A cold wind blew off the lake into downtown Blue Falls, making it feel like the perfect weather to do some Christmas shopping. Add in the fact that the restaurant was unbearably noisy at the moment with the roofers doing the needed repairs, and Lauren decided to use the time wisely. Her mom had returned home and to her classroom, but Papa Ed was still on babysitting duty.
Lauren had been so busy lately that she hadn’t given the holiday season much thought. But as she strolled down the sidewalk and saw the storefront windows filled with Christmas displays, and as she hummed along with the familiar carols playing on outdoor speakers the length of the Main Street shopping district, she felt the holiday spirit bubble up within her.
At each shop she entered, she was greeted with warmth and enthusiasm. Inevitably people wanted to know when she’d be opening for business, and she would always say the same thing—that she hoped to be open by spring. She still thought she could make that goal if unexpected repairs didn’t keep popping up, along with their accompanying price tags. Despite the setbacks, she wasn’t about to skimp on Christmas. After everything her family had been through the past couple of years, they all deserved a big, beautiful, happy holiday season.
By the time she reached A Good Yarn, she was toting several bags filled with gifts. The moment she stepped inside the store, she felt as if her first breath inhaled Christmas itself. The delicious scents of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg with a hint of pine filled the air and “Let it Snow” by Dean Martin reminded her of her family’s tradition of spending Christmas Eve watching old black-and-white Christmas movies. Everything from classics like Miracle on 34th Street to lesser-known films such as The Shop Around the Corner, which many people didn’t realize was the inspiration for You’ve Got Mail.
“Can I help you?” a pretty woman with curly waves of red hair asked as she emerged from the center aisle.
“It feels so much like Christmas in here I feel as if it might start snowing.”
The woman laughed. “Well, that would certainly get the shop on the front page of the paper.”
“Lauren, I thought that sounded like you.” Mandy Hartley appeared from the back of the store, causing Lauren to remember one of the family facts she’d learned during her dinner with the Hartley family. Mandy was part owner of this store.
Mandy came forward and pulled Lauren into a hug as if they’d known each other for ages, then turned toward the other woman.
“This is Lauren Shayne.”
“Oh, the baker I’ve heard so much about. Nice to meet you.”
“You, too.”
“Sorry,” Mandy said. “This is Devon Davis, my best friend and the person who started all this.” She gestured toward their surroundings.
“Can I stow your shopping bags for you while you look around?” Devon asked.
“Thanks. That would be great. I may have gone a little overboard.”
Devon smiled as she accepted the bags. “Feel free to continue to do so.”
Lauren smiled, already able to tell she liked Mandy’s business partner.
As Devon walked behind the front counter, Mandy asked, “Is there something I can help you find?”
“Do you have lavender-scented candles? My mom loves them.”
“Yes, we do.” Mandy motioned for Lauren to follow her.
On a large wooden shelving unit along one wall of the store was a display of seemingly every size and scent of candle anyone could ever want.
“Wow.”
Mandy smiled. “Yeah, we feature candles from a few different area artisans. Same with a lot of the other products we have.”
“I have the oddest desire to take up knitting while enjoying the scent of vanilla candles.”
“Well, we can hook you up.”
“Hey, I’m going to run to the bakery,” Devon called from the front of the store. “Either of you want anything?”
“A hot chocolate sounds nice.” Mandy looked at Lauren. “Want one?”
“I don’t want to be any trouble.”
Mandy waved off Lauren’s concern while making a dismissive sound. “Make that two.”
“That’s taking customer service to a new level,” Lauren said as she picked up a large jar containing a lavender candle.
“Small town. And this time of year puts us in a good mood.”
“I’ve got to admit that Blue Falls feels a bit like one of those quintessential small towns in a holiday movie. Everyone is so friendly.”
“It has a few stinkers like anywhere else, but overall it’s a great place to live and work.”
The front door opened, though it was too soon for Devon to be back.
“Look around and if I can help you with anything else, just let me know.” Mandy headed toward the front of the store to greet the new arrivals.
