Chapter Three
CLARA
Clara stepped out of the hotel as the Christmas lights began to glow throughout downtown Cranberry Pines.
She beamed as she took it in, admiring the beauty of the scenic street.
Her feelings about the promotion and Matthew were complicated —but Christmas was not.
Christmas was simply perfect. The snow was just beginning to fall, and she felt a welcome shiver as the air grew colder.
Like nearly everyone in her small New Hampshire town, Clara loved being surrounded by the anticipation of the season.
There was a certain magic about Cranberry Pines this time of year, the streets overflowing with both New England charm and fresh snow.
The Darlington glowed from its position in the heart of downtown.
She never tired of going to work there every day.
The gleaming clapboard siding and the brassy gaslight lanterns had greeted guests there for over a hundred years.
Recently renovated and all brightened up for Christmas, she still couldn’t believe she was going to be the general manager. Well, someday. Eventually. A sudden gratitude for Matthew and everything he’d done for her overwhelmed her.
Clara pulled her coat tighter and sped up her walk. The pub was only two blocks from the hotel, but she knew her best friend would already be there. Lily was always on time for their monthly Friday-night meetups at Buddy’s Tavern.
It would be a welcome distraction to catch up with her. They’d both been so busy recently—she in her new relationship with Brent, and Lily with her boyfriend, Kyle. With Brent flying, it was a perfect opportunity to have some long-needed girl time.
Clara walked into the pub and was immediately welcomed by the warmth of a wood-burning fire.
The paneled walls made it look like an old hunting lodge out of the northern woods.
She squinted in the dim light. A candle at each table bathed the place in a soft haze.
Her eyes landed on the fireplace, surrounded by a mantle of river rocks.
It was framed by a brightly lit garland as Bing Crosby played softly in the background.
She placed a hand over her heart and breathed in the smoky-scented air.
Lily waved from a tiny table in the corner. “Over here, Clar!”
As if anyone could miss Lily. With her dark hair full of thick curls and six-foot-tall frame, she was hard to miss.
When it came to fashion, her style was constantly changing, but her brands were always from the hottest names.
She loved anything flashy and bright, and her philosophy on color was that one simply couldn’t get enough of it.
Tonight, she wore a pair of sky-blue yoga pants and a hot pink sweatshirt that probably cost more than the professional attire Clara had on.
It certainly didn’t hurt that Lily naturally looked like a fitness model.
Still, Clara never understood the idea of wearing workout gear as an outfit.
She and her best friend since kindergarten could hardly be more different, especially when it came to appearance.
Clara was petite, or—put less eloquently—short.
She had always dressed in simple, classic pieces and usually wore her thick blonde hair in a wavy—yet always polished—ponytail.
When most friends were coordinating outfits for school dances, the two of them had never even tried to match up their styles.
“Have you been waiting long?” Clara asked with a look of apology when she reached the table.
Lily said nothing; just looked back at her with a huge smile plastered on her face. She held her left hand against her chest, a new diamond sparkling brightly.
Clara screamed. “No way! He proposed?”
“He proposed,” Lily replied with a relaxed smile.
Several people turned their heads as Clara let out a high-pitched squeal and hugged her best friend, jumping up and down.
Lily pulled back. “Okay, enough of that. Everyone’s looking at you.”
Clara waved her off. She knew her best friend well enough to know she was squealing with excitement, on the inside.
It was simply her uniquely reserved personality that allowed her to downplay the enthusiasm.
Not one to wear her heart on her sleeve, Lily usually kept her biggest reactions to herself, although Clara was an expert at reading them by now.
She had always admired Lily’s even-keeled and mild temperament, finding it ironic that her taste in style was the exact opposite.
She’d always wondered if her tendency to lean toward all things loud and colorful was her way of expressing herself to the outside world.
Either way, Clara knew the truth: Lily was thrilled.
She had been dating her boyfriend, Kyle, for years now and had been eagerly anticipating this.
“Well, tell me everything. How did he do it?” Clara grabbed her best friend’s hand to get a closer look at the ring.
“Let’s order our drinks first,” Lily said with a sly tilt of her head. “I do believe this calls for a special treat.”
“Yule log martinis,” they said at the same time.
Buddy’s yule log martinis were a holiday tradition.
A martini glass full of vanilla-flavored vodka, chocolate ganache, rum, and espresso—topped off with a sprig of holly.
Decadent and festive, they limited themselves to one per year.
They learned the hard way a few years ago that, like many of the sugary-themed cocktails at Buddy’s, they are best savored early, but not often.
“Well, I can’t think of a more worthy occasion,” Clara said, beaming with happiness for her best friend as they ordered their drinks. She took off her coat and settled in. “Okay, spill,” she said with a little clap.
Lily’s eyes were glued to her menu. “Well, he took me to a romantic dinner at our favorite restaurant and asked me to marry him. Should we order an appetizer?”
“Simple as that?” Clara asked, her eyebrows rising.
“Well, yeah.” Lily looked up with a relaxed expression. “Clar, we’ve been together forever. We knew we’d eventually get engaged—it was just a matter of time.” She shrugged.
Clara thought about how long Lily and Kyle had been together. It had been a few years, at least. Unlike her and Matthew, though, those two had actually stayed together the entire time.
Why had it taken Kyle so long to propose? Did they really need all that time to make sure they were right for each other?
She thought about Matthew and all the wasted time she’d spent with him over the years. Was that him trying to decide if they were right for each other, or had he only been prolonging the inevitable? Did a relationship really need to be so long and drawn out before making a commitment?
