“Earth to Braden!” Piper was waving her hand in front of his face. “Where did you go just now? Our last slice of pie is history. Let’s go inside the diner before we freeze our tootsies off.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Braden said, grabbing some of the empty disposable plates while Piper cleared away the rest. “Race you to the door,” Braden said as he took off running toward the diner.
“No fair,” Piper called out after him. “You had a head start.”
“No sour grapes allowed,” Braden shouted, looking over his shoulder to see Piper gaining on him. In an effort to make sure she didn’t pass him, Braden attempted to sprint the last one hundred yards. Ever since they were little they’d been competitive with one another over the silliest of things. This would be no different. Suddenly, he hit a patch of icy snow and his legs slipped out from underneath him. He landed with a thud.
Instead of helping him up, Piper was bent over at the waist chortling with laughter. “This is what you get for being so full of yourself.”
“Seriously? You’re going to lecture me instead of helping me up?”
“I’m sorry, Braden. Are you all right?” Piper asked. She lowered her hand and with a grunt helped him to a standing position. Once Braden stood up, he let out a groan and massaged the back of his thigh. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he said, dusting snow off his pants. “My ego is just a little bruised. I do extreme adventures all over the world, but I can’t run in a little Alaskan snow?”
Piper linked arms with him. “Aww. You’re still a rock star, Braden. King of extreme sports and out of this world milkshakes.” She put a hand to her forehead in dramatic fashion. “Rescuer of damsels in distress.”
Braden chuckled. “You don’t need saving, Piper. If you put your mind to it, you could conquer the world.”
“Remember when we wanted to be superheroes? I used to love dressing up as Wonder Woman,” Piper said, reminding him of all the dreams they’d shared over the years. He hoped those days weren’t over. It would make him really happy if he and Piper could be a part of each other’s lives till they were old and sitting on their porches in rocking chairs. Just the thought of it made him grin. He could imagine Piper with salt-and-pepper hair and a few little crinkles around her eyes.
“Those were the days,” he said. “It felt like anything was possible.”
Piper turned around to face him. “It still is, Braden. If it wasn’t, I would have just given up trying to turn things around at the diner. Because of you I’m still fighting to save it.”
Once again, he was forced to stuff down feelings of guilt. Accepting Piper’s praise felt self-indulgent. He still felt unworthy of her compliments. He knew all too well she wouldn’t be praising him if she knew the truth. Which made him a fraud.
Piper led the way up the stairs, then pulled open the doors to the Snowy Owl. He heard her shocked exclamation. She stopped in her tracks and didn’t enter the establishment.
“What’s happening?” Piper turned toward him, eyes wide with shock. He quickly moved to her side so he could see what was wrong. Piper seemed to be in a state of shock.
The diner was packed to the rafters with customers. People were standing around waiting for seats while every booth and table was occupied. Even the counter seats were completely filled up. The staff was busy servicing customers and bustling from table to table.
“I think we’ve got a sellout crowd,” Braden crowed. The look etched on Piper’s face was priceless. She appeared shell-shocked. He lightly jabbed her in the side. “Smile, Piper. This is exactly what you wanted to happen.”
“I—I never expected this crush of people. It feels a little overwhelming,” she confessed. Braden gently pushed her over the threshold and leaned down to whisper in her ear, “Just breathe.”
Jorge, looking a little frazzled, rushed over to them. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to see two people in my life. We’re filled to capacity and completely out of pies. People aren’t just ordering slices. They’re buying whole pies and placing orders.” Jorge wiped a hand across his brow. “At this rate we’ll be filling requests all through January.”
Braden let out a celebratory hoot. “That’s amazing news.”
Jorge placed a hand on his shoulder. “Braden, everyone is waiting for the milkshakes. There’s been a slight frenzy about them,” he explained. “People are really eager to put their orders in.”
Braden rubbed his hands together. “I’m on it. Give me a few minutes to take my coat off, wash my hands and get situated.”
