Deck the Halls

by Leah Sanders

  “Jake is here,” Luca said, offering her one of the cups.

  “Well, that’s fantastic news,” she said. She took the cup and held it with both hands, trying to absorb the warmth into her freezing fingers. Somehow she’d have to find a way to move them away from the mistletoe before Luca saw it.

  Kate liked him. That wasn’t in dispute. And she hadn’t stopped thinking about his kiss all day. But she didn’t want him to think she was angling for a repeat performance. Not when they’d come to an understanding about where they stood. It wouldn’t be fair to either of them.

  She scanned the square to see where Jake might be. The farther away, the better.

  Then she saw him. Naturally, Jake had wasted no time discovering the mistletoe grid and was making his way around the square, one mistletoe at a time.

  “Is he—?” Luca asked, squinting to see better.

  “Drunk?” Kate finished. She traced his uneven movements around the square. “I mean, it could be his pain meds, but… yeah, I’m gonna go with yes on that one.”

  For several minutes, Kate and Luca sat quietly watching Jake. They couldn’t help themselves. It was like watching a train wreck.

  He would see a woman, saunter in her direction as if he wasn’t on a mission, accidentally bump into her, apologize profusely while angling her to the side where he knew the mistletoe hung. When in the exact position, he’d glance up and say, Would you look at that, flash his predatory grin, and go in for the payoff.

  Maybe if he hadn’t been so drunk, he might have scored some digits from one or two of his conquests, but he was clearly inebriated, so instead, he was slapped.

  Every.

  Single.

  Time.

  Kate thought that eventually Jake would give up and skulk off with his wounded pride. But he never did, and the onslaught lasted longer than Kate was willing to watch.

  Luca must have felt the same way. With a look of horror on his face, he turned to her and asked, “Do you want to—”

  “Yes, please!” She almost shouted it. Anywhere would be better than here.

  Unfortunately, the shout caught Jake’s attention, who had been steadily working his way closer and closer to where Luca and Kate had been sitting.

  “Kate!” he yelled and stumbled toward them.

  She wouldn’t have thought he could move that fast in his current state, but there he was. Right beside her. Before she could escape.

  “So, this is where you’ve been hiding all day,” he said, slurring ever so slightly. “I’ve been looking for you, you know.” His head wobbled, and he cast a glance above Kate’s head, then a slow, disturbing sneer spread across his lips, and his gaze dropped to Kate’s mouth. “Oh, ho-ho! Look who’s under the mistletoe!”

  Jake leaned toward her, and she knew what was coming, but she was like a deer in the headlights—unable to move, unable to make it stop.

  When Luca’s hand came between them and pushed against Jake’s chest effectively blocking Jake’s forward motion, it took a moment for Kate to realize what was happening. Jake stumbled backward and landed in the lap of a rather large man, spilling the poor guy’s hot chocolate everywhere.

  The man’s face turned bright red, and Kate could tell Jake was about to meet with the wrath of a man deprived of his hot chocolate.

  She probably would have been content to witness that.

  But she was standing under the mistletoe.

  Luca took her hand and turned her to face him. He shot a meaningful glance at the sprig of white berries above their heads and smiled as his gaze returned to her face. “Oh, ho-ho,” he whispered as he stepped closer. “Look who’s under the mistletoe.”

  A warm thrill shot through her, and she focused on his lips in anticipation.

  Luca took her face in his hands and kissed her.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Heedless of the Wind and Weather

  THE NEXT DAY WAS A TORRENT of business. Mrs. Hall seemed to feel that the previous two days of relaxing and festivities had been an exercise in procrastination, which she could not afford.

  Her first text blasted in at 5:05 AM, demanding Kate’s attention from that moment until she fell exhausted into her bed just after midnight.

  Luca had also been kept busy with preparations for the Christmas Eve festivities. She saw him once as she passed through the lobby. He smiled, and that one gesture got her through the rest of the day.

  When her phone chirped just after she had crawled into bed, she considered throwing it against the wall, but changed her mind when she saw the notification was from Luca.

  LUCA: HOW WAS YOUR DAY?

  Kate responded with a yawning emoji.

  LUCA: MINE TOO. WHAT’S ON THE AGENDA FOR TOMORROW?

  ME: I GET TO PICK UP MRS. HALL’S DRESS FROM MRS. STRADLEY.

