7. Laney
7
LANEY
L aney and Aunt Edna had spent most of the day at the shop, but now it was finally time to head out to the cookie decorating event. She felt as excited as a child. Her mother had never been the cookie making type, and Laney couldn’t wait to get her hands on some frosting.
She climbed into the passenger seat of her aunt’s car, and they headed out of the town square just as the sun had begun its lazy descent that cast a rosy blush over the winter sky. Laney nearly pressed her nose against the glass window, mesmerized by the lights, decorations, and garlands that decorated the streets and storefronts. A few families bustled about, their arms laden with holiday shopping bags.
“It’s almost too pretty to believe,” Laney said.
“I’ve always thought so.”
They headed out of town, turning onto the country road leading to the Hayes farm. The sparkle of town gave way to open fields and quiet woods. Snow lay thick and almost pink under the sunset. Laney had just started to lose herself in the rhythm of the ride when Aunt Edna let out a soft gasp and slowed the SUV to a crawl.
“Look there.” Aunt Edna pointed ahead to the right side of the road.
Laney followed her gaze and let out a gasp of her own. It was a moose, standing majestically at the edge of the tree line. The creature’s dark coat was dusted with snow, and its antlers seemed as wide as a car. It turned its head slowly to regard them with large, liquid eyes that seemed almost curious. Or that could have been her imagination.
“He’s gorgeous,” Laney murmured, scrambling to pull her phone from her coat pocket. “I’ve never seen one up close like this.”
“I’m surprised he still has his antlers. Usually, they’ve shed them by this time of year.” Aunt Edna brought the SUV to a full stop on the side of the road.
“Why do they shed them?”
“After mating season’s over they find them heavy and burdensome, so they get rid of them.”
“Kind of like me with Josh?” Laney asked.
“Something like that.”
Laney opened the window, holding her breath, hoping she didn’t spook him. But she needn’t have worried. The moose stood motionless, his breath making clouds in the cold air. “He’s posing for me.”
“Looks that way,” Edna said, chuckling. “Maybe he knows you’re a city girl who will properly admire him.”
Laney snapped several photos. As if on cue, the moose took a few slow steps back, his long legs moving with an elegance that belied his size. He glanced her way one more time before bounding across the snowy field until he disappeared into the thicket.
“He’s incredible.” Laney let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was still holding and turned to Aunt Edna. “I’ve never seen anything so perfect in my life.”
Aunt Edna chuckled softly, her eyes twinkling. “It’s not often we spot him. Like I said, he must have come out to welcome you.”
Laney nodded, her heart still racing. “This is a sign. This is where I’m supposed to be.”
Her aunt reached across the console to quickly squeeze her knee, just as she had done when Laney was small. “I’ve no idea if that’s true or not, but I’m awfully glad you’re here.”
Laney turned her head, resting her cheek on the back of the seat to look over at her aunt. “Thanks for taking me. I think you may have saved my life.”
“Let’s not be dramatic. You’re tough. You’d have been fine no matter what you chose to do after that disaster of a wedding.”
“We can agree to disagree on that. Regardless, thank you.”
“Honey, it’s my pleasure to be here for you. You’ve always been one of the best things in my life.”
“I don’t know why, but I’m glad.”
“If you could see you as I do, you’d know exactly why I say that.” Aunt Edna turned the car back on. “Let’s go before we freeze out here.” She pulled back onto the road, and they continued on their way toward the Hayes farm.
She hadn’t been espousing platitudes to her aunt. She knew in her bones that this was where her life was supposed to be. Staying here and starting fresh in Sugarville Grove was such a blessing. Her aunt’s generosity and love truly were saving her, whether Aunt Edna thought so or not.
Yes, this was her real life. Not the one she’d so dutifully succumbed to but the one she was meant to have. Josh and Dahlia had done her a favor. They’d let her out of the contract she’d made with herself to do what was expected of her. But she was like the moose now. Wild and untethered, yet purposeful too. She could make her own way, exactly as she wanted. No one, not even her mother, could dictate the direction of her future.
