Chapter Thirteen
From where Maggie sat in the church’s community room where the Christmas Hat Contest would be followed by bingo and barbecue plates, Maggie eyed the squirming puppy Walker held.
While she’d been chatting with Sarah and Sophie, he and Joshua had checked out the dogs up for adoption.
Joshua had stayed on the other side of the makeshift runway, sitting on the floor with Carrie, Pet Pawties owner, to play with the puppies.
As it was almost time for the contest to begin, Walker had decided to bring the golden retriever mix back with him.
“Who do you have?” she asked, breathing in the scent of freshly brewed hot chocolate meant to tempt the attendees to purchase a cup and to try some of the Christmas cookies too.
The Grandma Games had to have raised a fortune for the animal shelter, not to mention how many adoptions must have taken place.
Taking care with his furry friend, Walker sat down next to Maggie. “She grabbed hold of my pants leg and wouldn’t let go. Occasionally, I have that effect on females.”
At his teasing, Maggie’s face caught fire. “I—Yeah, possibly when they’re overcome by holiday tradition.”
That was what had happened to her beneath the mistletoe.
How many times had her gaze gone to those green sprigs that week while at work?
They’d not talked about their kiss. Kisses.
Nor had either of them let on when they’d gone back with the others.
Perhaps they hadn’t fooled anyone, though, because they’d gotten a lot of knowing smiles.
Wanting to get Zoie home, Walker had left not long after that.
Maggie had chatted with Janie B while playing with Jeannie who was the only child left.
Then, she’d stayed to help Sarah and a few others to make sure they left everything spotless.
Maggie had gone in early the following day, just to be sure they hadn’t missed anything.
A good thing, too, as she’d forgotten all about the cocoa cup she’d left by the rocking chair she’d sat in the previous evening.
If Mrs. Harvey had noticed Maggie’s beeline to the cup prior to trashing it, her boss hadn’t said a word.
His eyes twinkling, Walker petted the puppy who was nipping his hand for attention. “Who knew a Christmas hat contest with puppies could be so much fun? Do you want to hold her?”
Reaching out to stroke the puppy’s soft fur, Maggie shook her head. “She seems happy where she is.” The puppy licked her hand and Maggie smiled. “She’s sweet.”
“Sweet and sassy, aren’t you, little darlin’?” he asked the puppy. “But she’s going to have to settle down before this week’s contest begins. Difficult to believe that only two are left, today’s and next Saturday’s.”
“Have you picked out a name yet?” she teased, not wanting to think about the Grandma Games ending and them not having an excuse to see each other.
Christmas was the week after the last contest event.
Would she see him then? Would she even still be in Pine Hill?
During Lukas’s most recent call, he’d told her that he expected them to soon apply to go before the DRB board to have her case reversed.
Whenever that call came, he’d replace her in Pine Hill because she’d need to go back to DC.
It was unlikely she’d have reason to return to the small town.
Unaware of how her insides were protesting at the prospect of never seeing him again, Walker’s gaze lifted to hers. “I’m not getting a puppy, princess.”
Maggie wasn’t sure she bought that. He and the puppy had latched onto each other at first sight. Just as she’d latched on to him at first sight at Sarah’s Halloween party. How could she have ever guessed how seeing him that night would affect her?
“The puppy wouldn’t be for you. She would be for Zoie.”
“Zoie is too young to care if she has a puppy.” Lips twitching, he narrowed his gaze. “Do you want a puppy, Maggie? You could adopt her.”
As if the puppy understood what he’d said, it raised its head and stared at Maggie with pleading eyes.
Maggie shook her head. “I can’t have a puppy. I’m a guest at Hamilton House.”
“But if you weren’t living there, you’d want one?”
Would she? Even if her name was cleared, working for iSecure wouldn’t be conducive to having a dog. She wasn’t exactly sure what type of assignments Lukas would give her, but, depending upon whether she got her wings back, it was a distinct possibility that she could be gone for months at a time.
“No, I don’t think so.” Maggie pulled her gaze away from the puppy. “I’ve never had a dog. Harry still doesn’t have much to do with me, so maybe dogs just don’t like me.”
“That one likes you.” On cue, the puppy licked Maggie, again, making her laugh, and Walker added, “A lot.”
