Page 62 of Never Sleigh Never
“Brie. It’s so good to see you, dear. Tell your mom thank you for the cookies she dropped off. Harold has already eaten half of them. But your mom makes some of the best cookies.”
“Great, I’ll pass that along!” I spin, craning my neck. And… dammit. Emma’s gone. If at first you don’t succeed, you call your friend for a favor. I pull my phone from my pocket and dial Valerie.
After a few rings, she answers. “Thank you for calling the Fa La La Inn. This is Valerie. How may I help you?”
“Val, it’s Brie. I need a favor”
“Anything. What do you need?”
“There’s a Christmas blogger in town, and since you’re the only lodging in Mount Holly, I need you to tell me if Emma St. Claire is staying there.”
“Well, I can do anything but that. It goes against policy.”
“Okay, how about cough once for yes, cough twice for no?”
“That’s me pretty much telling you.”
“It’s you telling me without telling me. I just need to know. My boss wants me to schedule a meeting with her, and every time I see her in town, she’s distracted by Logan. I need to pin her down where he won’t be, and I don’t expect him to be staying at the inn.” She coughs into the speaker. “Is that a yes?” She coughs again. “No?”
She blows out a breath. “Start over.” She coughs again. And then it’s silent.
“Thank you, Val. You’re the best. I’m going to swing by and casually run into her.”
“Just try not to frighten the other guests.”
“You got it.” I hang up the call. Before exiting the carnival, I tell Willa I’m leaving. On my way out, I spare a glance at the rink. Logan skates by, and we lock eyes. My heart flutters in my chest. Stay and watch him play or go find Emma? Priorities. Don’t get distracted. I peel my gaze away and leave before I change my mind.
At the Fa La La Inn, I sit at a small two-person table in the dining room, pretending I’m here for a casual breakfast and not a stakeout. Totally normal. Just a girl, sipping tea, and definitely not glancing at the door every four seconds. Out of all the years, why does everything have to occur this year? The one time when everything is on the line. My livelihood. I’ve worked so hard, and one slip-up could ruin it all.
Emma finally breezes in, and she sits down at a table on the opposite side of the room. With my eyes trained on her over the rim of my teacup, I give her time to settle before ambushing her. Times up. I push my chair away. Brie. Be cool. I circle the room and fake a double-take. “Miss St. Claire? Is that you?”
She looks up. “Oh, hi. Brie, right?”
Oh my God, she remembers me. “Yes! Fancy seeing you here.”
“Likewise. Especially at a bed and breakfast.”
“I occasionally come here for the breakfast.”
“Isn’t it customary to have a bed too?”
“Yessss,” I draw out. “Sometimes I like a staycation, to get out of the house, go somewhere new for a night.” She nods. I hope she buys it. “If you’re not busy, perhaps we could sit down, and I can tell you all about the Holly Jolly Festival.”
Her brows lift, amused. “Well, sure. Sit down.” She waves to the chair across from her. “Tell me about the Holly Jolly Festival.”
“The Holly Jolly Festival is a tradition that spans decades here in Mount Holly. The entire town joins in the Christmas celebration. Over the years, it’s evolved into something bigger, grander. And this year, especially, will be the biggest festival of them all.”
“Do you find it difficult competing with another Christmas carnival?”
“Not at all.” Because I’m going to kick Logan’s ass. He wouldn’t know a Christmas carnival or festival if it smacked him across the face. This is my territory. He may have won the battle with a hockey tournament, but I will win the Christmas war. “The townspeople of Mount Holly have grown to love the Holly Jolly Festival, and every year, their support grows more and more. I know they will do the same this year. The carnival is new. They don’t know what the town wants or needs in a Christmas celebration.”
She leans forward. “Is it true you and Logan have a history?”
What’s with the Logan questions? This is supposed to be about the Holly Jolly Festival. “Yes. We’ve known each other for quite a while. Since we were kids, actually.”
“And how has that affected your festival?”
Finally, back to the festival. “Well, if I had to say so, I don’t think it’s affected it one bit.” Unless you count that every time I see him, I want to strangle him… or kiss him. Hard.
