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Chapter 14
“Do you know them?” Dak asked, breaking off a piece of the sugar cookie he’d chosen, which happened to be in the shape of a candy cane, and popping it into his mouth.
Ellie finished chewing before she said, “I met them today. At the shop. They’re very sweet. Those kids are a handful, though.”
“The shop?” he repeated, not sure what she was referring to. He took a tentative sip of his cocoa and found it was the perfect temperature—not too hot, not too cold.
“Oh, yes. There’s this fabulous shop downtown. They have the best Christmas decorations there, and so many treasures you won’t find anywhere else. I’d heard of it before I came to town. I used to run a similar shop, you see. Anyway, I went in today and had a look around and enjoyed myself so much, I asked the owner if she’d mind if I stick around a while, to help out. I was tickled whe
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Christmas Memory Chapter 15
Chicken and dumplings had sounded like a good homestyle meal, the kind that warms a person from the inside out when it’s cold outside and they need a little pick me up, but even though the diner’s fare was just as tasty as any other place Memory ever dined, she just felt off. She found herself pushing the dumplings around her plate, only eating a bite or two. The sensation that she was starving earlier had been replaced by the worry she’d gotten to know so well over the last year.“You know, your grandma tried to make chicken and dumplings one time,” her dad said, chuckling as he scooped another bite of meatloaf.Despite her disposition, Memory chuckled. “How did that turn out? Too much sugar?”Bryce snickered. “No, no she reserved sweetening the poultry for turkey. But she put way too much water into the dumpling mixture.” He laughed, slapping his hand on his thigh
Christmas Memory Chapter 16
Taking another drink of her tea, Memory let Ellie eat her dinner, reflecting on how fortunate it was she’d showed up just when she was needed most. It really seemed a bit like a Christmas miracle. Her father asked where Ellie was from, and she relayed the same story Memory had heard earlier, about how she’d owned a shop in St. Charles, Illinois, though she added a few more details this time, and by the time Ellie was done with her meal, it seemed like they’d known Ellie their whole lives.Placing a hand on her belly, Ellie said, “I don’t think I could swallow another bite, but boy was that good. I was never one for making dumplings myself. I always ended up adding too much water.”“That’s funny. Dad was just saying Grandma did the same thing,” Memory said, laughing, but then thinking it was a little strange that both of them had done that.“It’s a pretty
Christmas Memory Chapter 17
The downtown area was similar to a lot of the towns Dak had visited recently, looking for the perfect place to start his new endeavor, but there was something slightly different about Christmas Falls, something special he couldn’t quite put his finger on. The Christmas decorations hanging from the lamp posts and strung around the trees were the same white lights, red bows, garland, and cartoony characters as everywhere else, seasonal flowers blooming from the flower beds while banners announced where he was and that he was welcome there, but an excitement seemed to hang in the air that he could only describe as a certain kind of Christmas magic he couldn’t ever remember encountering before.Growing up in Carmel, he’d visited Christmas Falls a few times as a child, but never for longer than a few hours, and even then he didn’t feel as if he’d gotten a true sense of what it was like to celebrate Christmas in this town. Now, as
Christmas Memory Chapter 18
“Boy, is it chilly out!” she exclaimed, stomping her feet on the mat inside of the door. A small amount of snow pooled next to her black boots. She held a cup of coffee in one hand, and her other held the top of her coat closed, her large purse looped over her arm. “Brrr!”Dak turned to smile at her, waiting for her to look up before he said anything. She did—and a large grin spread across her face. “Hi, Ellie.”“Dak! Well, I’ll be done snickered! How are you?” she rushed over and enveloped him in a tight hug, as if he was her long lost son she hadn’t seen in ages instead of a stranger she’d met at an inn the day before. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here when you arrived. How long have you been here?”“Just a few minutes,” he assured her as she let him go. “Memory and I were just chatting.”
Christmas Memory Chapter 19
The walk to the coffee shop was slightly awkward. Memory wasn’t sure what to do with her hands or what she should say to Dak, who tried a few times to engage her in conversation, but the butterflies in her stomach seemed more like dancing reindeer, and it took her a long time to settle down enough to truly engage in any topic he brought up. She didn’t want him to think she was boring or stupid, so she took some deep breaths as he pulled the door to the shop open for her, the familiar scent of all things brewed wafting through her lungs making her feel like she was at home. She could do this—it wasn’t like she’d never been on a date with an attractive man before. And this wasn’t even a date! She could do this....“Thank you,” she said, letting the warmth of the establishment thaw her face as she approached the counter, Dak just behind her. The scent of his cologne, a light blend of woodsy musk with a hint of
Christmas Memory Chapter 20
Instead of pouring her heart out to Dak, Memory kept her mouth closed on the matter of her grandmother. He seemed to understand that she didn't want to talk about it, so he said, “That Ellie sure is something else.”“Yes, she is.” Now that, she had no trouble voicing. “She is amazing, though. Really, it’s like she just happened to wander into my shop right when I needed her most.” Memory caught his eyes then, the thought that maybe Ellie wasn’t the only one who had done that flickering through her mind, but she didn’t let it stay.“She definitely has a gift for timing,” he remarked. Memory wasn’t exactly sure what he meant, but she had an idea. “It’s too bad she has no family.”“I know. But maybe that’s why she makes everyone else feel like they are her family.”He nodded. “That’s a
Christmas Memory Chapter 21
Ellie was busy with customers when Memory got back. She hurried to put her coat away and get her apron on so she could help, wishing she could say what she’d been thinking of saying to her new friend all the way from the coffeeshop before she lost her nerve. Not that she intended to say anything rude to Ellie, but really, she had some questions that needed answers.By the time the store was free of customers again, over an hour had passed, and Memory had had some time to think about the conversation she’d had with Dak. She realized she probably sounded very opinionated when she was talking to him about what he did for a living, and she wished she hadn’t come across that way, but she felt duped—if she’d known who he was before she started talking to him, she never would’ve let him charm her so.“Before I forget!” Ellie exclaimed, grabbing Memory by the arm and waiting until she was looking
Christmas Memory Chapter 22
Memory pulled into the driveway, wishing it wasn’t so dark out. It wasn’t even 6:00 yet, but out here, away from the streetlights of town, with only half a moon and a few stars strong enough to shine through the cloud cover, the place looked bleak and dark. She didn’t like it that way.She turned her car off and took a deep breath. The last few days, she’d found herself thinking of this place more and more, worrying over what to do with it. Meeting Dak had stirred up all sorts of emotions in her, ones she had been trying not to face. But with her sister’s little speech about selling the house, and then meeting someone who bought them for a living, it had been weighing on her mind. Ellie had encouraged her to come by and look the house over, make herself feel more at ease, but as Memory found the key on her ring, she felt anything but.Snow crunched beneath her boots as she hurried to the door, keeping her a
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