The crowd at Santa’s Village was thinning out. Mac lifted the last child from his knee and set him to the ground.
He rose and gave a hearty ho-ho-ho for anyone still within earshot, committed to the role until he made it all the way back to his dressing room.
Proud of his role as Santa, he couldn’t wait until Seth was old enough that he could tell him all about the experience. Now that Seth was twelve the whole Santa magic had pretty much imploded, but Mac hadn’t been able to bring himself to completely confirm Seth’s misgivings about Santa. Even just a seed of doubt that it could be true was enough to hang on to.
Mac pulled off his heavy plush coat and hung it on the hanger behind the door. His t-shirt was damp from the bulky costume. The air cooled his skin. He stepped closer to the mirror and carefully squeezed oil onto his finger, rubbed it into his skin just above the beard, and then eased the sticky backing of the beard from his face. In thirteen years he’d pretty much perfected the act. Just sticky enough to keep the kids from pulling his beard from his face, but not so much that he gave himself an unplanned epidermal peel in the process of removing it.
He stacked all his gear in the order he’d put it back on tomorrow, then closed his locker.
Just as Mac came out of the dressing room, Rebecca entered the building with the pushcart that held the printing equipment for the photos. “That was the busiest first night I remember. Seems like parents are ahead of schedule this year.”
“It did seem busier than usual. If this keeps up we might be out of business early this year.”
“Wishful thinking. I’m beginning to think that more people are hearing about our extra-special Santa and making the drive to see you. We had several folks from outside the county tonight. I’m going to start asking, just so we can track it.”
“You did a great job out there. Thanks.”
“Thank you for bringing me back again. I really appreciate your support, you know.”
“You earned it.”
“I was a brat that first year. I didn’t want this job.” She looked down at the crazy leggings and outfit. “I was the last person you should’ve hired. I’m lucky you did.”
“I saw a young lady determined to focus on her goals. There was something special about you. If I had a daughter like you in college, I’d hope someone would do the same for her. Don’t shortchange yourself. You’re great with the kids, and even better at managing those parents.”
“They’re harder to handle than the kids!”
“Exactly. I’ve had other people in that role that were older and should have been more mature who couldn’t keep things in order. You’ve got the gift.”
“Well, working for a Santa like you doesn’t hurt. And it’s fair to say this will help me with handling patients when I finally graduate from nursing school.”
The first year they’d worked together Rebecca had come to him at the end of the first week and apologized for being less than enthusiastic. She’d said after being there for a week she felt like he was the real deal once he put on that outfit.
“Did you need a lift?”
“Nope. I’ve got a car this year.”
Mac was surprised. Money was always lean for her family. “That’s great news.”
“Well, not really. Dad got a DUI. Lost his license. So, I’ve got his car.”
“Sorry, Rebecca. I thought he was doing so much better.”
“We all did. What he got better at was hiding his drinking.” She shrugged. “It’s okay. I’m learning to roll with whatever comes my way. As upset as I was, it kind of ended up in my favor.”
“That’s a good attitude. Still sorry that happened to you though. You should come spend the holidays with Seth and me. Of course, my Santa gig is still under wraps. You might be the only person in this town under twenty-five that knows Santa’s true identity.” Only the mayor, Bea, and a few other long-timers knew, and that was the way he liked it. Rebecca had that going for her, too. Rehiring her meant keeping that circle small.
She zipped her lip. “No one will ever hear it from me.”
“I know. But seriously. You’re welcome at our place. My neighbors are planning to come over, and their daughter is home. Her husband is in the Navy. He shipped out so she’s staying with her parents for the holidays. She’s been helping me with Seth. The more the merrier.”
“Thanks, Mr. Mac. I might take you up on that.” She put the cart in the storage room and turned the combination lock. “I’ll see you Saturday.”
It was tough when kids got dealt that kind of stuff. At least she’d been able to stay on track with her studies despite the bumps along the way.
Mac drove straight home. It was still early enough to catch some decent TV before he had to turn in so he’d be fresh for work in the morning. When the two jobs overlapped it was a grueling schedule. But winter break started next week, and he’d be fine until then.
Mac walked into his house to the mixed sounds of music from Seth’s room upstairs and the television downstairs.
“Hey, Mac,” Haley called out from the sofa.
“Everything go okay tonight?”
“Yep. We decorated all of the cookies. Put some aside for you, too.”
“Did Seth give in to calling them Christmas cookies?”
“Sure did. I saved you one of those just to prove it.”
