All dressed up for the festival in a navy dress with a pleated skirt, Lisa took in the sights and sounds as she walked over to the store. Kids squealed with delight as they played “pin the red foam nose on Rudolph” and milk bottle ring toss to win prizes. Over in the gazebo, Hannah led the carolers in a round of ““Jingle Bells”” with such vigor she wondered where someone got that much energy this early in the morning.
Christmas Eve. Polly would be here this afternoon, which was exciting, but the time had flown by and it was sort of anticlimactic that the project was over. She’d made real friendships working on Daisy’s Country Store. And there was Kevin. There was something there, and she’d wrestled all night with whether she should be thankful that almost-kiss got interrupted or not.
She walked inside. All the lights were on. Had she been that tired when she left last night? It was definitely possible. The place looked great. She scanned the room. The repairs. The merchandise. Recalling the people that had volunteered to help, and the hiccups along the way, it had been a very good project. She couldn’t possibly be any happier with how the store turned out. She’d be proud to show this to anyone.
The pretty white lanterns that they’d placed at the edge of each stair tread looked so nice.
She paused.
In the middle of the store, between the stairs that led to the second level, a floor-to-ceiling tree had been set up.
“Two trees is over-ambitious. We’d run out of time and then it would end up looking sloppy.” Those had been Kevin’s words. It hadn’t been what she wanted to hear at the time, but it was practical and they’d had a long list of projects to complete.
She’d really wanted a second tree, though. She walked a little closer. Pine hung in the air, which made her laugh at the memory of Hannah spritzing the pine spray right before Nancy Redinger had walked into the store. But this wasn’t pine spray. That was a real tree sitting in the middle of the store.
She inhaled the scent, closing her eyes and enjoying it.
The huge Fraser fir was only modestly decorated, but it already added that extra life to the room that she’d envisioned. The evergreen picked up the dark green of the industrial light shades hanging throughout the space too.
White lights scattered the full length of the tree, and someone had made an interesting garland out of one of the extra snow fluff blankets they’d used for the village houses. She reached out and touched it. Not a bad idea.
She wondered who was behind the surprise. Perched high on top of the tree was the beautiful snow owl she’d seen that first day she and Kevin were in the church, and Hannah had shown her all these awesome things.
Who would have done this? Her mind shied away from the answer her heart wanted. It might’ve been Oliver, she told herself. It had been his idea to put the partridge on the pear tree at Polly’s store in Burlington. But he never would have been able to leave the tree undecorated like this. Not his style. Hannah, maybe?
“Wow.”
She spun around. Startled.
Kevin walked forward on the second level. “You look amazing.”
A warm glow flowed through her. “Thanks. You do, too.” In his dress shirt and tie, with the small paint roller in his hand, he seemed like the perfect answer to any girl’s dreams. “What are you doing painting? In a tie?”
“I’m being very careful.” He came to the edge of the four-step riser.
“Okay. Good.” She glanced over at the tree. “What’s this tree about?”
“Yeah. I know I said two trees was overly ambitious.” He came down the stairs. “But, maybe you were right.”
“What?”
“I said maybe you were right.” He put the paint tray down. “I’m agreeing with you.” He couldn’t hold back the grin as he nodded over and over again. “Is this a sufficient amount of nodding?”
She nodded, laughing.
“Or do you need more?” he teased with one more nod.
He was willing to go the extra mile. She didn’t mind that. Smiling, she folded her arms. “I am sufficiently enjoying this. Yes.”
He leaned on the counter in front of some pretty hand-painted holiday cards by a local artist. “I’m glad.” He knocked on the countertop with his hand. Inside he was a bundle of nerves.
“Does look good, doesn’t it?” She glanced over at the tree.
“Lucky for us Nick contributed to the cause.” Kevin picked up the small wooden crate of ornaments Nick had donated. “I was afraid to try to decorate the whole tree without your help. I also thought it would be more fun together.”
