16. Mallory
MALLORY
Mal stood at the table outside the bakery on Saturday morning, smiling as she watched Annie Williams handle the small line.
“Really,” Annie said. “I’m fine, you can go.”
And the young woman was right, of course. She was managing the line just fine, holding folks to the cap for jingle bell knots, pouring cups of coffee, and giving away samples.
“What am I going to do without you?” Mal asked, shaking her head.
Annie laughed and turned to the next person in line.
It was a gorgeous day for the Hometown Holiday Celebration. Tiny flurries had been swirling off and on all morning, adding ambiance without forcing anyone to get out their shovels again.
All the shops seemed to have tables outside this year, and the decorations were as festive and homey as ever. Boughs of fresh pine, velvet ribbons, twinkle lights, and garlands of candy or tinsel were everywhere Mal looked.
While it was still dark out this morning, Sheriff Cal Cassidy and his men had placed cones to keep cars off the village streets for the day.
And though it was still fairly early, tons of neighbors already filled Park Avenue, greeting each other, shopping at the tables and booths, and filling the cold winter air with plumes of warm breath that carried the sounds of comfortable talk and laughter.
There were so many familiar faces, and plenty of new folks too.
Between Baz Radcliffe’s property sale and the new highway coming in, Trinity Falls was really getting an injection of new energy.
A group of men stood together by the train station, looking out over the town as if they weren’t sure if they were really allowed to join the celebration.
Mal wasn’t positive, but she thought they might have been part of the excavation crew for the new road.
While she watched, Reggie Webb marched right up to them, smiling and waving as if to welcome them and point them toward the food and fun.
That was Trinity Falls all over. For better or worse, people paid attention, and you were never alone.
Neighbors might not have loved the highway workers tearing out a hundred-year-old tree a few months ago to prep the road site.
But they weren’t going to let them stand on the edge of the crowd today either.
If you lived in this town, you were part of it, simple as that.
Mal had loved that sense of community when she lost her mom. The town had treated her with such kindness and helped her feel like she was never alone.
But now, when half the town thought she was heartbroken over Declan Hawkins and the other half thought she was all but married to Harrison Law… well, it made her wonder what it might be like to live in a town where people didn’t care quite so much.
“Oh, Mallory,” a familiar voice said mournfully.
She turned to see Amanda Luckett shaking her head frowning in Mal’s direction. Amanda had been the prettiest girl in high school and she was somehow even prettier now, always with that signature gorgeous smile on her face.
Except right now…
“Hey, Amanda,” she said out loud, reminding herself that the sweet woman always had the best of intentions. “How’s it going?”
“I heard about Declan,” Amanda said. “And I’m really sorry.”
“Oh, I’m happy for him,” Mal replied. “He and Julie hired me to make their wedding cake. Isn’t that great?”
“I heard about that too,” Amanda said, looking scandalized. “But I hoped it wasn’t true. How could they ask you to do that?”
“I’m honored,” Mal told her. “Julie has some great ideas. I think it’s going to be a magnificent cake.”
“You really mean that, don’t you?” Amanda asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied Mal’s face.
“Of course,” Mal told her. “How have you been? How’s your mom?”
“So then it’s true,” Amanda said, her eyes widening as she ignored Mal’s questions.
“What’s true?” Mal asked.
“You’re seeing that absolutely gorgeous new man in town,” Amanda said, shaking her head in admiration. “He’s so tall, Mallory. Well played.”
“Oh,” Mal said awkwardly. “I, uh, well…”
“Mallory,” Katie yelled, running up to hug her around the waist.
“Hi, Katie,” Mal said, relieved at her little friend’s good timing.
“Hey,” Harrison said a moment later, his deep voice sending a happy little tingle across her skin.
“Hi, Harrison,” Mal said. “This is my friend, Amanda. Amanda, this is Harrison and his daughter, Katie.”
“Great to meet you both,” Amanda said with a smile. “Mallory here is the absolute best. You’re a lucky man.”
