Finding Christmas (Blue Harbor Book 7)

by Olivia Miles

  Not only was there no way she would get this tree up her stairs, but she couldn’t risk injuring a hand in the process.

  “Sure thing, Jenna. Seeing as you’re only a few blocks up, I can get it over on my way home. Might be a couple of hours, if that’s all right.”

  Before Jenna could respond, Travis offered, “I can get it to your apartment for you. Seeing as you’re only a few blocks up.” He grinned, but Bart looked slightly bewildered when he saw that Jenna was far from amused.

  “I don’t mind bringing it, Jenna, but it will be a while. I have to do some inventory here and then I have a few deliveries out on the edge of town…”

  In other words, she’d be doing Bart a favor by letting Travis, the man who had single-handedly tramped on her Christmas traditions, walk her home.

  Thinking of Travis’s own words, she finally nodded her agreement. Like he’d said, it was the least he could do for her, after all.

  The tree was heavier than it looked. Travis was grateful that the sky was so dark in this rural town, and that the Christmas lights wrapped around every lamppost probably weren’t enough to reveal the beads of sweat that were gathered at his hairline. Despite the freezing temperatures, he was grateful when they paused at an intersection to let a lone car cross so that he could unzip his wool coat and let the cold wind cut through his sweater.

  “I’m just up at the next corner,” Jenna said.

  His shoulders sank in relief until she said, “We can go around the back to access the stairs.”

  Stairs? He managed to stifle a groan as he grabbed the twine, wishing he’d thought to wear gloves, and hauled the tree over the street and up to the next curb.

  “I’m above this shop here,” she said, motioning toward a window that was lit up with glitter and soft lights and a wedding gown that looked like something out of a fairy tale. “My sister is a designer,” she said, catching his raised eyebrows.

  If he wasn’t so out of breath, he might have had a witty comeback, but he was too winded by the time she showed him around to the back of the building and flicked on the lights for the stairwell. A very steep set of stairs seemed to go on forever, the only light coming from a sole lightbulb that hung on the small landing near the door.

  “I’m the only tenant,” Jenna said. “My sister gets the place included in her rent, so I’m sort of subletting off her for the moment. It’s not much, but I like it.”

  Travis hoisted the tree with a grunt and followed her up the narrow stairwell.

  She stopped at the top to fish her key from her pocket and opened the door to reveal polished wood floors, high ceilings, and a cozy kitchen just off the front hall. A living room was visible to the left, a piano consuming the large corner near the window, but as Jenna guided them into the space, he saw that the tree would be the perfect size for the bay window at the other end.

  “Do you have a tree stand?” He could tell that guy at the tree lot—Bart—found it comical that he needed help tying a tree to the roof of his car, but that was only because he didn’t want to mess up and cause an accident on the road.

  “Cora gave me this as a housewarming gift when I moved in,” Jenna said, pulling one from a stack of boxes that he had no doubt held lights and ornaments.

  “Cora?” he took the stand from her and secured the trunk in place. “Sorry, but I’m afraid I don’t really know anyone in town yet.”

  It wasn’t uncommon. He was rarely in any town long enough to get close to anyone. But here in Blue Harbor, where everyone knew each other, it wasn’t as easy as other places.

  “She’s my cousin. She owns Harbor Holidays, if you decide you want some ornaments for that tree of yours.” Her eyes glimmered.

  “Next to the tree lot?” He grinned. “That’s my grandmother’s favorite shop in town.”

  “I know. So you’ve been in?” Jenna sounded so pleased by this that he hated to let her down.

  He shook his head. “I’ve been getting settled, but…I’ll bring my grandmother by soon. She’d like that.”

  “She would.” Jenna fell quiet for a moment. “I’m sorry about your mother. I knew that Mrs. Gibney had lost her daughter a couple of years ago—”

  He held up a hand, giving her a good-natured grin that he didn’t feel, one that he could only hope disguised the real ache in his chest every time he thought of his mother. She’d spent her entire life hopping around from city to city, relationship to relationship, always seeming to chase something she could never find.

