Page 12 of Holidate Scramble
"He's finishing up at the hospital. Should be here soon." I checked my phone—quarter to four. Rhett had texted that he was running late but on his way.
"Good to have new blood in town," Walt mused, squirting paint into small paper cups. "Especially someone willing to pitch in with community events."
The door opened and Rhett hurried in, wearing khakis and a navy button-down that looked hastily tucked, his hair damp as if he'd just washed up. His face brightened when he spotted me.
"Sorry, emergency surgery ran over," he said, crossing to our table. "Had to change at the hospital." A few heads turned as he passed—Dr. Thornton was still a novelty in our small town, especially one who looked like he'd stepped out of a prime-time medical drama.
"Everyone, this is Rhett," I announced, knowing the introduction was expected. Several people I didn't recognize were here—probably weekenders up from Boston for the holidays. "He's new to Starlight Bay, working at Cape Cod Regional."
"Welcome, Doctor," Mrs. Henshaw called out from her table, already elbow-deep in glitter. "We heard Piper snatched you right up! Smart girl—handsome doctors don't stay single long in small towns."
Heat crept up my neck, but Rhett handled it smoothly. "More like she took pity on me," he said easily, settling beside me. "Still learning my way around town. GPS had me taking the scenic route through three residential neighborhoods to get here."
"Can't trust those things," Mr. Peterson chimed in from the next table. "Just take Main to Elm—library's right there."
"I'll remember that," Rhett said, and I could tell he would.
Walt cleared his throat, bringing everyone's attention to the front. "Well then, let's begin! Today we're creating glass ornaments. I'll demonstrate the basic technique, but remember—ornaments are personal. Let them reflect who you are."
He showed us how to remove the tops from clear glass balls, drizzle paint inside, swirl it around to create patterns, then add glitter or sand for texture. "You can also paint designs on the outside once the inside is dry," he explained, holding up a sample decorated with delicate candy cane stripes. "But this is just one approach. Feel free to create your own vision."
I picked up a clear glass ball, already envisioning swirls of purple and turquoise with gold accents—my favorite color combination since forever. Beside me, Rhett studied the sample ornament with an intensity that made me bite back a smile.
"Going to replicate Walt's exactly, aren't you?" I teased quietly, selecting my paints without overthinking it.
"How did you know?"
"Lucky guess." I grabbed three paint colors—purple, turquoise, and gold—squeezing them into separate cups. "What about adding your own twist?"
"I like knowing the expected outcome." He selected navy and silver paint, pouring them into small cups. "Predictability has its merits."
We worked in companionable silence for a few minutes. I drizzled paint inside my ornament in random patterns, turning it this way and that, enjoying watching the colors flow and blend. The purple and turquoise created an unexpectedly beautiful shade where they met. I added gold highlights, then grabbed the superfine glitter when the mood struck.
"That's going to be a mess," Rhett observed, though his tone held more amusement than criticism.
"It's artistic expression," I countered, adding another dash of glitter. "Very trendy."
He'd created evenly spaced stripes inside his ornament, each the same width, alternating between navy and silver with careful attention to detail. It looked like an expensive department store display—geometrically pleasing, but at the same time totally impersonal.
"Nice job," I said, watching him add tiny white dots between the stripes. "Very tasteful."
"It's traditional."
"It's a bit...ah....."
"Classic. The word you're looking for is classic."
"Is that it?" I studied my vibrant creation, then his bland one. "Maybe we should make one together."
For a moment, he just stared at the clear glass sphere. Then, surprising me, he picked up the purple paint I'd been using. "Your way," he said, drizzling it inside. He added his navy. "Now my approach."
I added gold swirls, then his silver. We worked together, turning the ornament slowly, letting the colors blend and separate, creating a design that was neither exactly my aesthetic or his, but somewhere beautifully in between.
"Huh," I said softly, holding it up to catch the light from the library's overhead fixtures. "That's really beautiful."
"It certainly is." His voice held a note of wonder.
Walt made his rounds, pausing at various tables to offer encouragement and advice. When he reached us, he picked up both our original ornaments, examining them with the scrutiny of someone who'd evaluated thousands of student art projects. He held Rhett's up to first, then mine, his weathered face thoughtful.
