by Ginny Baird
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Homemade Turkey Stuffing
About the Author
Sneak Preview
On Christmas Avenue
Copyright © 2021 Ginny Baird
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereinafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Print: 978-1-952210-32-7
eBook 978-1-952210-33-4
www.hallmarkpublishing.com
For John
Chapter One
Mary Ward stared at her boss and blinked.
“Where did you say I’m going again?”
Judy cocked her chin and her asymmetrical bob swung sideways. She had a slender section of her black hair pinned back on top, offsetting her dark brown eyes. “To Clark Creek,” she repeated matter-of-factly, like she’d just said Atlanta or some other highly recognizable place. In addition to being Mary’s boss, Judy Ramos was also her bestie, and had been for a decade—ever since they’d been roommates in college.
They stood in Judy’s tenth-story office in a corporate building on the outskirts of Richmond, Virginia. Snow fell beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, coating the pines abutting the parking area. Davenport Development Associates specialized in fundraising initiatives for nonprofit entities, but generally not towns, so this wasn’t a typical assignment.
“Well, I’ve never heard of it.”
“Neither had I,” Judy said, “before I got their mayor’s cry for help.” She stepped toward Mary, extending her cell phone, and Mary had to crouch down to see. She towered over her shorter and more athletically built friend.
Judy pulled up a map of Virginia and tapped at a spot in the state’s western portion.
Mary’s brown curls spilled forward and she held them back with one hand, attempting to get a better view of the screen. Nothing obvious jumped out at her, besides mounds of mountainous terrain. “I’m not sure I—”
“Hang on.” Judy enlarged the map on her navigational app and a tiny dot appeared. The name Clark Creek sat adjacent to a curvy blue line, indicating a narrow body of water connected to a larger tributary.
“That looks like it’s in the middle of nowhere.”
“Not completely nowhere,” July replied. “The Blue Ridge Parkway’s nearby.”
Judy was big into hiking, kayaking, and skiing…all sorts of things that meant spending time outdoors. She’d been president of the sporty Outdoors Club at their university. Conversely, fair-skinned, easily-sunburned Mary was more of an indoor yoga person. The only club she’d belonged to in college was the Christmas Club she’d started.
While other charities donated seasonal gifts and meals to those less fortunate, few delivered uplifting decorations, like live Christmas trees and festive garlands, to folks who wouldn’t otherwise have them. Mary had been pleased to learn her club had continued operating even after she’d graduated from college.
For her part, she’d never really gotten out of the habit of buying Christmas decorations whenever she found them on sale. She loved saving them up to drop off at nursing homes or other places where they were appreciated. Her apartment closets were so jam-packed they couldn’t absorb any more holiday cheer, and the cargo area of her SUV was loaded.
Judy motioned for Mary to have a seat in the chair facing her desk, and Judy sat behind it. A small plastic Christmas tree stood on its corner wrapped in colorful lights, and the wreath above Judy’s bookshelf behind her showcased a red-and-green-checkered holiday bow.
“What’s going on in Clark Creek?” Mary asked her.
“Not nearly enough.” Judy sighed. “The email from the mayor was honestly a little sad, and a lot frantic. Clark Creek barely has enough reserves to fund its daily operations.”
“Oh no. You’re talking local government?”
“I’m talking all of it. Government operations, the sheriff’s office…and the shops and restaurants are hurting, too. The town council learned about our company’s reputation for raising capital quickly and reached out to us for help. If they don’t get relief soon, the whole town will go under.”
“Bankrupt?”
Judy nodded. “Everything will take a hit in that case, including funding for parks and schools.”
That sounded perfectly awful for the poor people of Clark Creek.
Mary shifted in her chair, growing uncomfortable. She normally helped smaller organizations like charities run their fundraisers, functioning as part of a team. Lately, she’d been spearheading those teams. But none of them had tackled anything this big.
“How many of us will be on this?”
“I tried to suggest sending you, Natalie, and Paul—at a minimum.” Judy grimaced. “But the mayor said they can only afford one consultant.”
“One?” Mary swallowed hard. “I don’t know, Judy. This sounds like a challenge.”
Judy scanned something on the laptop in front of her, then shut it. “Since when have you backed down from a challenge?”
Mary chuckled, feeling called out. “Never.”
“See? You’re perfect for the job. Smart. Determined. Innovative! Plus, you can think on your feet.”
“Let’s hope I land on them, too.”
“You will.” Judy took on a serious tone. “I’m not supposed to tell you this,” she said in a whisper. “But if you pull this off in Clark Creek?”
“Yeah?”
“It could mean Seattle.”
Mary’s heart thumped. “What?”
“Headquarters,” Judy confirmed. “And a promotion to program manager, like me. You won’t even have to apply. Upper management already has their eye on you. All you need is this major victory to seal the deal, and my recommendation, of course. Which you know you have.”
