Chapter 11
Point Bluff was obsessed with trees—or maybe that was just the Sinclairs. Apparently, if the family wasn’t decorating a tree or chopping one down from their own forest, they were bundling up to watch one light up downtown.
But at least there would be coffee.
Nick tapped his foot as he waited in line at the crowded coffee shop, the aroma of freshly ground beans tempting his nose. He never had gotten a cup earlier, and now a mild headache throbbed at the base of his neck.
He tried and mostly failed to ignore Holly twirl-dancing with Janie near the holiday-themed reusable cups, their plaid scarves swinging along with them.
Mason stood to the side of the shop with his mom and grandmother, hands stuffed in the pockets of his oversized hoodie as he stared with a frown at a poster of Santa on the wall.
The rest of the Sinclair family had stayed outside, begging off coffee in exchange for hot chocolate from the high school fundraising tent strategically situated near the still unlit tree.
Nick shifted his weight as the person in front of him ordered a white mocha with red and green sprinkles.
Come on, come on. Rockefeller Center couldn’t have matched the level of energy Point Bluff created as they waited for this decorated spruce to light up.
It was like Nick had gotten sucked into a Hallmark movie.
Though he couldn’t know for sure as he’d never seen one, but he’d seen enough social media reels to get the gist, and this whole event, from the dogs wearing matching Christmas sweaters with their owners, to volunteers ringing bells next to shiny red kettles, to Bublé pulsing through the buzzy outdoor speakers, felt very Hallmark-y.
“Next!” The college-aged barista with green eyeliner and snowman earrings snapped her gum as he moved up in line. “What can I get you?”
Redemption was near. Nick smiled back, finally able to mean it now. “Espresso. Double shot, please.”
Dark eyebrows shot toward an equally dark hairline. “You sure?”
He set the package of chocolate-covered coffee beans he’d been considering on the counter and tapped them. “Positive.”
The younger woman glanced at her watch, then dipped her chin pointedly at him.
He raised his eyebrows.
She angled her wrist toward him, as if he wasn’t wearing his own watch and carrying a cellphone that shone the time in big block numbers. “It’s almost 8 p.m. ”
“I know.”
“That’s a lot of caffeine.” She shrugged one shoulder. “Just saying.”
He could have sworn Holly muffled a laugh, but he refused to give her the dignity of a glance to confirm. “Listen, Ms….”
She cracked her gum again. “Brailyn.”
“Ms. Brailyn.” Nick braced himself on the counter, leaning over the coffee beans. The package crackled under his forearms. “I know what time it is. But do you know what time I woke up today?”
She shook her head, her blue eyes guarded.
“The crack of dawn. And do you know how I was woken up?”
She shook her head again.
He leaned closer. “By a giant snowman threatening me.”
Brailyn’s pierced lip rolled in. “ Oh. ”
Holly was definitely snorting now. He didn’t care anymore, so long as he got the double shot.
“I was assaulted by Christmas music and deprived of caffeine.” Nick held eye contact until wariness replaced the judgment on Brailyn’s young face. “Then I was sent to the basement.”
Brailyn paused. Squinted. “I could make it a triple.”
“Great.” With a relieved sigh, he straightened. “Not all heroes wear capes, Brailyn.”
“Whatever. It still costs extra.” She tapped the keypad on the register, then held out her hand for his debit card.
Worth it. He stepped over to the pickup end of the line. Now if he could absorb just a few sips before Holly shifted into Cindy Lou Who mode—
“I’m so excited! This is the perfect time to go Christmas shopping!
” Holly jingled up next to him and took his arm.
This time, he didn’t even bother to check where the bells were on her person.
Earlier in the day they’d been attached to her socks, and before that, her earrings.
At least they warned him she was coming.
“Maybe we’ll get ideas for our matching outfits for the party. ”
He closed his eyes. Caffeine was on the way.
He could do this. Surely he could pacify Holly by popping into a few booths with her until it was time for the tree lighting, and maybe find something to send to his parents for Christmas.
Just because they didn’t celebrate together didn’t mean he was off the hook for a gift.
More than that, he should find something for Thomas and Grace as a thank-you for letting him crash their family gathering.
Nick opened his eyes. That idea he could actually get behind.
He mustered the energy to mimic Holly’s eager holiday smile. “Too bad we don’t have a dog to match with. Apparently that’s all the rage here in Point Bluff.”
Mistake. He could practically see the wheels turning in her head.
Then blessedly, his order was ready. Nick shrugged out of Holly’s grip to grab it. He cradled the red cup as if it were a national treasure, taking care to dodge Janie’s flailing arms as she jumped on one foot across the tiled floor in a makeshift game of hopscotch.