  “I suppose I didn’t mention that I had a relative in town.”

  “Well, you can’t be all bad seeing as you’re related to Mabel Gibney.” Jenna gave him a little grin. “She happens to be one of my favorite people in Blue Harbor.”

  Their eyes met for a moment, and he felt a shift in the room. A warmth came over him that had nothing to do with the exertion.

  “And from what I’ve seen, you might be one of hers,” he said, watching a blush rise in her cheeks that made her hazel eyes seem even greener than usual.

  And for reasons he couldn’t explain, he was starting to think that Jenna might be becoming one of his favorite people in this little town too.

  After Travis finished setting up the tree until it was almost straight, though maybe just slightly crooked, Jenna handed over a glass of wine and took a long sip of hers. It was strange, having a man in her apartment, especially Travis Dunne of all people. But he had done her a favor, and she had been raised with manners. The least she could offer him was a drink.

  “Any more suggestions you can give me about the town?” He took an appreciative sip of the drink and wiped his brow. “I’d like to make this a nice Christmas. For my grandmother,” he added.

  “Don’t worry,” she chided. “I know better than to think you have any Christmas spirit in you.”

  She quickly gulped her wine. What was she doing? Flirting with this man? She cleared her throat and moved over near the small sofa that faced the tree. Definitely crooked, but almost charmingly so. Besides, she didn’t have the heart to ask him to move it again. There was still sweat glistening near his hairline.

  “If you have a sweet tooth, Buttercream Bakery has the best pastries and breakfast items, especially during the holidays. And right beside it is Firefly Café, which is nearly as popular as the Carriage House Inn.” She could tell by the glint in his eyes that she might be getting a little too enthusiastic about some of her favorite spots in town. “The Yacht Club is popular, too, and then there’s Harrison’s. It’s more a bar. My sister’s husband’s family owns it. More of a guys’ hangout spot, so probably not the best place to go if you’re looking to meet any women.”

  Her face burned. It had just come out, and she wasn’t sure why. She didn’t know his relationship status, and she wasn’t fishing for it, either. She’d just summarized the place as best she could, and clearly, from the quirk of his mouth, she’d said more than she should.

  “Good to know,” he said with a little smile.

  She hesitated, wondering if he would say more, given that she’d said entirely too much. But he didn’t comment further, leaving her now curious as to whether he did have a woman in his life, and if not, was he looking to meet one or not?

  She reminded herself that he didn’t know her relationship status either. For all he knew there was a wonderful man in her life, although, if there were, he probably would have helped her carry this tree up the stairs to her apartment.

  She walked over to the tree and fluffed a few branches. Travis drank his wine like it was water and she realized that the exertion had probably left him thirsty. He’d been surprisingly helpful, and maybe even a little nice. And he was sweet to his grandmother; she had to give him credit where it was due.

  “Can I get you another glass?” She motioned to the now empty one resting in his hand and lifted an eyebrow

  “No, I should probably get back to the tree lot and rescue my car,” he said with a grin. “Bart’s probably finished tying up the tree by no
w and I wouldn’t want anyone to swipe it.”

  She laughed out loud as she carried their glasses into the kitchen. “You think that someone would steal your Christmas tree?”

  He gave her a funny look. “Is that so improbable?”

  “Yes. I mean, people in Blue Harbor all know each other, and half the residents don’t even bother to lock their doors, but…” She tipped her head. “But it’s Christmas. It seems to go against the spirit of the season to steal someone’s tree.”

  He shook his head. “Not everywhere.”

  “And where is everywhere?” she asked, hedging her bets on New York or Chicago.

  “Oh, I’ve most recently been down in Florida, before that, Texas, Virginia, Boston. I move around a lot.”

  She sipped her drink. Surely work wasn’t the reason for his wandering spirit. “How are the Christmas trees in Florida?”

