Page 6 of Holiday Hook Up

She maneuvered around the tight space to the small kitchenette, deciding to make her favorite peppermint hot chocolate this morning to pass out to shoppers. It always put her customers in a merry and bright mood to sip on a warm, velvety drink while browsing the store.

A few minutes later, she brought the full carafe to the front counter and unlocked the door for Danny, the FedEx guy.

“Mornin’, Bethany.”

“Good morning.” She eyed the boxes he’d unloaded from his van. “I didn’t realize my parents had ordered such a large shipment.”

“Yep, eight boxes total.” He nodded down to the dolly stacked to the top. “Where would you like them?”

“You can set them off to the side.” She pointed to a clear area to the right of the Christmas tree. If they were ornaments, she could hang as many as she could once she tagged each with a price tag. What were her parents thinking ordering such a large shipment to come in days before Christmas? They had plenty of inventory already and would probably have to mark a good chunk of it down after the holidays. “Thanks, Danny.”

“No problem.”

While Danny set the boxes next to the tree, Bethany moved behind the counter and bent down, grabbing her stash of paper cups. She filled one with hot chocolate and offered it to him, in exchange for the clipboard he handed her to sign.

She scratched her signature and gave it back.

“Thanks for the hot chocolate, Bethany. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you.” She smiled. Danny had the biggest crush on her, and her mom had tried on numerous occasions to get them together. She wouldn’t be surprised if he had a delivery for her every day of the week and even after Christmas.

She laughed and slid on her red apron with white snowflakes, grabbed a box cutter from behind the counter, and selected the biggest box to open. She sliced into it, pulling back the flaps.

What on earth?It was full of cream tissue paper. She removed the top layer and pulled out a handful of white and gold stranded beads, holding them high in the air. “Why would my parents order these?” Maybe they were looking to redecorate the store’s Christmas tree. That seemed odd to want to do days before Christmas.

She scooted over to the second box to see what was inside. Slicing it open, she shook her head. It was full of small silver and gold tiaras. She pulled one up, examining the sparkling rhinestones.

“This has to be a mistake.” Folding back the flap, she checked the label. The return address only read MR Wedding.

“How strange.” She did a double take at the label and then inspected the other seven. All of the boxes had been addressed to her and not the shop.

Maybe since her parents were out of town for a few weeks, her mom had requested that Bethany’s name be on the order. Although, what were her parents planning to do with boxes full to the brim with tiaras and beads? Were they expanding their business to include a costume supplies store during the Christmas offseason? If so, that was news to her.

She stood and stepped around, ready to see what was in the third box, when the door chimes signaled her first customer.

Jason Levine strolled in in a red and green flannel jacket and faded jeans. She couldn’t help but laugh. The handsome former big city reporter known for his preppy buttoned-down shirts and khakis was finally wearing the dress code of rural Buttermilk Falls. Perhaps his girlfriend, Emma Stevens, had helped him tone down his J.Crew look.

“Getting a late start on your holiday shopping?” she asked, moving behind the counter and grabbing the carafe. She poured some of the peppermint hot chocolate into a paper cup, handing it to him. “On the house.”

“Thank you.” He took a sip and then another. “Actually, I wanted to stop in and see you.”

“Me? What’s up?”

“I thought I’d do a story on the Holiday Hook Up happening tonight. You’re going, right? I’d love it if I could hire you to take a couple shots for theButtermilk Advocate.”

She poured her own cup of hot chocolate, savoring the rich, velvety peppermint. “You know, I was actually going to sit this one out.”

She’d been absolutely right last night when she’d told Pauline and her friends that the Holiday Hook Up was the perfect event to find a date for this time of year. However, there was only one guy she wanted to be with, but there was no way she’d ever suggest to Adam that they pair up.

Jason adjusted his metal frame glasses. “I don’t blame you. I find this town’s attempt to help everyone find true love a bit over-the-top.”

“Yeah, right.” She gave him a side eye. “This coming from a man who is now with the woman who purchased him at the Summer Fling auction.” That event was similar to the Holiday Hook Up but took place in July. Emma had paid a few pretty pennies for her handsome fling.

“I would have found my way to Emma with or without that silly event.”

“Jason, I didn’t realize you were such a romantic.” She played with the silver tinsel roped along the glass counter.

“I watch the Hallmark Channel,” he joked. “So why don’t you come and hang out with Emma and me? We can take bets on all the pairings. I just need one or two pictures in the beginning and then maybe a few shots once the pairs make the big announcement that they’ll be dating exclusively for the next two weeks. In addition to running a local story, I’m going to send it down to my former editor.”

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