Kevin walked back into Daisy’s Country Store and it was like nothing he ever imagined. The clutter was beginning to disappear as the shelves filled. It looked nearly ready for business.
Lisa was the only one there. She raised her hands in the air. “Ta-da.”
He looked around, slowly clapping as he walked toward her. “Amazing. Definitely standing-ovation worthy.”
“Thank you. I couldn’t have done any of it without you.”
“You’re welcome.”
She looked past him. “Did you bring the stuff to do the wreaths?”
“Change of plans,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “I hope you don’t mind.”
Her face fell. “Oh. No. Of course not. I understand…”
“No. I don’t think you do. We’re still going to make them, but Dad has all the stuff right there at the tree farm to do it. It will be faster, and we won’t make a huge mess here.”
She lit up. “Oh, yeah. I do love that idea.”
“I thought you might,” he said. “Temperatures are dropping though, so I thought we could go by the inn, maybe take a little break. I think you could use one. You’ve been running nonstop all day. While we’re at the inn, you can change into some warmer clothes, and then we’ll go make the wreaths.”
“I don’t mind this plan at all. I’m ready.” She went behind the counter and got her coat and purse.
“Great. Let’s go then.” He took her hand and they locked up. “I’ll drive.”
When they walked into the inn, the aroma of sage from a good country sausage wafted into the hall, making Lisa’s stomach growl.
“Something smells good,” Kevin said.
“Hey,” Megan yelled from the kitchen. “I’m in here. I just made some sausage balls. Come and get ’em while they’re hot.”
“Don’t have to ask me twice.” Kevin headed for the kitchen, with Lisa on his heels.
“About time you made it for an evening nosh,” Megan teased. “There’s egg nog, spiked or plain, hot cider and hot cocoa, and all the usual stuff too. Sweet treats are over on the buffet in the dining room.”
“Have you been baking all day?” Lisa lifted a sausage ball to her mouth.
She nodded. “It’s been so much fun covering for my sister. I can see why she loves it so much.”
“Oh yeah. I can imagine. Meeting new people all the time.” Lisa could imagine herself doing something like that.
“We’re just going to take a little break, then we’ll be heading out again to work on the project.”
“Go relax in the den in front of the fireplace. I’ll bring you a little smorgasbord of goodies. Sweet and savory.”
“Thank you.” Lisa followed Kevin into the other room. “This fire is so warm and relaxing.”
“It is.”
Lisa sat on the floor, and Kevin sat down across from her in front of the fireplace. “Thanks for talking me into a little down time before we go make the wreaths. You’re right. We definitely needed this.” Her time with him was so easy, and she loved the way he made her laugh.
He reached for her hand, and she laid hers in his. “This is so nice,” he said. “I don’t know the last time I sat on the floor like this.”
“I know. Isn’t it crazy? It’s the simple things that really resonate, isn’t it?”
“Seems so.”
“We’re a lot alike. Always on the go,” she said. “But we both like the simple things too. I guess we need to stop and slow down once in a while too. Kind of even out the pace.”
“My dad’s always saying I need to slow down.” He shrugged. “I’ve always thought he was a little crazy for saying that, but now I’m not so sure. I think I’m beginning to see what he means.”
“Me too. If we don’t slow down, we’ll keep missing out on this kind of fun.” She squeezed his hand. “I like this.”
Kevin leaned forward. “I like spending time with you, Lisa. I’m glad you rolled into town like a tumbleweed and swept this town into a frenzy, trying to get that old store back into shipshape. That was no easy undertaking, but somehow, you’ve got everyone helping. You’ve created some real energy around Evergreen.”
She couldn’t believe how happy she was to have stumbled onto this project. It was as if this was something she’d worked her whole life to do. “I wouldn’t want to miss this for anything.”
“I know how you feel.”
After they’d sampled some of Megan’s delicious holiday cooking, Kevin slapped his hands against his jeans. “So, Ms. Palmer. Are you ready to go make a couple of wreaths?”
“I most certainly am.” She let him help her up, then he got their coats from the coat tree next to the door and waited for her at the door.
“What’s next on the big schedule?” Megan asked.
“We’re off to make a couple of wreaths, then we’re going to go hang them in the store.” Lisa slipped her jacket on. “I’ll be back late again tonight.”
“No problem.” Megan raised a finger. “Wait a second.” She disappeared around the corner and came back with a box of ribbons and small ornaments. “These were left over from the wreaths I made. Maybe these supplies will come in handy.”
“Thank you.” Lisa pushed her hand through the ornaments. “These are great.” She ran her fingers down a length of ribbon. “Wire ribbon. You’re an angel!” She turned to Kevin. “Wire ribbon is the best invention in the world. A decorator’s dream.”
“I’m going to take your word for that,” he said.
“You two have fun,” Megan said.
Kevin took the box from Lisa, and she closed the door behind them.
