Page 15 of The Holiday Grump
Of course she’d heard.
“A girl is selling Christmas ornaments. It’s a temporary job.”
“Have you found out her name? I’ve been asking?—”
“She said it’s Noelle.”
Eileen gasped, and her hand flew to her mouth. “You’ve met her? Oh, darling! Tell me everything!”
She circled the register and pulled me aside, much to Ralph’s disappointment. We ended up by a giant calendaradvertising the upcoming December events. My gaze snagged on “Peppermint Hot Chocolate Appreciation Day,” and I nearly groaned out loud.
Who needed all this?
“There’s nothing to tell,” I assured Eileen. “She arrived yesterday. She’ll sell some plastic crap, then leave.”
“Where is she staying?”
I swallowed. “At the back of her shop.”
“Is it that Christmas store I noticed them setting up earlier? It’s right next door to yours!”
I nodded, looking at her blankly.
“You’re neighbors!” She exclaimed. “You need to be neighborly.”
“I am.” I almost told her about our bathroom deal, but Eileen didn’t need more fuel for her fantasies. They were already out of control.
“Good,” she said, letting out a breath. “But I’ll need updates.”
“I’ll keep you updated,” I promised half-heartedly, and we returned to the cash register.
I handed her a twenty-dollar bill. “Keep the change.”
“This is way too much.”
“It’s for my coffee and your discretion.”
“Men,” she harrumphed good-naturedly. “You gave me nothing I couldn’t get from Summer. Less, actually. She said you were acting rude at the Shore Thing last night.”
I rolled my eyes. Why was she questioning me on the things she already knew? Was it a new interrogation technique?
“Noelle has a microwave under her desk,” I offered. “And her shop is full of cardboard boxes. I think she’ll need helpwith unpacking and setting up. Otherwise, it’ll take a week, and she’ll lose sales.”
“Noted.” Eileen tapped on her nose. “We’ll find some hands on deck.”
“I’m sure she’d appreciate it,” I said noncommittally, but I couldn’t deny it felt good.
Hideaway Harbor might have been the quintessential, nosy small town, but our people always came through. And a small part of me wanted Noelle to see that. Not that it mattered. She was a fleeting visitor and would soon be on her way, most likely on another cruise ship, sailing somewhere exotic. I couldn’t sell her on this place any more than I could convince her to take a chance on a hermit like me.Iwasn’t even betting on myself.
Yet I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Every time I’d woken up last night, I’d been blinking away an image of her. Noelle in that funny, fluffy coat and pink beret, with a smile so warm it could melt snow.
Maybe it was healthy for me to have a little crush. I’d felt so bereft of any joy lately that even a gentle, brewing sensation in the pit of my belly felt like a miracle. After everything, I still had life left in me.
When I approached my store, I observed it for any signs of life, but it was dark and quiet. I unlocked the door, trying to ignore the pang of disappointment.
The air smelled fresher. Felicity must have stopped by. She didn’t usually clean this thoroughly, though. The Russian classics shelf looked different. All the surfaces were clean and empty, with a pile of books stacked on my desk.
I sat down with my coffee and fired up my old laptop. With no distractions around, I might be able to focus on mybookkeeping. I could at least pretend to be a proper business owner who gave a shit.
