Chapter Twenty-Two
REX
B y the time the town’s annual Christmas dinner comes around, I’m peopled out. While I appreciate Jacob bringing me to the Inn and spending the day with him and his family, I’d rather be alone.
As usual, the Inn was decorated beautifully. I couldn’t help but sit in the corner by the window, staring out at the freshly fallen snow. Everyone else was gathered around the tree, exchanging gifts and chatting. Jacob gave me a sad smile as he brought me a refill of my coffee. His mom would pat my shoulder and have some quiet words of encouragement while she brought me a cookie or scone. I think the only one who got me was his uncle, who sat with me in silence as he read his book, warding off anyone else who dared to come up to try to engage with us.
That’s right, I’m the epitome of Christmas cheer.
I don’t blame Jacob. He and Cassie have made it their mission to make sure I’m not alone today. I’m not sure if it’s out of fear that I’d end up back on the floor in the shelter listening to sad Christmas songs, or because they truly feel no one should be alone on Christmas. Either way, they’ve made sure that I’m always with someone.
Before last year, I would have never imagined a circumstance where I would have wanted to be alone on Christmas. These last two years? It’s all I want.
“Merry Christmas, Rex,” Millie says, patting my arm as I walk into the barn. “No Tag with you tonight?”
“No, he was cozy in his bed. He wanted to stay there.” What I don’t tell her is that he is also moping and avoiding me like it’s my fault that Holly left.
“That’s too bad. Be sure to stop by before you leave tonight. I have a little something for your dogs.”
I pause as I look at her. “You…do?”
“Yes, dear. Those dogs make me smile.” As she says it, a wide, genuine smile crosses her face. “Why, when that golden one jumped into the pool and sent balls flying at the market? Well, I haven’t laughed like that in ages!” She laughs, wiping a tear from her eye. “Makes me miss my dog, Happy. You know, I’ve been thinking about getting another dog. Something small. Maybe we can talk in the new year? I would love to have someone to look after again.”
Now it’s my turn to smile. “I would love to, Millie. We’ll find you a dog that’s just the right fit for you.”
With another pat of my hand, she’s off with well wishes for the next person.
I stand next to the doorway, looking over the room. Most of the town has gathered. Men and women stream in, arms full of bags and casserole dishes as they say their hellos, and weave through the crowd. Children run about, showing off their new toys or playing their new games. People chat and laugh while drinking their hot cocoa and apple cider.
I’ve never felt like such an outsider in town before. I know it’s my own doing right now as I stand off to the side, just observing, but I can’t help it.
“If I can get everyone’s attention, please,” William speaks in a loud, booming voice that I recognize as his ‘mayor tone,’ that is reserved for when he’s on town business. His long white beard stands out against the deep red of his shirt. He’s wearing black pants that are held up by matching black suspenders, making him look like the jolly old elf that should be napping by this time of Christmas day, not hosting a dinner.
Everyone quietens and starts finding a seat. I grab one at the table closest to me, nodding to the others as they sit around me.
“I would like to welcome everyone to the official annual Candy Cane Creek Christmas Dinner!” William announces, causing everyone to erupt into a round of applause.
“As if there’s an unofficial one,” Jacob scoffs, as he takes a seat beside me.
“Stop being such a grinch,” Cassie says as she sits at my other side. “Just ignore him. He’s pouting.”
“I am not pouting. I don’t pout,” he says, the bottom of his lip sticking out slightly.
I raise my eyebrow at him in response, but he just mimics my action before looking away.
“And why would he be pouting?” I ask Cassie, knowing Jacob is too far gone to answer me.
“I am not pouting,” he interjects.
“Fine. Why is he very adamantly not pouting?” I ask again, grateful for the distraction from my own sadness.
“The Inn drama,” she answers casually, not looking at him.
“The Inn drama?” I’ve been with both of them all day. I’m not sure how I missed anything this big, even with how distracted I’ve been.
Cassie gives me an exasperated look, like she’s over dealing with both of us. “When William announced the council’s plans to start expanding the Christmas events, including the approval of a second inn in town. You really weren’t paying attention, were you?”
“Apparently not,” I mutter. I turn to Jacob. “But why is that a bad thing? The Mistletoe Inn is always booked up during the holidays. You’re usually turning people away. Surely another inn would be a good thing for the town while not affecting your business.”
“It’s not that there is another one. It’s who’s going to be running it,” Cassie says.
“And who’s running it?” I ask.
