9. Chapter 9
CHAPTER 9
MADDIE
A fter Duffy and I have dinner, we bake dozens and dozens of Madeleine cookies with variations. Some we dip in chocolate. Others we sprinkle with powdered sugar, drizzle in white chocolate, or coat with almonds, and what he calls the pièce de résistance , a combination of all the above.
We’re both overheated and possibly over-sugared. I’d love to plop onto the couch but should head back to Sleigh Bell Lodge. At the same time, I don’t want tonight to end.
Instead of leaving the kitchen, we end up talking for a full hour and wander into the garage, where Duffy shows me his old toboggan. He digs up some snow gear for me and we head outside. I’m not sure where we find the energy, but we race up and down the hill at the end of Balsam Lane, laughing and whooping into the night.
It’s so fun that I don’t have time to be afraid of bears, moose, or whatever wildlife lurks in the wilds of North Pole, Alaska.
After numerous runs, I flop into the snow. He drops down next to me and we gaze at the stars.
“If we’re lucky, we may see the northern lights,” he says.
“It’s beautiful here. ”
In my periphery, Duffy tilts his head to the side, facing me. “It sure is.”
His gaze slides to mine and locks me in place, not that I can move after schlepping up the hill countless times.
He rolls in the snow to face me and we sit up. Eyes never wavering. A promise filling our mutual smiles. He angles my head toward his. Our mouths connect. His nose is cold but his lips warm me through.
His hands skim my shoulders and my mittens slide along his arms. It would be nice if we were in front of the fire, but Duffy’s lips on mine set me ablaze. My pulse jingles and my thoughts recede. All that I know is that I want to spend more time with this man, baking, laughing, and kissing.
He draws back a few inches and his eyes sparkle. “Is this okay?”
“My Christmas cheer has reached newfound heights.”
He chuckles and his mouth returns to mine.
I’m not sure where our fake relationship ends and this kiss begins, but it feels very real under the starry night sky.
I wake up on Christmas Eve feeling like I’m floating in the clouds—very much like a snowflake, but not delicate or like I’m going to melt. Rather like I’m special, treasured. Throughout my dating history, I’ve never experienced this rush of excitement matched with comfort, connection, and contentment.
I’m not sure what to make of the kiss where no mistletoe was present. Duffy and my status is hazy even though the sky last night was perfectly clear. I’ve never seen so many stars or been kissed so ardently and with such blazing desire, even though we were in the snow. I’m surprised it didn’t melt around us.
After taking Pop Tart for a walk around the block—and to get a Christmas Eve cinnamon roll per tradition even though my sisters and I aren’t together or with Gran—I dial them for a group video chat we scheduled. But the connection is bad, which might have something to do with another storm rolling in. I attempt to text, but it fails to send. Frowning, I continue to try until I have to meet Nicole to finalize the cookie count for the auction.
It’s shortly after noontime when I return to the Sleigh Bell Lodge. Pop Tart is halfway through watching a Hallmark movie about a city girl celebrating a country Christmas. I snuggle up with her, feeling slightly homesick. This trip has been surprisingly wonderful and got me out of my pre-Christmas slump, but it’s not the same without Anisette, Praline, and Tassie—Gran’s sweeties.
The call still won’t go through, so I get ready for the gala, channeling the fun my sisters and I used to have playing dress up and then in high school when we had dances and proms.
After applying light makeup and a red lip, I style my hair into loose curls. Finally, I put on my dress with a fitted cream-colored satin top and a long burgundy skirt that’s cinched at my natural waist.
Taking a turn in front of the mirror, I ask Pop Tart, “What do you think?”
She gives one sharp bark of approval.
“I can always count on you.”
The hotel room phone rings. The concierge tells me a gentleman is waiting for me downstairs. It must be Duffy picking me up for the Gala. Making sure Pop Tart has everything she needs, I promise we’ll spend all of Christmas Day together and hurry downstairs.
When I reach the lobby, Duffy waits by the revolving door. Wearing a tuxedo with a burgundy pocket square that matches my skirt, he looks dashing.
As I approach, his eyes land on me and twinkle. His jaw lowers and then his lips lift into a smile so big that I spot a dimple on his left cheek.
A pace away, Duffy reaches for my hands. His gaze drifts from my head to my toes and back again. “You look radiant.”
My cheeks warm, making me second guess the dusting of blush. “You can thank Mary.”
“No, Madeleine. That dress is all you.” He wraps his arm around my waist and kisses my cheek. “You are beautiful.”
My sisters have said as much, but I can’t recall a man ever telling me that, no less one with Duffy’s good looks. Never mind sugar plums, I’ll have wedding bells dancing in my head when I go to sleep tonight.
An old-fashioned phone rings at the concierge desk and I startle, snapping me back to reality. We’re faking dating, duh.
After we get into an awaiting car, I whisper, “Since we’ll be in the public eye all night, if we’re going to pull this off, we should know some things about each other.”
His expression flickers. “Aside from the fact that you’re a gorgeous, cookie-baking genius?”
Flustered, I breeze by his comment. “Have you ever had any odd jobs?”
“If you consider running a novelty coal company odd, then yes. The only other jobs I’ve had besides the family business and finance include being a paperboy and a backcountry hiking guide assistant in high school. I lasted exactly one day as a waiter in college. After that, I learned to invest. How about you?”
“Where do I start?”
