Wrapped in You (Frosty Season #5)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

T he problem with throwing a surprise retirement party for your beloved father was that everyone had to keep it a secret. No matter what. This proved difficult in a town as small and gossip-driven as Willow Creek—a town with a sensational heart and soul and a warm, loving community.

"Please remember, it's a surprise," Sophie reminded everyone throughout the past few weeks as an autumn chill descended upon the little Upstate New York village, and they'd begun to batten down the hatches for a heavy winter. "He thinks we're keeping the celebration small. Let's shock him!"

Now, it was mid-November and the day of the party. Thirty-four-year-old Sophie Masters was in the back office of her catering company, Culinary Tastings, donning her chef whites and ticking off a list of to-dos before the night ahead. From the kitchen echoed the voices of her staff—twentysomethings Randy, Tommy, Fiona, and Piper—who'd come to prep hors d'oeuvres, the main course, and the various autumn-themed desserts. Randy had agreed to bartend for the night, which was a relief. Randy was fun and lively, handsome and hilarious, and he'd keep the party going.

Next came a knock on the door. "Come in!" Sophie called.

Her little sister, Cindy, breezed into the office, bringing with her a wave of expensive perfume that smelled of dead roses and sandalwood. Last week, Sophie had mustered up the courage to tell Cindy, "That perfume really isn't so nice."

Cindy had shrugged. "You never had good taste in perfume anyway."

Sophie loved this about her little sister. She didn't care what anyone thought.

Sophie wished she had that remarkable trait.

Now, Cindy wrapped Sophie in a hug. "How are you?"

Sophie laughed and waved her hand. "I'm fine. Really. Catering a retirement party is relatively simple. It's just emotional for me, you know?"

"Dad will love it," Cindy assured her.

Sophie took a breath. "I can't believe Dad's old enough to retire." She spoke quietly as though she didn't want to be overheard.

"Dad's crazy healthy," Cindy reminded her. "He's sixty-one going on thirty-two. He can run faster than both of us and has a list of places he wants to travel a mile long." She cracked a smile and grabbed a piece of chocolate from a little tin on the corner of Sophie's desk. "Now, do you want to hear some news? Or do you want me to wait till after the party?"

Sophie rolled her eyes. Her sister always did this—advertised gossip in a way that made you beg to hear what it was. She was pretty sure her sister loved the power it gave her.

"Just tell me now," Sophie said. "I need to focus tonight."

Cindy unwrapped the chocolate and held it aloft. "Remember how we didn't think there'd be anything filming in Willow Creek this year? There's been a last-minute change of plans."

Sophie raised her eyebrows. "Huh." She didn't know what to think.

The town of Willow Creek was so quaint and old-world that it was a frequent site for film sets. Most often, it was used in wintertime for Christmas films. But an entire film set moving into Willow Creek wasn't always a simple feat for residents. Filming got in the way of their day-to-day lives. Oftentimes, filmmakers didn't hire Willow Creek residents for productions and brought in outside help instead. It was typical that those Hollywood-elite types didn't respect Willow Creek, its people, or its traditions.

Sophie had been grateful there wouldn't be a film set this year. It meant Willow Creek residents would have their town to themselves throughout the holiday season. It meant the magic would belong only to them rather than being sold off for Hollywood capital gains.

Cindy still hadn't put the chocolate in her mouth. "It's different this year. I just overheard Mayor Acker talking about it at the coffee shop. He's stipulated that any film set that uses Willow Creek must hire local people to assist on set. And..." Cindy paused to put the chocolate on her tongue. The air crystallized with excitement. "He said this directly, 'We have a fabulous catering company right here in town. Culinary Tastings!'"

Sophie's eyes widened. "He did not say that."

"He did." Cindy smiled to show chocolate-stained teeth.

Suddenly, Randy burst into the office without knocking. "We're about ready to go, boss!"

Sophie burst into laughter. She reached for the catering van keys and threw them. Randy caught them with one hand.

"Pack up the van," she said. "I'll be there in a sec."

Randy disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Sophie reeling with shock. Cindy grinned madly.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Cindy said, "but that would be your biggest contract to date, wouldn't it?"

Sophie hurried to her computer. Her heartbeat thrummed in her ears. After a quick, frantic Google search, she discovered a news article about a recent contract between the town of Willow Creek and Weber Studios, a major film production company. Featured in the article was a photograph of the film's director, Derek Brownlee.

Sophie read aloud from the article. "Weber Studios and Willow Creek have come to an agreement for the filming of Silver Bells after a last-minute cancelation with the holiday town of Hollygrove. Filming will commence shortly, with the goal of finishing by the end of February. Director Derek Brownlee says, 'Fingers crossed for a snowy winter in Willow Creek. The crew and I look forward to a cooperative winter with the residents. They have a reputation for being kind and compassionate film lovers. I look forward to my time there.'"

However, the photograph of Derek Brownlee showed him as a dark and brooding man of a little more than forty. His eyes were terrifyingly alert, and his jawline could have sliced meat.