  He gave her a knowing grin. “I know better than to blame the climate on why I never have a tree.”

  “Decorations at least?” She could already guess his answer, but it was fun to see him squirm just the same.

  “I don’t collect too many possessions. I move around too much.”

  No place to call home then. Jenna thought of her own few boxes of holiday decorations she had started to collect and was already looking forward to setting out each year.

  “All the more reason I should be happy that I ended up staying put,” she said.

  He glanced at her. “You thought about leaving town?”

  She swallowed back the last of her wine, not wanting to get into all of that. “Oh, years back. College stuff, you know.”

  He seemed to take that excuse without any further question and made his way to the nearby door to fetch his coat from the hook.

  “Thanks again,” she said, meaning it.

  “I just helped set you up. Now the real works begin.” He jutted his chin to the boxes in the adjoining room that she was yet to unpack. “Now you have to decorate it.”

  “Oh, that’s the fun part!” She’d planned to trade her wine for hot chocolate and turn on her favorite carols while she strung the lights and hung the ornaments.

  Now, though, as she waved to Travis and closed the door behind him, her apartment suddenly felt empty, and she wondered with a strange sensation if she’d actually enjoyed having him here in her home.

  She shook her head, laughing at herself, and turned on the Nutcracker soundtrack—her favorite version from the London ballet.

  She didn’t need a guy to fill her home or her heart, and certainly not Travis.

  All she’d ever needed was her music, but now, she couldn’t help but wonder if it wasn’t always going to be enough.

  Chapter Seven

  After a long week of lessons and a successful choir rehearsal for both the adults and children, Jenna decided to take Amelia up on her offer and headed over to the Firefly Café on Friday night for dinner. She crossed Main Street and looked across the road to her apartment windows, where her tree sparkled with white lights reflecting off the gold and red ornaments she’d hung on her. It wasn’t as full as the tree in her parents’ house, but it would get there over the years.

  With her hands in her pocket for extra warmth, she walked along the sidewalk toward the path that cut down to the lakefront. Maddie was locking up the bakery when Jenna approached the building. “Oh, Jenna, I’m glad I caught you!”

  “I’m about to have dinner next door if you want to join me.” Jenna wouldn’t mind the company, so long as her cousin didn’t try to play matchmaker and talk about Travis too much.

  No such luck. “I’m meeting Cole for dinner at the Carriage House tonight or I would. But I thought I should warn you that I saw Candy a while ago and mentioned that she should back off trying to set you up with our new principal because of, well, the pageant.”

  This was welcome news. Last night at the choir rehearsal, Jenna had started to explain to Candy the reasons behind the pageant being canceled, but there was too much excitement and chaos in the room for them to get into it for long.

  “Unfortunately, I’m not sure I got through to her,” Maddie said.

  Jenna could only laugh. When a handsome man was involved, Candy tended to ignore everything else. “He’s not so bad, actually, so I should probably be relieved that Candy hasn’t decided to give him a hard time.”

  “Not so bad?” Maddie regarded with her interest. “Do tell.”

  “It’s nothing. I’ve just….decided to believe that the decision was the board’s and not his and…give him a second chance. In the spirit of Christmas.”

  “In the spirit of Christmas.” Maddie’s mouth twisted as she slung her bag higher on her shoulder. “That’s very generous of you, Jenna.”

  “It was that or let my feelings ruin my holiday.” Jenna gave a sad smile. “I’ve been disappointed before.”

  Maddie’s expression went from one of teasing to one of sympathy. “I know, but can I just say that selfishly I’m really happy you didn’t get into that music college? I would have missed you too much!”

  Jenna grinned. “I would have missed you, too.”

  She would have missed all of this. Not just the glow of the town during December, but Maddie’s new bakery, her sister’s new bridal salon, and Britt’s upcoming wedding.

  Staying in Blue Harbor had once felt like settling, but now, when she thought of her future, she couldn’t imagine ever leaving this town or the people in it. Maybe her mother had been right. Maybe things did happen for a reason, even when they felt like a setback.

