Chapter 9
CHAPTER 9
“ I heard you spent a little one-on-one time with Gabe Archer yesterday.”
Natalie glanced up from the pile of wrapped presents she was helping to load into the sleigh to find Faith Holiday standing beside her with a sly smile. “Lucky woman,” she added, nudging Natalie in the side.
The last child had just left Santa’s Wonderland, leaving the volunteers to tidy up the town hall and prepare for the next day’s festivities. True to her word, Natalie had made her triumphant return as Peppermint the elf to an embarrassingly loud round of applause; apparently, news about her near-fatal encounter with Humphrey had spread through the town like wildfire. She’d made it a point to steer clear of the beast, though she did notice Carol feeding him several sugar cookies over the side of his pen in an obvious attempt to appease him.
“Would you call two X-rays and a CT scan lucky?” Natalie asked, sidestepping Faith’s touch with a wince. Her ribs were still smarting from where they’d met Humphrey’s hind kick, but other than that, and a hoof-shaped bruise on her side, she had made a full recovery.
Faith shrugged. “I’d call it lucky if that man didn’t leave my side the entire time.” She glanced over to where Gabe was balanced precariously on a rickety-looking ladder beside a Christmas tree, trying to fix a broken bulb on its star. Natalie hadn’t had much contact with him today other than a quick exchange of pleasantries; truth be told, she wasn’t quite sure how to act around him. That electricity in the air every time they were in close proximity… she wasn’t imagining it, and had no idea how to unpack its meaning.
“He’s a good man, you know.” Faith’s eyes were still on Gabe. “A wonderful man, in fact.”
“Well, I hear he’s available, if you’re interested,” Natalie said lightly, ignoring the twist of… something… in the pit of her stomach. Something that felt entirely too close to longing. Which was ridiculous, of c ourse, because not only had she just gotten out of a relationship—and not even by choice—but she barely knew him.
She loaded the last of the presents, then stepped back to admire her handiwork. The sleigh was nearly filled to the brim, with several weeks of donations still to go. It was going to be a wonderful Christmas for the children who may not have otherwise had one, and Natalie’s heart warmed as she imagined their faces when they woke on Christmas morning.
“Honey, if I were thirty years younger, I would have snapped him up the second he became available,” Faith said with a laugh. “It’s too bad that good men are so hard to come by.”
“What’s his story, anyway?” Natalie asked in a would-be nonchalant voice. “Was he ever married?”
Faith paused. “No. He came close, though.” She watched Gabe work for a few moments, then glanced at her watch. “We’d better call it a night if we’re going to make it to the tree lighting ceremony.” Natalie had wanted to know more about Gabe’s past, but she sensed that the discussion was closed. Instead, she merely nodded and followed Faith to the door. “You’re coming, I hope?” Faith asked as they walked together. “It’s a wonderful event. A Chestnut Cove tradition dating back almost a hundred years.”
“I’m not sure yet,” Natalie admitted. She’d endured a sleepless night tossing and turning while she considered Gabe’s offer, and when the first rays of light finally met her scratchy eyes, she still hadn’t come up with an answer. It was… complicated. To say the least.
“Well, for what it’s worth, I think you should come.” Faith held open the door, and the two women stepped into the blustery evening air. “How’s the car coming along?” she asked. “Any word from Vernon?”
Natalie paused. “To tell you the truth, I haven’t thought about it.” She laughed. “I’ve been having too much fun as an elf. Minus the whole Humphrey incident, of course.” Natalie was surprised by her own words. Somewhere along the way, though, they had become true.
“Of course,” Faith said. Then she gave Natalie a mysterious smile. “I can’t say I’m surprised to hear that, though. That’s the magic of Chestnut Cove.”
They were strolling along the sidewalk, and were approaching two little girls accompanied by their parents, all of them exclaiming over the window display at the toy store. The girls, seeing Natalie in full elf costume, let out identical squeals of delight before launching themselves into her arms. A grinning Natalie returned the hug, her eyes tearing up unexpectedly. Faith pulled two candy canes from her purse and passed them to the girls, and the six of them exchanged holiday greetings before going their separate ways.