Mac rubbed his belly. If he wasn’t careful he wouldn’t need the padding at the end of the season with all of her cooking. Maybe he’d just take them to work for lunch tomorrow. “Did he finish his homework?”
“Yes. And he has some things for you to sign for him. Don’t let him forget to tell you.”
“Seth. I’m home, buddy,” Mac called up the stairs.
Could have been a herd of thundering mustangs coming down the stairs from the sound of it, rather than a twelve-year-old shaggy-haired boy. “Hey, Dad.”
Mac ruffled his hand through Seth’s hair. Genna would probably be horrified that he’d let Seth grow his hair like that. She’d always been so finicky, but all the kids on the soccer team seemed to be doing it, and Seth liked it. No harm. No foul. And Genna wasn’t around.
“Thanks for the cookies, Haley. It was fun.”
“You got it, buddy. See you Saturday?”
Seth clapped his hand in the air for a high-five with her as she walked past him to go back home.
Mac walked into the kitchen and poured himself a tall glass of iced tea.
Seth backed up to the kitchen island and hoisted himself up on the counter. “Did you have a good night tonight?”
“Yeah. It was. How about yours?”
“Didn’t have much homework. Cookies were cool. Haley is nice. When are we putting up our Christmas tree?”
“You anxious?”
“Maybe. Was just kind of thinking about it.”
Sometimes he looked at Seth and all he could see was Genna. He knew Seth still missed her, but they rarely spoke of it. Which was just as well, because he could never forgive her for what she’d done.
“We usually don’t put up the tree until next weekend, but I guess we can bring the stuff down from the attic so we can get an early start.”
“Cool. Think we could pop popcorn and string it like we did that one year?”
That was the first year Genna had left. His mom and dad had come and spent the holiday with them to help him out. It had been one hard Christmas to get through, but they’d all tried like crazy to be sure Seth would be the least impacted. Somehow.
They had managed to leave Seth with at least one special memory that year. You never know what will last a lifetime. Hard to believe it had been six years ago that they’d strung popcorn.
“Yeah. We could do that,” Mac said. “If we don’t eat it all. I know how you are about hogging popcorn.”
“I just have to eat it fast before you do. But that’s cool. I think we can do it.” Seth turned and headed toward the stairs. With one hand on the bannister, he stopped and turned back. “Must be really hard for Haley to be away from her husband at Christmas.”
“Yes, son. I’m sure it is. Military wives give quite a bit for our freedom, too.” He wasn’t sure whether to feel proud of Seth for his obvious compassion to Haley’s situation, or like hell that his son knew what it felt like to be separated from someone who was still around. Damn Genna for leaving like that, he thought. He would call Genna and ask her to come visit Seth for his son’s sake, except he didn’t know where she was, and quite honestly he wasn’t sure it would end well anyway. That woman didn’t have brakes. She just kept moving. She’d always told him that. Only he’d never thought that would be the case with their son.
“I’m glad Haley’s staying with her mom and dad,” Seth said. “And us. Ya know, not alone back in Virginia by herself. Did you know her husband won’t be back until, like, February?”
“I knew he was going to be gone for the holidays. Did you ask her about it?”
“Yeah. She said he’s on a ship that’s bigger than my school. She seemed happy to talk about him even though she’s really sad that he’s gone.”
Was there a message in that innocent statement? Did Seth still miss Genna? Did he silently still hold out hope she might come back? There was no filling the noticeable gap that her exit had left, and no matter how hard Mac tried to do double-duty, deep down he knew that it wasn’t the same.
* * *
Sydney opened the front door to the farmhouse. The rain overnight had caused the temperature to drop drastically. A brisk breeze had her backpedaling into the room.
“We’re going to need our coats this morning.”
“I’ll get them.” RayAnne snagged them off the hooks in the hall and ran back over to the door.
They pulled on their jackets and headed out to the car.
RayAnne rattled on about The Book Bea the whole way to school, and that made Sydney’s morning. She loved seeing her daughter acting like her old self. A good day indeed.
She dropped off RayAnne at school, and then went straight over to The Book Bea.
To her delight the book tree looked just as beautiful in the daylight from the street. She let herself into the store and began turning on the lights.
Being in this place gave her a surge of renewed energy. More than a fancy, highly caffeinated cup of coffee could, which was nice since she would have to drive over an hour just to find a Starbucks.