  Waving off Maddie, Jenna walked around the side of the building to the café. Like its sister storefront, Firefly Café was fully decorated from the outside in, and as Jenna approached the front door, she was happy to see the festive wreath secured by a cheerful bow. This year, Amelia had even set up the deck with heated igloos for her more adventurous diners, and she’d added the special touch of lining them with clear lights, so they seemed to glow from within as if they were really made of ice.

  All three were occupied by couples, bundled in their coats, a fur blanket wrapped over their legs, no doubt part of Candy’s contribution. Either way, with the view of the moon reflecting off the lake, it was perfectly festive.

  And perfectly romantic, she couldn’t help thinking. Normally, Jenna didn’t long for a relationship or wonder too much when someone special would come along, but at Christmastime, when everything was lit up and sparkling, she couldn’t help wishing she had someone to share it all with…which was just as well that she was finding extra reasons to stay busy this year.

  Jenna pushed through the front door before she got frostbite and was greeted by the sounds of cheerful holiday music, the din of diners’ lively conversation, and Amelia’s usual Christmas tree, decorated by patrons of her restaurant.

  Through the open pass behind the counter, she saw Candy in the kitchen, but it was Amelia who greeted her first, coming through the swing door with two servings of steaming potpie—one of her specialties in winter.

  “You’re finally taking me up on my offer!” Amelia grinned as she set the two plates down on a nearby table. The diners wasted no time tucking into the dishes, nodding their approval. “Sit anywhere you’d like, but as you can see, we’ve got a pretty full house.”

  Jenna considered her options, which were limited, and decided that a spot at the counter would do. There was only one other patron and she’d be able to interact more with Amelia as she came and went to the kitchen. Jenna was used to eating alone, but not in restaurants, and now she was wondering if she should have asked one of her single cousins to join her tonight—but then, it was Friday night. Natalie would be home with her daughter, and Bella was probably still at the bookshop. She hung her coat on one of the hooks near the door and was just reaching for her phone to text Heidi when she felt someone’s stare pulling at her attention.

  “This seems to be a theme, running into each other.”

  Jenna’s heart sped up when she look
ed up at Travis, who was sitting at the counter holding a menu. His dark eyes bore a hint of amusement as he grinned at her; no doubt she hadn’t been able to hide her surprise.

  “It’s a small town, and the Firefly Café is one of the best spots there is.” She felt suddenly nervous, but she didn’t know why. This man was partially responsible for taking away the town’s beloved pageant—but he was also surprisingly kind and easy to talk to and more than a little good looking. And after he’d carried her Christmas tree, she couldn’t help but feel conflicted. And that…well, that left her unsure of how to proceed.

  “I thought I’d take you up on one of your suggestions and try a new place in town. Looks like I made the right choice.”

  Given that he hadn’t ordered yet, she knew that he couldn’t be referring to the food. Still, she didn’t read too far into his words as she slid onto the stool beside him and closest to the kitchen door. The room was decorated with all things Christmas, if that was what he was referring to, though given his Scrooge-like approach to the holiday, that might not be what he meant at all.

  And that only left…

  She slowly unraveled her scarf, feeling the heat of his gaze on her. Surely, he couldn’t mean he was happy to run into her?

  “You aren’t having dinner with your grandmother tonight?”

  “She’s with her knitting club,” he explained. “Something to do with socks for the carnival’s craft booth. You actually saved me. It’s half-priced bottles tonight. Would you maybe like to share a nice red?”

  She gave a little smile. “Considering that I grew up in the wine business, I can’t exactly say no.”

  Besides, she didn’t want to. It was cold outside and warm inside, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d shared a bottle of wine with anyone other than one of her cousins or sisters, and even that was becoming rare as their lives became busier.

  “Wine business?” He waited for her to explain.

  She hesitated, knowing that she should probably keep her distance, but taking in his easy smile, she decided to shelve professional issues for one night.