Tannon was happy to let them talk; he learned a lot. “How do you know so much about electrical wiring?”
“Oh, you know, when your sister is a master electrician, you pick up a few things at the dinner table.” Frost blew on her fingernails and rubbed them against her shirt.
“You have a sister? I don’t think I’ve heard you mention her before.”
“You know all about Lu—bina.”
“Lubina? That’s almost as interesting a name as Frost.”
“I would have thought you would be familiar with the name. It’s a tree.”
“What kind?”
“The kind that makes incense.”
“Oh, we don’t grow those in Oregon.”
She giggled. “I noticed.”
Tannon grinned. They turned off 1st North and onto Main Street, and it looked like the whole world lit up.
“Wow.” Brody pressed his face and his mitten-clad hands to the back window.
Tannon couldn’t bring himself to scold the kid for getting nose prints on the glass. If he could press his face to the windshield, he would. He slowed down to three miles per hour. “This is incredible.”
Frost positively beamed. “I’m so glad you like it.” She clapped her hands together in front of her. “It took hours. Gin-ny and her husband helped. He carved the Nativity set.”
Tannon craned his neck to see the Three Wise Men leading their camels into a store-sized stable with an open front. His mom was right: Main Street was like a movie set. The best—and only—movie set he’d ever seen.
She scooted closer to him, her seat belt stretching as she peered across him. “The camels are new. He must have worked on those this week and delivered them without telling me.” She tsked her tongue. “I’m going to ask him to get the convertible here early. They can park it out at my house—that way I don’t have to worry about bugging them closer to Christmas.” She found her cell phone and started typing.
Tannon’s heart sank to think that Frost’s family thought she was a bother. Sure, she was high-energy, but that didn’t mean she was a bother. “What were you like as a child?”
She didn’t look up from the screen. “Shorter.”
He chuckled. “Really?”
She hit send and put her phone in her lap. “Really. I’ve always been one to plot grand schemes. I just don’t usually have to pull them off on my own.”
Tannon laid his hand over hers. “You’re not alone.”
She looked down at their hands and then back up at him. Slowly, she turned her hand over and laced their fingers together. Tannon brought them up to his lips and kissed her skin. Her eyes crinkled at the corners, and his heart beat in his chest.
No one seemed to mind that traffic moved so slowly and pedestrians passed them. The wide-eyed looks of wonder were enough to catch him in the Christmas spirit. A parking spot opened up two doors down from the Smooth and Minty, and he maneuvered the car into the spot. Brody scrambled out and opened Frost’s door.
Tannon shook his head at his little Casanova. Frost patted Brody’s head, and they headed inside to wait their turn at the counter. The owner, a young woman named Fran with long, straight brown hair braided down her back and a slightly large nose, greeted them. “What can I get for you?”
“We’ll take two hazelnut hot chocolates and one peppermint,” Frost ordered.
“I love peppermint cocoa.” Brody bounced.
“Who doesn’t?” replied Frost.
Tannon put his hand on Frost’s arm. “Do you have a minute to talk about the light parade?”
Fran glanced at the line of people behind him and the three teenaged employees behind her running back and forth. “Literally, a half a minute.”
Frost pulled a sheet out of her purse. “We’d love it if you set up a cocoa stand. You could sell at your regular price points right in the middle of the street.” She lifted a page and pointed. “This is a request form. Basically, whatever you need for a booth—a table, lights, decorations—are provided. All you’ll need to bring is your delicious cocoa and a till.”
Fran took the papers. “Seriously?”
“Yep, we’d be honored if you’d participate.”
“In that case, I’m in.”
Their drinks arrived, delivered by a teenager with acne and bangs that hid one eye.
Frost lifted her glass. “Wonderful. Just have that form to me by next week and I’ll have your supplies in no time.”
“Will do.” Fran waved at them and welcomed the next person in line.
Tannon pushed the door open. “That was easy.” Brody slipped under his arm, blowing across the small hole in his heat-safe cup.
