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Authors: Judy Baer

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BOOK: Love Finds You in Frost Minnesota
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Quietly, she filled a bowl for herself and cut two huge slices of fresh chocolate cake and put them on the table. She sat down, bowed her head for a silent prayer, and began to eat.

“I’m sorry about how I came in,” Jack said contritely. His remarkable eyes looked genuinely repentant.

Merry hadn’t noticed before how long and dark his eyelashes were. Nor had she noticed that his profile was nearly flawless.

“It’s just that I’ve never had such an exasperating day in my life. I had no right to storm in here like that. I forgot you might have customers.”

Since you’d never buy any of the things I sell, you assume no one will?
she thought but left unspoken.

“Frankly,” he said, half to himself, “I don’t know how my ancestors succeeded at anything with their lack of organization. My great-grandfather allowed buddies of his to farm his land when he was alive. It was all in a letter he wrote to someone at the courthouse. Although he never sold the land and no money ever changed hands, that left the next generations to assume the property belonged to them. Since none of the land has ever changed hands and the taxes have been paid annually out of an interest-bearing account set up years ago, now I’m in the uncomfortable position of telling families that they don’t own the land they live on and never have.

“No one ever questioned why the taxes were paid directly from that account. I think every party assumed it was
their
great-grandfather who’d set it up.”

“And if it’s not broken, don’t fix it?”

“Right. But the result is that I have no idea how much property was ‘loaned’ to people and forgotten about.”

“Oh dear,” Merry blurted. “How awful for you! You mean you’ll have to kick people out of their homes?”

Jack looked at her miserably.

“Can’t you just let them stay?” Even as she said it she knew it was a ridiculous idea. Jack’s family owned the property. He had every right to his own inheritance.

“I’m afraid I’ll be the most despised man in Frost before I’m done, but it can’t be any other way. These people have to buy me out, move, or start farming for me and paying rent. I can’t just turn the land over to them . . . there are my cousins to consider.”

They sat silently, both looking down at the table and the cooling stew. Merry wasn’t hungry anymore. This was an awful situation for Jack and for the yet unknowing people who had assumed for years his land was theirs.

“So this might take awhile to untangle?” she finally ventured. “And you’ll need a place to stay?”

He looked at her and gave a humorless smile—the only kind he seemed to have. “Two or three weeks, I’m afraid.”

“Won’t you have to go back to your company?”

“I’ve got good people, and I check in every day. Unless something unforeseen happens, it will be business as usual there. I just never expected anything like this or planned on spending so long in Frost. Especially now.”

He didn’t elaborate further, but Merry had a good idea what he’d meant—especially now during the holiday season, with this little place on Christmas steroids. It was going to be a very long few weeks.

She poured the coffee and suggested, “Maybe a distraction would be good. I own lots of Christmas movies. Want to watch one?”

“What are my choices?” His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

She ticked them off on her fingers. “
The Christmas Carol
,
Polar Express
,
Home Alone
,
Miracle on 34
th
Street
. . .” She saw his expression and added, “. . . movies that you would probably find annoying.”

“I’m sorry I don’t hold your view of Christmas superficiality. There are reasons, Merry, but I don’t want to go into that.” His features showed unspoken pain. “Let’s just say it’s simply too frivolous for my taste.”

Merry felt a rush of frustration churn through her. “Jack, I would never do anything that sullied this holiday! But it is a birthday, the birthday of the King of kings! No one leaves my business without knowing that’s what I believe. It’s an opportunity to share with others what Christmas is truly about. It’s my witness.”

His expression softened. “I realize that.”

“What
do
you believe about Christmas, Jack?”

He stared over her shoulder and out the window, where the winter darkness was total. A bright moon backlit the leafless trees that bordered her yard.

“It’s a long story, Merry. We should save it for another time.”

There was firmness in his voice that brooked no argument. There wouldn’t be another time, Merry realized. He didn’t want to talk about it, so he
wouldn’t
talk about it.

Pasting her best hostess smile on her face, she said, “Of course. It’s really none of my business anyway. More coffee?”

Chapter Six

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Jack watched her make her way around the kitchen in her fluffy slippers. The woman’s entire wardrobe seemed to consist of things that were soft, fuzzy, fluffy, red, or green. She was an unlikely looking businesswoman who was perfect for her job. He’d never run into anyone quite like her . . . fortunately. This much Christmas spirit was going to bring him to his knees.

Still, to be fair, she didn’t know why Christmas was such a difficult time of year for him. He’d been accused by many women of being somber, aloof, and inscrutable. Ironically that usually made them more interested in him, until they discovered there was no way beneath the tough shell he wore. He cultivated that armor for a reason. It kept him from remembering the day his entire family fell apart.

He didn’t realize the dog was under the kitchen table until Peppy uncurled himself and thrust his nose from beneath the tablecloth, interrupting Jack’s musings. Peppy stretched, paws forward, and yawned so widely he displayed an entire mouthful of white teeth and pink gums and tongue. If Jack looked fully into that mouth, he’d probably see the inside of the tip of Peppy’s tail.

The dog then sauntered to the back door and bumped his nose on a string of silver bells Jack hadn’t noticed until now. Merry automatically opened the door and Peppy raced outside.

“What’s that about?”

“The bells, you mean? I get involved in things around the store and forget to take poor Peppy out, so I taught him to ring the sleigh bells when he needs to go outside. We’re both happier as a result.”

He wanted to accuse her of kidding him, but it was obviously true. She had the dog ringing sleigh bells all year long, he’d guess, summer included.

As if she’d read his mind, she said, “I love hearing sleigh bells in the summer.”

“You are an incorrigible Christmas addict.”

Merry’s smile brightened. “I am, aren’t I? Thank you!”