Anticipation coursed through Mary. This was just what she wanted—what she had wanted for the past year, ever since Judy had been promoted ahead of her. They’d started at the firm at roughly the same time as implementation specialists, after both having earned their MBAs and working for different universities’ development offices.
Mary had been glad to move to Virginia, and extra happy about working with Judy, who’d already accepted a position at Davenport. Things became privately awkward for Mary when Judy got named her boss. Even though Judy was always kind and fair about it, being her subordinate felt weird after being equals and friends.
Then again, Judy was more assertive than Mary, and not afraid to advocate for herself. Like she had when she’d applied for the supervisory position she currently held.
&nbs
p; Mary frowned. “But that would mean leaving Virginia. And you.”
“Don’t be silly, Mary! We’ll keep up like we did before. Besides…” Judy playfully rolled her eyes. “You’ve got to know, if the shoe was on the other foot—”
“You’d jump at the chance in a heartbeat.”
“Yeah.”
Mary knew this was an opportunity she couldn’t refuse. She really did love rising to a challenge, and moving to the West Coast sounded exciting. Virginia was great, but she’d already lived here for nearly two years, and grass was growing under her feet. While Mary wasn’t stellar at maintaining long-distance connections, she’d always managed to stay friends with Judy—in part, due to Judy’s bullheaded persistence. Mary loved her to death for her loyalty. Judy was the closest thing to a sister she had.
“So all I’ve got to do,” she said, “is present this little town with some new strategies?”
“For fiscal viability, yes. That’s what they’re counting on. An economic reboot.”
Mary inhaled deeply, thinking things through. She could do this; of course she could. Given enough time to strategize. “Okay. Why don’t you send me the particulars: demographics, chamber of commerce information, that kind of thing. Oh! And forward that email from the mayor. I’ll do some research on Clark Creek and come up with a proposal to run by you before presenting it to the mayor and the town council.”
“Super. As soon as it gets their approval, you can go on site to implement your plan.”
“How long have I got?”
“They’re wanting results by Christmas.”
“Christmas?” Mary’s stomach clenched. That sounded impossible, even to her. She was accomplished at her job, but she wasn’t a miracle worker. “That’s only two weeks away.”
Judy shot her an encouraging grin. “Sounds like you’d better get busy.”
Evan Clark’s mom greeted him as he approached the courthouse. Snow drifted through the air. A fine white powder dusted the town square with its stylish gazebo and seasonal outdoor skating rink. The impressive façade of the library stood across the way, marked by its tall ivory columns and ornate windows. Beyond the smattering of town buildings behind the library, clouds cloaked a snowy mountain ridge.
“Oh, Evan! I was looking for you earlier. Itzel said you’d stepped out,” his mom said, mentioning his administrative assistant. Connie Clark wore her winter coat and held up a small umbrella while grasping a paper cup of coffee in a gloved hand. Her dark blond hair skimmed the edges of her fake fur coat collar and her blue eyes sparkled when she smiled. Despite the crows’ feet at their corners, she looked a lot younger than her age. She’d been mayor in Clark Creek these past ten years.
“Yeah, I had to stop by the bank.” As Evan walked with his mom up the courthouse steps, he angled his sheriff’s hat forward to keep the snow from hitting his face. It was driving down harder now and growing icy, which would mean slick streets. Folks would need to take care. “What’s up?”
“This is about, you know…” She dropped her voice a notch. “That little issue we have going on.”
Evan would’ve hardly called Clark Creek’s budget deficit “little.” That was why he’d been at the bank, examining different scenarios for bailing out the town. Unfortunately, none looked promising, since loans required repayment—with interest, and the bank had already overextended its credit to several struggling businesses in town. They couldn’t afford to help float county operations besides…not without eventually going under themselves.
As the Clark County sheriff, Evan was an elected state official, and therefore not directly involved in local government finances. Clark Creek’s budgetary concerns affected the citizenry he’d been sworn to protect, though. They also had a very real impact on his office, since supplemental funding from the town council helped run it. This was the first year since he’d been sheriff that the town council had not been able to approve any additional funding. So those who worked with Evan were in financial jeopardy too.
He held open the door for his mom, then shook the moisture off his hat before placing it back on his head and stepping inside.
“I know things look bad,” he told her. “But we’ll find a way.”
“Yes. About that!” His mom closed her umbrella. “I believe that we have.”
“We who?”
“Why, me and the town council.”
“Okay,” he said, wondering what she was up to now. His mom was always coming up with innovative ideas, some of them less practical than others. Like the time she decided to emulate Pamplona, Spain’s “Running of the Bulls” with a “Whole Hog Race” on the Fourth of July. Pigs running amok down Main Street was not Evan’s idea of a good time, even if they were wearing patriotic red, white, and blue ribbons.