The waiter delivered their drinks, the glasses brimming with holiday goodness.
He seemed to be in no hurry as he set each one down in a painstaking effort not to spill a single drop.
Clara grew impatient, tapping her foot under the table.
As soon as he left, she held her glass in the air.
The martini immediately sloshed over the edge of the glass.
Lily laughed, shaking her head.
Clara ignored the spill and continued with her toast. “To my best friend and to helping her plan what’s sure to be a spectacular wedding.”
They clinked glasses, and took their first sip at the same time.
“So good,” Lily said.
Clara nodded in agreement.
Lily looked happy, and Clara supposed she should be. She had certainly waited long enough for this. She had more patience than Clara could even comprehend. It was probably what made her such a great third-grade teacher.
“So, what about you and Brent?” Lily asked, eager to turn the attention away from herself. “How are things going with you two?”
“Oh, Brent is great. We are great.” Clara felt a warmth crawl over her as her thoughts shifted to her boyfriend.
“He’s taking me out tomorrow night. And he’ll be on leave for the entire week leading up to Christmas.
I cannot wait to spend our first holiday together.
” She let out a delighted sigh as romantic thoughts of Christmas filled her mind.
“Apparently, he’s got loads of activities lined up for us. ”
“That sounds magical,” Lily said.
Clara nodded as she took a sip of her drink.
“So, Clar, do you think Brent has the potential to be, you know, the one?”
“Oh, it’s too early for that,” Clara said, waving her off. She leaned back in her seat, her lips puckered. She considered what Lily had said. There was something about that word she’d used—magical.
Her thoughts shifted to her grandmother; her guiding star—her Grams. Grams had told Clara she’d immediately known Clara’s grandfather was the one for her after spending their first Christmas together.
That was it. No need for years of dating.
No breaking up and getting back together.
No complications. A little bit of Christmas magic, she had told Clara. That was all it took.
Clara sat up in her seat. Of course! It could be so simple.
She decided to amend her previous answer. “You know what?”
“Hm?” Lily’s eyes were back on the menu.
“Maybe Brent could be the one. No, maybe he is the one, and maybe there’s a way I can know it—quickly and easily this time.”
Lily looked up. “How’s that?”
“Christmas with Brent,” she said, her hands held out wide as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Maybe that’s all I’ll need to figure out if he’s the one for me.”
“That simple?” Lily laughed.
“That simple.” Clara folded her arms across her chest. She’d never been more serious or decisive in her life.
Lily stared at her, clearly not understanding.
Clara sighed and leaned in closer. “Look, I love that you and Kyle have been together forever and that you two took your time to make sure you were making the right decision.”
“But . . .?”
“But it’s not for me. Not anymore, anyway. It’s too difficult, too time-consuming. I’m not the same girl who let Matthew pull me along for years. I’m thirty years old, and I’m not getting any younger. Besides, waiting certainly hasn’t worked for me in the past.”
Lily raised her eyebrows over her martini glass. “But don’t you think that some things—usually the best things—are worth the wait?”
Clara pursed her lips and looked at her lap. “I used to believe that, but I don’t know anymore.”
It was true. As a child, Clara had always believed that the best part of Christmas was simply waiting for it.
Before tearing into the wrapping paper, the anticipation that brought the day closer was the most exciting part of all.
The entire season was like one of those advent calendars with a tiny chocolate behind each door.
Every day would bring her closer to the approaching holiday, but not without its own delightful surprise waiting around each corner.
She wasn’t sure she felt the same way anymore.
Years of waiting around for Matthew to make decisions that affected her had evidently taken a toll.
Clara shook her head as she replayed her earlier conversation with him—as she replayed everything.
The truth was, she was tired of being forced to wait for things to happen in their own slow time.
She was tired of everything being so complicated.
For once, she just wanted things to happen. Now.
She drummed her fingers on the table as her theory came together. She looked up at Lily with an assertive nod. “Maybe something as important as your first Christmas together really can tell you everything you need to know.”
Lily shrugged. She didn’t seem convinced.
“Too bad I didn’t realize this sooner,” Clara said, more to herself than to anyone else. “That first Christmas with him should have been my first clue.”
“Who, Matthew? Yeah, I remember how that turned out.” Lily made a face of sympathy.
“The first time he dumped me, but not the last.” That should’ve been her first sign that they weren’t right for each other. She wasn’t going to make that mistake again. “I only need one simple thing this time: a magical Christmas.”
Lily laughed. “Well, magical or not, Christmas is only a few weeks away. You think you can make a huge life decision like that in such a short amount of time?”
“I do,” Clara said.
“Wow, so this Christmas is really important then,” Lily said, her eyes wide.
“It’s everything,” Clara replied matter-of-factly.
“Well, okay then. I hope it all works out.”
Clara nodded, biting her lower lip.
“I mean that.” Lily paused, looking her in the eye. “But, Clar, what about all the other considerations? Have you ever thought about what it would mean to be married to someone, you know, with that kind of . . . job?”
Clara ignored that last question. She knew Brent’s being in the military was something she would have to think about eventually. But not now. No, tonight was for celebrating and for talking about the fun stuff. Not any of those messy details.
She leaned back in her chair and glanced over Lily’s shoulder to the window. Fat snowflakes floated to the ground outside. She felt as if she were one of them, floating around on a holiday high. Yes, this Christmas was going to be magical. She needed it to be. She was done waiting.