The store was so cozy and appealing that Lauren took her time browsing, partly because she didn’t want to miss anything and partly because she had a feeling she’d get some good ideas for creating atmosphere for her own gift shop. By the time she wandered back up to the front of the building, she’d put not only the candles for her mom in a basket, but also two large vanilla ones to burn at the restaurant while she was working, some goat milk soaps that smelled heavenly and two little knitted hats for the twins. She also carried a striking painting of a field of wildflowers that she could already envision gracing the entrance to her restaurant.
Even more customers had entered the store, claiming Mandy’s attention. It must be just as busy at the bakery because Devon hadn’t yet returned. But for once, Lauren wasn’t in a hurry. She didn’t often allow herself time to just be alone to do whatever she wanted, but the incessant hammering of roofers gave her the perfect excuse. That and the fact Christmas was likely to sneak up on her front steps and pound on the door, demanding to be let in, before she was ready.
Though she didn’t knit, she let her gaze drift across the skeins of brightly colored yarn stacked in wooden cubbies along the wall opposite the wall of candles. The woolen rainbow could be seen from outside, which she was certain was by design, aiming to lure inside anyone who’d ever even had a passing thought about knitting.
She glanced past the lovely Christmas display in the window and spotted Adam across the street. He was talking to a man she didn’t recognize. Since he was unaware of her gaze upon him, she didn’t immediately look away. Instead, she took her first opportunity to simply look at him. Though he wore a tan cowboy hat, she could see the ends of his dark hair curling at the bottom edges. For that unobserved moment, she imagined what it might be like to run her fingers through it. Was the texture soft or coarse? Would he respond in kind, threading his fingers through the length of her hair, as well?
“Like the view?”
Lauren jumped and let loose a little yelp of surprise. So much for being unobserved.
“Was just watching for the hot-chocolate delivery.”
“So this has nothing to do with the fact that my brother-in-law is standing across the street?”
“Who?” Seriously, did she just try to pretend she hadn’t seen Adam even though she’d been caught staring straight at him. “Oh, Adam. Who is that he’s talking to?”
“Adrian Stone, local attorney.”
An attorney? A chill ran down her back. Why would he have reason to talk with an attorney? Did this have something to do with the ranch? His plans to open a mercantile?
Or maybe it’s a small town and people just know each other.
When she dared a glance at Mandy, Lauren could tell the other woman had picked up on her interest in Adam. But that didn’t mean Lauren was going to verify it in any shape or form. And whether Mandy read something on her face or she knew about what had gone down with Phil and decided not to press the point, Mandy didn’t pursue the topic of her brother-in-law any further. Instead, she pointed at the basket Lauren held.
“Looks as if you took Devon’s advice and found plenty of things to buy.”
“It was amazingly easy.”
“That’s what we like to hear.”
Just then Devon returned with a cup carrier and white bag in tow.
“Wow, the bakery is full today,” Devon said as she placed her purchases atop the round table surrounded by comfy chairs in the corner opposite the checkout counter. “Seems word has gotten out that Keri is giving away a free cookie—a new flavor—with every beverage purchase.”
“Please tell me that’s what is in the bag,” Mandy said.
“Of course. Do you think I’d refuse free cookies?” Devon pulled out three cookies in paper sleeves and handed one to Mandy and one to Lauren. “Salted caramel sugar cookies.”
Lauren’s mouth watered and when she took a bite she shut her eyes as the flavors danced across her tongue. At the sounds of appreciation from the other women, she opened her eyes.
“I think I might have chosen to go into business in the wrong community.”
“Nonsense,” Mandy said. “We need a good barbecue place. I think it’s actually against the law for a town in Texas not to have one.”
Lauren waited for Mandy to say something about the Rocking Horse Ranch providing the necessary beef for said barbecue, but she didn’t. Maybe she was just too busy enjoying what Lauren had to admit was an excellent cookie.
“Tell you what might be interesting, though,” Mandy said. “There’s a Christmas carnival coming up soon at the elementary school, and one of the booths is going to be a cakewalk. Keri always donates at least one cake. Maybe you could make one, too? We could bill it as ‘Battle of the Bakers’ and draw a nice crowd.”
“I don’t think antagonizing the long-established local baker is a good business move.”
