Page 65 of The Meaning in Mistletoe
In truth, she’d wanted to tell Jack first. But the items she had for Penny couldn’t wait.
And she and Jack had the rest of their lives.
The mere thought gave her goose bumps.
As she pushed through the front door of Thistle & Thorn, and the welcoming bell jingled overhead, a huge smile swept across her face. Oh, how she’d missed this place.
Penny glanced up from helping a customer, and a gleeful squeal escaped her lips. “You’re back!” Quickly excusing herself, Penny enveloped Kat in a warm, sisterly embrace.
Kat hugged her tightly, overwhelmed by the sudden flood of affection. Sniffling, she pulled back, trying to compose herself. “I brought you something.”
Penny shot her customer a sheepish glance. “Frida, would you mind if we—”
“Not at all, dear. I’ll come back later.” The elderly woman shuffled past them, her eyes glinting with her latest piece of gossip. In a few hours, the entire town would know Kat had returned.
Which meant Kat needed to be quick if she wanted to reach Jack before the rumor mill.
Penny flipped the Closed sign and led the way upstairs.
Although she’d been gone only a few days, Kat relished being back in Penny’s apartment. She’d become accustomed to its coziness and quirky charm.
“Would you like some tea?” Penny asked, setting another log on the hearth before prodding the embers.
“No, thanks. I can’t stay long. I have to—”
“Find Jack?” Penny cut in, her eyes twinkling.
Kat answered with a coy smile as she lugged the tote bag over to the chaise lounge. “First, I want to show you something.”
When Penny sat beside her, Kat handed her a small rectangular scrapbook.
“What is it?” Penny asked, peering curiously at the nondescript cream cover.
“Open it.” Kat’s stomach fluttered, anticipating her sister’s reaction.
The second Penny cracked the spine, she gasped.
A snapshot of a smiling couple cradling an infant gazed up at her.
“It can’t be….”
“I found it in Helena’s hope chest.”
“I can’t believe it,” Penny murmured, misty-eyed as she slowly turned the pages of her baby album.
After a few minutes, Kat reached into the tote bag, retrieving a second binder. “There’s more.”
Setting the ivory satin album on Penny’s lap, she flipped to the first page, revealing a photo of Helena and Timothy Heart sharing a tender kiss on the front steps of a chapel.
“Their wedding album?” Penny’s question carried a note of disbelief.
“Did you know they were married on Christmas Day?”
“I didn’t. But it looks… perfect.” Her voice broke as she stared at the white steepled church veiled in snow. A simple wreath with a red satin bow hung on the front door and crimson poinsettias lined the stone steps. “Her dress is stunning. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s from the 1920s.”
For a moment, both women silently admiredThe Great Gatsby–inspired beaded bodice and slimming silhouette.
“Are those…” Leaning forward, Penny squinted at the Polaroid. “Are those feathers along the hemline?”