She walked through the store, taking in every feature. She’d been so busy yesterday that she hadn’t really had the time. In the reading nook there was a coffee station. Paper cups were there for customers, but there was also a whole rack of coffee mugs for sale. Some funny. Some geared more toward the love of books and friendship. One in particular caught her eye. A deep-blue ceramic mug with a quote from Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen:
MY COURAGE ALWAYS RISES WITH EVERY ATTEMPT TO INTIMIDATE ME.
Bea had recommended Pride and Prejudice to her the summer she’d turned thirteen. It was still one of her favorites. She remembered carrying that book out of the store that day, like she’d just earned the rites of passage to adulthood.
The read didn’t make nearly as much sense to her at the time as it had in the rereads over the years, but every time she read it she fell in love with love all over again. That book had made it through her teen years, college, and moves as a married woman. It was on the shelf in the living room right now.
And boy did this quote seem appropriate for what she was going through in her life now.
She walked over to the register and wrote up a sales ticket. “A treat to myself.” Then she rang up the sale and put the money in the register.
She started a pot of coffee and refilled the decanter of water for tea drinkers who might stop in later. There was a journal next to the coffee station, and a small card invited readers to share what they were reading and favorite things around town.
Sydney sat in an overstuffed chair and read some of the entries as the coffee brewed.
I love The Book Bea. Sitting here reading brings balance that a mother of twins never gets at home. I’m reading Jane Austen for the first time. Thanks for the recommendation, Bea.
Passing through Hopewell on our way to Asheville to visit the Biltmore. I have a feeling this might end up my favorite stop on the trip. You were such a joy to visit with while our children picked out books to keep them busy on the ride. This place has healing properties. Nice to meet you, Miss Bea. Best wishes from the Pyatt family.
Reading In for a Penny. Love these over-fifty ladies. Thanks for telling me about this hysterical southern series. Love the shenanigans they get into on those capers.—Gloria on Penny Hill Lane.
Hearing the last gurgles and sputter from the coffee pot, Sydney got up and fixed herself some coffee in her new mug.
“Here’s to the first real turning point in my new life.” She toasted herself, feeling more courageous already.
She tucked the journal back into its spot and then went back to the storage room to see what else might be there to finish the window display. It was still missing a little something-something, although she couldn’t put her finger on what that was.
The storage room was orderly. Cleaning supplies together. Office supplies on a separate shelf. Sydney sucked in a breath when she spotted the stack of fabric. Tablecloths, fabric, and quilts. She lifted them off of the shelf and placed them on a worktable to get a better look. Some of them were obviously vintage. Handiwork you didn’t see much these days and fine fabric that had yellowed slightly with age. Her hand swept across a slippery fabric tucked between two quilts.
Jackpot.
Probably forgotten, the remnant still had the store tag on it. Eighty-nine cents a yard. On sale. The thin fabric had a silvery sheen too it. It would be the perfect backdrop for the window. She’d spread packing peanuts on the floor last night and that gave a whimsical snowy look, but it wasn’t perfect. This could be the sparkly accent she needed.
She unfolded the fabric and pulled it through her hands lengthwise, spreading her arms out with each measure to guesstimate how much was there. Six arms wide had to be at least eight yards of material or so. It should be plenty.
Her heart galloped as she gathered the fabric into her arms and grabbed her cup of coffee. Moving swiftly through the store, she hoped she could make the change before Bea arrived.
She stood at the edge of the window and tossed the fabric into the window display. It caught air like a parachute and drifted down into a delicate blanket of rises and falls on top of the layer of packing peanuts.
Just like freshly fallen snow.
Gently nudging the fabric around the base of the table she was able to cover the entire floor.
So good!
She jogged back to the storage room where she and RayAnne had put the leftover holiday supplies the night before and dug through the box with glass ornaments. With twelve brightly colored ornaments carefully cradled in her arms, she went back out front.
It only took a minute to scatter the bright ornaments around the base of the display. She found six boxes and wrapped them in the shiny foil. Purple, blue, red, green, silver, and gold. She topped each box with a perfect wire ribbon bow of bright blue, to match The Book Bea logo, then placed them beneath the book tree.
“Now all I need is a tree topper,” she said with satisfaction. But Bea should help, too, so Sydney decided to wait and give Bea the chance to come up with that when she got there.
Thrilled with the window, she turned on the old CD player, grabbed a dust cloth from the counter, and began working her way through the shelves, tidying and dusting as she went. An easy process that seemed to be removing not only the dust that had settled, but also the cobwebs in her own mind.
People were starting to move down Main Street, so even though it was early, she flipped the sign from CLOSED to OPEN.