“Let’s hope Mrs. Grant is just as quick to agree.” Frost also blew into her cup. They made their way down the street, weaving in and out of the people carrying bags and boxes.
“I don’t think I’ve seen this many smiles in ages.”
Frost skipped a step. “It’s Christmas in action.”
“You think?”
“I know. When people focus on Christmas, on being with their loved ones and giving gifts that would make people happy, they feel better. Plus, there’s something about sparkle that just lifts your mood, you know?” She pushed open the bakery door.
Tannon did know. Frost had sparkle in droves. If she could bottle her sparkle, she could sell it for millions. Women everywhere would pay to glitter as she did.
Brody headed right for the display case, where cupcakes with frosting snowmen and stocking-shaped cookies were on display. He oohed and ahhed over them, asking Frost which was her favorite.
“They all look so good, but I have to say I’m partial to brownies.” She fished another packet out of her purse. “Your turn,” she said as she shoved Tannon up to the counter.
Feeling self-conscious, Tannon waited his turn in line. When he got to the front, Mrs. Grant narrowed her eyes. “I wasn’t expecting to see the likes of you in here, Tannon Cebu. Not after the bomb you dropped at the mill this morning.”
Was that this morning? The day had taken so many twists and turns the company meeting felt like a whole different week. He shifted his weight. Mrs. Grant’s three boys worked in the forests. They’d gotten degrees in arboriculture and come home to set up their families. If the mill closed, he would have single-handedly destroyed three families’ incomes. Guilt was not a comfortable jacket to put on, but Tannon wore it anyway. Mrs. Grant had kneaded dough every day of her life to get those boys through school.
He blew out a breath. “Nothing’s set in stone, Mrs. Grant. Hopefully we’ll come up with an answer that will satisfy everyone involved.” He leaned slightly forward and held out the packet. “But I’m not here to talk about the mill. It’s the light parade I’m hoping to interest you in tonight.” He went on to explain about the materials included and the expected turnout—which he made up on the spot. But after seeing the town’s excitement over a few trees and lights, he was confident that the parade would have a record turnout.
“Well, if you’re making it that easy …” She begrudgingly took the packet from him.
“You’re a regular Mrs. Claus.” Tannon gave her his winning smile.
She quirked her lips in reply. Frost and Brody approached, carrying several pastry boxes. Frost grinned sheepishly. “We couldn’t decide on one—”
“Or ten!” added Brody.
“So we decided to get them all.” She set the boxes on the counter and reached for her purse.
Tannon stilled her with his hand on her arm. “I’ve got this.”
“But—”
He leaned closer and whispered, “Let me.”
She swallowed, her head barely moving in a nod. He paid with a credit card and offered to carry the boxes back to the car. Mrs. Grant was much happier after having her stock cleared out in one sale. When Frost expressed her concern, Mrs. Grant promised she had more in the back and would put them out immediately. She took to Frost as quickly as Brody had. Brody opened the door and held it for them
. Tannon stepped aside so Frost could go first.
“Oh! The mistletoe.” Mrs. Grant pointed above their heads, where a sprig the size of a basketball hung in the doorway. “It’s tradition.”
Tannon’s neck burned. He didn’t have any qualms about kissing Frost again, but he wasn’t happy to do it in front of Brody and an audience.
Brody made gagging noises while pretending to choke on his mitten.
“Thanks, buddy.” If Tannon had a free hand, he would have rubbed Brody’s hat right off his head.
“Hurry, it’s cold out here,” said a woman waiting to get into the bakery. Her husband covered his laugh with a cough.
“You can go.” Tannon stepped to the side.
“Nope—I’m not going to be responsible for breaking tradition. Elderberry needs more mistletoe kisses.” She elbowed her hubby.
He rubbed his side. “Hey, I’ll kiss you under the mistletoe. I’ll kiss you right now.” He leaned over and laid one on her cheek.
She giggled. “Come on, you two.”
