Chapter Twenty-Six
The diner wasn’t as busy as I expected when I arrived to pick up dinner for us, but it was getting late on a Wednesday night, and people were in full holiday mode. As I walked in, a woman using a power wheelchair headed towards the door, so I held it for her.
“Thanks,” she said, offering me a grateful smile and a wave as she left. I stared after her as I tried to figure out who she was.
“That was a cool chair,” I said to Ivy as I pointed out the door. “I didn’t recognize its driver.”
“She’s new to town,” Ivy answered, washing down the counter. “Her name is Nikki Wasser. She’s our new librarian.”
“No way! Did they finally fill Suzette’s position? I wasn’t sure they’d find anyone who wanted to take over for her.”
“Ever since Suzette was one half of last year’s Christmas couple,” she said, clearing her throat in a pointed ‘ahem,’ “she’s wanted to retire, but couldn’t until they found a replacement.
Once her retirement is official after Christmas, Suzette and Mark will be hitting the road on an epic tour of the country.
It sounds like Nikki has experience running a small-town library in Minnesota. ”
I nodded my agreement, but my mind drifted to my dilemma and the reason I was at the diner instead of at home in Major’s warm house, eating dinner and spending time with him curled up on the couch. I’d been thinking about this for days and was no closer to a solution than when I started.
“Earth to Jaelyn,” Ivy said, and I snapped my attention back to her.
“Sorry, what were you saying?”
“I asked if you were here for food or something else.”
“Both,” I said, rubbing my forehead. “I need two daily specials to go.”
She held up her finger and walked to the window to yell out my order while I gulped the coffee that had magically appeared at my elbow while I was daydreaming. It had been a long day, but it was the nights that were catching up to me.
The nights were filled with lovemaking at least once, sometimes more, until we fell asleep in a stupor and then rolled out of bed for work.
Major was always chipper and ready for the day, but I was convinced that was only because he survived medical school and could live on two hours of sleep a night for days.
I couldn't, but it was a small price to pay for the way he rocked my world. It was the whispered I love yous in the dark that had changed my life. While tired, I was also more confident that I had important contributions to make to the team at Evergreen Acres, and I didn’t need to second-guess myself at every turn.
He’d done that for me in the purest and most honest way.
“How did the house fare after the storm?” she asked, leaning on the counter with a cup of coffee.
It was nearly closing time, and the diner had emptied, giving us time to chat.
Major was finishing surgery, so I promised him I’d pick up food when he insisted that he didn’t want me to cook, probably because he wanted to throw me on the bed and have his way with me.
Kidding. Sort of, but he’d been in surgery all day and deserved a nice meal, even if I wasn’t allowed to cook it.
“We were fine even though the power was out for so long. He has a wood fireplace, so the house was warm. I just had to stay at his place for a couple of nights until the power was restored.”
“I’m sure it wasn’t a hardship,” she said, biting her lip to keep from smiling when I gave her a look. “Shep has been working around the clock. It’s been a week, and they still don’t have everything cleaned up.”
“I can’t imagine what they had to deal with when that storm dropped over two feet of snow in twelve hours. You’d think that would have been predicted sooner.”
“Sometimes, Mother Nature does what she wants, no matter what we think should happen. Now we’re less than ten days from Christmas, and everyone is scrambling.” The huff that escaped my lips at the mention of Christmas had her eyeing me again. “Tell me what’s bothering you.”
“Christmas is nearly here, and I don’t know what to get Major!” I exclaimed, glancing around to make sure no one heard me. “What do you get a doctor?”
“What does he like to do?”
“Me,” I said, my expression straight.
“Jaelyn!” The way she said my name was hilarious, but it was her expression that had me rolling. “You’re so bad.”
It was hard to talk around my snickering, but I did my best. “That’s what he said.”
She shook her head, laughing as she spoke. “But seriously, I didn’t know you guys were at that point.”
“Were we supposed to take out an ad in the paper?” I asked, my confusion real.
“Okay, fair,” she said, laughing at herself. “You’re not here as much now, and I feel out of the loop.”
“He told me he loved me the night of the storm, and he was so sweet and honest. It was such a relief to know that what I was feeling for him was mutual.”
“We can all see how happy you make each other. I’m glad you can see it, too.”
