“Ahh,” her friends chimed in.
“Don’t let the changes in your life get you down.” Tisha looked teary-eyed.
“Ahh,” her friends chorused again.
“It’s signedA Former Scrooge.I can’t imagine who that is. But I guess everybody in town knows John left me.” Tisha wiped her eyes. “Just knowing that someone cares enough to send me a note of encouragement…” She heaved a sigh. “I can continue to sparkle.”
I was pulling for Tisha.
Later that morning,I took my break to visit the bookstore, planning to buy a box of holiday cards. Inspired by Tisha, I was officially in the holiday mood, more interested in giving than receiving or even figuring out who Rudolph was.
Although that was still top-of-mind.
I passed over the Nutcracker-themed box – that seemed too obvious coming from a dancer – and chose a set with Santa’s elves dancing around a Christmas tree on December twenty-fifth. Inside, the sentiment was a standard, “Happy Holidays!” It was perfect.
Instead of Mr. Abernathy, a tall, middle-aged woman rang up my purchases.
Carrying my box of cards, I walked slowly back to the Sleigh Café. A group of school children were assembling around the Christmas tree on the town square. They began to singSilent Night.
“Allie!” My cousin Joy flagged me down, jogging across the street from the town square. “I heard you were back.” She hugged me. “My son Max and his class are singing in the town square this Saturday. He’s the one with the bright green hat.” She pointed him out, probably knowing I hadn’t seen him in five years and might not recognize him.
“Max looks cute. I guess he was inspired by you catching the singing bug again. Carol told me about you and your friends singing at the Christmas Extravaganza in honor of Mrs. King.”
“I think Max was born a ham.” Joy beamed with pride. “How are you doing? Any special man in your life?”
“No.” I thought longingly of Nick when I should have been looking forward to my date with Bixby. “How about you?”
“Well…” She blushed, pressing her mittened hands to her cheeks. “I don’t know why I’m even telling you this. Normally, my life is the definition of boring, but someone moved in next door. His name is Steve and…” Her gaze clouded with worry.
I assumed that was because she was divorced and might not have complete faith in love. “It’s okay to hope for something more, Joy. You deserve a second chance at a happily-ever-after.”
Her smile returned. “I do, don’t I?” She hugged me and then went back to the town square where the kids were finishing upSilent Night.
I headed for the Sleigh Café.
“Well, hello, Miss Allison.” Grams, Nick’s grandmother, stood behind the counter, bopping her head to the beat ofJingle Bell Rock. She could have played the part of Mrs. Claus. She had the small, round spectacles and short white hair for it. “I’m covering for Nick. He had an appointment at the bank.”
That was intriguing. “Is he buying a car? A house? A…a… Is he opening a restaurant here in town?” I wasn’t sure I approved. He’d studied with the best. Why open a restaurant in remote Montana?
“I’m sure I wouldn’t know his business.” Grams smiled coyly, blue eyes twinkling. “I hear you did big things in New York City.”
“Who told you that? My mom?” I was as bad as Nick, brushing off compliments.
“Nick told me.” Grams handed me a chocolate croissant and then took one for herself. “Perks of working here. You get all the food you can eat.”
“I shouldn’t.” I stared at the croissant, my mouth watering.
Grams tsked. “I have regrets, mostly about not traveling the world when I was younger. But I have no regrets about eating pastry. Good pastry, that is. And my grandson makes darn good pastry.”
“He does.” I took a bite. It was light and buttery with just enough chocolate to satisfy my sweet tooth. I suspected his kiss would satisfy my craving for kisses, too.
“That’s the holiday spirit.” Grams dabbed at her mouth with a paper napkin. “Did you have a circle of friends in New York to celebrate the holidays with? To have that second piece of pie?”
“Well… Not exactly.”
Luckily, that was the end of my break because a stream of people filled the café on work breaks of their own. There was no time for idle chit-chat.
When things settled down and Grams left, I wrote some encouraging words in a few Christmas cards, addressed them, and posted them on the bulletin board for Mom, Carol, and Joy. I’d signed all of themPrancer. And then I stared at the nearly full bulletin board. There were so many cards that hadn’t been picked up, including ones that had been there on Sunday afternoon. I snapped a few pictures with my phone and then posted them on social media, tagging the Sleigh Café’s account and encouraging people to swing by. I texted Holly to let her know and asked her if she’d share my post on her page.