Page 67 of Fourth Heartwarmers Trilogy
“Right. The others have decided to sell out and go back East.”
“Seriously? Thanks, Chief. That is good news.”
“You know, Jack. Christmas is just around the corner. I’m thinking what hasn’t been done here in the office can most likely wait until the new year. It’s holiday time. Go be with the family.”
Jack slammed the files in front of him on top of a pile to the side. He opened his desk drawer and slid all the pens and other random paraphernalia he’d used inside, and then closed it with a snap.
Standing, he took his jacket from the back of his chair and grinned. “You’re right. It can wait. I’ve got a bunch of chores lined up, so I’ll be saying Merry Christmas. Drop by Angie’s Christmas Eve gala, Stan.”
“I’ll be there, along with half the town.”
Chapter Forty-eight
Mia stood in the doorway of the workshop. She scanned the area to be sure everything had been stored correctly and that everyone working for her had left each working cubicle neat.
Seeing nothing that disturbed her, she closed the door to the basement area until January and breathed a huge sigh of relief. Recently, they’d informed everyone visiting the website of their plans to be closed over the holidays. At the time she’d made the decision, she wasn’t sure if it was a good business choice or not. Now, she knew it was.
They’d all worked so hard to finish the orders they’d received in time for Christmas, they were burnt out. Because of Angie’s prodding, she’d added a deadline on the recent order forms and those who missed that date wouldn’t be getting their clothes until later in the new year.
And that worried her. She’d taken pride in fulfilling commitments as soon as possible and would work all night sometimes to see that folks got what they wanted.
Now, worrying that many wouldn’t order if they had such a long waiting period, she’d argued with her aunt. But Angie had been right. Most accepted the rules without any comments. Not only had they still gotten the orders, many were already wanting outfits for Easter and summer holidays.
Feeling a weight lifted from her shoulders, she turned toward the kitchen where Angie was baking Christmas cookies with Maisie. The sweet smells being emitted told a tale of their own. Shortbread! Goody! Approaching, she heard them singing carols and her heart burst with happiness. Time for some fun.
“Can I join in?”
Angie looked up with a huge smile. “You betcha. Us girls are getting some pretty fancy cookies ready for Santa Claus. Maisie thinks his favorite color is pink. What do you think?”
She scooped up a cookie, bit into the sweetness and groaned. Angie made the best shortbread of anyone she knew. She took a second to savor the taste and then answered, “You know, she’s probably right. Santa adores little girls, so it stands to reason, he likes pink.” Mia saw all the shortbread cookies lined up in front of her little girl slathered with pink icing with all kinds of decorations, mostly in the same color. Seeing the table had almost as much of the icing, she held back a grin.
“Now those are just beautiful, Maisie.”
“I wowked weally hawd on this one, see?” She lifted a crooked angel-shaped one with way too much icing and covered in chopped up pink jelly beans.
“That’s the best of them all. Santa will love it.”
Maisie swung it behind her, “No. It’s fow Jack. It’s special.”
“Oh, I see.” Mia caught her aunt’s wink and grinned. “He’ll be very happy, Maisie. You must like Jack a lot.”
“I adowe him.” The little girl placed her cookie onto a piece of fancy pink tissue paper and began to wrap it like a present. Then, she took the scotch tape Angie passed over and using way toomuch, she totally covered every part at least twice. “See, it’s his Cwistmas pwesent.”
Touched almost to tears, yet at the same time trying not to laugh, Mia hugged Maisie until the little one struggled to be loose. “He’s a lucky man.”
“Oh, you’we lucky too.”
Chapter Forty-nine
The Christmas party Angie held every year on Christmas Eve was a blast. Many of the townsfolk made it for at least one drink and some of the goodies served. They knew every year that Angie organized an event no one wanted to miss.
By the time the caterers had cleaned up most of the mess, Mark and Jack carried in the last of the glasses and dishes, while Angie and Mia filled the dishwasher and piled the rest of the glasses into the sink filled with hot water and soap suds.
“I can’t believe how many people showed up tonight.” Mia had a hard time believing the number of well-wishers and compliments they had for both her and Jack.
“I’m sure there were a couple hundred people in and out, through the gardens and on the various verandas.” Jack put his arms around her and hugged her close. “I’m glad that’s over with, and it’s just the family tomorrow.”
“Me too. I had a hard time settling Maisie down tonight. Even though we let her stay up way past her bedtime, she still argued about going to sleep.”
