Chapter 4
RAE
“Is that another string of lights?” my dad asked from somewhere behind me.
Rolling my eyes, I clipped the lights into place then stepped down the ladder before facing him.
“Dad, I told you. I wanted to go really big this year with the diner.”
My dad crossed his arms over his chest, inspecting the lights and garland around the store.
“Remind me why this year is different than other years?”
For the thousandth time, I internally wished my mother was out here helping customers instead of snuggling my son in her office in the back. My dad was going to ask questions until he had every ounce of truth, and I didn’t want to share.
Shrugging, I skirted the booth he was crowding and set the rest of the lights on the counter. “No reason, just wanted to go a bit bigger this year.”
My dad’s gaze swept up, peering outside across the street.
“And the fact that you already did up your husband’s store in an equally outrageous way has nothing to do with why you’re now at my diner?”
Dammit.
“What? I have no idea—”
His hand went up with a huff. “I know you have a competition going with Nora and Haley, and I hereby revoke your privileges to include my diner as a way to get a leg up.”
“But Dad, why not, I—”
He narrowed his focus, giving me that expression like he expected more from me.
“You each have one business. You used Davis’ shop. Nora has her new design storefront, and Haley has the gym. No using the town as a way to cheat.”
“I resent the implication.”
He laughed, then tugged on one of the extra bows I added to his counter. It was gawdy and horribly excessive. “Then prove it by taking some of this down. It’s too much. You know I like to keep it simple. There’s plenty of folk around here that don’t even celebrate Christmas.”
A gasp left my mouth. “Not in Macon.”
My dad nodded. “Yes, in Macon. Now reduce this mess and I’ll save you a piece of apple crumble pie.”
Begrudgingly, I did as he said, but I wasn’t happy about it.
I was going to have to figure out another way to get ahead of my friends.
According to Mrs. Grimes, Liam’s new young wife was seen leaving the city limits of Macon earlier this morning.
I brushed past the fact that hardly anyone here had bothered to learn Haley’s name and focused on what her vacating the city meant.
I knew Haley, the only time she left was if she needed to shop at some of the bigger outlet stores, which meant, I had to up my game.
She must have something planned.
Biting my nail, I hurriedly fixed my dad’s diner until he was pleased with his lackluster decorations and rushed across the street to my husband’s shop.
Davis had turned it into a cute mountain shop for locals and tourists, but he absolutely hated interacting with anyone. Which is why he hired Tyson.
“Any news yet on what Nora came up with?” I asked in a rush as I walked past him on my way to the back.
Dressed in canvas jeans and a navy flannel shirt, Tyson looked like he’d just stepped from a magazine. His white teeth gleamed against his ebony skin as he gave me one of his famous Tyson smiles.
“Not since I got coffee this morning. There was no movement over there, nor was there anything over at the construction company her husband owns.”
Drat.
I needed intel on what I was up against.
“Okay, keep texting your friends, and feel free to play dirty. We need all the intel we can get, so whatever you have planned today, cancel it,” I said, pulling on another stack of colored bulbs.
Tyson winced, peering over his shoulder. “Davis wants me to get through the rest of the inventory before I head home today.”
Crap. I wasn’t prepared to hear that my husband had actually given him things to do beyond just talking to the customers.
“And where is Mr. Brenton?”
Tyson reached for a pile of clothes and began folding them. “As far as I know, he’s at the library.”
Oh, so he was hiding.
I withheld the urge to roll my eyes as I grabbed my gloves.
“Okay, keep watching, and tell me how people respond to the shop decorations.”
“You got it.” Tyson tried to bite back a smile, but I caught it while I stalked back out through the front. My husband could help me come up with something bigger than a hometown Christmas in my mom and dad’s diner.
I just had to track him down first.