“He’s convinced we’re the Christmas couple for the year,” I said, shaking my head with a smile on my lips. “He brings it up at least once a day, just to remind me that the gazebo picked us.”
“I heard there may have been some smooching the night of the tree lighting.”
“Gabe!” I moaned as she laughed. “I couldn’t believe we got caught making out in the park by a cop!”
“Which makes it that much funnier,” she said with a smile. “We’re so happy for you both, and everyone agrees that you’re the Christmas couple for the year.”
“Everyone?” I asked, a brow raised. “Who’s everyone?”
“You know, Mel, Becca, Hazel, Audrey, the town.”
“The town?” I exclaimed as she bent over laughing, slapping her thigh as though she were a well-paid comedian.
“Mostly, I’m kidding,” she said, standing again. “But also, I’m not. Major fits in so well here. Everyone loves you, so they’re invested in making sure you’re happy.”
“I am happy. For the first time in too many years, I’m happy with my life.
I have a great job, my book business has taken off thanks to the support of this wonderful town, and I have a man who loves me.
All that’s left is an apartment and finishing paying off Yaya’s bills, which I think I’ll be able to do from book sales by the middle of next year.
Hazel said an apartment may be coming open on the first of February, and she’s going to call me the second she knows. ”
“Maybe talk to Major before you make a decision,” Ivy suggested.
“I’m not moving in with him yet, Ives. We’ve only known each other for a few months.”
“True, but he has the cottage, and he told you it was yours as long as you want it. Renting an apartment without talking it through could hurt him. Better to be on the same page, right?”
She was right, which was why I hadn’t talked to him about Hazel’s call yet.
Partly because I didn’t know how to bring it up and partly because I didn’t want to leave.
That was the conundrum. It just felt too soon to assume he wanted me to live there indefinitely.
In fairness to myself, all of this was new, and learning to navigate it would have a bit of a curve.
“You’re right,” I said with a nod. “I haven’t brought it up, but I will, and we’ll talk it out. Thanks for the advice.”
“You’re welcome. Also, the rest of Yaya’s debts have been paid. Lance took care of it today. You’ll get the final cleared receipts in the mail. Merry Christmas.”
“Ivy!” I exclaimed. “What are you talking about? I didn’t pay them off. He managed to get the amount owed cut in half, so I have a payment plan set up.”
Her nod was immediate while she smiled. “You did, but I wanted you to go into the new year ready to start fresh. I had saved the profits from The Spanish Rooster for months and finally strong-armed Lance into telling me how much was needed to pay them off. Spoiler alert, it was way less than I’d saved.
That’s how much of an impact you made with the taco truck this year. ”
“It makes me so happy that everyone loves Yaya’s rice, but Ivy, that money should have gone to the kids!”
“In a way, it did,” she said with a shrug.
“Because of your dedication to helping them with the truck, we’ve seen how beneficial expanding the program will be.
The little bit of cash it took to pay those off, so you have one less thing to worry about and can focus on the kids, will pay that debt back tenfold. ”
“There you go being a nightingale again,” I whispered, tears on my cheeks as I walked around the counter to hug her. “You’re truly the best boss and friend a girl could have.”
She patted my back as the hug ended. “You’re more than welcome. We’ll invest the rest of the money into a permanent snack shack, as this season has made it obvious what a fantastic idea it was.”
“Cameron and Becca are pleased with how much it’s streamlined everything without hurting store traffic. We’re already planning the new hut they’ll build this summer.”
“Good, then we’re on the same page. Now, about that Christmas present for Major. I don’t know what you get a doctor. Does he wear jewelry?”
“Not really,” I said. “Obviously, as a surgeon, less is more when it comes to his hands and arms.”
“Okay, fair. Give me time to think about it.”
“Don’t take long, I’m almost out of time.
It feels like I should be the one who comes up with the gift.
Honestly, he doesn’t need anything, so I want it to be something that will remind him of our first Christmas together.
I tossed around buying him a rooster, but I didn’t think his neighbors would appreciate the wake-up call every morning. ”
Ivy’s laughter filled the diner. “It’s not a bad idea! I hear what you’re saying, though.” Brittany put the to-go order up in the window, and Ivy grabbed it. “Give me twenty-four hours. It might be that you’re overthinking it, where I can stand back and see something you’re missing.”
“That’s true,” I agreed. “Thanks, Ives.”