She gave Mal a quick wave and a wink before heading across the street.
“Can we go on a carriage ride?” Katie asked.
“Of course,” Mal said. “If it’s okay with your dad.”
“Sure,” Harrison said.
“My Great-uncle Joe does the carriage rides,” Katie said. “He’ll be surprised to see us.”
Mal was pretty sure Joe Cassidy wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see Katie and her dad at the biggest holiday event in town. But she just smiled at the little girl’s enthusiasm.
It was amazing to see Katie letting her guard down and looking relaxed and engaged with her surroundings, especially when there was so much going on and so many people around.
“Howdy there,” Joe called out as they approached. “First in line.”
“Hi,” Katie said. “It’s us.”
“My word, if it isn’t my great-niece and my nephew and the prettiest girl in town,” Joe said, with a twinkle in his eyes.
“Hi,” she said, laughing. Mal knew she was far from the prettiest girl in town, but Joe Cassidy had always been a charmer.
“Let me help you up,” Joe offered.
“We’re just fine,” Harrison said, offering Mal his hand.
She took it, trying not to notice the electricity that seemed to dance between them every time they touched.
Once she settled into her seat, Katie climbed in after her.
Harrison hopped up next, settling on the other side of Katie.
“This’ll keep you all warm,” Joe said as he laid a thick blanket over their laps.
“Thanks,” Harrison said.
“I’ve never been on a carriage ride before,” Katie said to Mal. “Have you?”
“Not since I was about your age,” Mal admitted.
“Let’s go, Peanut Butter,” Joe said, then clucked to the horse, and the carriage jostled as they began to move.
“Whoa,” Katie said softly.
“It’ll be smoother than that,” Mal told her. “We’re just getting started.”
Katie nodded, her eyes on the street around them as Peanut Butter the horse pulled them cheerfully down Park Avenue, past the shops and tables and people, past Carla’s Place, and into the neighborhood.
Katie looked so happy that it made Mal smile just watching her. It had been so long since Mal really thought about the simple childhood pleasures she had left behind so long ago. But seeing Katie enjoy this day had Mal feeling like a child again herself.
“Okay,” Joe said. “We’re out of the way of all the people now. Should we pick up some speed?”
“What do you think, Katie?” Mal asked.
Katie nodded.
“Hold onto your hats,” Joe cried, before clucking to Peanut Butter again.
They leapt forward with another awkward jerk, but as soon as the rhythm of the trot was established, the carriage moved more smoothly.
Katie leaned on her dad’s shoulder, and Harrison nuzzled her blonde head, then glanced over at Mal.
Her heart sped up as she lost herself in his calm blue gaze. He looked content and yet there was yearning in his eyes too, and she felt a pull of longing in her own chest.
Why can’t they be my family? Why can’t I spend every day with them?
But that was dangerous thinking.
Harrison didn’t want to marry again. He’d said as much back when they were online friends, before they met in person and he put up walls around his emotions.
If the Harrison she’d come to know online was the real man, then she was in trouble. Because he was already in her heart. And he was all wrong for her.
Mal might not have had a serious boyfriend in the past, but she knew she wanted something real. Her life was already too full and busy to make room in it for casual dating. If she had a boyfriend, he would have to be a man she could imagine marrying one day.
And if that boyfriend was Harrison Law, she would fall for him so hard that she’d be dying to walk down the aisle.
But Harrison Law had sworn off women. And that was probably best for Katie, who was hurting, and surely didn’t want to share her father with some new girlfriend.
It would be better for Mal to seal off her heart, and try to resist the feelings that threatened to pull her under.
Just focus on the fun of the day, she told herself as Joe swung the carriage around and brought them back into the heart of the village.
It turned out not to be so hard to do. Mal had always loved the Hometown Holiday Celebration. And it was fun to get looks of admiration from the other young women when they saw her with Harrison and Katie.