Only Laney was in control of her own destiny. One she was more and more convinced began and ended right here in Sugarville Grove, Vermont.
Minutes later, they arrived at Walter and Grace Hayes’s farmhouse, all lit up with holiday lights. Snow began to fall, as if it had been waiting for them to arrive. Laney grabbed the wine they’d brought and got out of the car, fighting the urge to run across the shoveled walkway and into the house. She absolutely couldn’t wait to see Nolan again. It made no sense, but that was just the truth. She was smitten just as she’d been that summer. How was it possible? She had no idea, but if she’d learned anything over the last week or so it was that she had to trust God more. He had a plan for her. One that had deviated drastically from the one she thought she’d have.
God sent me a moose. What more of a sign did she need?
Nolan greeted them at the door, hustling them inside and out of the cold. Laney brushed snowflakes from her coat as Nolan closed the door behind them. The warmth of the house immediately enveloped her, full of good smells—the piney scent of a Christmas tree, cinnamon and sugar, and Nolan’s spicy aftershave. She could hear the sounds of laughter and muffled conversation drifting from the kitchen, the unmistakable voices of children and adults’ laughter.
“Merry Christmas, ladies.” Nolan offered to take their coats.
“Yes, please.” Laney and Aunt Edna shrugged out of their jackets and tugged knit caps from their heads. Laney had braided her long hair in preparation for the sticky job of decorating cookies, and now she brushed baby hairs from where they stuck to her forehead and cheeks. She felt Nolan’s gaze upon her and glanced up at him, suddenly shy, but determined to make eye contact. When she did, her stomach fluttered. He looked ridiculously handsome in a blue flannel shirt and jeans, his hair disheveled as if he’d been roughhousing with his nieces and nephew.
Nolan opened a hall closet to hang their coats. “Thanks for coming,” he said as he turned back to them.
“We wouldn’t miss it,” Edna said. “Where’s that mother of yours? I have something for her.”
“She’s in the kitchen.” Nolan pointed toward the back of the house.
Edna hustled away without a backward glance. Laney had a distinct feeling her aunt had purposely left them alone.
“Mom’s looking forward to seeing you again,” Nolan said. “My nieces and nephew have already started decorating. And Max, of course, since he’s basically a kid.”
“I’m suddenly kind of nervous.”
He took her hands for a second before letting them go just as quickly. But he remained close, peering into her eyes. “Don’t be. You’re going to be a big hit. Everyone will love you as much as I do by the end of the evening.”
He seemed to realize he said the word love and started to backtrack. “You know what I mean. Not love but affection.”
“It’s okay,” Laney said. “Old friends like us can use the word love . Even though we were apart for too long, it still feels the same between us. At least to me.”
“To me too.”
They stood for a moment, looking at each other, grinning. Laney lifted her chin, her gaze moving to his mouth. She wanted to kiss him. In the worst way. How could that be? She was supposed to be on her honeymoon right now. Yet here she was, all about another man.
But this was Nolan. He was familiar to her. Exciting, too. He was just right.
“What is it?” Nolan asked softly.
“Nothing. Not really. You look nice, that’s all.”
“As do you. In fact, you’re beautiful tonight. As always.”
She’d dressed in jeans and an old sweater with a snowflake pattern over the front, figuring she would be getting icing on whatever she wore. Regardless, she thanked him. “This is my ugly Christmas sweater.”
“For real Max has an ugly sweater party every year,” Nolan said. “I predict you’ll have an invite by the end of the evening. Come on. I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
She glanced up to see that a sprig of mistletoe hung from the chandelier that lit the foyer. It was her chance. A mad, ill-advised chance, but she didn’t care. Not after everything that had unfolded over the last few weeks.
He turned toward the back of the house, but she grabbed his hand at the last moment.