“ Mo-om. ” Her little voice grated the coffee-scented air in a whine as she hopped toward the exit, pigtails bouncing. “Mason keeps hitting me with his new slime.”
Olivia grimaced as she held the door open for her mom. “Mason, come on. That stuff is disgusting.”
“No, it’s not. It’s cool.” Mason strung the red and green slime between his fingers in an oozy mess and grinned as he followed them outside. He’d bought it roughly ten minutes ago from another fundraising booth, and it already boasted pieces of dust and other unidentified gray matter.
Grace smiled as she adjusted her scarf against the wind funneling around the corner of the building. “You used to love that stuff too, Liv.”
Olivia rolled her eyes. “Here’s hoping he outgrows it just as quickly.” Then she took her mom’s arm, as if she thought the woman needed help navigating the transition off the sidewalk and onto the festival grounds. Holly pressed in on her other side.
Nick frowned. Like Thomas, Grace seemed fit for her age, though probably more naturally slender. She hadn’t had any issue keeping up with them in the woods yesterday while tree-hunting. So why was Olivia pulling on the proverbial kid gloves now?
Grace didn’t seem to mind the special treatment, though. Her eyes crinkled at the corners as she watched Janie and Mason skip ahead toward the maze of booths spread across the grounds. “It goes fast, sweetie.” She frowned a little. “All of it.”
“All of what, Mom?” Holly asked.
“Growing up. Life.” Grace waved one hand through the air, then laughed. “Oh, listen to me being all nostalgic. The holidays will do that, I suppose.”
Holly and Olivia exchanged a glance behind her back.
Oh no. Nick hesitated, lagging behind to sip his coffee as Grace detangled herself from her daughters to examine a piece of art.
Holly and Olivia pushed their heads together and whispered as they kept walking.
He should say something to stop the misassumption—but what?
Your mom’s not sick, and the only reason I know that is because she wants to sell your family home to me and move to Florida.
No. There had to be another way. Maybe he could let Thomas in on what his children were thinking, so he and Grace could figure out what to say or not say together. The next time they were alone, he’d bring it up.
SPLAT.
Nick turned in time to see Mason tugging the length of his Christmas slime from the back of his coat. “Sorry.” Mason offered a sheepish grin. “I was aiming for Janie.”
Gross. Nick ruffled the boy’s hair, trying not to think about what might be living on his jacket now. “No worries, kiddo.”
“There you are!” From a few booths down, Chloe waved. Axel, shivering next to her in a windbreaker, held up two fingers in a peace sign.
“I told him to bring a heavier coat.” Kat huddled inside her own fleece-lined parka as everyone met up in front of the Christmas jewelry booth. “This isn’t Cali.”
“No problem-o.” Axel shoved his hands in the shallow pockets as he smiled down at Chloe. “I just look at Chloe here and get all warm inside. Like a fudge brownie.”
“That’s so sweet.” Chloe cooed and snuggled into his arm. “Isn’t that so sweet, you guys?”
Lydia, holding several shopping bags as she stood next to Ryan, offered a gracious smile and nod. At her husband’s silence, she swatted him with a bag.
“Yep,” Ryan mumbled, stomping his booted feet against the pavement. “Sweet enough to give me a stomachache.”
Grace accepted the hot chocolate Thomas offered her and took a sip. “Thanks, honey.” She wrapped her arm through his, then swayed a little.
Olivia lunged forward. “Mom! Are you okay?”
“Of course.” Grace laughed and blinked a few times. “Just got a little dizzy. I haven’t eaten enough today, and you know how sugar gets me wired.”
“More for me.” Thomas eagerly took the cup back.
Olivia frowned, clearly not believing her mom. “Should I go get you something?”
“There’s a corn dog booth over yonder.” Axel pointed toward the tents.
Ryan’s brow furrowed as he looked at Nick behind Axel’s back. Over yonder? he mouthed.
Nick shrugged. Axel was the least of his worries.
And a corn dog sounded kind of amazing.
Mason fought off Janie, who was clamoring to grab his slime. “We can’t go now. It’s almost time for the lighting!”
Kat checked her watch. “We’ve got twenty minutes, bud. Plenty of time to meander over yonder. ” Ryan laughed. Lydia shot them a warning look, which they both pretended not to see.
“We’ll get it.” Holly raised her hand briefly before tucking it around Nick’s elbow. “I need to check out one of the booths that direction, anyway.”
“But I don’t need a corn dog,” Grace protested.
“Yes, you do,” her children echoed in unison, except Chloe, who was busy whispering with Axel.