  LUCA: THAT’S EXCITING! ARE YOU EXCITED?

  ME: I’M NERVOUS. WHAT IF SHE DOESN’T LIKE IT?

  LUCA: I’VE SEEN YOUR DESIGN. SHE’LL LOVE IT. SHE LIVES FOR FASHION, REMEMBER?

  ME: I GUESS. I’M STILL NERVOUS. I’VE SEEN WHAT SHE CAN DO WHEN SHE DOESN’T LIKE SOMETHING.

  LUCA: YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. IT’S GOING TO BE BEAUTIFUL. IF SHE’S WORTH ANYTHING AS A DESIGNER, SHE’LL LOVE IT.

  ME: THANK YOU

  Kate added a heart emoji, then thought better of it and replaced it with a bashful smile emoji.

  LUCA: SO… YOU HUNGRY FOR AN OMELET?

  Kate wanted to see him, but her body told a different story. The last few days had taken their toll on her, and there was no way she was getting out of that bed.

  ME: I’M SO TIRED. RAIN CHECK?

  Luca sent an emoji with big sad eyes, then followed it up with another text.

  LUCA: I UNDERSTAND. I DON’T LIKE IT, BUT I UNDERSTAND. MAYBE TOMORROW NIGHT?

  ME: DO YOU HAVE A BUSY DAY PLANNED?

  LUCA: JUST MORE CHRISTMAS EVE STUFF. I COULD PROBABLY MEET YOU FOR LUNCH IF YOU CAN GET AWAY.

  ME: THAT SOUNDS GOOD. I’LL TEXT YOU AFTER I’M DONE AT MRS. STRADLEY’S.

  LUCA: OKAY, I’LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. SWEET DREAMS.

  ME: YOU TOO

  Kate’s thumb hovered over the heart emoji for a long moment. No. Too soon. She lay her phone on the nightstand and rolled over. How long had it been since Kate had had a normal texting conversation just because? She couldn’t even remember the last time she had used her phone for anything but business. She closed her eyes and smiled, savoring the memory of Luca’s kiss on her lips.

  Yes, tomorrow was an important day. It would either bring Kate a huge step closer to becoming the designer she’d been working toward her whole life, or it would crush her dreams. But for some reason, the thought of time with Luca soothed her fears, and she couldn’t wait to see him.

  “OH, MRS. STRADLEY! IT’S beautiful! Exactly what I pictured!” Kate exclaimed.

  “Well, it was your design, Kate. You have so much talent. I honestly can’t believe Ms. Skye-Adams hasn’t already snapped you up for her design team.”

  Heat creeped into Kate’s cheeks, and she knew she was blushing, but she tried to push it away. She had created an amazing design. Mrs. Hall would have to be blind not to notice. And if she was going to make a go of a design career, she’d have to learn to take compliments without turning the shade of a ripe tomato.

  “Thank you so much, Mrs. Stradley. You do amazing work.” She tucked the gold gown back into the garment bag and hung it on the hook beside her.

  Mrs. Stradley’s lips curled into a sly smile. “Do you want to see the other one?”

  “The other one?” Kate could feel her jaw drop. “You—you finished already?”

  “Oh yes. Cleo is a special favorite of mine. I worked through the night on this one.”

  “She doesn’t know, does she?”

  Mrs. Stradley shook her head vehemently and tapped her forefinger to her lips. “No, no. Mum was the word.” She winked conspiratorially, then quirked an eyebrow. “Though I will say she was rath
er upset when she returned to buy that gown and it had already been sold. I got to hear all about it at the animal sanctuary when she got back. Something about being the redheaded stepchild of Huckleberry Falls… There were tears. It would’ve broken my heart if I hadn’t known what was in store for her. Wait here. I’ll grab it.” She tapped Kate lightly on the arm and disappeared into the hallway, returning a moment later with another garment bag.

  Kate took the bag from her and held it up while Mrs. Stradley opened it to reveal the glacier blue gown. She slipped the hanger out of the bag and held it up for Kate’s inspection.

  The breath caught in Kate’s throat. And her hands flew, of their own will, to her mouth. It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. A tear burned behind her eyes, threatening to spill over. Mrs. Stradley had taken her vision and made it reality, and the result was better than even she had imagined.

  There were no words.