“Yeah?” Nolan asked. “Are you okay?”
“I was wondering if you would be interested in going on a date with me.”
His mouth dropped open, but only for a split second. He recovered quickly. “I would like that very much. Tomorrow?”
“Sure. Or anytime.”
“I’ll make reservations for dinner at a really special Italian place,” Nolan said. “I mean, if you like Italian?”
“Whatever restaurant you pick is fine with me. I’ll be happy to be by your side, wherever it is.” She smiled, her mouth trembling slightly as she pointed up to the mistletoe. “Also, there’s this. And I think it might be bad luck or something if you didn’t kiss me.”
He gaped at her. “Now?”
She flushed, hot, her cheeks flaming as if she had a fever. Maybe she did. A fever named Nolan Hayes. “It doesn’t have to be now, but I was just wondering if, in general, you would like to kiss me.”
Nolan’s eyes danced. “I can say without hesitation that there’s nothing I’d like more. With or without the looming threat of bad luck derived from thwarting the mistletoe tradition.”
She let out a sigh. “Oh, good. I wanted to ask because I’ve been hurt, obviously, and I’m feeling kind of vulnerable and needy. I didn’t want to be hoping for a kiss if you weren’t interested. And I wanted you to know that even though I’m fresh from the breakup and everything, I’m moving forward with my life. Dating and all that.” Goodness, she was babbling. “I mean, dating you. Not anyone else. If you want to, that is.”
He laughed, brushing his knuckles against her cheek. “You’re one of a kind, Laney Gray. Should we kiss and get it over with, so we don’t have to wonder all night?”
She nodded, her mouth too dry to speak.
He flashed an almost boyish smile, one that sent a flutter through her chest.
Nolan tilted his head, studying her for a moment. “I haven’t kissed anyone in a while. Three years actually. Since Jill.”
“I don’t think it’s something you forget how to do.” Laney had kissed someone as recently as last week. Little had she known, Josh had been kissing Dahlia too. The thought made her feel slightly ill. Never mind. She shoved those thoughts aside. Right now, it was about Nolan. He was the one who stood before her, offering himself to her.
Laney’s breath caught as he stepped closer, the space between them shrinking until they were only an inch or so apart. She could feel the heat radiating from him.
His hand came up, cupping her cheek, his touch gentle but sure. His thumb brushed lightly against her skin, sending a shiver through her that had nothing to do with the cold. Then, slowly, deliberately, he leaned in.
The kiss was soft and tentative at first, a question more than a demand. But when she didn’t pull away—when she leaned into him, her hands resting lightly on his muscular chest—it deepened. His lips were warm, firm yet tender.
When they parted, she felt almost breathless. In all the times with Josh, she’d never felt so completely undone by a kiss. She’d never had the feeling that she wished the kiss would go on and on until their lips were too bruised to continue.
“Do you remember the last time I kissed you? Right before you left?” His voice sounded low and rough.
A smile tugged at her lips despite the flush creeping up her cheeks. “Oh yes. I remember. The glow of that day stayed with me a long time.”
“For me as well.” He chuckled softly, his hand lingering on her cheek for a moment before falling away. “We should go in or someone will come looking for us.”
Laney laughed softly, stepping back and straightening her sweater. “Do I look as if I’ve been thoroughly kissed?”
“No, not really. I think there’s still more I could do, but it will have to wait for another time.” He squeezed her hand briefly before letting go. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Asking for what you wanted. I might have wasted the entire holiday season without having the nerve to kiss you. That’s kind of my thing.”
“It might have been your thing, but there’s always a chance to reinvent ourselves,” Laney said, surprising herself. “Sometimes we have to be pushed to do so.”
“Maybe.”
She followed Nolan back to the kitchen, her heart racing and her palms damp. Hopefully no one would pick up on the earth-shattering kiss they’d just shared.
