Chapter 7
CHAPTER 7
The turnout for the Christmas parade was large. People were lined up along the streets and parked in their cars ahead of time, waiting for the parade to start as Kenneally and Ami left the restaurant to head to the high school where the parade route would begin.
“It looks as if you have a good sense of community in Dixie,” Kenneally said. “Everyone turns out for events.”
“We do,” Ami agreed. “That is one thing you can say about this town. We might be a small one, but we do support events and each other. Beside the parade we have a Christmas market that kicks off today in the park that runs all the way up until right before Christmas Eve. Many of the visitors enjoy coming to shop there.”
Those in charge of the parade directed them where to get in line and they parked the truck, getting out to stretch their legs before the parade started.
“Do you have your candy to throw, Mayor?” Connie Barker, director of the parade asked.
“Oh no!” Ami put her hand over her heart. “I totally forgot about that. Tilda and I talked about it, and she was going to pick it up for both of us…”
“Don’t worry, Mayor. We have plenty,” Connie assured. She spoke into a two-way radio and within a few minutes a young man came running with two large bags of hard peppermint candy. “Thank you, John.”
“Yes. Thank you,” Ami said as well, taking the candy from him.
“Remember to throw from both sides of the vehicle to get on each side of the street if you can,” Connie said before moving to the next vehicle.
“I guess that means I’ll be tossing candy as well as driving,” Kenneally said.
“Yes.” Ami handed the bags of candy to him. “Put that in the truck for me, please. I’m going to greet some of the people before the parade starts.”
“Okay.” He opened the truck and put the candy inside, watching her as she walked among the town’s people talking, shaking hands and smiling. She looked so natural; he decided to stay back and give her space to shine. She didn’t need him tagging along like a watch dog at her every step.
All too soon there was a bull horn blasting loudly to get everyone’s attention. “The parade is about to start, folks. If you take your perspective places, we will begin,” Connie announced into her megaphone.
Ami rejoined him at the truck and got inside. She opened the two bags of candy while he started the engine, turned on the truck’s radio to a station playing Christmas music. Putting on her seatbelt. “I’m ready when you are.”
“I can see that,” he said, fastening his own seatbelt.
After about twenty minutes, the antique car in front of them slowly moved forward and they did the same. It took another ten for them to get out of the high school parking lot and onto the road leading into town. Then they were waving and tossing candy out of the window to the children and their families standing along the street.
“Have you done this before?” Kenneally asked her.
“Never,” she said. “I’ve only stood on the sidelines, but I must admit it’s kinda fun. I feel like a celebrity or something.”
“You are. You’re the mayor,” he said and then laughed.
“It isn’t that glamorous.”
“No?” He glanced at her for a moment before looking back at the road ahead of him. “Have you seen the way these people look at you with respect?”
“I guess I hadn’t noticed.”
“You should pay more attention. You’ll be amazed at what you see,” he said, reaching for more candy to toss. Their fingers touched and she rubbed hers against his for a moment before snatching her hand away causing him to smile.
All too soon they were out of candy and at the end of the route, coming to the center of the town where the tree lighting would take place that evening. They parked and got out. Watched the remainder of the parade, waiting for Papa Noёl to arrive.
“Let’s walk over to the market and look around,” Ami suggested. “I might not get another chance this season.”
“Okay,” he said and offered her his arm. She slipped her hand through the crook, and they walked to the tent village, looking at the different vendors selling their holiday wares. He saw a few things he’d like to buy her for Christmas but wasn’t sure how he’d do it while they were together.
After they meandered for a while, he excused himself and left her to back track, picking up those items along with a few things for Channon and Levan as well to ship back to them. By the time he caught up to Ami, she was at a food vendor that was selling Turducken stuffed with oyster dressing.
“Have you ever had this Louisiana tradition?” she asked him.
“Never. Then you must try it. It’s a stuffed chicken, inside a duck, inside a turkey and roasted to perfection,” she explained, then turned to the vendor. “We’ll have two.”
She fished out money from her purse before he could stop her and paid for the food and then handed him a plate. “I see you did some shopping.”
“For my staff back in Leesburg. Just a few trinkets.”
“That was thoughtful of you,” she said.
“What would you like to drink?” he asked. “I see a vendor selling cider, coffee, hot chocolate, and tea.”
