Chapter 14
Helen stood before the house, appreciating all the hard work they had done.
Carolina helped take all the autumn décor down and put it in the back of her truck to take away after they had both unloaded the Christmas poinsettias, small Christmas trees, and garland.
Once they’d gotten the small Christmas trees in the large black planters, they moved on to hanging the Christmas garland, draping it over the windows and front door.
Carolina had suggested making some wreaths to hang in each window, but Helen thought it might impede the view too much.
Instead, they hung decorative red ribbon and tiny white Christmas lights in the garland.
They even weaved clusters of pinecones in the greenery for a more cozy look.
The poinsettias, both red and white, were positioned around the small Christmas trees and trailed down either side of the steps.
By the time they were finished, the house looked like a house in a storybook Christmas village.
After Carolina left, Helen looked at the end of the porch and squinted her eyes. That’s where she would put a full-size Christmas tree. Carolina was set to have two Christmas trees delivered tomorrow. One for the porch and one for inside the living room.
Helen had checked the shed and found three large totes with Christmas ornaments and lights. There was a smaller box filled with decorative ribbon. Excitement bubbled up within her as she thought how she was going to decorate the two Christmas trees.
The phone rang, and she plucked it out of the pocket of her coat.
“Laurel Cove Bed and Breakfast. How may I help you?” She started up the steps.
“Helen, it’s Carolina.”
Helen laughed. “You just left fifteen minutes ago. You didn’t forget something, did you?” She opened the front door and headed inside to the warmth of the fire.
“I did! I forgot to invite you over for dinner tonight. It’s going to be me and Hannah, my neighbor. We usually get together once every few weeks to catch up, and I would love to introduce you two.”
Helen looked at the clock on the mantle. “That’s very nice of you. What time were you thinking?” She shrugged off her coat and tossed it on the chair. She was tired, and all she wanted to do was sit in a hot bath. But she also knew it was important to start making friends in her new hometown.
“Come over around six thirty. We will eat about seven.”
Helen nodded. “Perfect. And what can I bring?” She headed into the kitchen to see what she had on hand.
“Absolutely nothing. Just yourself. This is a welcome to Hopeton dinner party,” Carolina stated.
Helen grinned. “Fine. I’ll let Rebecca know I’ll be gone for a few hours. I’ll see you at six thirty.”
She opened the cabinets and spotted a tin of sugar cookies she’d made a few nights ago. It was her grandmother’s recipe. Placing them on the counter, she then headed into the bedroom to grab a shower and get ready.