"He doesn't exactly look overwhelmed with the Christmas spirit," Sophie quipped.

"Don't judge a book by its cover," Cindy said with a laugh. "But I have a hunch someone in marketing wrote that quote for Derek Brownlee."

"Right? There's no way that guy called Willow Creek 'kind and compassionate film lovers.'"

Cindy giggled.

Sophie shut down her computer and wrung her hands. She could hear her caterers in the kitchen closing boxes and working together as they hurried to prepare for her father's retirement party.

"I doubt they'll ask us to cater the film," Sophie said. "I don't even know if I could manage it. The Christmas Festival is coming up. Can we really do both?"

Cindy fixed Sophie with a knowing look, one she'd seen countless times before. It was her sister's "stop fooling yourself" expression, and the message was clear. Sophie needed this opportunity, whether she wanted to admit it or not.

It was true that Sophie's catering company had struggled most of the year. Nobody in Willow Creek had hired her for so much as a birthday party or graduation celebration throughout spring, and a wedding she'd catered in July had ended in disaster. The bride had left the wedding immediately after her vows, calling the entire thing "a big mistake." The two families had been so distraught that nobody had eaten the food or even touched the wedding cake. Sophie had fought to make that her very best catering event. She'd banked on the online reviews the wedding would garner her.

There had been no online reviews. There had been no immediate hires after that wedding.

She'd begun to worry her catering company was cursed.

Or worse, she'd begun to worry she was the one who was cursed.

Just because Mayor Acker wanted Culinary Tastings for the film set didn't mean it would happen. Sophie had begun to lose hope for her future.

She just had to get through her father's retirement party and the Christmas Festival. After that, maybe she'd have to cut her losses, let her caterers go, and start anew.

Maybe she'd have to leave Willow Creek and get a job elsewhere. After all, her ex-boyfriend was here. Her dying company was here. Maybe nothing was really left for her to build a future with.

But leaving Willow Creek would break her heart.

Cindy left Sophie's catering office with the parting words, "I really think you'll get the gig. Keep your chin up. See you later."

Sophie hurried out to the catering van to find Randy and Tommy slamming the back door, and Piper and Fiona already buckled in. Sophie asked Randy to drive and got into her car to guide them to the little convention center in downtown Willow Creek, where her father's retirement party would be held. All major Willow Creek events took place there, including Sophie's high school graduation and Sophie's engagement party. But she didn't like to think about that. Sophie parked out back and helped her team carry everything inside, a process that took a little more than a half hour. After that, she changed into a burgundy dress, fixed her dark blond hair, and walked into the party space itself, where she, her mother, and Cindy had already set up tables, chairs, tablecloths, and photographs from Joe Masters's many walks of life—his high school and college graduation and various family vacations to places like the Grand Canyon, Hilton Head Island, and New Orleans. In the photographs, Sophie and Cindy displayed every era of their awkward youths.

In one of the photographs, taken just a few years ago, Sophie's ex-fiancé, Jeremy, could be seen from the side. When she'd seen her mother hang it on the wall, Sophie hadn't wanted to make a big fuss about it. Jeremy was basically a part of the family, Sophie reminded herself now. Everyone thought we were going to get married. Everyone thought we'd have three kids by now!

She wondered if Jeremy was going to come tonight.

Her heart thudded with dread.

Not long after that, Cindy arrived with her husband and young children in tow. Cindy had put on a shade of very bright lipstick and dressed her children—Annie and Peter—in holiday sweaters. Annie was three, Peter was two, and they held hands almost everywhere they went, which broke Sophie's heart. Cindy's husband, Vic, was a mechanic with broad shoulders and a unibrow that Cindy had once called "attractive." It was true that he might be the only man on earth for whom the unibrow worked aesthetically.

Sophie hugged all of them. Cindy cupped Sophie's shoulders and said, "Vic heard the same thing! The film company is going to reach out to you any minute!"

Vic smiled warmly. "It's true. They called me this morning. They have an issue with a few cars for the film. I'm going to check on them tomorrow."

"They're going to hire you?" Sophie asked with surprise.

"He's a Hollywood mechanic!" Cindy cried.

"I'm going to talk up your catering company as much as I can tomorrow," Vic announced. "I'll tell them that every bit of this ten-pound weight gain is all thanks to you." He gestured toward his stomach and winked.

"I appreciate it," Sophie said with a laugh.

By five thirty that evening, all two hundred and twenty guests had arrived at the convention center. Upon Sophie's cue, they ducked under tables and behind chairs when Joe and Mary Masters approached. Sophie and Cindy held hands, listening quietly as their father said, "What did you forget at the convention center? When were you last here?"

Obviously, their mother had cooked up a scheme to get him here.

"I told you. I left my scarf here when I was helping Sophie a few weeks back," Mary explained.

"Sophie catered here?" Joe asked.