“What’s the magic of Chestnut Cove?” Natalie asked, removing her elf hat to dab at her eyes as Faith watched her with a knowing look. They had reached The Mistletoe House, which was softly lit by the wreaths dangling from every window. It was a welcome sight, and an odd feeling came over Natalie as she took in the beautiful gray stone inn. Despite having stayed there for only a few nights, to Natalie, it was beginning to feel like home.
The women stepped inside and used the welcome mat to stomp the snow off their boots. Before Faith could answer Natalie’s question, the phone at the inn’s front desk rang. After shrugging out of her coat, Faith took the call. “The Mistletoe Inn, this is Faith. Merry Christmas! Can you please hold?” Then she lowered the receiver and pressed her hand to muffle the sound of her voice as she addressed Natalie instead. “The magic of Chestnut Cove is simple, and beautiful: once you’re here, you never want to leave.”
As darkness fell over the mountains, Natalie joined the excited crowd streaming toward the town square, which was ablaze with thousands of twinkle lights strung overhead. The night air was filled with the joyful harmonies of carolers as they sang beloved Christmas songs from a stage that had been erected beside a magnificent pine tree so tall it seemed to scrape the sky. The heady aroma of hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls lingered in the air, and the sidewalks were lined with local vendors selling handmade snow globes, glass ornaments, wreaths, and other holiday wares.
Natalie felt self-conscious as she wandered through the throngs of people, searching for anyone she knew, smiling and nodding in response to the Christmas greetings being delivered her way. Then she rounded a corner and spotted Gabe amid the crowd, his dark hair gleaming beneath the twinkle lights, his shoulders strong and proud, and butterflies took flight in her stomach, beating their wings in time to the fluttering of her heart.
“Hey, you made it!” Gabe’s smile was startling in its beauty as he turned to greet her after she tapped him nervously on the shoulder. He was standing beside Holly and her little girl; both of them waved to her, their faces nearly obscured by the thick Christmas scarves they wore. Sophie was practically bouncing up and down, her pink face shining with excitement, one hand clutching a to-go cup of hot chocolate that smelled positively heavenly.
Natalie’s nose took an automatic whiff and, seeing this, Gabe handed her a cup of her own. “I got it just in case,” he said, bending low to murmur in her ear as the crowd buzzed around them. Then, without warning, he slid his hand into hers and gave her fingers a soft squeeze. “I was hoping you would come.”
His gaze met Natalie’s and the world dropped away; in that moment, there was just the two of them, right here, right now. Natalie’s heart was a drumbeat in her ears as Gabe stepped closer, his brown eyes sparkling in the moonlight as they roamed over her face, darkening slightly as they lingered on her mouth.
Natalie couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t breathe , and she found herself moving closer to him, the action instinctual… and maybe fated. Then a little girl trilled, “Look, Uncle Gabe, look! Santa Claus is here!” And the moment was broken by Sophie tu gging enthusiastically on Gabe’s sleeve while Holly tried in vain to shoo her away.
Sorry , she mouthed to Holly with a sheepish smile as Gabe and Natalie jumped apart. Guilt was scrawled all over his face, embarrassment too, and maybe just a hint of annoyance? Probably, because that same trio of emotions was now washing over Natalie, along with a healthy dose of regret.
Not because they’d almost kissed. Because they hadn’t.
Still, Natalie would have been hard-pressed to keep the grin from her face as she turned her attention to the unlit tree, where Walter Miller was in his element. He was ho-ho-hoing and tossing candy canes into the crowd, much to the delight of the hundreds of children present. His belly was wobbling, his boots were clicking against the pavement, and his beard was glittering with the snowflakes that had begun gently falling. Carol caught Natalie’s eye through the crowd and waved energetically before she returned her attention to her husband, her gaze warm with adoration.
How beautiful, Natalie thought, watching them. How wonderful to have found someone to walk through life with. Natalie’s own parents had been in love; it was obvious in their every interaction, even at her young age. She wondered if they would have grown old together, if given the chance.
