Chapter 12 Charlie
CHARLIE
“Snow?” Charlie’s brows rose as she looked at Maddy. “This is Florida!”
“Yes, and we have very big snow machines,” Maddy told her with a big grin, pointing in the direction of one currently filling an area.
Charlie glanced at Holly, who shrugged and smiled. "Why not? We're here to explore and have fun." Her eyes held a challenge. “When last did we participate in Christmas activities like this?”
“You’re right!” Charlie agreed. “Now I can say I saw it snow in Florida!”
They migrated toward the snowman building area, where artificial snow had been piled into large mounds. Teams were already forming, gathering supplies from a central station that offered scarves, hats, buttons, carrots, and various other decorating materials.
Charlie, Holly, Trinity, and Maddy approached the registration table and signed up. As they finished, a familiar voice called out.
"Holly! Charlie!"
They turned to see Martha from the ornament workshop, waving enthusiastically. She hurried over, her face bright with excitement.
"I was hoping I'd run into you again," Martha said. "My usual partners all teamed up with their grandkids, and I'm left flying solo." She looked hopefully at Holly. "Any chance you'd want to be my partner? I promise I'm better at snowmen than I am at painting angels."
Holly glanced at Charlie, who shrugged. "I don't mind. I'm content just wandering around in the snow. Even if it is fake, it's still snow in Florida."
"Perfect!" Martha beamed. “We should go get some snowman supplies before all the good ones are gone.”
“I’ll catch up, Martha,” Holly said and turned back toward Charlie, and was about to say something when Maddy caught their attention.
"Uncle Logan!" Maddy suddenly squealed.
Charlie's stomach dropped as she followed Maddy's gaze. Sure enough, Logan from the Christmas Inn was walking toward the ice cream vendor, his attention on the cart's colorful display. He looked relaxed in faded jeans and a work shirt, completely at ease.
Before Charlie could react, Maddy was already rushing toward him, Trinity hot on her heels as Logan had changed course and was walking to meet the girls hurtling toward him.
"I found you a partner, Charlie!" Maddy called over her shoulder.
"No, wait—" Charlie started, but it was too late.
Charlie turned to see her sister staring at her with one eyebrow rising as she took in Charlie's tense posture. "Do you know him?" Holly asked curiously.
"He's the bozo who nearly squashed my suitcase last night," Charlie said through gritted teeth, her jaw tight.
"Ah." Holly's smile turned knowing, her eyes dancing with mischief as she turned to observe Logan getting closer to them with Maddy pulling him by the hand. "But I have to say that he looks more like a bronco rider than Bozo the Clown."
Charlie shot her sister a scathing look, but before she could respond, Logan was right in front of them.
"Martha!" Logan's face lit up when he spotted the older woman who popped up from nowhere after Charlie was sure she’d gone to the items table. "Good to see you. How's that garden of yours doing?"
"Thriving, dear boy. Absolutely thriving." Martha patted his arm fondly. "Are you entering the competition?"
"I was just getting ice cream, actually—"
"Uncle Logan, these are my new friends!" Maddy interrupted, bouncing between Trinity and the adults. "This is Trinity, and this is her Gran Holly, and this is her Aunt Charlie. I'm staying with them for the afternoon festival, and we won third place in the gingerbread competition!"
“Charlie and I met last night. We both arrived at the inn at the same time,” Logan explained, his smile was warm as he greeted them. "Looks like you ladies are having a great time."
"Oh yes, we are," Holly said, her gaze sliding meaningfully toward Charlie, who had gone uncharacteristically quiet.
"You have to be Aunt Charlie's snowman building partner," Maddy announced, looking up at Logan with pleading eyes. "Please, Uncle Logan? Trinity and I are teaming up, and Holly's with Mrs. Patterson, and Charlie needs someone."
Both Logan and Charlie opened their mouths at the same time.
"I was just going to watch—" Charlie started.
"I really should get back to the inn—" Logan said.
"Oh, come on, Charlie," Holly cut in, her voice full of challenge. "I’ve never known you to back out of a competition before."
"Yeah!" Trinity chimed in. "You guys would make a great team." Her young eyebrow rose, much like her grandmother’s.
Maddy's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Unless you're chicken? Trinity and I will totally beat you."
Charlie felt her competitive streak flare. She glanced at Logan and saw the same spark light in his eyes.
They were being played. And they both knew it.
But neither of them could back down from a challenge.
"How about a bet then?" Maddy said, grinning, taking their silence as hesitation. "If we win, Uncle Logan buys us all ice cream from Mrs. Rosedale’s."
"And if you lose?" Logan asked, his eyes narrowing.
Maddy and Trinity exchanged glances. "We'll wash your pickup. But you still have to buy us ice cream."
