Chapter 17
CHRISTMAS DAY
Harper
The scent of coffee and cinnamon filled the air in the apartment, wrapping around me like the warm blanket Grandma had just unwrapped. “It’s lovely, sweetheart.” She ran her hand over the soft wool. “So cozy and warm. You spoil me.”
“The winters are so cold here, you deserve a cozy new blanket. But I hardly think I spoil you.”
“I told you not to get me anything, Harper.” She pursed her lips in mock disapproval. “I told you that I already got everything I wanted for Christmas this year, having you home.” She waved her hand toward the tree. “And this gorgeous tree. I can’t think of anything else I could ask for.”
I knew exactly what she could, and likely would, ask for. Having me stay in Trickle Creek would be the very best Christmas gift I could give Grandma. We both knew it. What she didn’t know was that I’d already made the decision.
I’d woken before dawn to sit by the tree.
Enjoying my coffee in the quiet glow of its lights just like I had when I was a girl and would wake up to see if Santa had visited.
Maybe it was the stillness of the morning that had given me clarity, or maybe it was Grayson, or seeing Charli again and holding her baby.
Maybe it had been being with Grandma in the restaurant, or more likely, it was a combination of everything that had happened in the last few weeks that had made it easy to see it.
But for the first time in as long as I could remember, I yearned for something new.
With confidence, I finally replied to Captain Howard:
Merry Christmas, Captain. I’m sorry for the late notice, but I’m not going to be able to accept the position this time. Thank you for the opportunity.
I wasn’t sure yet exactly what it was going to look like, but I felt in my gut it was time for something new. Maybe something permanent. Something that could include staying a little closer to home.
Before I could attempt to tell Grandma about everything I’d been thinking of, she thrust another package into my hands.
“Grandma. You’ve already given me so much.
” I gestured to the small pile of gifts I’d already unwrapped.
A homemade scarf with matching mittens and a knit cap, a festive tea blend from Lauren’s store, and the new paperback from Plot Twist I’d been wanting to read.
“Besides, I thought we said no presents.”
In response, she wrapped her new blanket tight around her shoulders. “I’m not giving back my blanket.”
I laughed. “Fair enough.”
“Besides, this gift is different.” She gestured with her chin. “Open it.”
Obediently, I tugged the ribbon and pulled back the paper to reveal a small wooden box, corners worn with age, the lid scuffed from use. “Oh!” My hand flew to my mouth as I stared at the old recipe box that had sat on her counter my entire life.
As a child, I’d spend hours flipping through the cards, reading her handwritten recipes, all with specific notes scrawled along the edges. More recently, I’d pulled out the restaurant favorites to show Kevin.
“This is your—”
“It’s yours now.” Her smile was soft. “Every sauce, every pie crust, soup and salad dressing. It’s time you had it, sweetheart. And hopefully, add to it.”
My heart squeezed. Tears pooled in the corners of my eyes. “This is…thank you.” I put the box down and crossed the couch to hug her. “I love you, Grandma.”
“Oh, sweetheart. I love you, too.”
When I sat back, a tear slipped down my cheek. “I don’t know what to say.”
Her hand covered mine. “Say that you’ll add your own special recipes to the box,” she said firmly. “And when the time is right, I hope you’ll pass it to someone else.”
I swallowed hard and nodded. “Of course, Grandma.”
“Good.” Her smile was warm as she sat back in her seat. “That’s the only gift I need this Christmas.”
I blew out a breath and, with the wooden box still on my lap, I reached over and took her hands in mine. “There’s something I want to tell you.”
She blinked slowly. “I think I know what this is about.”
“Wait.” I examined her. “You do?”
She nodded. “I notice more than you think, Harper.”
“So, you already know that I’ve decided to stay?”
Her mouth dropped open, telling me that she didn’t know that at all. “You’re…”
I nodded, unable to stop the smile from stretching over my face. “I’m staying in Trickle Creek,” I said. “I told Captain Howard I couldn’t take the job after all. I’m ready for a change.”
Tears pooled in her eyes. “You’re staying? Really?”
“I don’t know exactly what it looks like yet,” I said. “But I’m going to stay.”
“Oh, Harper.” Grandma pressed a hand to her mouth in an effort to stifle the sob. “This really is the best present I could ask for.”