We’re nearly at the Arctic Arena and Convention Center, and I’m only on the first page of the assorted jobs I’ve held. My thoughts scramble and jumble. “We’re almost there. Um, what’s the worst present you ever got?”
“A deflated football wrapped in newspaper and duct tape from my buddy Mitch Calhoun. You? ”
“There’s no time. Do you consider yourself spontaneous or do you prefer to plan? Never mind, I know the answer to that.”
Duffy takes my hands in his. “Until now, you’ve been the relaxed one and I’ve been quietly exploding.”
“This is what you look like when you explode?”
“It’s more of an implode—an inside job.”
My voice rises with panic. “What if your mom finds out and?—?”
Duffy draws me close and kisses my temple. “Maddie, you don’t have anything to worry about.”
The certainty in his words makes me believe him. But I’m nervous because I should’ve baked with my lucky apron.
As we cross the red, white, and green carpet into the venue, he says, “The theme this year is stars and stockings.”
The walls are lined with Christmas stockings and everything sparkles.
Dressed up and out of context, it takes me a little while to recognize people from around town and from Stone’s Coal company party.
We make small talk during the cocktail hour and then Mayor Donder announces it’s time to gather for dinner. We find our assigned seats. I’m between Mrs. Stone and Duffy. Unfortunately, Porsha and three others sit across from us.
She bats her eyelashes at Cavell as her date tries to hold her hand.
It doesn’t take long for us to learn that Porsha wanted Cavell back because she’s broke, facts she not so subtly relays to her date. Rude. When he doesn’t take the bait, she leaves halfway through the dinner. Everyone at the table lets out a collective sigh of relief.
Excitement builds when the auction starts. When the auctioneer calls out the massive amount of cookies for Nicholls’ Candy Cane company, the bids come fast and furious. Nicole casts me an appreciative smile from across the room. I give a little fist pump to the air when it reaches the highest yet.
In addition to baked goods, there are locally made items like candles, wreaths, and ornaments—hence the bazaar part of the auction.
When Stone’s Coal is called, the auctioneer’s voice slows down. “The note here says to invite Cavell Stone to the stage.”
He sets his napkin on the table and rises to his feet. Carol bounces in her seat.
From behind the mic, Duffy says, “This will only take a moment of your time. I attempted to bake coal-like cookies. As you can imagine, coal and cookies don’t go together very well. Instead, I had someone help me make Madeleines. Now, before you argue about whether they’re cookies or cake, it doesn’t matter because Maddie and I go together very well. Even though we got off to a shaky and uncertain start, I dedicate this auction item to her with gratitude for showing me what forgiveness, trust, and truth really mean. Madeleine Tinsel is a special woman, and I’m grateful she’s in my life. I wish for everyone in this room to be blessed with such an extraordinary Christmas gift.”
Touched by this formerly gruff and grumpy man’s sincere sentiment, tears well in my eyes, and joy brims inside.
The room erupts into cheers.
Carol squeezes my hand and whispers, “That makes two of us.”
I glean that he told her the truth about us being a fake couple at first, but what we have is real.
After an evening filled with dancing and singing Christmas songs, hand in hand, Duffy and I stroll through town. We near the nativity scene outside the local church as the bells chime.
“It’s Christmas Day,” he says.
“Merry Christmas.”
“Do you want to go to the midnight candlelit service? ”
I nod. “I don’t want tonight to end.”
After we celebrate the birth of Jesus, Duffy and I return to his house. Pop Tart snuggles atop a tuffet by the dwindling fire. The lights on the tree twinkle. My heart is so full it nearly overflows.
We’re both quiet on the way back to Sleigh Bell Lodge. When we reach the entrance, I don’t let go of his hand.
I say, “Tonight was fun, and what you said meant a lot to me.”
“It was all true.”
“My flight back to New Hampshire is tomorrow evening.”
“My VA is out of office until after the new year. Maybe she wants to stay here a few extra days.” He suppresses a grin.
“She might like that.”
“Maddie, I’ve struggled with trust issues. You changed that entirely. Every word of what I said earlier was true. I’d like you in my life, but not virtually.”
I tip my gaze up to meet his. “I was a friendship and relationship ruiner, yet things with you are different. I shifted from feeling wounded to whole and excited about Christmas again.”
“I don’t think what we have is fake anymore.”
Was it ever?
“Even if we leave Santa cookies, I worry we’ll still end up with coal in our stockings.”
Duffy chuckles. “Not if I have anything to say about that. After all, I’m the official supplier of coal to the North Pole.”
This time, I laugh.
“What if we tell the truth?”
“I’d like that.”
“I like you, Madeleine.”
“I like you.”
He says, “I’m not used to feelings this big.”
“I know a lot about those, but I’ve never felt quite this way either.”
“Like I found the one,” we say at the same time.
We both laugh.
“Feelings like love,” I add.
“Like love,” Duffy repeats in a whisper.
Our lips meet in a goodnight kiss.
Glancing up as snowflakes dance from the sky, I spot a sprig of mistletoe.
Duffy beams a smile.
“See you tomorrow.”
The church bells chime again.
I start to walk away, and over my shoulder, I say, “Er, I’ll see you later.”
Duffy clasps my hand, reeling me back. “Somehow, that mistletoe keeps following us around. I blame my mother.”
“I thank her.”
And our lips melt together in another kiss as we finish how we started, only I believe this is just the beginning.