He sounded vaguely surprised. Sophie felt the surprise like a knife. He knew we didn't cater here. He thought my company was failing. He just didn't want to say it to my face.

But just then, Mary opened the door, and all two hundred and twenty guests burst to their feet to cry out, "Surprise!"

Joe stood with his mouth open, and his eyes glinted with tears. He stepped deeper into the room as Cindy and Sophie ran up to hug him.

"Happy retirement, Dad!" Cindy and Sophie said in unison.

Joe threw his arms around them. "My girls!" he cried. "My darling girls!"

The party erupted after that. Everywhere Sophie looked, she found Willow Creek residents in joyous celebration, drinking glasses of wine, laughing with Randy the bartender, shaking Joe's hand, or eating one of the flavorful hors d'oeuvres that Sophie had concocted herself. Sophie paraded through the party, making sure everyone was happy and well-fed.

This is when I'm in my element , Sophie thought. This is my purpose .

Please, let me keep Culinary Tastings.

Please let Culinary Tastings survive.

Sophie disappeared into the kitchen to check on the caterers, who smiled and announced everything was going smoothly. When she emerged from the kitchen again, she narrowly missed running smack into her ex-boyfriend, Jeremy. Jeremy wore a black turtleneck and carried around a burnt-red cocktail.

"Sophie. Hi!"

Sophie's stomach tied into a big knot. "Oh, hey, Jeremy." What are you doing here? She pressed her lips together and tried to pretend that Jeremy was just an old friend, that they hadn't dated for twelve years, that she hadn't planned the entirety of their wedding before he'd gotten cold feet and broken up with her. "Thanks for coming."

"I've always known Joe," Jeremy said, tilting his head toward her father. "He's like a second dad to me. I wanted to help him celebrate."

He was practically your father-in-law, she wanted to shoot back.

"Sure," she said. "That makes sense."

"This is a great party. So Christmassy, even though it's not even Thanksgiving yet! But I know how you are about the holidays," Jeremy said.

Sophie flared her nostrils. When they'd first broken up three years ago, she'd thrown herself even more into her love of Christmas. Jeremy had always thought she went "overboard" on decorating and baking and Christmas music listening and Christmas movie watching. Cindy said, "I love that you're using your love of Christmas as revenge."

Now, Sophie looked across the room to find her father in conversation with Mayor Ben Ackley. Mayor Ackley ate a stuffed mushroom with his eyes closed as her father nodded along to everything he said.

And then, her father raised his hand, smiled at her, and beckoned for her to approach.

"Gotta run," she told the ex-love-of-her-life. She drifted across the room to sidle up to her father and Mayor Ackley, still feeling Jeremy's eyes on her back.

Maybe the catering company would fail, and I'd move to New York City and never see Jeremy again.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

"Sophie!" Mayor Ackley said. "This is a fabulous party. Everything I've eaten is divine."

Sophie blushed and laced her arm through her father's. Her father beamed.

"I can't thank you enough, Soph," her father said with a soft smile. "At the end of a forty-year career, I love knowing how hardworking my eldest daughter is. You're an entrepreneur! You go after what you want."

Sophie's blush was painfully hot. She wanted to remind him that her company was on the brink of ruin!

But Mayor Ackley interrupted her dire thought process.

"I don't want to give anything away," he said conspiratorially. "But you might have heard we're hosting another film this year."

Joe winced. "Uh-oh."

Mayor Ackley raised both hands. "It won't be like it always was. Hollywood won't walk all over us this year! I've struck a deal with them."

Joe tilted his head. "I'm listening."

Mayor Ackley turned to look Sophie in the eye. "They're going to hire locals for everything from extras to mechanics to handymen to caterers. Everything we can offer them, they'll hire us for. We're going to be a part of the film crew this year. How about that?"

Sophie smiled. She still couldn't believe it and guessed it would fall through. I'll believe it when I'm on set , she thought.

But just then, her phone buzzed in her back pocket. Thinking it was an emergency from the crew in the kitchen, she excused herself to answer it.

But it was a number she didn't recognize. The area code was from Los Angeles, California.

Sophie hurried outside into the twenty-degree chill to answer it. Spits of snow melted on her cheeks and nose, and night had fallen so that the streetlamps cast an angelic and Christmassy light upon the two-hundred-year-old downtown buildings. Already, Christmas decorations were hung, and a mighty tree was set up next to the courthouse, decorated with holly and bows and glowing bulbs.

"This is Sophie Masters with Culinary Tastings," she answered. She sounded vaguely breathless.

"Miss Masters? This is Ada Tomson with Weber Studios," said a formal voice. "I wondered if I could talk to you about a rather spontaneous job proposal. Could you get a catering crew together for a seventy-two-person shoot in two weeks' time? It'll be local. No need to travel at all. It'll be right there in Willow Creek."

Sophie closed her eyes and fell against the side of the building.

She said, "It would be my pleasure."

But what she thought was this was the lifeline I needed. Thank you.