  “What do you think?”

  “Oh…” Kate squeaked, then in barely a whisper, “Oh, Mrs. Stradley, it’s—” Then the tears did push through her carefully crafted defenses and slip down her cheeks. “It’s the most beautiful thing.” She was afraid to meet Mrs. Stradley’s gaze then. She didn’t want her to see her crying over a dress, but when she finally did look up, Mrs. Stradley was crying too.

  “Do you think Cleo will like it?”

  Mrs. Stradley laid one hand on Kate’s arm. “She will love it, Kate. And I am certain… there will be tears.” She tucked the dress back into its bag and handed it to Kate. Then she tugged the handkerchief out of her sleeve and dabbed at her own eyes. “So many tears.”

  “Where can I find her, do you think?”

  “She’s probably at the animal sanctuary right now. That’s where she spends most of her time, so that’s where I’d begin,” Mrs. Stradley said.

  Kate didn’t remember seeing an animal sanctuary in town. “How do I get there from here?”

  “I wouldn’t go on foot. Not with the wind blowing like this. Did you drive or take the shuttle?”

  “I rode in on the shuttle.”

  “You know what?” Mrs. Stradley patted Kate’s arm. “I want to see the look on Cleo’s face when she sees that gown. What if I tag along? I’ll drive.”

  “Of course! I would love for you to be there!”

  “I’ll grab my coat.”

  IT WAS JUST BEFORE lunch when Kate and Mrs. Stradley pulled into the parking lot at the animal sanctuary.

  Kate sent a quick text to Luca to let him know they were dropping off Cleo’s dress and what time she’d be able to meet, and then she and Mrs. Stradley headed inside to find Cleo.

  The jingle of the bell on the door announced their arrival, and the woman behind the desk looked up as they walked in.

  “Good morning, Red,” Mrs. Stradley said, smiling.

  “Good morning, Mrs. Stradley. I didn’t think you were coming in today.”

  “Oh, I’m not here. I’m actually just looking for Cleo. Is she around?”

  “Yeah, she’s here somewhere. Probably hiding.” Red laughed at what appeared to be a private joke.

  “Who can blame her after the week she’s had?” Mrs. Stradley said and chuckled along with her.

  Red seemed to notice Kate for the first time. She stood and walked around the desk to meet her. “Hi, I’m Charlotte. But everyone calls me Red.” She tugged on her long red hair as if to explain the nickname.

  “I’m so sorry,” Mrs. Stradley said, seeming to remember suddenly that she had brought a guest. “Red, this is Kate Curtis. She’s the designer from New York I was telling you about. She’s here for the holidays, staying at the resort.”

  Mrs. Stradley’s description of Kate caught her off-guard. She glanced at Mrs. Stradley’s face, searching for a sign of irony. No one had ever introduced her as a designer before, but Mrs. Stradley seemed completely oblivious to her slip-up.

  “It’s so nice to meet you, Kate,” “Red said and offered her hand in greeting.

  “It’s nice to meet you too, Red.”

  “How do you like Huckleberry Falls? It’s a far cry from New York City, I bet.”

  Kate couldn’t help but smile. The town was lovely, but there was one particular part of it that she was especially fond of. And at that moment he was driving down the hill to meet her.

  “I love it,” she said. “It’s so peaceful and beautiful.”

  “I’ll give you the beautiful, but I could tell you stories that will make you think better of the peaceful,” Red said, laughing again, and Mrs. Stradley raised both eyebrows and nodded her full agreement.

  “Not for the animal sanctuary, that’s for sure!”

  “Oh! Were you the ones who corralled the wild swans at the carnival?”

  “Let me tell you, Kate, if the swans were the only animals we’ve dealt with this week, it would have been more than enough,” Mrs. Stradley said.

  Red pointed at the garment bag hanging over Kate’s arm. Her voice lowered to a whisper. “Is that it?” She was asking Mrs. Stradley.

  “Yes.” Mrs. Stradley glanced around the room as if making sure they were alone. “Do you want to see it?”

  “Do geese fly south for winter?”

  “You’d better hope so. If we have to rescue any more large waterfowl around here, I’m quitting and moving to the city.” Mrs. Stradley reached for the garment bag and held it up for Kate to unzip.

  Kate slipped the gown out of the bag and held it up for Red’s inspection.