The sight that greeted her was heartwarming and a little intimidating and knocked all thoughts of kisses right out of her head. It was chaos as far as Laney could tell. Chaos that smelled of sugar and cinnamon. Flour everywhere, including the floor. The island was covered with decorating tools, including bowls of frosting and copious types of candy and sprinkles.
Three children perched on stools, hunched over their work. A gorgeous blonde woman about Laney’s age and Max, who had blue icing smeared on one cheek, stood on either side of the threesome. Through the window above the sink Laney saw her aunt and who she presumed was Grace Hayes outside on the patio by the firepit talking to what had to be Nolan’s dad and two other brothers, their laughter a backdrop to the cheerful hum inside the kitchen.
Nolan gave Laney an encouraging smile as he rested a hand lightly on her back. “Everyone, this is Laney.”
“Hey, Laney,” Max said, eyes flashing with mischief. “Welcome.”
“Thanks, Max. I’m happy to be here.” Laney self-consciously touched her bottom lip. Was her lipstick smeared, or had it been kissed completely off her face?
The brothers greeted each other with a fist bump.
Meanwhile, the children barely looked up from their work at the island, engrossed in smearing icing and sprinkling candy. The woman, however, straightened from where she’d been helping the smallest of the children pipe a snowflake onto a cookie. She turned with a welcoming smile, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel as she stepped forward.
“Laney, it’s so nice to meet you. I’m Abby. Luke’s wife. And mother to these elves.” Abby reached out as if to shake hands, then seemed to think better of it and pulled Laney into a hug. “Nolan’s told us so much about you. Welcome to Sugarville Grove. I hope you’ll love it here as much as I do. I moved here around the holidays last year, and every single thing in my life has changed. For the better.”
Laney blinked, caught off guard by the easy familiarity. “Really? That’s promising. For me, I mean.”
“It probably sounds trite,” Abby said. “But there’s something special about this place. Not to mention this family.” She gestured toward the kids. “This is—Sophie, Jack, and Lily.” She pointed at the oldest child first and then to the boy, who sat between his sisters, and finally to the smallest, an adorable blonde whom Laney guessed to be kindergarten age. “Children, please say hello to our new friend.”
Sophie, also blonde, appeared to be about ten. An old soul peered out of blue eyes. “Hi, Laney. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Thanks, you too.” Abby returned her smile.
Jack, his face streaked with green icing, grinned up at Laney. “Are you any good at decorating cookies?”
“I’m pretty good at it, yeah,” Laney said.
“We’re having a contest for the best one, and I want to win,” Jack said. “But I probably won’t.” His prediction didn’t appear to do much to dampen his spirit.
The smallest child stared at Laney from under thick black lashes. “I’m the baby. Everyone adores me.” Lily smiled wide. She was missing her two front teeth. Laney wondered if she wanted them for Christmas as in the song.
“Lily, really?” Abby chastised her.
“Well, it’s true, isn’t it?” Lily lifted her shoulders in a nonchalant shrug.
“It is true,” Abby said, kissing the top of the child’s head. “But we must remember to be modest.”
“I don’t want to,” Lily said.
Abby shook her head, catching Laney’s gaze. “We don’t have problems with self-esteem, apparently.”
“That’s a good thing,” Laney said. “The world tries to tear us down whenever it can.”
Just then, a pretty woman with silver hair entered the kitchen from the patio. She wore an apron dusted with flour over a red sweater.
“Mom, you remember Laney,” Nolan said.
“Yes, of course I do,” Grace said. “Although we were both considerably younger.” She pulled Laney into a quick hug. “I’m so happy to see you again. Your aunt’s delighted to have you in town for the holidays, and so are we.”
Laney returned the hug and the smile, feeling a twinge of nervousness. “Thank you. Your kitchen smells amazing. I love Christmas, especially the scents.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Grace said. “Should we open some prosecco to start this season off, right?”