Jorge nodded, then darted off to a nearby table to handle a party of six.
“I’m going to figure out how to make some more seating so people aren’t just standing around,” Piper said, shooting him a tremulous smile. “Let’s do this. God listened to my prayers and sent customers into the Snowy Owl. The very least we can do is feed them.”
* * *
Piper stood a few feet away from the fully decked out Christmas tree, admiring the way it shimmered and twinkled with red and green lights. A shiny gold star sat on top. The Snowy Owl had seen a steady stream of foot traffic in the past few hours. All the ornaments had been hung on the tree along with every garland Trudy had brought over from the inn. So many people had shown up to help trim the tree and order pies and milkshakes Piper could hardly believe it. Although Braden had been making milkshakes non-stop, he’d finally served up his last treat.
Hank, Sage and Piper’s niece, Addie, were sitting at a booth with Gabriel, the twins and Connor. Rachel was manning the counter and taking pie orders with Piper’s mother. All of the Norths had shown up. Braden’s parents, Willa and Nate, seemed to be radiating sheer happiness. It would be the first Christmas they shared with their newfound daughter. Piper knew it would be extra special for all of them. Although it still ached to not have her dad around during the holidays, Piper felt such joy for the Norths.
She watched as Braden headed over to the jukebox and turned up the music. The strains of “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” began to ring out in the diner. Braden walked over to his grandmother and held out his hand. Although Beulah tried to wave him off, Braden wasn’t taking no for an answer. He took Beulah’s hand and pulled her toward an open space near the tree where he began twirling her around to the upbeat rhythms. Moments later Braden’s grandfather tapped Piper on the shoulder and invited her to the makeshift dance floor. Although the space was very small, it soon filled up with throngs of dancers.
The vibe in the diner was heartwarming and uplifting. Before too long it was Beulah and her husband dancing cheek to cheek all alone in the middle of the diner. Piper let out a sigh. Braden stood a few feet away with his sister. The expression on his face as he watched his grandparents was touching. He looked exactly like the pint-size version of himself from their younger years—he was staring at them as if they were constellations in a star-filled sky. She felt a pang in her heart as she gazed at him. None of this would have been possible without Braden’s support and vision.
As the night wound down, everyone bundled up and headed outside for the tree lighting. Piper locked up the diner behind her. Despite the plummeting temperatures, a large crowd gathered on the town green. The velvety night sky was sprinkled with twinkling stars. Looking around her caused a feeling of warmth and light to flow through Piper. For so many reasons she’d dreaded the holiday season, but tonight had shown her that despite the huge hole her family would never be able to fill, they had so much to be thankful for. Family. Friends. Townsfolk. A feeling of gratitude swelled inside her.
Dear Lord. Thank You for blessings both big and small. I have so much to be grateful for, especially during this holiday season. Today showed me that I’m way more loved than I ever realized. And even though things are far from being fixed at the diner, You gave me a spirit of hope.
As the crowd thinned out and people began to head home, Piper found hers
elf still relishing the camaraderie of the evening. Even though she was tired, she was still having fun talking to old friends and sharing the news about the diner’s countdown to Christmas events.
“Hey, shouldn’t you be heading home? You must be exhausted.” Braden had walked over to where she was standing admiring the Christmas lights. There were only a handful of residents still hanging around, and even though it was nearing midnight, she wanted to savor the bliss of this very special evening.
“I think on some level I didn’t want this to end. All is calm and bright and beautiful. It’s been an incredible night, hasn’t it?” Piper asked. “I couldn’t have asked for more.”
“You pulled off a spectacular event. Everyone went crazy over your holiday pies. Rachel could barely keep up with the orders.”
“And what about your incredible milkshakes? They were as much in demand as the pies. The diner made more money tonight than on any other night over the last four years.”
Braden let out a low whistle. “Take a bow. You did it, Piper. If this continues, the diner will be in great shape before you know it.”