“It’s so cold.” She hiked up the collar of her coat and started running for the truck. He passed her and opened the door for her. The heater on the truck was working hard, but it was hardly making a difference against the cold temperatures tonight.
When Lisa and Kevin got to Henry’s Tree Lot, there was a nice fire going in the burn barrel.
“At least it’ll be warm by the fire.”
Lisa clapped her gloved hands together. “Look. There are already two stacks of cuttings sitting here. Fraser and balsam.” As she noticed it was exactly what they needed, she eyed him. “Did you do this?”
“Yeah. I got everything ready this afternoon. I thought it would be a time-saver. We can use all of the time-savers we can get. Right?”
“Right. Thank you.” She picked up a few branches and tugged them into an arc. “Have you ever made a wreath?”
“My dad sells Christmas trees. Of course I can make a fresh wreath. In fact, I’m quite good at it. How about I make the wreaths and you decorate them?”
“You’ve got a deal.”
“How big do you want them?”
Lisa shifted from leg to leg and held her hands out, trying to guess the right size. “I’m thinking about a thirty-inch wreath? I know a twenty-four inch is perfect for a standard door, but the store is so big, and with those high ceilings I don’t want them to look puny.”
“I think you’re right. Thirty inches it is.”
She started laying small ornaments and pinecones out on the long table and pulling out the wired ribbon she intended to use on each of the wreaths. Not matchy-matchy. The wreaths needed to complement one another, but be totally different. By the time she’d laid everything out and had made one big floppy bow, Kevin was looping a wreath over her head like a beach inner tube and pulling her toward him.
She laughed hysterically as she regained her footing. “Hey! Santa’s watching. You better behave or all you’ll be getting is coal in your stocking.” All kidding aside though, the playful touch had left her reeling in an unexpected and wonderful way.
He pasted an angelic expression on his face and pulled the wreath back over her. “Can’t risk that.”
“No you can’t.” She snatched the wreath from him. “Get back to work.”
They both worked quickly, tossing the scraps into the burn barrel while families walked by searching for their perfect tree.
While she finished up decorating the second wreath, Kevin helped load a couple of trees.
She walked out to the truck holding the wreaths over her arms. “What do you think?”
“I think you’re really good at this.”
“It’s what I do!”
“That’s what I hear.” He pulled the keys to the truck out of his pocket. “Ready to head back?”
He put the wreaths in the back of the truck and they drove back.
I’m going to miss making these runs back and forth to the store.
Lisa’s alarm sounded at six in the morning. She pushed the snooze button, wishing she could ignore it and stay in bed after being out so late last night.
At least she and Kevin had gotten a lot done. The wreaths were not only made, but hung, plus they’d finished storing away all of the boxes and packing materials. When they left after one this morning, the store was tidy and full. There was still plenty to do though. She pushed herself up to a seated position and planted her feet on the cold wooden floor. She danced around the room trying to find warm socks and jump into her jeans and a sweater. By the time she’d completed the dressing sprint, she was wide awake.
Hopefully, there’d already be coffee brewed. She headed downstairs, stopping every time a stair would creak, hoping she wasn’t disturbing the other guests.
“Well hello there.” Oliver stood in the kitchen next to the island. He raised his mug in her direction.
“Oliver? What are you doing up so early?”
“It’s not early. I’m always up by now. I’m just not always out to all hours of the night like some people. Mmmm hmmm.”
He must’ve heard her come in last night. “Were you waiting up on me?”
“Maybe.”
“Then you should be tired, too.”
“You’re not going to tell me what kept you out to all hours?”
She laughed as she poured her coffee and dropped in a sugar cube. “Kevin and I—”
“How did I know the story would start there?” He leaned his elbows on the counter and grinned. “Go on.”
“We drove over to his dad’s tree farm and made fresh wreaths for the store. Then we went back to the store and hung them and cleaned the place up. End of story.”
“End of story?”
“Well, I don’t know.” She snuggled up next to him. “Probably more like the beginning of the story. We work so well together.”
“Hey, wait a minute,” Oliver said. “Better than you and me?”
“No. Not that kind of work.” She waved her hands. “Totally different.”
“Okay. Just checking.” He pretended to be jealous, but she knew he was just playing.
“He’s really nice.”
“He’s crazy about you,” Oliver said.
“Do you really think so?”
“Yes. Don’t tell me you can’t tell.”
“I’m not sure. Sometimes I think so, and sometimes I think it’s just wishful thinking.”
“Well, keep on wishing. It looks good on you.”
“Thank you.” She downed her first cup of coffee and poured another. “I can’t believe time is flying by so fast.”
“I know. Polly will be here Christmas Eve. What do you need me to do?” Oliver’s phone buzzed. He picked it up and flipped through his messages. “I have a few things I need to take care of this morning, but I can come over and help all afternoon.”