She put the dusting cloth away in the cabinet under the cash register and checked for any to-do lists that Bea may have left lying around.
The chimes sent a soothing sound through The Book Bea as the door swept open.
“Good morning,” Bea called out. “That window is breathtaking.” Bea looked like the Michelin Man, in a big oversized down coat, with a scarf wrapped at least three times around her neck and over her head.
“Thank you! I’m so glad you like it.” Sydney crossed the room and helped Bea with her coat.
“You’re quite the early bird,” Bea said.
“Hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.” Bea wrestled with the scarf.
“Let me help you with that.” Sydney found one end and began looping it away. “How long is this thing?”
Bea laughed. “You know. I’m an early bird too, so lots of mornings I’ll just get up and come in and knit until it’s time to open the doors. I have to admit this is one of those projects that I got to knitting and just forgot to stop.”
“I’m half-tempted to call the Guinness World Book of Records to come out and do an official measure of this thing. The colors are great though. I’ve always wondered if I could learn how to knit.”
“It’s so easy. I can teach you.”
“Really? That would be a great project for me while RayAnne is away with her dad. I’ll pick up some yarn.”
“Don’t bother. I have tons. I’ll get you started.” Bea walked over to the display window. “It’s just beautiful. Thank you so much.”
“We enjoyed doing it.”
“Of course, you did. That’s what makes holidays special. Doing things with the ones we love.”
Sydney pressed her lips together. As much as it still hurt, Jon had been the only man in her heart the last fourteen years, and finding the magic in anything lately was hard. She loved spending time with her daughter, but it wasn’t the same as spending time with a partner. She just didn’t think there’d be room for that again in her life.
It wasn’t Jon that she missed as much as it was the companionship, the partnership, of someone else enjoying the moment with her. Sharing a laugh. A soft kiss. The brush of a hand. A passing glance.
“I see that look, Sydney.”
“What?”
“You’re afraid. You’re locking yourself down because of your husband’s stupidity. Don’t do it. No ma’am. You’re going to see something better is ahead of you. Someone better.”
“I’m not looking for anyone.”
“Well, that’s good. Because you won’t find him if you’re looking for him. Just live life and keep your heart open.”
“Bea, that’s all very sweet, but I can’t take another broken heart. I haven’t even survived this one yet.”
“That’s just silly talk. You’re a very young woman. You will find real love. It will be different next time.”
Next time? “I’ve got a daughter to raise. She’s my priority.”
“And she should be. But don’t let a broken heart keep you from being open to something even more special down the road. Some of us end up with a few more heartbreaks than others. Hopefully this one was your last.”
“It will be. I’m going to see to that.”
“Believe me. Happiness lies ahead of you. With or without someone. But I have a feeling you are the perfect piece to someone else’s puzzled life.”
“I’ll take the happiness, but I’ll pass on the puzzle.”
“Do me a favor,” Bea said. “Just remember … you are the gift.”
The twinkle in Bea’s eye made Sydney giggle. The Book Bea had a huge romance novel selection, and Sydney bet that Bea had read each one of them multiple times. “It’s been so long I wouldn’t recognize happiness if it bopped me over the head. And someone else? I’m not ready for that. I probably wouldn’t even recognize that.”
“Oh, sweetie, I guarantee you’ll know it. When you do, you won’t second-guess what they’re thinking. There will be an unspoken understanding. And you’ll see. Finally, things will become easy again. Just keep yourself open. And honey, your perfect happiness isn’t always about a person. I believe that.”
Sydney breathed in deeply. Reuniting with Bea was more than she could have ever hoped for, and darn if that just didn’t make her want to break down into a mush pile of tears.
“I’m thankful for you, Bea. I don’t know about all that romantic hooey, but your friendship has already changed things for the better.” For the past ten months she’d been trying to get past the death of her marriage. Waking up on Valentine’s Day to a chocolate heart next to her pillow wasn’t unusual, but the note with it had caught her completely off guard. A goodbye note. He’d found someone new, and he was sorry. Which she couldn’t have agreed with more. Jon had left a candy heart in RayAnne’s room, too, but with no note. He left Sydney to explain his absence.
That day had come with no warning. A total surprise. To her at least, but not to her friends. From their comments, it seemed that they all knew that Jon hadn’t been happy for a long while.
Bea’s voice brought her back. Which was good, because she was tired of reliving those moments.
“I have a feeling the rest of your life is beginning to unfold in a very special way. You, my dear, can handle anything.” Bea wiggled her brows, then spun on her heel and headed over to pour herself a cup of tea.