“I don’t want to get carried away, but I’m hopeful. Tonight made me feel like anything is possible.”
She felt breathless with excitement. Instead of wringing her hands about the diner, she was actually being proactive about solving her problems. And it was working. It felt amazing to put your faith in something and have it confirmed. Her belief in Braden had been validated. “I didn’t do it on my own. It was your idea to focus on holiday pies. We’ve always been a great team.”
“We have, haven’t we? Remember our science project in fourth grade?” Braden’s eyes twinkled with merriment.
Piper let out a groan. “Of course, I do. We frittered away our time and with one week to go we decided to kick it into high gear. We ended up making a demo of Mount Kilauea erupting.”
Braden clutched his stomach and let out a chuckle. “I’ll never forget the look of shock on Miss Beale’s face when the lava started overflowing like crazy. It was sheer pandemonium in the classroom.”
“We added too much baking soda. Rookie mistake.”
“True, but we ended up getting an honorable mention ribbon and our photo was in the Owl Creek Gazette. It worked out way better than we ever imagined.”
“That’s why I asked you to help me in the first place. You always get the job done.” Her grin had to be completely taking over her face. Hope was such a precious commodity, and tonight made her so excited about the Snowy Owl’s future. Suddenly, things didn’t seem so bleak. Braden always made her believe nothing was impossible. Despite their issues, there was no one else in creation who made her feel this way.
Braden shook his head. “Your idea about letting the townsfolk trim the Christmas tree at the diner was pure genius. You made everyone feel as if they were a part of things. And then people started ordering the milkshakes and sticking around for dinner. It was sheer holiday perfection.”
Piper rubbed her mittened hands together. “That’s what it felt like to me. Everyone came together to celebrate this joyous season. My family and yours, friends, residents, tourists. It couldn’t have worked out any better.” She let out a little squeal of happiness. Tonight had been wonderful! And empowering. She was filled with anticipation about Christmas and the possibility of what the future might bring. For so long now she’d been stuck in the past, in large part due to her father’s untimely passing.
Although grief was a long road to travel with many ups and downs along the journey, this Christmas felt different. The memories weren’t choking her. Instead, she was learning to cherish them.
“It was a brilliant evening. You’re the perfect person to run the diner, Piper.” His eyes radiated warmth and pure joy. “You’re carrying on Jack’s legacy with so much heart and soul. If he could see you now, he’d be bursting with pride.” His voice cracked with emotion. “Don’t ever doubt yourself. Because honestly, I never have.”
Braden made her feel like she was a rare gem. Praise from his lips felt like the heat of a thousand suns beating down on her. A celebratory feeling hung in the air, and the future was ripe with promise. Hope was such a precious gift. For so long she had put it on the back burner as if it wasn’t even a possibility in her circumstances. She was learning that there were certain things one should never give up on. Braden had reminded her of that.
At the moment her heart was so full with gratitude, almost to the point of overflowing. She feared it just might burst. “I’ve always felt kind of ordinary, but you make me feel like I’m one of a kind. That’s a rare talent, Braden North.”
“Ordinary?” he scoffed. “Nothing could be further from the truth. You’re special, Piper. I’ve traveled all over the world, and I’ve yet to meet anyone more spectacular than you.”
Despite the frigid temperature, Piper’s cheeks warmed at the compliment. Something shifted between them in the moment, and Piper knew instinctively that Braden felt it too. It was as powerful as the northern lights shimmering in the heavens. The scent of pine hung in the air, serving as a fragrant reminder of the season. She tilted her face upward, just as Braden dipped his head down. As his lips moved over hers, she kissed him back with equal measure, relishing the sweet surprise. This, she thought. This kiss felt so right, as if she’d been waiting to experience it her entire life. With the snow swirling all around them and the twinkling lights from the Christmas display providing a lovely backdrop, the moment couldn’t have been more romantic. It felt to Piper as if the sky had suddenly opened up to reveal countless stars.
