Marry Me under the Mistletoe

Pressing the remote that opened the back door, she entered and could immediately smell smoke. Her heart rate picked up speed. After putting down her overnight bag, she hurried through the office to the front of the shop. Her mom saw her and smiled. She was waiting on two teens buying some hand-painted wooden ornaments.

Until they left she couldn’t talk to her mom, so she went back to the office and sent an email to Casey. She’d promised to let her and Carol know she’d gotten home safely. There were several emails waiting for her to open, all of them from Gunter’s family.

Andrea decided to read them later except for one from Marie, whom she missed horribly. They were close to the same age and had a lot in common besides the fact that they’d both adored Gunter.

Her email was inviting Andrea to meet her and her husband, Rolfe, in the south of Spain after Christmas and vacation until the New Year. Would she please come? They would pay for her flight and would be staying with Rolfe’s friend at his villa.

While Andrea stood there contemplating the generous offer and idea, she could still smell smoke, and she lifted her head. Where had it come from? She was dying to know, but a steady stream of customers kept both her and her mother busy for a couple of hours. Finally they had a break. As soon as the front door closed, Andrea gave her mother a fierce hug.

“What was that all about, darling?”

“Because I love you. Because Casey and I had a long talk, and it made me appreciate you all over again for being the best mother in the world.”

“I could say the same thing about my daughter. I’m glad you got back safely.”

“Me, too. Now tell me what’s happened. Why is there that smoke smell?”

“The art gallery caught fire last night around ten when everyone had gone home.”

“You’re kidding!”

“I wish I were. There’s a possibility of arson. I was talking to Wally earlier. He said the firefighters saved as many paintings as they could, but some of the ones in storage on the third floor didn’t make it. We’re very blessed they got here in time to save the rest of the surrounding stores, including ours.”

Andrea shuddered. “When I think of the years you’ve put into this shop, and then to imagine a fire threatening everything... I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you.”

“Don’t be silly. There wasn’t anything anyone could do. Life is a risk.”

Yes. But she’d never thought about it until she and Gunter had been broadsided by a man who was drunk. In a flash her husband had been snuffed out. “Casey and I came to that same conclusion last night.”

“Did you have a wonderful time?”

She bit her lip. “It was good to see her and Carol again, and we were able to make plans for the party on Christmas Eve, but the inn is up for sale, and Casey is very low right now. She hasn’t really gotten over her broken engagement. So to answer your question honestly, I’ve come home a bit depressed, but it will pass.”

“That settles it. After we close up tonight, you’re coming home with me, and no buts.”

“I’d like that,” Andrea said without reservation.

“Oh—before more customers walk in, I need to ask you about a gingerbread man and a chair, neither of which I’ve seen. Apparently you put them in the front window display, but when the man who’d seen them before came in today to buy them, they were gone and I couldn’t help him.”

Andrea’s heart gave a kick. “Do you remember his name?”

“He introduced himself as Captain Jenner.” Captain? “It was his crew of firefighters along with two other crews who contained the blaze last night and put it out. This morning he came by with his men to see if I needed a fan.”

Tessa’s daddy was a firefighter? Here Andrea had thought he might be out of work and was too proud to accept charity. Instead while he was on duty he’d come to the shop to buy everything without Tessa knowing. Andrea didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at her false assumption. The man’s aloof behavior had been a disturbing mystery to her.

Her mother eyed her curiously. “Why are you so quiet?”

Just then they had another customer. “I’ll tell you in a minute.”

A minute turned into another hour before Andrea was able to relate the substance of what had happened, but she didn’t tell her mother certain details. How could she when she didn’t know what she was feeling herself? “I made a false assumption that he couldn’t afford to buy the chair and the gingerbread man. His little girl was so cute and wanted it so much, I wanted to help, I guess.”

Her mom nodded. “I could tell he was disappointed the items were gone. Why don’t you run them to him at the fire station right now and make things right? It’s only six blocks from here and will save him another trip to the shop. It’ll help you feel better, too. After their heroic service, it’s the least we can do for him, don’t you think? But before you leave, I’d like to see that gingerbread man. Who sent it?”