  “You and me bo— Oh my word! That’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen!” Red took a step back, admiring the gown with wide eyes. “She doesn’t know?”

  “Nope.”

  “Can I watch you give it to her?”

  Kate returned the dress to the bag and zipped it up.

  “Of course. Should we call her in?” Mrs. Stradley looked at Kate. “You ready?”

  Kate nodded. But her stomach was doing flip-flops.

  Red picked up a walkie talkie from her desk and spoke into it. “Cleo?”

  There was static for several seconds, so Red tried again. “Cleo, are you there?”

  More static, then, “Hey, Red, what’s up?”

  “We need you in the office right away. Can you come?”

  “Sure. Give me two minutes.”

  Mrs. Stradley put her arm around Kate’s shoulders. “Don’t you worry, hon. The dress is gorgeous. She’s going to love it.”

  Kate could only nod in response. The dress was beautiful. Everything was going to be fine. If she was completely honest, it was the thought of unveiling Mrs. Hall’s gown that was really worrying her. That was the do-or-die.

  The rattle of a door closing down the hall caught her attention, and within seconds Cleo came striding into the office out of breath like she’d just run a 5K.

  “I’m here! What’s the emergency?” Her forehead was creased with concern, then she noticed Kate. “Kate, right?” Her concern seemed to vanish in the wake of her friendly smile.

  “Yes, that’s right. How are you, Cleo?”

  Cleo shrugged. “I would say I can’t complain, but I feel like that would be inviting chaos.”

  Mrs. Stradley and Red exchanged a cryptic look. Then Mrs. Stradley said, “Kate brought something for you, Cleo.” All eyes turned to Kate.

  “Um, yes, if you don’t like it, it’s okay, but after I met you the other day, I had some ideas for your dress.”

  Cleo frowned and shook her head. “Oh, Kate, I’m sorry. Someone else bought that gown you helped me find. I don’t have it.”

  “No, that’s not what I… I mean, yes, I know someone bought it. I did.” She held the garment bag out for Cleo. “Here.”

  Cleo’s eyes narrowed in confusion. “You bought it? Why would you—”

  “Oh, for Pete’s sake, Cleo,” Mrs Stradley said. She pulled the zipper down on the garment bag and slipped the gown out, holding it up high so Cleo could see it. “Kate bought the dress and redesigned it… for you!”
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  Cleo’s eyes grew wide in shock. “For me?” Her gaze took in the whole gown, then cautiously, she lifted her hand to touch the sheer frosted-blue tulle. “Really?” She looked at Kate.

  Kate nodded.

  With both hands, Cleo covered her mouth in disbelief. Tears filled her eyes. Staring at the gown, she could only shake her head and mutter in a voice barely above a whisper, “It’s the most beautiful— I never dreamed of anything so beautiful! It’s perfect…” Her eyes met Kate’s. “It’s perfect. Thank you. Thank you so so much.” The tears streamed down her face, and Kate could feel the burn of unwelcome tears behind her own eyes as well.

  She glanced at Mrs. Stradley, who seemed on the verge of an old-fashioned ugly cry. Red wasn’t far behind. And nobody could see to pass out the tissues.

  LUCA WAITED FOR KATE outside Dan’s diner. He had been looking forward to this part of his day all morning. Even with the stress of the preparations for both the community Christmas ball and the traditional Christmas Eve dinner party at the resort, he hadn’t been able to keep his mind off Kate. Now, as she bounced down the sidewalk toward him practically glowing, he tried to convince himself the feeling in the pit of his stomach was just hunger.

  Her eyes lit up when she saw him, and he could be wrong, but his heart might have skipped a beat when she started toward him in a full sprint, stopping just short of leaping into his arms. She bounced lightly on her feet.

  “Hi!” she said, beaming the brightest smile he’d seen all day.

  A smile meant only for him.

  “Hi,” he whispered. Her face was just inches away. Would it be wrong to take her in his arms and kiss her right here on the street in front of God and everybody?

  Probably.

  Luca swallowed hard.

  Breathe in. Breathe out.

  He cleared his throat.

  “So how did it go with Cleo?” he asked, finally.

  “So good! We all cried. Here…” She pulled her phone out of her coat pocket and navigated to her photos. “Look how beautiful she is!” Her eyes sparkled like emeralds catching the sun.