Kissing your best friend wasn’t smart for a number of reasons, but she couldn’t deny how right it felt. She couldn’t remember ever experiencing such a wonderful smooch. Perhaps it was their history as best friends or maybe there was just something about Braden that made it special.
By the time the kiss ended and they broke away from one another, Piper felt warm all the way down to her toes. It was a heady feeling. Never in a million years had she expected the night to end with this sensational kiss.
She looked up at Braden, startled by the tense expression stamped on his face.
“I shouldn’t have kissed you,” he said in a shaky voice. “It was a mistake.” Braden’s cheeks were flushed, and his eyes held a dazed look. Piper kept quiet as she struggled to absorb Braden’s words. A mistake? Her chest tightened. She clenched her hands at her sides. She was mortified. And completely baffled by the sudden turn of events.
“We’re friends, Piper. We’ve always been the best of friends and nothing should ever get in the way of that.” There was a sharpness to his tone she rarely heard. Who was this man? Where had Braden gone? Suddenly, she was no longer floating on air. Braden’s words had caused her to crash back down to earth with a bang.
She felt like an idiot. Her stomach was tied up in knots. She knew things were complicated since they were friends, but it hurt to know Braden regretted kissing her. He seemed to be in such distress over it. Anger spiked through her. What he’d just said didn’t make any sense. Hadn’t something gotten between them over the last three and a half years? He’d erected a solid wall that she hadn’t been able to penetrate.
Hurt rose up inside her, and she couldn’t find an adequate response to his declaration. It was so confusing to be kissing him one moment and then feeling angry at him a few seconds later. It was disappointment and rejection all rolled up into one. How could someone she cared about so deeply wound her so much? He’d been the one to initiate the kiss, yet now he was distancing himself from it...and her.
“I haven’t told my family yet, but I might not be staying in Owl Creek.” His face was shuttered as he made his bombshell announcement.
Shock roared through her. Braden was leaving town again? He had just reunited with his long-lost sister after decades of separation. “You’re thinking about leaving town? Why? You’ve barely been back for any ti
me at all.” Once again her radar went up. He wasn’t making any sense at all.
Braden shrugged. “I love being at home and I want to seize the opportunity to get to know Sage better, but I don’t want to follow the path my family has set out for me. You know me better than anyone. Can you really see me sitting in a corporate office all day?” Braden winced and shook his head. “A part of me feels ashamed to be rejecting the family business, but I can’t be something I’m not.” There was pain laced in his voice. She hated seeing him so lost.
Truthfully, Piper did have a hard time imagining him being cooped up in an office, although she knew it had always been Beulah’s dream to have the entire family working for North Star Chocolates. With Sage’s return to Owl Creek, the Norths had been excited to see the dream finally come to fruition. That had to be weighing heavily on Braden’s mind. She knew he must feel a sense of obligation to his relatives, particularly in light of what they’d endured.
The Norths were tight-knit, and she knew how tough it would be for Braden to walk away from the family legacy. But it would be even harder for the rest of them to see him leave Owl Creek yet again. They would be incredibly hurt by his decision. “I understand your reservations, but that doesn’t mean you have to go away again,” she said in an urgent tone. “Stay and figure things out. Here you are assisting me with my problems with the diner, while you’re clearly struggling. Let me help you, Braden.”
His features hardened, and he took a step away from her. “You can’t help me with this, Piper. It’s not something anyone can fix. I simply have to do what’s right for me. I don’t belong in Owl Creek anymore. I need to map out my life somewhere else.”
A chill swept through her. His words sounded so final, as if he was fully prepared to leave his hometown permanently. Every instinct in Piper told her that Braden wasn’t simply leaving due to his desire to break free from his family’s expectations about running the chocolate company. There were other things he could do in his hometown and many different dreams to pursue. It wasn’t Braden’s way to give up so easily. It was clear that something was eating him up inside.
Alaskan Christmas Redemption Page 10