“Our wholesaler in the Adirondacks. It’s a sample of the new product they’re introducing. I’ll bring it down with the rocking chair.”

Andrea went to the back room and dashed up the stairs to her bedroom. She brought down both items. While her mom was busy with another customer, Andrea placed the chair and gingerbread man next to the table with one of their three-tiered pyramids.

In a minute her mother started walking to the counter carrying a dirndl for the lady following her, but she stopped midstride when she saw it. “Oh, Andrea—without a doubt that’s the most appealing craft item I’ve ever seen!”

“I totally agree. On the drive home from Barrow’s Lake I ordered more of them and the rocking chairs.”

The customer walked over and picked it up to examine it. “I’d like to buy this. My four-year-old granddaughter will go crazy over it. The rocking chair is superb, too. I think I have to have both.”

“I’m sorry.” Andrea spoke up. “They’ve already been sold, but leave us your name and number. When more come in, one of us will call you.”

“Can they be here before Christmas? My friend Renee will want both for her little niece, too.”

“I’ll put a rush on it, but you never know.”

Andrea eyed her mom before hurrying to the rear to pack up the treasures in one crate and gift wrap it. When she’d loaded it into the trunk of her car, she went back upstairs to shower and change into something fresh.

Several of her outfits had been purchased in Germany. After giving it some thought, she pulled out her cherry-red two-piece loden wool suit. She’d bought it the day Marie had gone shopping with her. Gunter had said it looked perfect on her.

Dark green braid lined the round neck and the front of the jacket. Eight ornate silver buttons the size of quarters ran down the middle to the hem at the waist. She loved this suit with its slightly flared skirt. It was reminiscent of the old-world items in the shop, but she’d worn it only once while she was still in Germany.

Chances were Captain Jenner wouldn’t even be there, but she had to make the effort...because her mom had asked this favor of her. Because she realized she needed to start making an effort to get on with her life. Taking an interest in herself and caring about what she wore was a first step.

Much as she’d enjoyed seeing Casey, her overnight trip hadn’t helped her spirits. It had been all talk about loss and unfulfilled lives. She’d come home actually alarmed over her depressed state of mind.

* * *

Two more hours before Rick’s shift was over. While he was fueling the truck, he heard Cabrera’s voice calling out, “Eighty-six! Eighty-six!” It was code that meant a woman had entered the station, but not just any woman. She had to be a total knockout. After dealing with life-and-death situations 24/7, there was nothing like hearing an “eighty-six” to set the place humming.

He watched in amusement as one by one the guys left their housekeeping duties to get a glimpse of the supposed femme fatale who’d set foot on the premises. In a minute Arney came running to the bay. He might be married with two children, but his blue eyes were all lit up and he wore a knowing grin on his face.

“There’s a female here to see you.” Rick blinked. “The guys have gone nuts. She brought a giant Christmas present all wrapped up in blue foil with a gold ribbon.”

His adrenaline surged. Andrea was back from wherever. After hearing from her mother, she’d obviously come here. For some reason she’d been determined his daughter would receive the gingerbread man, even if it meant Santa came to the station in person to deliver it.

“I’d say she looks like a Christmas present herself, if you know what I mean.” Rick knew exactly what he meant. Beautiful didn’t adequately describe her. The expression “she looked good enough to eat” was more like it.

Arney nudged his shoulder. “You’ve been holding out on us big-time, boss. I’ll finish the fueling while you...take care of business?”

Rick couldn’t get mad at the guys for wanting him to meet another woman and start living again. No one had better friends, and they couldn’t have tried harder to help him through the dark period of the past two years. They were his other family, the best of the best, but they didn’t understand.

So far none of his close friends had lost a spouse. They didn’t know what it was like to think of starting all over again with someone else. It took years to get to know another person, to put up with their flaws, to know their demons and still love them.

He hated being single again, coming home with no wife to hold him. He hated his empty bed, hated the loss of sharing. But he groaned at the thought of having to date again to regain that sense of completeness. As far as he was concerned, a widower was in a no-win situation.