Sydney stood there wondering how one old woman could make her feel so much stronger. Then, a tall red-haired man rapped on the front window, giving her a start. It was Wes, the man who owned the bike shop.
“The window display looks great,” he said with a wide grin and a thumbs up. “Are you working here with Bea?” he asked as he walked inside.
“Yes. Just for the holidays. I started yesterday.”
“Good. I still can’t believe she’s going to close down after the holidays. Won’t be the same without this place.”
“Closing?”
Wes clamped his jaw tight. “She didn’t tell you?” He shook his head. “It’s been on the downlow. Only a few people know. Dang. Don’t tell her I said anything.” He looked past her, then whispered. “Here she comes. Our secret?”
“Of course.” Only she couldn’t even process the possibility. This place was Bea’s whole life. She loved it more than anything. Why would she do that? And selfishly, Sydney needed this place to be here.
“Good morning, Wes.” Bea’s voice was vibrant and optimistic. “How’s business down at the bike shop?”
“It’s Christmas. Best time of the year.” He rubbed his hands together and blew into them. “Not sure how we went from summer to winter in two days though. I wasn’t prepared for this today.”
“So you two have met?” Bea glanced between Sydney and Wes.
“I bought RayAnne a bike for Christmas. Wes helped me make a decision. I had no idea how many factors went into picking out the right bike.”
“Candy apple–red mountain bike. She’ll love it,” he said.
“I’d have picked pink,” Sydney said. “But my ex turned my precious little princess into a sports fanatic, starting with the St. Louis Cardinals baseball onesie he’d bought to take her home from the hospital in.” It was weird to refer to Jon as her ex. Technically he wasn’t yet, but he was way closer to an ex than a husband, so she may as well get used to it.
Bea said, “There’s not a thing wrong with that. I used to be Tarzan and make the boys be Jane or Cheetah when I was a kid. I was quite scrappy.”
Wes laughed. “Still are.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Bea said.
“Meant to be one. I just stopped by to see if you needed any help. But it looks like you’ve got things under control.”
Bea and Sydney exchanged a smile. “We sure do,” they both said.
“Then I’ll let you girls get back to it. Give a holler if you need anything. Happy to help out, or send one of the boys down.” He headed for the door, then tucked his chin beneath his collar as he took the stairs two at a time back toward the sidewalk.
“Wes and his wife are always so helpful. Such a nice couple.” Bea watched him turn down Main Street. “It’s still out there, Sydney. Don’t lose sight of it.”
Enough of that already. Sydney was dying to ask about the store, but she’d have to wait until Bea was ready to tell her.
“So, about the window. We need one last thing.”
Bea looked confused. “I think it’s perfect the way it is.”
“Not yet. We need a tree topper. It will give us a little more height. So keep your eye out for something we can use. It needs a flat bottom so I can sit it astride that top book. Meanwhile, care to give me a crash course on the items you think we should focus on selling over the next two weeks until Christmas?”
“Absolutely.” Bea motioned Sydney to follow her through the store, pointing out perfect gift items. “Now these are my all-time favorites. The two new novels will sell themselves. But this pop-up Christmas book is extra special. Look at this.”
Sydney stepped closer as Bea gently opened the book, laying it flat so that the pop-ups fully engaged. Not only was it three dimensional, but delicate die-cuts gave vivid detail and texture to each page.
“It’s gorgeous. So intricate.”
“North Carolina author. Amazing story to go with it, too.”
Sydney snapped her fingers. “This is it, Bea!”
“What?”
“The tree topper. We can open one of these books on the top of the tree. I can tuck a little light right into the scene. It will be gorgeous.” She flipped through the pages. “This one. The village with the church in the middle. What do you think?”
“I love that idea.”
“Me too. Only the hard part will be picking which scene to use. I like this one with the nativity, too.” Sydney took another copy off the stack. “Come on, let’s try it out.”
In the window Sydney opened the book flat and set it on top of the tree. As she turned the pages, the pop-ups came to life. She flipped through each one until she hit the one she knew was perfect. The nativity scene. Wise men, animals, and all.
Bea took an audible gasp. “That’s perfect!”
“I was just thinking the same thing.” Sydney straightened the book so the scene could be viewed from the front window or within the store. “I think I can use that little battery pack light set to light up the manger and the star. We’ll no doubt sell the last copy of this book right out of the window, but that’s fine. It’s a gorgeous book.”
“A keepsake,” Bea agreed.