They’d broken loose from the barriers at the county fairground at the edge of town and stampeded straight for the courthouse. The entire event had been two things Evan couldn’t stand: unpredictable and chaotic. Though it had been predictably chaotic, when he thought about it.
“This is big,” his mom said. “Very big. We’ve hired an expert from Richmond.”
“Hang on.” Evan held up his hand. “Hired?”
“A consultant, yes.” She nodded eagerly. “A Christmas Consultant. Doesn’t that sound fab?”
“Uh. No.” Clark Creek couldn’t afford that kind of extravagance. He couldn’t even pay his staff.
His mom got that knowledgeable look in her eye. “She’s very skilled at fundraising.”
“Funds we can use. But we can’t afford to spend them.”
“It takes money to make money. That’s what your Grandpa Clark always said.”
“That assumes you’ve got the cash to begin with.”
“Now, don’t be such a spoilsport. I’m offering you good news and all you can do is rain on my parade.”
“I just want what’s best for—”
“So do I and the rest of the town council members. Mary Ward comes very highly recommended. She’s going to turn Clark Creek around!”
“Oh yeah? How?”
His mom patted his cheek. “I suppose we’ll leave that to her.”
Christmas Consultant. What kind of hooey is that? The last thing Clark Creek needed was some big-city woman coming in to offer her opinion, at a presumably high price tag. He’d seen her type before. She’d arrive with impressive spreadsheets and a plan that looked good on paper, but which was near-impossible to enact. Then, when all was said and done, Clark Creek would be no better off than before. In fact, it would be deeper in debt.
“And anyway,” he asked, after puzzling this through. “Why does she bill herself as a ‘Christmas Consultant’?”
“She didn’t call herself that. I did, because she’s delivering the best gift of all.” His mom held a gleam in her eye. “New hope for Clark Creek by December twenty-fifth.”
Now he’d heard everything. No expert was that good, no matter what her credentials. “This Christmas?”
“It’s my favorite time of year,” his mom said, undaunted by his skepticism. “So a very reasonable deadline. The rest of the town council agreed. We can’t afford to wait.”
“We can’t afford to pay her, Mom.”
“Now, don’t you bah-humbug me, Evan. I need you on my side—and Mary’s.”
He forced a tight grin, knowing things had already been decided. His office had no influence over what the town council did. Not in matters like this. All he could do was complain by voicing his opinion. “How much is this costing Clark Creek?”
“The specific number is confidential.” It wasn’t. County spending was public record, so he could always look it up. The fact that his mom wasn’t being forthcoming about Mary’s fee had to mean she was commanding a hefty sum. The town was already hurting. After paying her, they’d be bankrupt. Which was just what they were trying to avoid.
Evan sighed. One of his mom’s best features was her optimism. In cases like this, it was also her downfall. “When do
es she get here?”
“After lunch on Monday. She’s staying at Marshall’s place,” she said, referring to Evan’s brother’s inn: the Clark Creek B&B.
“At least she’ll be comfortable for her short stay,” he said, turning to go.
His mom caught him by the coat sleeve. “Mary may need your help.”
“My schedule’s really full.”
“Evan. Son.” She pleaded with her eyes. “Please cooperate. She could be our last hope!”
Sure, or the final nail in our coffin.
“Besides,” she added pertly. “You’ve been appointed to work with her.”
“Me?” Even thumbed his chest. “Appointed?”
“The town council’s vote was unanimous. Of course, you can always refuse the position of Clark Creek Liaison, but I wouldn’t recommend it. There are logistics involved, and who knows? Maybe some legalities…”
“What?”
“We’ll want to ensure everything’s in compliance.”
What on earth was she talking about?
“So!” she concluded. “You’re the natural fit.”
Maybe the natural fit for getting rid of Mary quickly, since she was likely billing by the hour. He supposed he could sacrifice one afternoon to go over her proposal. Then he could thank her for her time and send her on her way, before she could cost Clark Creek any more money.
His mind seized on something his mom had said that didn’t make much sense.
“Logistics? What kind of logistics? And what do you mean by legalities?”
“I’ll let Mary fill you in on the details when she gets here on Monday.” His mom beamed brightly. “The town council’s all for her wonderful plan! Once you hear about it, you will be too.”
Chapter Two
Mary drove into Clark Creek as snow fell gently from the sky, sifting through the trees lining Main Street. Quaint shops with awnings wore their holiday best. Garlands hugged door frames and colorful displays of Christmas lights shimmered through decorated windows. Yet businesses here were far from bustling. The town appeared nearly deserted. She tightened her grip on the steering wheel and her confidence soared. Clark Creek needed her talents, and she was going to deliver.