Logan laughed. "This is a case of heads you win, tails I lose."
The girls giggled and ran off as the whistle blew, announcing five minutes to grab their items and get ready.
Charlie stood there, arms crossed, trying to figure out how she'd gotten roped into this. Logan stood beside her, and she was painfully aware of how close he was. Close enough that she could smell his cologne, something clean and woodsy that made her want to lean closer.
"Guess we're partners," Logan said, his voice warm with amusement.
"Guess so," Charlie managed.
They registered and grabbed supplies, and before Charlie could second-guess herself, she was swept up in the beautiful, hilarious chaos of the competition in the fake snow.
At first, they were both too competitive, too focused on winning, working at cross purposes. Charlie tried to pack the artificial snow one way, Logan had another method. Their snowman's base was lopsided, and they argued about how to fix it.
"We need to reinforce this side," Charlie insisted.
"If we do that, the whole thing will tip over," Logan countered.
"Not if we—"
A glob of artificial snow hit her shoulder.
Charlie froze, then slowly turned to look at Logan. He stood there, trying and failing to look innocent, artificial snow still dusting his hands.
"You did not just—"
Another snowball, this one hitting her arm.
Oh, it was on.
She scooped up snow and fired back, catching him square in the chest. Logan laughed and dodged her next throw, retaliating with one that got her in the hip. Around them, other teams were building their snowmen, but Charlie and Logan were too busy pelting each other with snow to care.
Finally, breathless and laughing, they called a truce.
"We should probably actually build the snowman," Logan said, brushing snow from his hair.
"Probably," Charlie agreed, trying to catch her breath.
They started over, and this time they worked together.
Really together. Charlie handled the structural elements while Logan focused on creative details.
Their snowman came together quickly, personality emerging with each addition.
They gave him a lopsided smile and a jaunty hat, and Logan insisted on a scarf that made him look like he was ready for adventure.
It wasn't perfect. But it was charming.
When judging happened, Trinity and Maddy's snowman won second place. Charlie and Logan didn't place at all, but neither of them cared. They were laughing too hard, covered in artificial snow, looking at their creation with ridiculous pride.
"Ice cream time!" Maddy announced, dragging them all toward Mrs. Rosedale’s cart.
Logan bought rounds for everyone, true to his word. They stood in a loose circle, eating ice cream and talking, and Charlie felt something settle in her chest. Something warm and unfamiliar and maybe a little bit dangerous.
"One more competition?" Trinity asked hopefully, ice cream smudging her upper lip.
Charlie opened her mouth to say yes, but Logan glanced at his watch and winced. "I actually need to get back. Jack's probably wondering where I disappeared to."
Disappointment flickered through Charlie, which was absurd. She barely knew this man.
"Thanks for being my partner," Logan said, his eyes meeting hers.
"Thanks for buying ice cream," Charlie replied, and managed a smile that felt almost normal.
He left with a wave, and Charlie watched him go a little longer than she should have.
When she turned back, Holly was watching her with that knowing big-sister expression that made Charlie want to sink into the ground.
"Don't," Charlie warned.
"I didn't say anything," Holly said, but she was smiling.
They spent the rest of the afternoon exploring, trying their hand at a Christmas carol scavenger hunt and a tree decorating relay. They got hot dogs for a late lunch from a vendor and sat on a bench watching people pass by, soaking in the holiday atmosphere.
Through it all, Charlie kept thinking about Logan. About the way he'd laughed when snow hit his chest. About how easy it had been to work with him once they'd stopped competing. About the warmth in his eyes when he'd looked at her.
This was a problem. A big problem.
By the time they headed back to the inn, the sun was starting its descent toward the horizon. Maddy chattered in the backseat with Trinity, the two of them making plans to hang out again soon.
"This was a good day," Holly said quietly, her head resting against the window.
"It was," Charlie agreed.
And it had been. One of the best days she'd had in years, actually. No work stress, no court dates, no difficult clients. Just family and laughter and ridiculous snowman-building competitions with a man who made her stomach flip.
As they walked into the inn, Charlie's phone rang. She pulled it out of her bag and her stomach sank. It was a client.
"Charlie?" Holly looked at her knowingly.
"I have to take this," Charlie said apologetically. "It's that new client and…"
"Yes, Ms. Best-attorney-in-the-State-of-Florida, I understand." Holly gave her a tight smile. "Go save some poor souls with your legal prowess."
Charlie nodded and walked toward the cozy living room area that was seemingly empty.
As she answered, she didn't see that Logan had come down the stairs while she and Holly were talking, nor did she notice the look on his face when she mentioned she was an attorney.
Nor did she realize that her client's call had just drawn her in to helping save the Christmas Inn.