The three of them sipped hot cocoa, admired the Cassidy Farm Christmas trees for sale, and greeted tons of Mal’s friends and Katie’s classmates.
More than one person offered to lend a hand at the farm, and it was clear how surprised and grateful Harrison was each time. Mal knew he was going to love Trinity Falls if he just let his guard down a little.
As the day went on, it was hard not to notice how attentive he was. He brought Mal food, asked what she wanted to do next, and sent a thrill through her when he touched the small of her back as they found seats on the firetruck for another ride around town.
Don’t get too attached, she reminded herself. Don’t break your own heart.
But she was starting to feel like it was too late. She already read his moods without him saying a word, looked forward to his messages, and found her breath catching in her chest every time they touched.
And her relationship with Katie was so special.
She longed to see the little girl grow up, not just by watching her skipping past the bakery window once in a while, but from the kind of front row seat that would allow her to be there through thick and thin, soothing her heartbreaks, celebrating her victories, and doing all she could to smooth the way for the little person who took up such a big place in her heart.
“Look,” Harrison whispered suddenly, jutting his chin back toward the bakery.
Mal turned to see Sloane Greenfield with Kai Blackstone. Each of them was holding a jingle bell knot.
“Oh, wow,” Mal moaned.
“Who’s that?” Katie asked.
“He’s a reporter,” Mal told her.
“If he likes jingle bell knots, he might write about them,” Harrison added.
As they all looked on, Kai lifted the treat to his mouth and took a bite.
“I can’t watch,” Mal said suddenly, turning and squeezing her eyes shut.
“He likes it,” Katie squeaked a moment later. “He said something to his friend and then he took another bite. A big one.”
“She’s right,” Harrison said. “He’s into it.”
“Wow,” Mal sighed, stealing another peek.
Sloane and Kai were headed up Park Avenue now, but she could see they still had the pretzels in their hands.
“Will you be famous?” Katie asked Mal with solemn eyes.
“Definitely not,” Mal said, smiling. “But if he mentioned our treat in his article, it would be really cool. Though I doubt he’ll do that, since there are so many wonderful things going on in this town.”
“I would write about them,” Katie said. “I’d write all about the bakery and the tools and equipment, and the way you invented jingle bell knots after you had a candy adventure with my dad.”
“Thank you, Katie,” Mal said, feeling warm inside at those kind words.
“Why don’t you hold hands?” Katie asked suddenly.
“What do you mean?” Mal asked her.
“If you’re in love, why aren’t you holding hands?” Katie asked, sounding a little worried as she looked back and forth between Mal and her father.
“Oh, Katie, we’re n—” Mal began.
“Mal hasn’t decided if she wants to go on a date with me yet, Katie,” Harrison broke in. “If she says yes, and then she wants to hold hands, we will.”
Mal blinked at him, not sure what she had expected, but somehow surprised at how honest he was being with his daughter.
“Don’t you want to go on a date?” Katie asked, turning to Mal. “Great-aunt Alice says when you go on a date with my dad I can go to her house and help her make pumpkin pies.”
Harrison let out a funny sound. Mal looked up and was stunned to see that he was trying not to laugh.
She turned back to Katie, who was observing her with pleading eyes.
She wants this, she realized.
Suddenly, Mal didn’t care anymore about making a fool of herself, or what tomorrow might bring.
“I would love to go on a date with you,” she told Harrison.
The hard angles of his handsome face suddenly softened into a smile so bright, it took her breath away.
“If I get at least one slice of pumpkin pie,” she added, turning to Katie with a pretend stern expression. “Otherwise, forget it.”
Katie melted into giggles.
“I’ll make sure you get whatever you want,” Harrison said firmly, holding out his hand for hers.
Mal took a deep breath and tentatively placed her hand in his.
As the warmth of his fingers surrounded hers, she felt a wave of rightness wash over her.
“That’s better,” Katie said, grabbing Mal’s other hand. “Now let’s get cookies.”