“Eric Davis,” Jacob says angrily.
I have more questions, but the room quietens down as William starts speaking at the front of the room. I hear him speak about the importance of community and hope. Two things that I’ve definitely lost sight of. As I look around the room, I think about how Lauren and I moved here for both of those things. The two things we definitely were lacking in the city. It’s also the two things I seemed to have pushed away in the time since she passed.
As I truly look at the room, seeing everyone who has given up their evening and own traditions to eat Christmas dinner with the town, truly welcoming in people like me that didn’t have anyone else to celebrate the day with. It brings a tear to my eye to think that for a second time in just as many years, I almost pushed their friendship away because I didn’t want to accept it. But now, as I sit between Jacob and Cassie, I feel for the first time that I truly belong. That all of these people are my family, and I can rely on them.
Even if I am missing the one person who I really wanted to spend today with.
“It’s on days like today we hold close those we love and remember those we lost.” William holds my gaze for a moment before moving on. “But most importantly, we share our love for those around us. I couldn’t dream of living in any place other than Candy Cane Creek, and I know many others here feel the same. I’m proud to be your mayor. We aren’t just neighbours, we’re family. And now, just like family, we will share Christmas dinner together.”
The mayor closes in prayer before guiding the first few tables to go up and get their food.
Since we’re sitting near the back, I figure we’ll be a while, so, I turn to Jacob. “So who’s Eric and why do you have that response?” I’ve been here for over a year, and I can’t remember ever meeting someone with that name, which is shocking. This is very much an ‘everyone-knows-everyone’ town.
“He moved to Gingerbread Grove before you got here,” Jacob says angrily before he downs his glass of Crantastic Punch.
I don’t know much about the neighbouring holiday town, only hearing that for the last few years, they’ve changed the name of their town from Woodland Springs to Gingerbread Grove in an attempt to bring people in during the holidays. They also want to be a destination that brings people in this time of year, much like Candy Cane Creek.
“And you don’t like him because…?”
“Because he had the audacity to leave Jacob when he was his best friend and manager of the Mistletoe Inn, only to move to Woodland Springs to head up their ‘revival,’” Cassie says with air quotes.
“You should be mad at him, too,” Jacob says, leaning across me while looking at Cassie. “He left you, too, you know.”
“And that’s water under the bridge, Jacob. Plus, my love life shouldn’t be any concern of yours,” she says back, also leaning in toward me.
Interesting.
“Anyways,” I say, leaning forward to break up their tense discussion. “So, if he left to run Gingerbread Grove to be like Candy Cane Creek, why would William approve him running another inn here?”
“That’s the million-dollar question,” Jacob grumbles, looking ahead where the mayor is laughing with the people at his table. “He was just as mad as everyone else when Eric left and started all the changes to compete with us.”
“Right,” I answer, not sure what else to say. Because I’ve been so withdrawn from the town lately, I seem to have missed a lot of the politics that is also going on. Like a competing town. Or a new inn.
Maybe I should start paying more attention.
Cassie’s phone buzzes, pulling her attention away from the tense stare Jacob is sending the mayor. She gasps when she looks at the screen, clicking and scrolling frantically.
“What is it?” I ask, worried that something bad has happened.
Her eyes scan her screen as her hand covers her mouth. I get anxious the longer she sits in silence, but I wait patiently for her to look up at me.
“I can’t believe it. I can’t believe she did this,” she finally says.
“Who did what?” I demand, doing everything in my power not to yank the phone out of her hand and see what she’s talking about.
Without another word, she hands me her phone.
I scroll to the top of the page, sucking in a breath as I read the headline. I know Jacob’s reading over my shoulder, but I don’t wait to see if he’s reading what I am. I need to see it all to believe it.
“Wow,” Jacob says over my shoulder.
“Yeah,” I say back, my eyes never leaving the screen.
“Did you know she was going to do this?” Cassie asks.
“No. I mean, she mentioned it, but I assumed once she left, it wasn’t going to happen. I didn’t know it would be like…this.”
“This is incredible,” Jacob says over my shoulder.
A bark behind me draws my attention away from the screen. “Tag? What are you doing here?”
“He brought me here. I hope you don’t mind.”
My eyes dart to the woman at the door and my heart stops. Standing like an angel with streams of the outdoor lights falling on her auburn hair, flecks of snow on the strands. She’s wearing that tan jacket that caused me so much trouble when we met, but now, I can’t help but notice how beautiful she looks wearing it.
“Holly?”