Christmas Comes to Main Street (9 page)

She thought of Nate, wondering if he might have liked to have gone to the party.
Ridiculous
, she thought, brushing away the thought. He was visiting his aunt, and even if he was around Kara's age, he probably wanted to focus on time with his family, not go to a party with a group of strangers. It wasn't like he'd be sticking around after Christmas anyway. No one had even met him up to this point. But oh, had they heard about him…

“I'm fine just spending the evening with all of you,” Kara said, meaning it. “I need the break.”

“It's tough work starting a new business.” Ivy gave her a look of understanding. “Scary, too. Heck, I'm still always a little worried about losing this place or not being able to meet my loan payments.”

Kara laughed uneasily, knowing her friend was only half joking. Petals on Main had been open for years and its business was steady. Kara knew she was fortunate not to have to lose sleep wondering if the bank would come after her if she failed, but that didn't mean the fear was any less.

If she lost the business, then what would she have for herself? It was all she had. And all she had left of her father, too.

M
ark and his fiancée, Anna, lived with their dog, Scout, in a restored log cabin near the edge of Briar Creek. The party was already under way by the time Kara pulled to a stop on the snow-covered gravel driveway. She'd dressed for the occasion, to help get into the spirit of things more than anything else, but she couldn't deny the flutter of hope that maybe Ivy was right, that there might be a handsome someone behind the door.

Knowing she was just setting herself up for disappointment by thinking this way, she grabbed the bottle of wine and box of the candy cane–shaped cookies that Nate had praised earlier from the passenger seat and pushed open the car door. Her heeled dress shoes were all wrong for the wet and heavy snow, which was still falling steadily, and she hurried up the stairs to the front porch, letting herself into her cousin's house, where she was greeted by the friendly golden retriever who wore a red plaid ascot.

“I can't believe Mark let you dress up Scout.” Kara laughed as she greeted her friend Anna Madison, soon to be her cousin-in-law, if she and Mark ever took enough time away from their restaurant to set a date.

She still felt a little guilty that by giving her notice last summer at Rosemary and Thyme she'd somehow set back their plans, but Anna had quickly found a replacement to take over her position in the back office, and she and Mark both understood and supported her desire to start a bakery and have something of her own. It was Anna who had taught her to bake, after all. Still, Kara would sleep a little better when they finally tied the knot… and took a much-needed honeymoon.

“I slipped it on right before the party started,” Anna confessed, laughing. “To be honest, I'm not sure he's even noticed yet. He was too busy prepping the appetizers when people started arriving, and now he's on his second beer with his brother.” She rolled her eyes, but Kara knew Anna was only pretending to be annoyed. She and Mark went far back. They'd drifted apart and come back together. It did happen sometimes. However, in the case of her sister and Todd, she wasn't so sure.

“Is Molly here yet?” Kara looked around the room, already crowded and buzzing with guests she recognized, to search for her sister.

Anna nodded as she took Kara's coat. “She's over near the tree with Ivy and Grace.”

Already Kara felt more alive. The music was playing Christmas carols, strands of white lights gave the entire house a festive glow, and Anna was mentioning some special drink they'd concocted just for the evening. It couldn't get better than this.

Except… maybe it could.

Kara turned with interest to see Nate Griffin walking through the door, eyes wide, hands tucked into his pockets, smile a little unsure. He was dressed up more than usual, in black pants and a charcoal-gray cashmere sweater. She could just picture him in Boston, with his sleek city clothing, slipping into a trendy and lively restaurant or hitting a bar after a long business meeting. It was a reminder of how different their worlds were—and despite all the nice things he'd said about her cookies today at the shop, she couldn't help but feel a little nervous around him. No doubt the other girls he spent time with had big corporate jobs and weren't covered in flour and sugar for half the day.

“Nate?” She smiled as her heart sped up a little, wondering how this came to be.

His expression visibly relaxed when he saw her. “Kara. This is a surprise.”

“A pleasant one, I hope.” She smiled pertly and then felt a wave of heat rush over her skin. Oh my God, was she flirting with him? She was; she most definitely was. But then, why shouldn't she? He was cute. Damn cute. And he was single. Mrs. Griffin had been sure to point that out a good hundred times, leading them all to secretly assume something might be wrong with him or that he wasn't quite everything his aunt had hyped him up to be. But no, nothing was wrong with Nate Griffin, at least not in this moment, and not when he smiled at her like that, causing his hazel eyes to crinkle around the corners.