I pulled her into another hug. When we pulled apart, I handed her a tissue to wipe her tears before taking one for myself. “Don’t say anything yet, okay? Grayson doesn’t know.”
“You didn’t tell him?”
I shook my head. “I wanted you to be the first to know. And…well, I’m not staying for Grayson, Grandma. I’m staying because…” I closed my eyes for a second and blew out a breath. “I’m staying for me,” I said when I opened them again. “This is what I want. It feels right.”
She pressed her lips together, inhaled deeply, and nodded. “It does feel right. And I promise I won’t say anything.” She mimed the act of zipping her lips and locking them.
She looked so silly, I shook my head, laughing, before I remembered that earlier she’d thought she knew what I was going to tell her. “What did you think I was going to say? Earlier?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Grandma shrugged innocently. “The only thing that matters is that you’re staying. You’ve given me the best Christmas I can remember.”
Her words reminded me of the lie I’d been telling her and the reason why. The smile fell from my face. I dropped my head and looked at the recipe box still in my lap.
I let my hand slide back and forth on the top of the worn wood. “Grandma?” I said after a moment. “I need to know. How bad is it?”
She gave a little laugh, but it was too light. “What, dear?”
I gave her a look, and her smile faltered. “We’re not doing this today, Harper.”
“Grandma, I—”
She reached out and patted my hand, her voice gentle. “It’s Christmas, Harper. We can talk about this later.”
I sighed. “You’ve been saying that since I got here, Grandma. I need to know.”
“And you will, sweetheart. Just not today. Today isn’t about that. Today is about joy and being together. We have so much to celebrate—even if I’m not allowed to mention it yet,” she added quickly. “Besides, we have a very big family dinner to get ready for, don’t we?”
The smile returned to her face, and I couldn’t bring myself to push any harder. She was right; there’d be time to discuss the details later.
Especially because I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like what I heard.
Grayson
Brody’s kitchen was in chaos, which meant it was just like every other holiday I could remember. Ethan stood at the counter, mashing potatoes with a precision and dedication to detail that made Delaney laugh as she pointed out all the nonexistent lumps.
Reid carved the turkey and threatened to stab Preston if he tried one more time to sneak a piece off the tray, and Brody piled fresh buns on a platter.
With nothing left for me to do, I poured myself a beer and leaned back against the counter.
“What do you think of the new brew?” Ethan lifted his head from the pot of potatoes long enough to notice me.
I took a sip and then another. “Honestly?”
He nodded.
“It tastes like the others.” I laughed at his resulting scowl, but it was true. “Beer is beer, brother. I can’t tell all the minute details like you. But I do know when I like one. And I like this one.”
“Good enough.” Ethan shook his head and resumed his mashing.
I waited a few minutes, enjoying being around the hustle and bustle of the day, before I raised my voice enough to be heard over the chatter. “So I told Ollie I wanted to buy the store.”
The room went quiet for half a beat before Brody said, “It’s about time, brother.”
“No shit.” Ethan grinned.
“You deserve it, Gray.” Reid nodded. “That store should have been yours years ago.”
“Well, it’s not mine yet.” I resisted the urge to glance at my phone and my, as of yet, still unanswered text message.
“But I have a plan and hopefully I can get the loan I need to make it happen.” I left out the part where Ollie hadn’t actually responded to me yet.
“If all goes to plan, it’ll officially be Lyons Hardware in the new year. ”
“Hell yeah.” Preston did a fist pump before taking the opportunity of the distraction to snag some turkey off Reid’s platter.
“So I guess you’re really here to stay then,” Ethan said. “No bailing to travel the world?”
I shook my head and looked between my brothers. “Why would I do that?”
It was Reid who answered. “What about Harper? Is she staying too, then?”
The question hit me harder than I cared to admit.
“I’m not going to lie, man.” Brody wiped his hands on a towel. “It’s getting pretty hard to see where the fake stuff ends and the real stuff begins.” He eyed me. “From where I stand, it all looks pretty damn real.”
“He’s not wrong,” Ethan joined in. “What’s going on there?”
Reid didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to.
