the whole story. He started to ask her, when suddenly the lights flickered and showered the store in bright light.

  “Thank heavens,” Allison said, skipping over and flipping the shop’s sign to Open. “Maybe we’ll get a few more shoppers before closing time. I can go ahead and close again tonight, but I am going to peek at that kitten before you take her home, okay?”

  ~*~

  Andrea lived in a roomy old house with walls painted pale gray and aged hard-wood floors. A decorated Christmas tree stood in the corner of the room while vintage Santa figurines were arranged around the space. Lighted garland graced the archway between the living room and kitchen.

  Ben couldn’t help but note what a far cry her home was from the mansion she’d grown up in. Everyone knew Bradford and Yvonne Talbot’s house on the outskirts of town. The sprawling estate with immaculately groomed English-style gardens complete with a hedge-maze and an elaborate swimming pool. Horse barns, paddocks, and a riding arena took up a good share of the acreage while bright white fencing enclosed the entire property.

  He wandered around and studied the antique furniture and knick knacks she’d strategically arranged. He noted the beautiful needlepoint pillow coverings he knew she’d made because needlework was her hobby. Simple but striking pieces of folk art hung on the walls along with old maps and travel posters. Vintage coffee tins were arranged along the top of the upper cabinets in the kitchen.

  “Andrea, this place is...It’s fantastic.”

  Her face erupted with a thousand-watt smile. He wondered about the relief that seemed to accompany it.

  “Thank you.” She added a wry chuckle. “My parents hate it.”

  “What are you talking about? Why?”

  “My dad calls me a junk peddler. My mom says I’m a hoarder.”

  “That’s crazy. It’s so...you.”

  “Exactly,” she said, pulling one shoulder up into a casual shrug.

  “That’s…”

  “It is what it is. You know those stories about kids whose parents never hung up their school work because it didn’t go with the decor?”

  Urban legend he’d thought, but nodded. The refrigerator at the Fisher home when he and his brothers were growing up was always covered with so many photos, artwork, and report cards you could barely see the color of the appliance underneath.

  “That was our mom.”

  He moved toward her. “You had it pretty rough, huh?”

  Cute, he thought, the way she tried to fight a smile.

  “No. And I know how that sounds, poor little rich girl and all. But you know what? My parents didn’t buy me anything I wanted. They bought me what they thought I should want or what they wanted us to want. Allison was different because of the horses. Buy her anything with a horse on it and she was happy. My dad loves the status her riding success brings the family.

  “Don’t get me wrong, I said goodbye to some nice stuff and my parents do love us in their way. But their affection, their approval, is very conditional. And the way they tried to raise me, mold me, actually, is not who I am.” Lifting her arms, she gestured around her cozy house. “This is who I am. And they are, unfortunately, very disappointed in this.”

  “Well, I’m not. It’s even be
tter than I imagined. You really love what you do, huh?”

  “I do. I always loved history in school, absolutely fascinated me. We went on that field trip when we were in fifth grade to that colonial farm. Do you remember that?”

  He did. He’d been enthralled by the blacksmith shop, the bellows and forge in particular.

  “After that day, I would check out books on antiques from the library. I’d walk around town and talk to people who I thought might know about antiques. Like Martha at The Tea Pot? I would study those ancient snowshoes and old things on the walls and wonder. Who had used them? Who had made them? Still, I look at an object and I wish it could talk and tell me its stories, its secrets...” She trailed off, looking embarrassed. “That sounds silly, huh?”

  “Not at all. I feel the same way about my firefighting collection. Believe it or not, it makes me feel closer to my family. So much of my family’s history is tied to firefighting. I want to be a part of that history in some way and the…”

  “The bell,” she whispered.

  “The bell,” he said at the same time.

  Kitten meowed softly from her perch on the back on the sofa. They both glanced her way, then back at each other and said at the same time, “Bell.”

  Looking expectantly at them, she meowed again.

  They shared a laugh and then Ben said, “That’s it. She’s Bell.”

  Opening her mouth with a wide yawn, Bell stretched and promptly fell back asleep.

  Ben looked back at Andrea. She was standing so close he could reach out and touch her. Instead, he said softly, “At least we got one bell for Christmas, huh?”

  “Ben…” She smiled slowly and said his name so sweetly Ben could feel the affection behind the word.

  He took another step because he had to kiss her.

  ~*~

  As soon as Ben’s lips touched hers Andrea was lost. She’d already known she was falling in love with him, but this, the tenderness he showed her, and the way he made her feel. It wasn’t only the tightness building in her because she was pretty sure she could stay wrapped in his arms forever. She wanted to do that very thing.

  “What are you thinking?” he finally whispered, pulling away slightly and resting his forehead against hers.

  The question caused her to grin, thinking how much the answer might scare him.

  “I’m thinking math and computers aren’t the only things you’re good at.”

  He tipped his head back as if thinking the statement over. His eyes found hers again. “That might be the nicest compliment anyone has ever given me.”

  She giggled and threaded her hands around the back of his neck. Stretching up onto her toes, she kissed him.

  After a long, sweet moment, he said, “Earlier when we were talking, you mentioned saying goodbye to some nice stuff?”

  “Yes, when I left my parents’ house, I didn’t take anything with me.”

  “Nothing?”

  “A backpack full of personal items.”

  “You were working for your dad at this time?”

  Andrea nodded. “Yep, I left the job, the car, my clothes, the bank account, all of it. I did have a small storage unit full of antiques and collectibles, which I bought with money I made myself buying and selling as a hobby. Most of it became inventory when I opened Timeless.”

  He knew very well how scary it was to start a business and how much hard work it entailed. He had started Sparrow Software with a partner, a partner who worked every bit as hard as he did. As far as he could tell, Andrea somehow managed it all. In spite of her current financial predicament, it was a courageous thing to do.