“My mother said you were going to be stopping by,” Anna cut in as she extended her hand. “I'm Anna Madison. My fiancé Mark Hastings is just over there.” She gestured vaguely to the kitchen.

“Hastings? Any relation?” Nate asked Kara.

“My cousin. You'll probably meet a few of my family members tonight,” Kara said. She smoothed her black sequin skirt over her hips, and when she looked up, she noticed that he'd followed her hands, tracing the movement with his eyes, his smile suddenly replaced by something unreadable. Something that sent a little tingle down her spine. She waited until Anna had moved on to greet another guest to say, “I used to work with Mark and Anna at Rosemary and Thyme. You might have noticed it on one of your trips down Main Street. The restaurant on the corner with the tall windows?”

He looked impressed. “I did. Looks like a nice place. How long were you there for?”

“Oh…” Kara hoped to gloss over the details of her work history. It didn't exactly shed her in the best light to admit she'd changed jobs sometimes twice yearly since she'd finished college how many years back. “A while. Anna ran a bakery before they teamed up and opened the restaurant. She taught me most of what I know.”

“Well, she did a good job then.” Nate grinned, and Kara felt her stomach roll over.

She lifted a drink off a tray that Anna carried back to them, and Nate did the same. She did her best to ignore the subtle wink her friend shot her before she moved on to the next group, happy to proffer her culinary efforts. Taking a long sip for courage, Kara turned back to Nate. “So, what brings you by tonight?”

“It was my aunt's idea. She wanted me to get out of the house.” He leaned down to speak into her ear, his voice low and husky, his breath tickling her neck and sending a quiver through her insides. “Between you and me, I think she's trying to sell me on this town.”

“Oh?” Well, this was an interesting turn of events. “Any chance of you moving here?”

He held her gaze for a beat. His face was so close, she could see the faint shadow of the bump on his nose, the full mouth framed by that square jaw.
Oh, Lordy
. He certainly was handsome.

“Nope.”

Kara blinked. “Oh,” she said again, at a loss for anything else to say. She hadn't expected him to be so blunt, or so certain. She pushed back the swell of disappointment. She was being ridiculous. There was nothing to be disappointed about. He was a good-looking man, passing through town like so many of the other tourists who came and went this time of year.

“I like city life,” Nate mused. “I grew up in Boston. It's all I know.”

“It would be difficult to leave home,” Kara agreed. Briar Creek had its drawbacks, as small-town life sometimes did, but she couldn't imagine leaving it. She'd rather invest in it. And that's exactly what she was doing, wasn't it?

She blinked back the tears that stung her eyes, as they did every time she thought of her dad. The holidays were always more difficult. He should have been here with them. But so long as she had her bakery, perhaps a part of him was.

She took another sip of her drink, this time properly tasting it. It was cranberry flavored, with a peel of orange draped artfully on the rim. There was no use getting sentimental now. Now, when she was at one of the best parties of the year, with her best friends, and there was a sprig of mistletoe just an arm's length away. And one of the cutest guys she'd seen in a while was standing at her side. And he liked her cookies.

This was certainly not a time for tears. In fact, things had never looked brighter.

Nate had to admit he was having fun. When his aunt had broached him with the strong suggestion of coming to the party, he'd immediately refused on account of not having been invited or knowing the hosts, but then she'd pulled out her guilt card and insisted that she needed him there to scope out the competition. Kathleen Madison's daughters would be in attendance, she'd said, and after a glass or two of Champagne he might be able to get them to reveal something about their mother's plans for the Holiday House contest. He'd squawked at that, but then his aunt had gotten all teary eyed and tried the reverse psychology angle instead, opting to sit in a chair by the fireplace and admit defeat, right down to suggesting she might return all the items she'd purchased at the bazaar.

It wasn't until he was out of the house, directions to this cabin in the woods in hand, and on his way to all but crash a party that he realized he'd been played. Maggie couldn't have returned those gifts if she'd tried—they were crafts from a fair, for God's sake—but nevertheless, she'd gotten her way, and, standing close to Kara, he was happy she had.