Frost lifted on her tiptoes, leaning her hands against the boxes. Tannon stretched his neck to get over the sweet-smelling pastries, and their lips came together like two magnets finally linking up. He could swear he heard a click. And then he heard clapping.
Prying his eyes open, he was met by a small group of shoppers who’d stopped to watch the show. “Who’s next?” he called, and got a laugh.
The husband and wife took Frost and Tannon’s place under the mistletoe. He twirled her around, dipped her, and planted a kiss on her lips. The crowd cheered.
“I should have done that,” he muttered.
Frost leaned into him. “I’m not complaining.” She winked and then followed after Brody, who was halfway to the car. Tannon trailed behind, wondering what he’d ever done to be so lucky. With luck like this, he could be a very happy man.
Chapter 24
The next morning Frost was on her way into work when her phone sang, “You’d Better Watch Out.”
“Lux,” she muttered as she hit the speaker button. Her sister enjoyed hacking into her phone and changing the ringtone to fit her mood. It all seemed like a lot of effort to make a phone call, especially when Lux’s idea of dressing up was adding a scarf to her cargo pants and Captain America T-shirt. Although, since she’d married Quik, the Avengers tees had slowly disappeared. Who needed to dream about a hot guy when you were married to one?
“How’s my favorite sister?” Frost tapped on her brakes so she wouldn’t hit a picketer. They were back at the edge of the property, marching in a circle with their signs held high. And they were out early. She’d planned to arrive an hour before the first employee so she’d have time to work on the floor plan for the party. She braced herself and drove through the wall of distrust and anger. That wasn’t going to help Christmas Spirit at the plant.
“Feeling a little tipsy here,” Lux announced.
“Lay off the eggnog.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about.”
Frost could picture Lux pushing her glasses up her nose, exasperated with Frost for being purposely obtuse. “All right, lay it on me.”
“There was a power spike last night. One that fried the candy canes.”
Frost cringed at the mental image of the kitchen on fire. When Ginger and Lux had dated their future Mr. Kringles, too much togetherness sent Christmas Magic all aflutter and they’d have power surges. Since true love fueled Christmas Magic, they had to be careful. Lux had installed machinery to help regulate the power, but surges still happened because Christmas Magic wasn’t an exact science. “Why hasn’t Robyn called?”
“She said she was willing to sacrifice a batch of candy canes for your happiness.”
“Aw, she’s the best.”
Lux ground her teeth, the sound filling Frost’s car. “Frost, you’ve got to take this seriously.”
“I am!” Lux had no idea the number of Christmas ornaments she juggled. There was the party, the light parade, Tannon’s parents, Tannon, Brody, and her duties as a personal assistant. Although, being an assistant was cake and took up so little time that she hardly thought of it as work. Plus, it allowed her to be near Tannon almost all day, and that was a pretty sweet deal.
“Really? Then why did you kiss Tannon?”
“Who says it was Tannon?” she quipped.
“Please don’t make me tell you how I know.”
Frost panicked. Lux had married a man who was ex-army and smarter than a supercomputer. You put his brain with Lux’s and they could pretty much conquer the world. “Thank heavens you’re on our side, Lux. I shudder to think what would happen if you went South Pole.”
“Focus,” Lux commanded. “Why are you kissing Tannon?”
“Because I like it. Plus, there was mistletoe and Christmas Spirit involved. I didn’t think it would light the kitchens on fire.” She smirked. “Okay, so maybe that’s not that much of a surprise.”
“Frost!”
“Oh, like you’re shocked. You and Quik—”
“Are in crisis mode. We had to send Oliver to his grandparents because he kept sliding into the walls. Home is becoming dangerous.”
Frost tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. “So what? I can’t kiss him anymore?”
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
“It sounds like what you’re saying.”
“What I’m saying, if anything, is be careful.” Her tone softened as she continued, “You’re supposed to be getting him to believe in Christmas, not fall in love with you.”
“Why can’t he do both?”