“You’re right. Polly’s going to be here soon so we better get started.” She took off her coat. “Come on. Let’s do it.”
“Yes.”
Kevin put the box on the ground in front of the tree. He picked up a large sequined ball and placed it on the tree.
“These are pretty.” Lisa hung a similar ornament on the other side.
“You know, we’ve been so busy, I realized…I never thanked you.”
“Thank me?” Lisa positioned the ball on the tree, then stepped back and peered around the tree at him. “For what?”
He looked to the front of the store. “The town is pretty good at putting these festivals together, but this year, it’s a little bit…more magical.” He gestured out the window. “Look. My dad is out there talking to a neighbor. I don’t know the last time I saw him so at ease and laughing. It’s so good to see that.”
Lisa smiled.
“And I’m happier. It feels like home here again.”
Joy tugged at the corners of her mouth. It does feel like home.
He pointed to her. “You did that.”
What a nice compliment. It tugged at her heartstrings. “You’re welcome.” She picked up another ornament. Her voice shook slightly. “So, does this mean you’ve given more thought to Thomas’s offer to stay here instead of going to Maine?”
“I don’t know. I mean, I love this town, I just…” Kevin faced her and looked into her eyes. “I’m not sure exactly what’s here for me.” He looked at the tree, then back at her again.
She pressed her lips together. It wasn’t like she hadn’t been thinking about that, too. They decorated in silence until she mustered the courage to ask. “Well, what if there was something here for you? What if…there was somebody who you wanted to spend Christmas with?”
He swallowed hard. “Then yeah.”
Her heart pounded so fast she could barely speak. What comes next?
He asked, “Are you thinking about it?” Hope filled his eyes.
“Maybe.” Nervous laughter overcame her. “Maybe a little.” She pushed her hair back over her ear.
He reached out, and she touched his hand as he moved forward and stroked her cheek.
She’d wanted him to kiss her for days now. And the other night. Her mouth went dry. She licked her lips and closed her eyes as she anticipated it.
The bells at the front door tinkled. She gasped and stepped back.
Impossible. Not again! They both straightened and he looked like he was going to laugh as he stood there with his hands on his hips shaking his head.
“Merry Christmas,” Michelle said.
“Hey, Merry Christmas,” said Kevin, sounding sincere despite the interruption.
“Merry Christmas, Michelle,” Lisa echoed.
“I came to look for candles for the processional,” Michelle explained.
Lisa pointed toward the back of the store. “Yeah. I actually saw some in there yesterday.”
“Of course you did,” Michelle said, slapping her hands to her side. “Because Daisy would never let me down.”
Lisa felt the same way about Daisy. Probably anyone who’d ever met her did.
Michelle walked past them while Kevin was still holding back his laughter.
After she’d had gone into the back room, Kevin leaned in. “Where were we?”
Lisa’s palms dampened. He put both hands on the side of her face. His lips touched hers—
The bells jingled another audible interception. They both pulled back.
“We should consider taking that bell down,” Kevin said flatly.
“Yes.” She stifled her laugh and tried to look innocent. “Definitely,” she said under her breath.
Hannah, David, and Thomas walked in. “Wow,” Hannah said. “It looks so good in here, guys.”
“Thank you.” Lisa tried to sound gracious, but she really wished she’d locked that door.
“Did Michelle come through here?”
“Back room,” Kevin said.
Hannah looked to her brother, who headed to the back, amused.
Lisa felt herself blushing. They can tell. Had Hannah and Thomas seen them through the front door before they walked in? How embarrassing.
David’s eyes widened. “Whoa. Another tree!”
“Yeah,” Kevin said.
“Can I help decorate?” David asked.
“Back room,” Kevin quickly answered, pointing the way.
Lisa couldn’t believe Kevin just said that out loud, although she was thinking it too. She slapped Kevin on the arm laughing. “Yes. Of course you can, sweetheart. You did such a good job on the one out front.”
She figured it didn’t matter now. The way things were going half the town would be in here within the hour.