  “You are a very brave woman.”

  She tapped a finger in a thoughtful-like gesture against her lips. “I know that’s the nicest compliment anyone has ever given me. Being brave can be very lonely.”

  “I don’t want you to be lonely.” He pulled her close again. “I also don’t want this crazy day to end. Do you want to go grab some coffee?”

  She happily agreed, then took off to change her clothes and freshen up.

  The ring of the telephone startled him. He was surprised she had a land line until the answering machine clicked on with Andrea’s voice informing callers they’d reached Timeless Antiques & Collectibles.

  A man said, “Hey, Ms. Talbot? It’s Sheldon Pierce. Zacharias told me how delivery of the bell is top secret and everything. I know it’s after hours, but could you please call me back on my cell? Also, Zacharias wanted me to tell you that he has received a couple more offers. He’s passing them on in an email and says you will make a boatload if...”

  Ben listened, the words cold and shocking. Like emerging underdressed from a warm house into the middle of a frozen night. Her desperate financial state mingled with all the doubt he’d been battling, finally culminating in a stark realization; Andrea had found the Christmas Town bell, but she hadn’t found it for him.

  Chapter 9

  “You have to tell him. You have to explain. If you could see the way he looks at you.” Allison’s tone was rife with enough emotion to fuel a soap opera scene.

  “If you could have seen the way he looked at me last night, you would feel differently.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Andrea didn’t want to rehash the scene, but it wouldn’t stop playing over and over in her mind. The pain in his eyes, the tightness around his mouth were a near perfect match to the time she’d hurt him back in high school. A part of her wondered if she didn’t deserve this? Was this karma finally coming around? She’d tried so hard to make up for those days in so many ways.

  “He said he would double whatever the other person had offered.”

  “Double?” Allison exclaimed. “Wow. What did you say?”

  “Nothing. I stared at him. I didn’t know what he was talking about at first. Until he played the message. Then he grabbed his coat and left.” That’s when she’d cried. She’d thought he was getting to know the real her, but he’d automatically assumed the worst. She felt as if her soul had been crushed. She didn’t mention that part to Allison.

  “Why in the world would he think you would go behind his back and sell the bell?”

  “Because he knows that I know how much he was willing to pay for it. Obviously, he thinks I found someone willing to pay a lot more. He doesn’t even know how great a deal I got for him.”

  “But, you’d already made a deal with Ben. Your word is gold.”

  “I know that and you know that. He obviously has a different opinion. Clearly, he thinks I’m still a horrible, greedy, rich, snob.”

  Allison winced. In a voice ripe with doubt she asked, “Rich? Really, you think so?”

  She adored her sister in that moment for managing to make her smile. “You get the point.”

  “I do.”

  “Stupid bell ruined everything.”

  Bell the kitten belted out a piercing meow.

  “I’m sorry, Kitty-Bell,” Andrea cooed, scooping her up for a cuddle. “I wasn’t calling you stupid. You haven’t ruined anything. Neither did that beautiful bell.” It was me, she added silently. And Ben a little, too.

  “It’s weird how she answers to that name, right? I mean, most cats seem like they never learn their names.”

  “They know their names. They pick and choose when to let their humans know they know.”

  “A horse knows almost from the day they’re born.”

  Andrea rolled her eyes. “We are all aware of how brilliant you believe horses to be. Tell me the story again about how Nash plays hide and seek.”

  Allison peered at her suspiciously. “I know what you’re trying to do. And I will tell you that story later to torture you. But right now, we’re talking about you and Ben Fisher.”

  “There is no me and Ben Fisher.”

  “He’ll still pay you back, and give you the commission, and everything will be okay. We’ll be okay, right?”

  “Yes, he’ll still want the bell.” Ben would want the bell and would
pay her back for purchasing it. That much was true. If only she didn’t need the commission so badly. The invoice for the commission, she’d like to rip it into little pieces. To match her heart.

  Andrea went on, “As far as everything being okay? Are you sure you want to do this? Go into business with me? You can see how I’ve messed things up lately.”

  “Yes. Positive. And I know what you’re thinking. You’re worried about Nash. Don’t worry, I have a plan. I’ll fill you in on the details later. Now, back to Ben—either you tell him about the bell or I will.”

  “My goodness, independence has made you bossy, huh?”

  “I learned from the best.”

  “I’m going to tell him. I’m just not going to tell him in the way I thought or with the results I’d been hoping for. Now, we should get over to the pageant.”

  ~*~

  Andrea stood in front of the Fishers’ front door and inhaled a deep breath, hoping the frozen air would fortify her. A shiver ran through her instead. The pageant was still winding down, so hopefully she wasn’t interrupting their family Christmas Eve tree decorating tradition.

  She knocked. Mrs. Fisher answered the door.

  “Andrea! Merry Christmas, sweetheart. Wasn’t the pageant wonderful this year?” She didn’t seem surprised to see Andrea standing on her front porch.

  “Yes, it was,” she said, because even though she’d been miserable, the pageant had been lovely as usual. Having Allison by her side had been the only thing that made the day bearable.

  “You’re right on time for some clam chowder.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Fisher, but I’m fine. I stopped by to talk to Ben. I’ll only keep him a minute.” More like five to ten minutes if Sheldon’s timing was accurate.

  “Of course, but please come in. It’s really cold outside.”

  “Sure.” Andrea stomped the snow from her boots and stepped inside.

  Delicious scents of bacon and fresh-baked bread filled the house. Ben had told her about the Christmas Eve Fisher family tradition of feasting on clam chowder, fresh-baked rolls, and homemade eggnog. He couldn’t believe Andrea had never tasted homemade eggnog before.