Mandy and Devon snickered.
“Are you kidding?” Devon said. “Keri will eat it up with a spoon. The people who donate cakes regularly help run the booth, and there is good-natured heckling of each other.”
“Plus the money is a big fund-raiser for the local schools,” Mandy added. “This year the funds are going to buy new science textbooks and drums for the band.”
“Well, I can’t really say no to that, can I?”
“Awesome.” Mandy sure did look as if she was happy about Lauren taking part in the carnival.
Lauren was afraid it had less to do with the good of the school and more to do with Adam. If Blue Falls was like most small towns, activities at the schools drew at least half the population.
As Lauren left with her purchases a few minutes later, she had a hard time not fantasizing about Adam winning her cake in the musical-chairs style game and proclaiming it the best thing he’d ever eaten. Thank goodness he no longer stood across the street or she was certain he’d see the truth written on her face.
Lauren had been right about half the town showing up for the Christmas carnival. The gym was so filled with people browsing the craft booths, waiting in line for hot dogs and giant soft pretzels, and playing a wide array of games for prizes that it was a challenge to weave her way through the crowd without dropping or having someone knock the seven-layer spice cake with cream-cheese icing from her hands. Though if it did topple, maybe she could salvage enough to eat herself. Her mouth had watered when she’d pulled it out of the oven that morning.
Baking back in the familiar warmth of her own kitchen had been wonderful, but she’d also found herself anxious to return to Blue Falls at the same time. She knew that had a good bit to do with the fact that she expected to see Adam tonight. It didn’t seem to matter how often she told herself the attraction she felt toward him could go no further than daydreams, she continued to think of him way too often.
Evidently she mentioned him too often as well because her sister had picked up on it and felt it necessary to point it out.
“Is there anyone else who lives in Blue Falls?” Violet had asked as they’d cleaned up after the Thanksgiving meal at their mom’s house a few days ago.
“What?”
Violet grinned in that playfully wicked way she had. “I should have started a tally chart to see how many times you mentioned Adam Hartley’s name.”
“You’re exaggerating.”
“Am I?”
“He’s just helped me out a bit. And he has a vested interest.”
“Do you really think he’s doing all these things to help just so you’ll do business with him?”
Her instinct told her no, but how could she be certain? She also suspected if she said no, Violet was going to read way more into his actions than was there.
“It wouldn’t be the first time a man has fooled me, would it?”
Violet’s gaze darkened. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to go find Phil and slap him right off the continent.”
“Line forms behind me.” Not surprisingly, Phil’s child-support payment was missing in action. Of course, so was he.
Thankfully she was in a position to provide whatever her daughters needed. She felt angry on behalf of all the women who weren’t as financially stable as she was and still had to deal with deadbeat dads.
Two little boys, each with a handful of game tickets, barreled past Lauren, bringing her back to the present in time to lift her cake up to a safe height. Behind her, Violet squealed and nearly dropped the raspberry strudel she’d made. Her sister had the ability to bake some tasty treats herself when she put her mind to it.
“I feel as if I’m on one of those obstacle-course shows,” Violet said.
“Almost there.” Ahead she spied the rather elaborately decorated cakewalk area crowned with, no joke, a curved sign that said Battle of the Bakers over the entrance to the cordoned-off, numbered-spaces area for the walkers. She also spotted Mandy, India Parrish, who owned the Yesterwear Boutique, and Keri Teague chatting next to the table already filling up with cakes.
“Hey!” Mandy said and waved when she spotted Lauren. “Glad you made it. I’ve had probably three dozen people ask me if your cake was here yet.” She glanced at Keri. “Inquiries have been neck and neck for you two.”
“I’m sure it has nothing to do with the ‘Battle of the Bakers’ sign,” Lauren said.
Mandy smiled. “Remember, it’s a good cause.”
“Well, here’s my contribution to the cause, then.” Lauren extended her cake.
“Great, what kind is it?”
“Seven-layer spice with cream-cheese icing.”
“Mmm, sounds delicious. Going to be a hard call between this and Keri’s gorgeous red velvet cake.” Mandy nodded toward what was, indeed, a cake so pretty you wouldn’t want to make the first cut.