Feeling herself softening toward the cute furball, Maggie reminded herself that she really couldn’t have a dog. No matter what direction her life took she wouldn’t be able to give a puppy the love and care it needed.
“If you aren’t bringing her home, you should put her back with the others so someone will adopt her,” Maggie suggested. “I can’t believe they have any animals left at the shelter after the ones that were adopted at the parade. That was such a brilliant float idea.”
“Having more here tonight is brilliant too. I can’t imagine that this one won’t go home with someone.” The puppy perked up, putting its paws on Walker’s chest, and licked his chin.
“My guess is that she’ll leave with you.”
Giving the puppy another scratch, Walker shook his head.
They turned their attention to where the contest had begun.
Entrant after entrant paraded down the runway when it was their turn to showcase their hat.
Christmas music played. The entrants had great fun while doing their hat-walk.
People laughed. People cheered. Once each entrant made their way down the runway and back off stage, Sarah, Sophie, or one of the other volunteers brought the hat out front to be lined up on display tables.
Maggie, Walker, and Joshua would be given the opportunity to have a closer look prior to submitting their scores.
“These are great,” Walker whispered.
Turning to him, Maggie’s gaze dropped to where the puppy had settled and now slept against his chest. The man had a way with babies and animals. And mistletoe kisses.
“I’m curious as to how the Butterflies will have their hat decorated,” Maggie whispered in reply to distract herself from where her thoughts had gone. “The HoneyBs and Christmas Cruisers, too. Pine Hill has true talent.”
“It’s a great town, a good place to call home.”
Maggie’s gaze met his, then she gestured to where Janie B made her Hallelujah HoneyBs entrance on to the runway. “Oh, look. That’s the perfect hat for her.”
With Janie B wearing white from head to toe, her hat had been flocked to make it appear as if it were covered with snow.
A bright red schoolhouse with a wreath above the door had a tiny snow-covered tree with a pair of red cardinals and a star on top outside it.
Children playing in the snow, building a snowman and having a snowball fight were in front of the schoolhouse.
The hat had a homey, classic Christmas scene vibe to it.
Janie B proudly smiled while displaying it to them.
Next was the Bells-a-Ringing Butterflies.
Dressed completely in silver, including on her eyelashes, Rosie strutted out while wearing a hat with a glittery silver base that had a clear plastic dome cover.
Inside the dome was a white church with a Christmas wreath above the door.
Sparkly white butterflies floated above the church on some type of springy suspension and danced around in a snow globe effect when Rosie wobbled her head, which she did often in a whole-body shimmy sort of way.
“Wow,” Maggie breathed. “I’d wondered how they could possibly top the Hallelujah HoneyBs, and now I know.”
*
Smiling at the awe in Maggie’s eyes, Walker suspected that he looked at her with just as much wonder.
She stared at Rosie’s hat with an impressed innocence that belied the horrific things Maggie had seen; that she had experienced in her short life.
He’d heard the guilt in her voice when she’d told him about the helicopter crash, had felt her pain, and had wanted to hold her so tightly that nothing could ever hurt her again.
She deserved to experience joyful astonishment.
To see and experience the magic of Christmas and every other day of life.
His chest tightened, causing his heartbeat to thump against his ribcage and his breath to drag into his lungs.
Maybe, if she was happy enough in Pine Hill, she’d choose to stay and would realize that the small town was a great place to live, to heal, to grow old.
Crazier things had happened.
Without disturbing the puppy, who was now sleeping in his lap, he put his hand on top of Maggie’s and gave a gentle squeeze.
Maggie pulled her hand free from Walker’s and gave him a what-are-you-doing look.
“No one cares if I hold your hand, Maggie.” He’d whispered the words, but Joshua, who was retaking his judge’s seat, looked their way.
Fortunately, their third wheel judge didn’t say anything if he’d been able to make out what Walker had said, and the man resumed watching Rosie strut her stuff while showcasing the Butterflies’ hat entry.
Looking relieved that Joshua hadn’t noticed what Walker had done, Maggie took a deep breath. “I care.”
Studying her, Walker fought to discern what she meant, if she was reprimanding him or admitting that she had feelings for him.
“And you should care too,” she continued, staring at where Rosie worked the stage. “If any of the Butterflies saw you and you think that they won’t care, you’re fooling yourself. They’ll be broadcasting that their hat has magical powers or something crazy like that.”