“He can. In fact, if he did, that would be great. But if he’s doing all this because he loves you and not because he loves Christmas, then you can’t come home. You’re supposed to spread Christmas cheer.”
“But Christmas would be okay, right, as long as we got married?”
“Frost, a half victory is not a victory—it’s a consolation prize. We need you here. Please, please try to come home. I miss my sister.”
Frost pouted. “I miss you all too. I wish I was there, but there’s a, uh, um, complication.”
Frost sighed. “All right, what?”
“So I thought it was Elderberry and Tannon that I had to, you know, infuse with Christmas, but I realized yesterday that the whole town went downhill when Tannon’s mom and dad—well, let’s just say that I think they’re the key to getting home, and they kind of hate me.”
Lux laughed. “That’s not possible.”
“Oh, it’s more than possible—it is.” She ran her hand along her hair. “And now I’ve got to get them to turn away from the dark side and essentially heal the family wounds before the exile is lifted.”
Lux squeaked. “Be careful.”
“You’re such a big sister.”
“I’ve had practice.”
“Merry Christmas, Lux.”
“Wait! Joseph and Ginger can bring the car down this weekend. Merry Christmas, Frost.”
They hung up the phone, and Frost parked in the closest spot to the front doors. The building was dark and dreary. If she hurried, she could add some lights to the exterior of the building before anyone arrived. She glanced up at the roof. A reindeer would come in handy right about now.
Instead of the roof, she settled for decorating the front doors. As she reached the end of the last bough, an envelope flipped out of her purse. She snatched it right out of the air. Clutching it to her heart, she made her way inside, opening the letter inside the elevator. This must have been Tannon’s latest letter, the one that arrived while she was at work and had to hide from him. He’d come clean, telling her about Brody and reiterating how he felt about her—except this time he offered to pass on meeting her in favor of his son getting a taste of the Christmas Magic they’d shared over the years. That was selfless and disheartening all at once. Where she’d been the object of his adoration for years, now he was willing to pass her on to his son like a favorite children’s book.
Perhaps he was falling for her—Frost her, not Miss Kringle her—and that’s why he was willing to let her go. Or maybe he was getting too old to believe in Santa and Santa’s daughters. The thought hurt more than she cared to admit. She didn’t want to give up Tannon, either as Miss Kringle or as Frost, which was as twisted as one of Robyn’s signature candy canes.
She sat down at her desk and checked the clock. She still had a half hour before anyone would arrive. Using her purse, she pulled out a sheet of North Pole paper and matching envelope.
Dear Tannon,
Thank you for your letter and for telling me about Brody. I’ve checked over his letters. He’s a good kid and wants a laser target game for Christmas. I’m sure Santa will deliver, considering Brody is on the Good List.
She knew without logging into the system or having Ginger’s Naughty and Nice List Radar that Brody was a good kid and felt confident promising his wish would be fulfilled.
I can’t say I’m not disappointed you didn’t tell me earlier.
She was, but the feeling was tempered by the way Tannon had included her, as Frost, in their holiday traditions. At first, she’d been mad, offended, and hurt that he’d kept Brody from her, but having met his parents and discovered that there were emotional scars from his cancer that she’d never seen, her anger had been displaced by understanding.
But I think, maybe, you were trying to save my feelings.
She would have been devastated to know that Tannon had fallen for this other woman. She may have even stopped writing him back then. Not that honesty wasn’t the best policy, but how could she judge him too harshly when he still didn’t know her last name? Everyone lied about something, and they had good reasons. Or maybe that was just her head trying to convince her heart that keeping her identity a secret was worth it.
At any rate, I’m not mad at you.
I don’t know about a Christmas Eve visit. You know I don’t leave the North Pole except for extreme circumstances. But thank you for the invitation. Maybe one day we can meet, but for now, I need to focus on Christmas preparations. Know that I’ll be thinking of you quite often.
Marrying Miss Kringle: Frost Page 20