“We’d better go with tea,” she said as they settled at a wooden picnic table. “The cider and chocolate would be too sweet, and the coffee would probably be brewed too strong to compliment the meal.”
“I’ll be right back.” He went to get their teas, leaving his purchases on the table with her. When he returned, they dug into their food. He was surprised to find that the turducken was rather good. He’d not been sure if he’d like it or not, but he’d been willing to try it.
“I see you like it,” Ami said when he finished his plate.
“I do. I can honestly say there isn’t much that I have not found that I do not like once I try it,” he confessed.
“Good to know,” she said. “I suppose we should head on over to the town square and drop off your purchases at the truck. It’s getting close to dusk. People will start gathering soon. It won’t do for the mayor to be late.”
They threw away their trash and headed toward the town square, stopping along the way to talk to a few people.
“Mayor,” a woman said from the porch of the bed and breakfast.
“Hello, Becky,” Ami replied.
“It’s good to see you. Are you on your way to the tree lighting?” she asked.
“We are.”
“Would you have time to stop in for some cider?” Becky asked. “Connor has just brewed a large pot for after the lighting when we have cider and cookies.”
Ami glanced at her watch. “I suppose we could spare a few moments.”
They headed up the steps to the front porch and followed Becky inside.
“Connor, honey, bring three ciders to the parlor, and a plate of cookies,” Becky called.”
“Sure,” he replied.
“Have a seat,” Becky said.
“You’ve decorated the place so pretty,” Ami said admiring the garland on the banister and mantle above the fireplace as well as the Christmas themed whatnots sitting on the shelves. A tall, flocked Christmas tree stood in the corner and bedecked in white lights and red birds, balls and crystal ornaments.
“Thank you. I try to make this room warm and inviting for our guests. We stay booked up all season,” Becky said reaching for the cups of cider when Connor carried a tray into the parlor. She handed each of them one and placed the cookie plate on the table. “Please, help yourselves.”
“Thank you,” Kenneally said.
“I’m Connor Simmons,” Connor said offering his hand to him. “I don’t think we’ve met before.”
“We haven’t,” Kenneally said, shaking his hand. “I’m visiting the mayor for Christmas through the New Year.”
Ami’s cheeks burned. “That’s right,” Ami said. “Where are my manners. I have become so accustomed to having him around already I keep forgetting that everyone doesn’t already know who he is.”
“I’d say that’s a good thing if you feel that way about me being here,” Kenneally said, smiling.”
“Do I detect a budding romance?” Becky asked.
Ami’s cheeks burned deeper, and she looked away, sipping her cider.
“Nice to have you with us. I hope you enjoy your time in Dixie,” Connor said. “Have you had a chance to see much of the town?”
“Some and I’m sure I’ll see more of it in the next week or so,” Kenneally said. “These cookies are great. Are you making them for the crawl?”
“Yes, along with a few other kinds,” Becky said. “We try to have at least six kinds of cookies for the event.”
“I have a couple dozen already in the freezer, ready to thaw out the morning of the crawl and plan to make more in the next week to freeze,” Connor added. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to have enough the day of the event.”
“I bake nonstop the week leading up to the crawl,” Ami said, glancing at her watch.
“Do we need to go?” Kenneally asked.
“I’m afraid we do,” she said. “I feel I need to get there as early as possible, so no one panics that I’m late and the lighting will not start on time.”
“We understand,” Becky said. “Thank you for coming in for a few minutes to visit.”
“Let me put away our cups and we’ll walk over with you,” Connor said, quickly loading the tray. He headed back toward the kitchen.
“You said you were booked solid through Christmas, but it sounds quiet right now,” Ami observed.
“Everyone is out enjoying the festivities,” Becky said, going over to a hook on the wall and taking down her shawl. “Which makes it nice and allows us to get out and enjoy them too.”
Connor returned and everyone headed out. It was darker and Ami feared they’d lingered a little too long with the Simmons. But the gathering at the center square wasn’t too big by the time they arrived, so her anxiety decreased until Selena rushed over.
“There you are. I was afraid you weren’t coming,” her assistant said.
“Why wouldn’t I?” Ami said.
“With Judson’s funeral and the parade, I thought maybe it had all been a little too much for one day,” Selena explained.
“Nonsense,” Ami admonished. “We just got held up having cider and cookies at the bed and breakfast with Becky and Connor. Nothing to worry about at all.”