Memories came rushing back to her then, ping-ping-ping , each one an arrow penetrating her heart. Natalie and her parents constructing a gingerbread house, the two of them howling with laughter as she leaned forward and licked the icing from the rooftop, smearing it all over her chin. Her mother dancing around the kitchen as she and Natalie baked Christmas cookies, her apron smeared with flour, humming along to Bing Crosby on the old record player. Decorating the tree each Christmas Eve, Natalie reverently unwrapping the keepsake ornament her mother had carefully chosen at the local card shop, her father telling corny jokes as he untangled strands of lights.
No. No, no, no , it was too much, all of it.
Natalie sensed Gabe watching her, knew her face was whiter than the snow falling around them, but quickly gave him a smile and feigned a shiver, pulling her peacoat tighter around herself. If she had to stay in town much longer, she’d probably need to invest in some heavier outerwear; most of Chestnut Cove’s citizens looked like they were preparing for a trip to the Arctic.
“Cold?” Gabe asked. She nodded, and he moved behind her. After a moment’s hesitation, he tentatively wrapped his arms around her waist, and she responded by leaning into him, her head against his chest, barely daring to breathe as their breath mingled in the icy air. Strange, she noted, how every time she was in Gabe’s presence, all thoughts of Devin seemed to melt away. In fact, over the past couple of days, he’d barely crossed her mind… which was even stranger, given the fact that they’d been together for more than half a decade.
Maybe she was unconsciously suppressing her pain, her heartache. Or maybe…
A small orchestra, each musician bundled up against the cold, slipped into their seats beside the stage then, and soon the haunting notes of “What Child Is This” lifted into the night air. Natalie found herself humming along as she nestled closer to Gabe, reveling in the feel of his arms around her, the rightness of this moment despite how difficult it was for her. This had been her mother’s favorite song, and Natalie clearly recalled her beautiful voice filling the rooms of their home every time it started to play. She hadn’t listened to this song in years. She hadn’t been able to. But tonight… well, tonight, for the first time in thirty years, she felt something other than the pure, raw gr ief that lurked around every corner during the holidays.
She felt the tiniest flicker of joy.
When the song was over, a silver-haired woman wearing a stylish winter coat and a Santa Claus hat approached the microphone. After tapping it once, she leaned in and called out, “Good evening, Chestnut Cove!”
A round of raucous applause and cheers greeted her, and she waited until the crowd had settled down again to continue speaking.
“For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Marina Hartford, and I’m the mayor of this beautiful town. It’s my honor to welcome everyone to our ninety-first tree lighting celebration!” Another round of applause from the crowd, and Natalie found herself enthusiastically clapping along.
“As you may know, every year our townspeople nominate one of our citizens to have the honor of lighting the tree. We choose someone who exemplifies the spirit of Christmas, someone who gives back to others, someone who works tirelessly to make our beautiful little town the best it can be. The winner of this year’s vote is one of our most beloved citizens. Not only did he develop a traveling clinic to provide medical care to those who are either experiencing financial hardship or are homebound, but he is a leader in our local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, and is on the board of directors for our elementary and middle schools.”
Marina’s smile was bright as she scanned the crowd. “He is an exemplary man, and a wonderful friend to our community. Without him, Chestnut Cove’s light would shine a little less brightly each day. So without further ado, it is my great privilege to welcome Dr. Gabriel Archer to the stage.”
Natalie was stunned for a moment as those around her turned to congratulate Gabe with handshakes and cheers. Holly gave him a high-five, and Sophie threw herself at his legs, wrapping him in a long hug that he crouched down to return. As he stood, his gaze snagged on Natalie’s, and once again, everything around them faded away, a blur of color and noise that blended into the background.
Congratulations , she mouthed to him, and he grinned at her, his dark eyes shimmering in the moonlight. Then his gaze strayed to her lips again, and her lungs constricted to the size of pinholes as he leaned toward her.
“Come on now, Gabe, don’t be shy!” the mayor called out in a sing-song voice. She shielded her eyes with one hand as she scanned the crowd. “I promise I won’t make you sing ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ like we did to Walter last year.”
A rumble of laughter rippled through the crowd, and the connection was broken. Gabe reached for her hand and gave it a brief squeeze, a gentle promise of more to come, and then he began working his way through the crowd, which parted to let him through. When he reached the stage, the mayor stepped back from the microphone, gesturing for him to take her place.
