Page 10 of Mr. Winter
I relax a little and cross the threshold. It's still cold inside, and I notice she's bundled up.
"Thank you. You're all bundled up! Is the heater broken?"
She scrunches her face, and it increases the wrinkles around her brown eyes. "Something like that."
"Oh no. I can pull out my phone to make some calls to get it fixed—"
She shakes her gray head." We have it under control. It'll be fine, soon."
I nod and accept her explanation. "Good. I don't want you getting sick."
She pulls me into a quick hug. "Thank you for your concern. What brings you by?"
Just as she asks, I spot the untouched basket of my favorite Christmas treats on the table in the middle of the foyer.
"Well, I see he received the basket, but I also need to have a word with him."
She furrows her brows. "With Ja-um-Espen?"
"Yes. We need him this year for the Christmas events."
"I don't know, Arden. He's a little…"
"Rude? I know. He hung up on me yesterday."
Lara's cheeks dimple with amusement, but she doesn't get a chance to respond because a voice from above gives his opinion.
"Showing up unannounced is also rude."
I look up, but the way he's standing on the landing makes it hard to see him. I feel his presence though.
"Mr. Espen Winters, we need to talk—"
"Put it in another card and leave."
I glare at the shadow. I do not have any sugar on hand for this. "It's not how we do things in Fairhope. For example, this house should've been decorated last week. We need you to take your grandfather's place at the ceremony—"
His shadow retreats just before I hear a door slam. I kick off my heels and head for the stairs.
“Arden Elisabeth Voss!" Lara stops me in my tracks.
Damn southern acting ass town.
I turn abruptly to face her. "But, Miss Lara—"
She holds up her hands. "I know. Trust me. Fighting him isn't the way to do it. Espen doesn't respond to those things."
"I'd feel better, though."
She smirks at me but ignores my statement. "Edward will be there for the tree lighting. Espen is stubborn, dear. Frankly, you don't have enough time to change his mind about that. You may have time to ask him about the other stuff but not today." She hands me a white bakery box. "Consolation prize?"
"Thank you. I open the box to find snowflake-shaped Christmas cookies with pale blue icing and sugar sprinkles. "These look like the ones I used to eat as a teenager! I never knew where they were from, but they were delicious." I take a bite and moan at the taste. "Thesearethe cookies! Where did you get them?"
Lara shrugs. "They were delivered. No return address."
"That's how I used to get mine. Then, one Christmas, poof! They were gone." I slip back into my shoes and give her a hug. "Thanks for sharing. I'll be back for your boss. This isn't over."
She laughs and shakes her head. We get to the door to find a car waiting on the curb. Lara's phone vibrates, and she fishes it out of her pocket.