“I’ll do it,” Max said, raising his frosting-covered hand.
“Wash your hands first, dear,” Grace said. “You’re worse than the kids.”
“Yes, but I’m going to win this year, so it’s all worth it,” Max said, heading toward the large white sink.
“You’ve never won,” Grace said in a mocking, overly indulgent tone. “But good for you for continuing to try.”
At the sink now, Max looked over his shoulder. “I don’t feel like you’re being sincere, Mother.” He emphasized the word mother , as if to remind her of her role. “But I’m still going to do my best, even without my dear mother’s support.”
“Oh, brother.” Grace laughed and handed Max a hand towel.
Grace indicated the empty stool. “Do you want to try one, Laney?”
“Sure.” She couldn’t wait, actually. Settling at the counter, she watched as Grace set several bare cookies in front of her. “Are there any rules?”
Max laughed. “Other than Mother being the only judge and jury, no.”
“I’m the matriarch, thus I get to decide who wins.” Grace rubbed her hands together as if she were planning something evil. “That’s what I get for squeezing these big-headed goofballs out of my you-know-where.”
Laney laughed. “I’d say you deserve more.”
“You and me both,” Grace said.
“How can she say such things about us?” Max asked Nolan. “We’re the greatest sons anyone could ever have.”
“She knows it too,” Nolan said. “I mean, how could she not.”
“You two should zip it before I kick you outside,” Grace said.
Abby slid a star-shaped cookie in front of Laney. “Let’s see what you’ve got, newbie.”
Laney reached for a piping bag filled with golden icing and a small bowl of shimmering silver sugar. “This is such fun, Grace. Thanks again for inviting me.”
“Your aunt never participates,” Grace said, gesturing outside. “She prefers to drink beer with the boys.”
“Good. I’ll take her cookies too.” Laney picked up the piping bag, giving it a quick test squeeze.
The hum of activity around her faded slightly as she focused on the cookie. Her artistic instincts kicked in, and her hands moved with careful precision as she outlined the star’s edges in a delicate line of golden icing. The piping was smooth and even, the edges sharp and clean. She leaned in, her brow furrowing slightly as she added small, intricate details—a swirl in one corner, a tiny filigree at the tips of the star’s points.
“Wow,” Sophie said, pausing in her own decorating to watch. “That’s really pretty.”
Jack leaned closer to get a better look. “It’s like the ones I saw at the bakery.”
“Laney’s a really good artist,” Nolan said, sounding proud.
A pool of warm caramel seemed to coat Laney’s stomach. “I knew all those art classes were worth it.”
Abby leaned over her shoulder, eyebrows raised. “That’s gorgeous. Okay, well, that lets me off the hook. I’m officially retiring.”
“Mama, you can’t retire from cookies,” Jack said. “That would hurt Gigi’s feelings.”
“I’ll survive, honey, but thank you.” Grace kissed the top of his head.
Laney dipped a small spoon into the silver sugar, sprinkling just enough to add a soft shimmer without overwhelming the design. She sat back, surveying her work with a satisfied smile. “This is quite soothing to the soul.”
“Isn’t it though?” Sophie asked, looking about forty rather than ten.
Nolan’s voice came from behind her, warm with amusement. “I’m not even going to try to beat that.”
“Uncle Nolan is more the Cookie Monster than the cookie maker,” Sophie said.
“Someone has to do it,” Nolan said.
“My son has a terrible sweet tooth,” Grace said, with a loving glance in Nolan’s direction.
Laney glanced over her shoulder at Nolan, her smile widening. “Is that what makes him so sweet?”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Grace and Abby exchange a glance.
“Maybe you should open a cookie store instead of working at the bookshop.” Grace peered at the star, nodding approvingly. “You’ve got a real knack for this.”
Laney felt a flush creep up her cheeks, though the praise pleased her. “Thank you. I love crafts and cooking. I almost went to culinary school but my…well, never mind. Anyway, baking’s a great hobby.”
