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Chapter Eleven
“Aunt Memory! You’re here!” Lorelei shouted as Memory came through the door of her dad’s house, the same one she’d grown up in. The four-year-old rocketed up into her arms, and Memory just got them open in time to snatch her up.
“My goodness, Lor! You just saw me yesterday!” She giggled and patted her niece on the back before the girl shifted so she could see her pretty face.
“I know, but we’re making gingerbread houses with Grandpa! And you can help!” Lorelei wiggled, and Memory set her down, her fingers quickly caught up in the little girl’s sticky hand as she pulled her to the kitchen.
The three-bedroom ranch wasn’t nearly as big as her grandma’s house, but Memory still felt at home here. Her dad had kept the place fixed up nicely, despite his decorating challenges, and when she walked into the kitchen to see him covered with flour, Anson
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Lorelei had forgotten her gingerbread house. Memory should be a good aunt and run it over, but then she’d have to see her sister again, and she just wasn’t feeling it at the moment.Memory grabbed a wash cloth out of the drawer by the sink and turned the faucet on as her dad did his best to brush the loose flour into the trash can. Over his years as a single dad to two girls, he’d seen his fair share of messes, but she imagined he’d need a shower after this one.“How was your day, honey? You looked happier than usual when you came in—until we ruined it for you.” Bryce turned and gave her a stilted smile, the flour in his hair making him look older than his fifty-two years.“It was a good day,” Memory said, ignoring the last part of his comment because she wasn’t sure what to say. She’d planned to come in and tell him all about Ellie and how interesting s
Christmas Memory Chapter 13
The ambience at the Candy Cane Lane Inn was different than Dak had been expecting when he booked his reservations months ago. From the pictures online, he’d been imagining an overly cliché family run B and B where everyone was corny and sappy, flinging Christmas in his face like it was a handful of that fake silver tinsel he used to hang on the tree as a kid—the Muzak version of a holiday classic. What he’d gotten was actually a quaint, cozy inn where the innkeepers were kind and offered plenty of activities to those who wanted to participate but didn’t hound their guests to make an appearance at every single event. Even the décor in his room was understated. While the bed linens were Christmas themed—plaids in red and white with a handmade quilt in a poinsettia pattern, the rest of the room wasn’t packed with kitsch. A small Christmas tree with tasteful, red and gold bulbs sat on the dresser, the white lights creating a s
Christmas Memory 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
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
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