Selena smiled and nodded. “Good. Then come with me and let’s get your microphone on you and test it out so you’ll be all set for the tree lighting to begin.”
Ami turned to look at Kenneally, Becky and Connor. “If you’ll excuse me, duty calls.”
“Of course,” Becky said.
“I hate to run off too, but I want to drop these packages in our vehicle before the ceremony lighting begins,” Kenneally said. “It was a pleasure meeting you both if I don’t catch back up to you.”
“Likewise,” Connor said, slipping his arm around Becky’s waist and guiding her over to a place to watch the lighting.
Kenneally went to where they parked Lolita earlier and unlocked the truck, putting his purchases inside, on the floorboard and grabbed a stray peppermint candy off the seat. He locked the door again and pocketed the key. Unwrapping the candy, he put it in his mouth and went to find Ami. She was on the small stage next to the large, decorated Christmas tree that stood waiting patiently for the switch to be thrown and the thousands of lights wrapped around its branches to light up.
As if sensing his return, Ami glanced in his direction and smiled, their eyes meeting in the dim light. Even in the dark, her beauty shined like a star, lighting the night sky and again he wondered why she was still single, but he was also thankful that she was because if she wasn’t he wouldn’t be here right now assigned to protect her. And he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to have met her.
He walked over to her, unable to stay away.
“What is it?” she asked.
“You,” he said. “You shine like a diamond in the night.”
She laughed, her cheeks flushing again.
“Uh…Mayor?” Selena said. “We need to finish your sound check. We’re cutting it close on time.”
“Right.” Ami turned her attention back to her assistant, but she kept stealing little glances back toward him, smiling like a schoolgirl at him.
He had the strangest feeling that something had changed between them today, but he didn’t know why. Was it because he’d offered her his arm as they walked? No, that couldn’t have been it. It was a gentlemanly gesture. He’d guided her through the funeral home last night which had been a similar one. Was it because he’d bought her lunch and then allowed her to buy him turducken for dinner later? That didn’t seem to be it either.
And yet ever since Becky Simmons had asked if there was a budding romance brewing between them, she’d been blushing and grinning like there was. Had that been the catalyst to spark something? He didn’t think so, but what else could it be? Did the mayor have feelings for him? And was she finding it hard to keep from showing it?
Surely not. She didn’t seem to be that type of person. But what other reason could there be for the way she was acting, unless…had Connor spiked the apple cider?
Kenneally chuckled at that thought. It hadn’t tasted like it was, but maybe that was it. He just hoped she didn’t get up on that stage and make a goof of herself if the cider had been.
Once the sound check was complete, Selena stepped off the stage and motioned for him to step over to the side with her. “We’ll watch the lighting from over here. I think we shall have a good view,” she said.
“Sure,” he agreed, keeping a close watch on the mayor, a little concerned now about the cider, even though he felt fine.
The crowd had grown larger and had crowded in close together around the tree. A spotlight beamed onto the stage illuminating the mayor and three of the city council members– Herbert Weinstock, Patricia Hathaway, and Roger Ford– who had joined her up on the stage and now sat in chairs behind her. Off to the side a group of high school students stood near the darkened tree. On the other side of the tree, but off the stage, he saw musicians set up.
“Good evening, Dixie Bayou members,” Ami said into the handheld microphone. “I hope that you have had a wonderful day in town enjoying our Christmas parade and shopping at our Christmas market which will be running until December 20 th . Remember you can enjoy the Festival of Lights around town through New Year and the Christmas Cookie Crawl, our annual college scholarship fundraiser, will take place on December the 18 th . So, there are plenty of fun activities to participate in before Christmas in Dixie.”
Applause erupted from the crowd and once it subsided, Ami spoke again. “Christmas is a special time of year in Dixie and without further ado let’s light this tree and join in singing with the Buccaneer High School choir as they lead us in a few carols.”
She moved a large switch on a pedestal beside the podium where she stood, and the tree lit up from top to bottom with twinkling lights illuminating the thousands of ornaments that adorned every limb. Applause erupted from the crowd again and then the musicians began playing and the choir started to sing followed by the crowd.
Ami stepped off the stage to join Kenneally. He wrapped his arm around her waist, and she leaned against him. “Isn’t this a perfect ending to the day?”
“Yes,” he agreed.