Max popped the cork out of a bottle of prosecco and poured the adults small glasses. “I love the holidays. And bubbles.” Max peered into a champagne flute before handing it to his mother.
“Will you show us how to do that?” Jack asked, indicating Laney’s piping. “Because mine always goes wonky.”
“Of course I will,” Laney said. “But you better not beat me.”
Jack giggled. “I probably won’t, but I can’t make any promises.”
As Laney reached for another blank cookie, Nolan slid onto the stool next to her, leaning in close enough for his shoulder to brush hers. He set a glass of prosecco next to her. “That’s too pretty to eat.” He leaned closer, whispering in her ear. “You’re pretty too.”
Laney’s cheeks flushed again as she looked into his eyes. “Thank you.”
Sophie leaned over her gingerbread man, carefully adding buttons down its front, while Jack enthusiastically squeezed green icing onto a tree-shaped cookie, his tongue sticking out slightly in focus. Lily giggled as she accidentally dropped a handful of rainbow sprinkles on the counter.
“Oops! It’s snowing sprinkles,” Abby teased, brushing the colorful mess into her hand and back into the bowl.
Max stood at the other end of the island, pretending to inspect Jack’s work with a critical eye. “Yours looks a little like you left it out in the sun too long.”
Jack burst into laughter, his hands sticky with icing. “You’re going to stifle my creativity, Uncle Max.”
Max threw back his head in laughter. “I think your creativity is just fine, Jack.”
Abby placed her hands on Jack’s small shoulders. “Don’t listen to him, honey. I think it looks perfect.”
“She doesn’t really mean that,” Max said to Jack. “She’s just being nice.”
“Max, honestly, do you have to compete with a seven-year-old?” Grace said, shaking her head.
“You’re the one who made this a contest, Mother,” Max said, eyes twinkling. “I’m only going along with your twisted rules.”
Grace turned to pull yet another batch of cookies out of the oven and set it on the counter to cool. In the meantime, Laney showed the kids how to do the piping with more precision. “You need to add just a little more pressure, like this.”
Lily’s brow wrinkled in concentration as she tried to pipe bulbs onto a Christmas tree. They turned out to be more like misshapen hats than bulbs. “I can’t do it.”
“Looks good to me.” Max reached across the counter to snatch up the cookie. “And now I’m going to eat it.”
“No, Max!” Lily squealed, grabbing for the cookie as everyone laughed. “It’s not time. Gigi will get mad.”
“Gigi’s not the boss of me.” Max shoved the entire cookie into his mouth.
“Are you trying to eliminate the competition?” Abby asked. “Because looking at your contributions, Max—and I don’t mean to kill your dreams—but you’re not going to win.”
Laney stifled a laugh as she took in the cookies that Max had decorated. They looked as if he’d tried to imitate a Jackson Pollock painting with the sprinkles. They occupied every millimeter of his cookies.
“He’s going for an abstract vibe,” Laney said.
“Yes, that’s it,” Max said, laughing. “Finally, someone who understands my artistic vision.”
Laney glanced around the kitchen, feeling the love among them all. Next to her, Nolan, whispered once again into her ear. “I told you they’d love you.”
She met his gaze and said softly, hoping no one else could hear, “Thank you for bringing me. This is a blast.”
“You’re welcome here anytime,” Nolan said, a look in his eyes that held promises for a future together. As outlandish as it sounded, Laney was starting to believe they might just have one.
This was what a big, messy, loving family felt like. She couldn’t help but compare it to the quiet holidays she’d had at home with her parents. There hadn’t been anything wrong with them. Her mother had always made everything beautiful and special. Yet this was extra nice. Heartwarming and wholesome. Just what she needed right now after the sordid situation created by Josh and Dahlia.
And really, who cared about them? Not her. Not now, with the gorgeous Nolan Hayes beside her, whispering sweet nothings in her ear.