Sydney stepped down from the window and swept her hands against her jeans.
“It’s the best window display this store has ever had. Breathtaking.”
“Thank you.” A wave of satisfaction soared through her. “Yeah, it did turn out good.” She raised a finger in the air. “Oh, and I made this bin for the song sheets out of some stuff in the back room. I hope you don’t mind.”
She dragged the box she’d attached to a plant stand that had seen better days out from behind the counter. “I was feeling creative. Plus, you can use it for other things throughout the year.”
“I believe you have fallen in love with my store all over again.”
Sydney looked across the room. She had. Or maybe she’d never stopped. This place held great memories. The stories she’d been introduced to here had molded the curves of her heart. “I’m excited to share the experience with RayAnne, too. Which reminds me. I was supposed to take her back to Atlanta this weekend if that’s not a problem. But then I promise that I’m all yours through the holidays if you don’t mind RayAnne hanging around. Her dad will be picking her up Wednesday afternoon as soon as school lets out for the Christmas break.”
Bea waved a hand in the air. “Not a problem. I’m flexible.”
“I made the promise to take her back to Atlanta to see her favorite Santa a long time ago, and I wish I hadn’t now. She’s so tied to the traditions we had as a family. I think it’s just going to make it harder for her, but a promise is a promise.”
“We have a wonderful Santa here at our Santa’s Village if y’all change your mind.”
“I saw him there yesterday. He really does look the part. We loved all the shops and stuff there. Kind of a magical place.”
“We’re quite proud of Santa’s Village. I’m glad you got a chance to go by there.”
“Me too,” Sydney said, just as the first customer of their day walked in.
The hours swept by, and Sydney was surprised by how many customers the store had throughout the day. She was in the middle of helping a customer put together a Christmas gift for her sister when Bea came over. “How’s it going over here?”
“It’s going great, Miss Bea.” The customer lifted the small basket that contained the items Sydney had helped her select. “I’m so excited. My sister is going to love this stuff.”
Bea glanced into the basket. “I see there are a few things for you in there, too, Diane.”
“You know me so well. I’m using that one-for-her and one-for-me approach to shopping this year. Those bracelets are adorable. I’m checking things off my list.”
“I had you on my list today, too. My call list to tell you about Mary Kay’s new release. I’m glad you stopped in.”
“You know I can’t pass up Mary Kay Andrews’s new release.”
“I’d be happy to gift wrap that for you,” Bea said. “I still wrap the prettiest darn package in all of Hopewell.”
Diane grinned. “Of course, you do. I was counting on that.”
“And you’ve met Sydney. She’s new in town.”
“Not new to the town exactly,” Sydney said. “I used to spend summers here with my grandparents, but new as in I’ve just moved here.”
“Sydney?”
“Named after my dad—”
“—dy’s daddy,” Diane completed her sentence. “I know. I’ve heard you say that before.”
Sydney paused.
“You’re Sydney Rockford, aren’t you?”
“I am.”
“Oh my gosh. I’m Diane Hartman. No wonder you seemed like an old friend. You are!”
“I can’t believe it’s you.” But now looking at her, she could almost see the little girl that she’d sat with in this very store, the two of them whispering about the books they’d fallen in love with. Those thick braids that Sydney had always coveted had been lopped off into a chic, short, fringy hairdo that looked more New York City runway than Hopewell.
Diane hitched a hand to her hip. “What brought you back?”
“Long story.”
“I’ve thought of you so many times over the years. We’ve got to get together. I want to hear everything.”
Bea touched Sydney’s elbow. “Honey, it’s about time for you to pick up your daughter.”
“A daughter?” Diane held her hand to her heart. “I have a ten-year-old daughter and six-year-old son. We’ve got to catch up over a glass of wine.”
“We do. It’s great to see you again.” Sydney glanced at her watch. “Oh, gosh. I’m going to be late. Thank you, Bea. Where has this day gone? I’m sorry. I do have to run, but let’s talk.”
“Miss Bea has my phone number.”
Sydney grabbed her purse and coat and headed to the door. “Merry Christmas, Diane. It was so great to see you after all of these years.” She pulled her coat on. “Goodbye, Bea. I’ll see you on Sunday. Diane, I can’t wait to catch up.”
“Thanks, dear. Be careful tomorrow. I hear they’re calling for some bad weather and it’s coming from that way.”
Sydney didn’t even mind the nip in the air this afternoon. Hopewell seemed to be handing out warm hugs today, in the shape of friends.