“That would be great. At this point, we have everything we need. It’s just a matter of finishing up and perfecting the staging. That’s not something other people can really help with.”
“You mean making sure everything is slightly askew?”
She laughed. “Yes. That.”
“I happen to be an expert at that. I learned from the best.”
“Great. I’ll see you later then. I’m going to head on over and get started.” She grabbed her jacket and purse, then gave him a hug. “Thank you for being here.”
“I’m so glad I didn’t miss this.”
“I know. Daisy’s store has been so much fun.”
“No, Lisa.” Oliver wasn’t laughing now. “Not the store. This. Evergreen. You and Kevin. Because I’ve never seen you this happy. I’m really glad I’m here to see this.”
She squeezed his neck. “You’re the best bestie in the world.”
“I’m going to remind you of that.” Oliver waved as she left. “Often. I might even get it tattooed on my arm.”
Still smiling when she got to her car, she was thankful he hadn’t missed this either. If it weren’t for Oliver being here, she might not have acknowledged how she felt, or believed that it was real.
Later that afternoon, the eve before Christmas Eve, it was all hands on deck again. Oliver had shown up and taken the lead on finishing all the things on the main counter. Lisa and Kevin ended up in a pillow fight when a pile of them fell off the display. It was a much longer way to get the job done, but it had been fun.
“Kevin, can you help me scooch this old scale down a little on the counter? It’s as heavy as a car.”
He rushed over and together they moved it with ease. Lisa had no idea if the antique balance scale was even close to working order, but the turquoise and metal piece was so cool she had to give it a front and center place of honor. As long as she wasn’t charging by the pound for anything, that shouldn’t be a problem. That scale, maybe dating from the early 1900s, might’ve weighed anything from babies to gold over the years. More likely candy and nails, but still it was an awesome focal point.
She hung quilted stockings on a wall display and Kevin stacked hand-painted crafted milk-jugs on a shelf. Carol kept the boxes and wrappings cleaned up and stored away.
Nick walked in holding a box.
“Hi, Nick.” Carol walked over to him.
“I heard you needed some ornaments,” he said, raising the box. Then he held up a red and white antique wind-up car. “And this is for David.”
“That’s so thoughtful. He and Hannah will be back over in a little while. I’ll make sure he gets it.”
“I knew you would. It’s a bit old-fashioned, but the key to a toy is not how fancy it is, but whether or not it’s fun.”
“Meanwhile, how about a treat? On the house.” Carol lifted a basket of plastic bagged cookies in front of him.
“Don’t mind if I do.” He peered into the basket, then plucked a bag from the middle. “Peanut butter. My favorite, but you knew that, didn’t you?”
“I did. You’re welcome.”
“Merry Christmas. I have to get ready for the Festival.” Nick rushed off.
Carol waved goodbye to him, and then grabbed another empty box from the counter. “You guys are really whipping this place into shape.”
“It’s kind of amazing,” Lisa said. “Once word got out that we were staging the store with local arts and crafts, people really stepped up.”
“I brought some cookies and some of my famous Christmas peppermint bark.” Perfectly wrapped in cellophane bags with gorgeous ribbon, she handed it to Lisa. “Figured I’d wrap some up so you could use it to stage the store. Consider it a gift from the Kringle Kitchen.”
“Your help is gift enough. Thank you, Carol.”
The bell to the store tinkled as Henry walked in.
“Hey, Henry,” Carol said. “Merry Christmas.”
Henry nodded and walked over to where Lisa and Kevin were standing behind the counter.
Lisa asked, “How are the church bells coming? Please tell me you found a way to get them working and time them so they’ll just go off perfectly when Polly comes in the store.” It would be so perfect!
His smile faded. “Look, I’m sorry, I couldn’t get them working.” He looked disappointed. “I did all I could, but the system is—”
Kevin’s brows pulled together. “Do you want me to take a look?”
Henry lifted his head in frustration.
“Maybe another set of eyes w—”
“You can if you want, but—” Henry raised his hand and let it fall, taking a step back.
Lisa could tell it struck Henry wrong that Kevin offered to look at the bells after him. She looked away. It was hard to see the two of them struggle with their relationship.
“Hey, no. I didn’t mean… I’m just trying to—” Kevin took a breath. “Never mind. I’ll take a look later.”
Henry took a breath. He smiled gently, which Lisa noticed took some effort for him. At least the two of them were trying. He looked around the store.
“You did a good job here.” He started to walk out, then turned back. “Both of you.”
It wasn’t a full out “atta boy,” but Lisa appreciated the attempt. “Thank you?” It had come out as more of a question, which she hadn’t intended. Trying to lighten the mood, she grabbed a bag of Carol’s famous peppermint bark and tossed it to Kevin. “You can have that one.”
“Thanks.” Kevin dug right in.
Lisa noticed Henry pausing at the door, watching them, with a smile on his face.
There’s hope.