“Uh, hi, everyone,” he said, lifting his hand and giving the crowd a sheepish wave. “While I’m incredibly honored to light the tree this year, I have to say that Marina made me sound far cooler than I actually am.” He raked one hand through his hair, looking adorably awkward. “In reality, I’m just a normal guy who loves his community. Moving back to Chestnut Cove was the best decision of my life, and I’m grateful to share that life with all of you. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart.” He moved away from the podium, then leaned in again and added, “Merry Christmas, everyone. And Happy New Year.”
The crowd returned his well wishes, then Gabe and the mayor moved to a complicated-looking bundle of wires and equipment beside the stage. She handed him a remote control, then cupped her hands over her mouth and shouted, “Ten, nine, eight…”
Natalie and the rest of the crowd joined in on the countdown, and when they reached “one,” the Christmas tree burst into a dazzling array of colored lights as the choir delivered an energetic rendition of “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.” Styrofoam cups of hot chocolate were raised in the air as people whooped and cheered, and as the song ended and the orchestra played the first notes to a slow, haunting rendition of “Silent Night,” hundreds of voices joined in. By the end, tears were streaming down Natalie’s cheeks, and this time, she didn’t bother trying to wipe them away.
The sky was midnight black as Natalie finally arrived back at The Mistletoe House, with Gabe waiting in the foyer until she’d climbed the winding staircase to her third-floor room. Only when she’d slotted the key in the lock did she hear the inn’s front door close with a soft thud below her, and she watched from her window as Gabe meandered back down the sidewalk until he faded into the darkness .
Then, Natalie lowered herself onto the bed with a sigh, her fingers toying mindlessly with the Christmas-themed comforter. It had been a strange evening. Strange, and sad, and… happy, too. Even exhilarating at times. She didn’t know what to make of it, or of anything, really, because this town had cast some sort of spell on her, making her confuse left with right and up with down. Making her question her convictions, her hopes and dreams, her fears and heartbreaks.
It was probably for the best that she was leaving soon, she decided. But against all odds, she would miss the town—and the people in it—for many months to come.
Natalie didn’t remember rising from the bed, or walking to her suitcase, or unzipping it and pushing her fingers past the folded jeans and T-shirts and the extra bottle of shampoo. But the red velvet box was in her hand all the same, and her heart had lodged itself at the base of her throat as she gently, reverently, carried it to the small table and chair set by the window.
She sank into one of the chairs, the box sitting loosely in her lap, and gazed outside for a long time, her eyes tracing the moon as it cast shimmering shadows on the snow-tipped trees. After a while, she lifted the box and set it on the table, staring at it as the minutes ticked past. Even though this box contained her most precious possession, she hadn’t opened it in nearly twenty years.
She couldn’t. The pain… it was indescribable.
But tonight? Well, maybe she was feeling a little braver tonight. Maybe she was simply missing the two people she loved the most, even now, even after all these years.
Or maybe it was because of the look in Gabe’s eyes… the hope in them. Maybe she needed a reminder of why she couldn’t stay in this town, why the memories it evoked would eventually drive her mad.
A quick flick of the wrist, and the box was open. Nestled inside was a delicate glass ornament—an angel holding a sign that said Hallelujah . Nothing special—on the outside, at least. Nothing noteworthy. Just a regular ornament, the kind that hung on hundreds, maybe thousands, of Christmas trees all over the country. Mass-produced.
That last Christmas, Natalie hadn’t even liked the ornament all that much. She preferred the flashier things… or she used to, anyway—Santa Clauses riding in gift-stuffed sleighs, ice-skating penguins, a church with real working lights that could be turned on with the push of a tiny button. But tonight, as she turned that angel over in her hands, as she stroked its glass wings and traced the Hallelujah with her fingertips, she bowed her head and wept.
For everything that had happened, and for everything that could never be.
When she was finished, she tucked the angel back in the box, wiping the tears from the glass with the hem of her sweater. Then, knowing it deserved better than the bottom of her suitcase, she carried it over to the nightstand and slipped it in the very back of the drawer, out of sight.
But never out of mind. No matter how much she tried.