“Well, I’m only famous adjacent, but here’s a raspberry strudel.”
“This is my sister, Violet,” Lauren said.
Mandy accepted the strudel and extended her hand. “Very nice to meet you.”
Lauren made all the introductions as more cakes arrived and attendees made inquiries about when the cakewalk was going to begin.
“In about five minutes,” Mandy said. “We have the cakes divided into different rounds.”
When the people inquiring left, Mandy turned back toward Lauren and the rest of their little group. “We decided to put your cakes in the last round to build up the suspense.” She smiled. “Feel free to take your time showing the twins around the carnival until then.”
“Where are those beautiful babies of yours?” Keri asked.
“Our grandfather has them in the stroller out in the lobby. Hard to make it quickly across a crowd this size when everyone wants to admire not one but two babies.”
True to her word, Mandy started the cakewalk five minutes later. Lauren got drawn into talking to fans of her show and signing autographs. Even though her cake wasn’t up for a prize in the earlier rounds, she convinced several people to go ahead and take part because there were a lot of yummy-looking cakes available. And it was true. Not one of the cakes spread out along the tables looked unappetizing. Even the two store-bought cakes looked good. Granted, she was hungry, but they did look moist and very, very chocolatey, a good combination in her opinion.
It was a good fifteen to twenty minutes before Papa Ed made it to the cakewalk area. Bethany was batting at a yellow helium balloon while Harper examined her little pink terry-cloth bunny as if she’d never seen it before. Some kids had security blankets. Harper had a security bunny.
“There are my girls,” Lauren said as she crouched in front of them and played with their little sock-clad toes.
“They’ve sure been a hit,” Papa Ed said, obviously proud to have been able to show them off.
“So has their mom,” Violet said. “We may have a cake riot before the night is out.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Lauren shook her head. Sure, the people she’d met seemed enthusiastic and she never minded talking to fans, but there was still a part of her that was uncomfortable with being put on any kind of pedestal, even imaginary. She probably always would be. She had to admit that part of her was jealous of Keri, who enjoyed the accolades for her baking and owned a successful business, but who wasn’t so exposed. Her relationships and betrayals weren’t played out before the public eye.
Though no one had mentioned anything about Phil tonight, had they? Another point in the favor of the residents of Blue Falls.
The music for the cakewalk ended and Mandy called out the winning number. The woman who’d won went immediately to Violet’s strudel, which made Violet smile and do a little dance. Lauren couldn’t help but laugh at her sister’s antics.
“Watch out, sis,” Violet called out. “I’m hot on your heels.”
As the evening progressed, Lauren saw several more members of the Hartley family. All except the one she hoped to see. Maybe his absence was a sign from the universe, one she should have the good sense to heed. One she shouldn’t need in the first place.
Then why did she feel so disheartened?
It was just the season. Christmas was always a tough time of year when you didn’t have, or had lost, a significant other. She’d already been through one such holiday season since her breakup with Phil. How quickly she forgot.
“So I hear this is where the action is.”
Lauren’s pulse jumped at the sound of Adam’s voice. It was thrilling and scary at the same time that she could recognize his voice without seeing him. She’d swear it vibrated something within her that she’d feared had been torched to nonexistence by how Phil had treated her.
“It is indeed,” Lauren said as she turned to face him.
Mandy called out that the final grouping of cakes was now up for grabs. Several people who’d been lingering around waiting for this moment surged forward onto the numbered spaces.
“Looks as if I’m just in time,” Adam said as he held up one red ticket.
“Yes, Keri’s red velvet cake looks delicious.”
Adam smiled as he stepped onto the last available space. “It’s not her cake I intend to win.”
There was something new in Adam’s eyes tonight, some mixture of determination and... She didn’t dare name what else she thought she might see, afraid if she did she’d want it more than she should.
They broke eye contact when the music started.
“I see now why you talk about him so much,” Violet said as she came to stand next to Lauren and bumped her shoulder with her own. “He’s capital H-O-T.”
Yes, he was. And she was afraid she wanted him to win her cake more than she had wanted anything in a very long time.