She looked particularly pretty tonight in a black sleeveless top and sparkly skirt. Her dark hair was swept back, and she wore a touch of red lipstick that dramatically contrasted with her bright blue eyes. Her top was cut low, revealing a hint of cleavage tucked behind a chunky necklace. She sipped her drink slowly, as if pacing herself, and Nate did the same. He'd originally planned on getting in and getting out, but now he wouldn't mind if the evening lasted a while.

“You know,” Kara said, a slow smile curving her mouth, “I was thinking of inviting you to the party tonight.” Her lashes fluttered as she lowered her eyes, and she took a sip of her drink as a faint blush traced her cheeks.

Nate's pulse skipped with interest. So she'd been thinking of asking him out, huh? And what would he have said? Yes, he realized with a jolt. He'd have said yes. Because she was pretty and sweet and interesting… even if she was all wrong for him. She was just like the girls he'd known growing up, and he knew that in time a different side of her would shine through. Once she learned where he'd come from, what his background was, that his blood didn't run blue, she'd give him the boot.

He took a sip of his drink. Some festive libation that tasted slightly like cranberry juice, but fortunately, better. “And why didn't you?”

“I wasn't sure it would be your type of thing.” Kara shrugged, her cheeks positively flaming now, and he decided to cut her a break. If it wasn't for her overt embarrassment, he'd have assumed she'd meant this wasn't his scene, that he might not fit in. Wasn't good enough. But there was nothing in her expression that said any such thing.

“Truth be told, it's not,” he admitted. “I tend to avoid Christmas parties.”

“Ah, so you really are a Scrooge.” She laughed and took a sip of her drink.

“Not a Scrooge,” he corrected. “More like… a realist.”

She tipped her head quizzically. “But Christmas is the time to suspend reality and get caught up in the magic of possibilities. Anything can happen at Christmas.”

He stared at her, realizing by the earnest way she blinked up at him that she honestly believed this. And God, if he didn't like her a little more for it. She took another sip of her drink and licked her bottom lip slowly, completely unaware that he was watching it all with a growing ache.

He ran a hand through his hair and coughed into his hand. He was at a party, not out on a date. And, according to his aunt Maggie, he will still on a mission. Kara was right about one thing: Anything was proving possible. A few days ago he never would have thought he'd be roped into decorating an inn for this ridiculous competition. He had half a mind to just write his aunt a check for the prize money and be done with it. But he supposed that magazine article couldn't be bought. Shame.

“Come on,” Kara cajoled, elbowing him gently. He nuzzled closer to her, liking her nearness. Maybe it was because he was in a room full of strangers, or maybe it was because she was so easy on the eyes, but he felt oddly familiar with her now, cozy even. He liked having her around. “Can you honestly tell me you don't feel a little more vested in the spirit of the holidays since arriving in Briar Creek?”

He stared at her, fighting against the truth he was trying to deny. “I can honestly tell you that I still have no holiday spirit.”

She laughed and playfully swatted his arm. Sobering a bit, she lifted her chin, glancing at him sidelong. “I don't believe you. No one who hates Christmas would be so interested in one of my gingerbread houses.”

“I told you,” Nate explained. “That's a gift for my aunt.”

“Well, I hope she liked it,” Kara said.

“Oh, she did.” After he'd explained for thirty-five minutes straight that Kara had no idea it was intended for the Holiday House contest, that she wouldn't feed the secret to her mother, and that no one knew they were even entering the contest, much less what their theme would be. He trusted Kara; why, he didn't know, but he did. And he'd learned over the years to have a good read on people. Which was why he felt so conflicted about where he stood with her. A part of him wanted to put his arms out, keep her there, at a safe distance. A pretty girl from the other side of the tracks who would scoff at a boy like him. But the other part couldn't help exploring, wondering if there was something more.

His aunt certainly seemed to like her. And she wasn't the easiest person to impress.

But then, his aunt wasn't like him. His aunt had grown up in Briar Creek, in the big white house across from the town square. She'd known hardship—everyone had—but she hadn't known poverty. And she'd certainly never felt the isolation that came with it.

“If I know Maggie, she'll wear you down before Christmas Eve,” Kara continued. “Christmas is a big deal to her.”

“So I've noticed,” Nate agreed. “She's roped me into helping her with this Holiday House contest.” He was allowed to reveal that much, his aunt had insisted on his way out the door this evening. Just enough to broach the topic…

Kara lifted an eyebrow, seeming amused. “Oh, really? So the man who hates Christmas is going to decorate the house for the holidays?”