I shook my head and looked into my beer. I didn’t know how to answer. The truth was, I wanted it all: Harper, the store, the life in Trickle Creek that I’d always dreamed of. The one I’d been pretending to have all month.
But wanting it and knowing how to make it happen were two very different things.
My hand drifted to my pocket, brushing up against the small box I’d been carrying around all day.
I hadn’t said anything to my brothers about it.
Especially considering I didn’t know what I was going to say to Harper when I gave it to her. Or how she would react.
Before I could answer, the doorbell rang. Moments later, I heard Quinn yell, “Merry Christmas,” from the other room.
I put my half-finished beer on the counter and clapped my hands together. “Time for dinner.”
Grayson
Just like every family dinner we had, it was a blur of activity.
Only this one was amplified with Christmas cheer.
Plates clattered; voices overlapped as dishes were passed back and forth across the table that was made bigger than ever with the addition of Delaney and Avery to the family… along with Harper and Willa, of course.
I couldn’t help but hope it was a permanent addition. They both looked like they belonged there. As far as I was concerned, they did. They always had.
And hopefully they always would.
“Harper, tell me about the boat.” Quinn had strategically positioned herself right next to Harper at the table and had been peppering her with questions about yacht life since they’d sat down. “How many rooms does it have? Is there a pool?”
Harper laughed as she scooped some mashed potatoes onto her plate. “It depends on the boat,” she answered. “But there’s usually one big stateroom where the primary guests stay and then two or three other rooms for their guests.”
“Wow.”
“And of course, there’s the staff quarters,” Harper continued. “But they’re much smaller, and I usually have to share a room with bunks.”
“You get to sleep in bunk beds?” Quinn’s face lit up. “That’s so cool.”
Everyone laughed.
“That’s the part you think is cool?” Ethan shook his head. “We can get you bunk beds if it’ll mean you’ll clean your room.”
Quinn shot her dad a look and turned back to Harper with more questions.
I only half listened as Harper explained the staff quarters to my niece.
I couldn’t help but compare the cramped living quarters on a boat to my house a few streets over and the king-sized bed we could share.
Maybe I couldn’t compete with the exotic locations, but there were other ways I could compensate.
My hand slid to her thigh under the table, and I squeezed, just a little, before once more tuning into the conversation.
“What’s the most outrageous thing you ever had to cook for a guest?” Avery asked. “I’m always so curious about guest requests.”
“I’m sure they’re a little different than the types of requests you get at the inn,” Harper said. “And to be honest, they’re not actually that outrageous. Most of the time, our guests are pretty basic. They like good food with delicious ingredients.”
“Both of which I’m sure you deliver,” Ethan said.
She blushed a little. “I do my best. But to be honest, as much as I enjoy challenging myself and creating new and innovative dishes, my favorite things to cook are actually the simple things. Fresh-baked sourdough, or Grandma’s French onion soup.
” She smiled across the table at Willa. “The dishes that remind me of someone I love, or a place I love, are always my favorite and you know what, the guests always love them, too.”
“Of course they do,” Willa said proudly. “When you cook from your heart, it always shines through.”
“You taught me that, Grandma.” She held her grandma’s eye for a beat before lifting her gaze. When her eyes locked on mine, it felt as if she were speaking directly to me. “Food is about connection. Not just fancy techniques.”
I swallowed hard, shifting in my seat.
Brody cleared his throat. “That’s what I keep trying to tell this family, Harper. They groan about regular family dinners, but it’s about more than the food.”
“We love them,” I said, not taking my eyes off Harper. “Even if some of us don’t love doing the cooking part.”
She smiled softly at me. “Hey, not everyone was made to be a chef. Being able to sit, drink wine, and keep the chef company while she cooks is also a very important job.”
“And that’s why we work so well together.” The words slipped from my mouth without even thinking. But I wouldn’t have taken them back even if I could, because it was true.
We did work well together.
We always had.
The conversation shifted to other topics—memories of Christmases past, Quinn lobbying for a puppy, Preston complaining about the potential development of his favorite trail system, and everyone talking over one another as the dishes were passed around again for second and third helpings.
And the whole time, the only thing I could think of was how perfect it all was and how I never wanted it to end.
This. Harper. My family.
All of us together.
For the first time, it felt like it was all within reach.