He hadn’t meant it to be a compliment, just an observation, but Merry looked as if he’d handed her an armful of roses.

Mentally, he surrendered. He’d never understand this woman. Fortunately he didn’t have to. As soon as he’d straightened out this mess his long-dead relative had made, he could go back to California, where the sun always shone and it was much, much easier to ignore the trappings of Christmas.

“Maybe I’ll just go upstairs,” Jack said as he pushed away from the table. “I have some reading to do, and I should check in with my business team. I can’t make myself too dispensable or they’ll never notice I’m missing.” He smiled ruefully.

“You have a nice smile,” Merry blurted. “You should do it more often.” She blushed. “Sorry, I’ve got a big mouth. Or at least one that refuses to stay shut. I didn’t mean to sound so personal. No offense?”

“None taken.” He’d found it was hard not to smile around this woman, even though those muscles were rarely exercised these days. He hadn’t felt like smiling this much for a very long time.

Abruptly he pushed away from the table, thanked her for the food, and retreated to his room, where he paced until he had his thoughts under control.

It was a pleasant spot, he considered, with a comfortable reading chair, an antique table that acted as a desk, and the fireplace that felt wonderful on these cold nights. It even had Wi-Fi and cable television. And great food. He really couldn’t ask for more.

The phone rang. “Frost here.”

“Yo, boss, what’s up?”

“Hi, Vince. Shouldn’t I be asking you that question?”

“We’re great here. Don’t even know you’re gone.”

“That’s not exactly comforting.” Vince had been with him for ten years and could practically read his mind. He also knew more about Jack’s past than any other person on the planet.

“But there are things that crop up . . .”

“Thank goodness.”

“We need somebody to sign purchase orders, for one thing. You know how fussy accounting is if they haven’t gone through you.”

“They should be. I threatened them with something dire if one ever got past them.”

“I’ll overnight them to you. How can I expect to get them back? Pony Express?”

“I have Wi-Fi. I’ll scan them once they’re signed and send them to accounting. I’ll even call and tell them they’re coming so they get off your back.”

“Wi-Fi? What’s next in Podunk, USA? A movie theater with talking pictures? Fast food? ATMs?”

“You’re a California snob, Vince. It would do you good to come to the Midwest. It has a lot going for it that you don’t know about.”

“That vast open space between LA and New York? No thanks. You can tell me about it though. How’s the place you finally found to stay?”

“Good. Some parts are great and others . . .”

“And others?” Vince encouraged.

“The little town of my youth has been hijacked by Christmas frivolity.”

Vince whistled. “I’ll bet you love that. How did that happen? I thought Frost had less than two hundred people.”

“Apparently it takes just one to change that.” Jack told him about Merry’s Christmas Boutique, the tea parties, the bed-and-breakfast, and even the sleigh-bell-ringing dog.

“There are elves in the trees, decorations that would put Martha Stewart to shame, and women baking cookies in the church kitchen day and night. And for some reason unbeknownst to me, they’re planning a lutefisk dinner for the entire town.”

“What’s lutefisk?” Vince asked.

“Fish.” Jack decided not to explain further. Vince needed to experience that for himself.

“I don’t see anything wrong with that. But I do understand that you might be upset about the other stuff. You can’t let it get to you. Life goes on, Jack.”

“I know, I know. And mine should go on too. Well, it has. My business is booming, I have friends. . . .” Jack started to pace back and forth across the room, from the entry to the bay windows and back again, suddenly restless.

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

“Let’s not talk about this anymore,” Jack said, trying very hard not to sound like he was pleading. He hated it when Vince went down this path.

“Then tell me more about this Santa fiasco you’re embroiled in.”

“Everyone in town is gung ho about celebrating Christmas—a holiday ice fishing tournament, the Parade of Lights that apparently boils down to tractors and old cars strung with lights driving down Main Street, and there’s a partridge in every pear tree.” Jack took another turn around the room.

“This silly woman Merry Blake has turned the town into a mini Las Vegas of Christmas lights, gifts, and kitschy decorations!”

He realized at once that he’d raised his voice loud enough that it could be heard plainly in the hallway. Hopefully Merry was nowhere around. Then he heard Peppy’s sleigh bells ring in the kitchen and Merry’s footsteps just outside his door. They passed by and the stairs creaked as she went to let the dog outside.

She must have been at the hallway closet where the bedding, towels, shampoo, and other sundries were kept. Now he could only hope he hadn’t been overheard.

“Gotta go, Vince. Call you tomorrow.” He went to the door, ready to apologize. Then he thought better of it. Maybe she hadn’t heard him. He hoped desperately that she hadn’t. She was a sweet woman. The last thing she needed was her guest bad-mouthing her dream, no matter how strongly he disagreed with it.

* * * * *

A silly woman who had turned the town into a mini Las Vegas of Christmas lights, gifts, and kitschy decorations, huh? Is that what she was? Merry tried her hardest not to stomp down the stairs to the kitchen. Peppy was lying on the floor by the door, looking innocent and in no hurry to get out. He rose slowly as she entered.

“Peppy, were you just playing again? Every time you want me you can’t be ringing that bell! Only when you need to go out, okay?”

The dog’s eyes were bright and intelligent, and he seemed to nod in agreement. Of course, that was in her imagination, and she knew very well that he’d do it again—and again. It was a game he played. Merry knew that she’d have to be the one to learn to discern between nature’s call and Peppy’s desire for human companionship.

Merry sat down on a chair and buried her nose in the fur at the ruff of the dog’s neck. “Oh, Peppy, I just heard what Jack Frost really thinks of me.” It might have been better if she’d never heard, but it was done now and she had to decide what to do about it.

At the moment, she was very tempted to “un-invite” Jack from her house. Then the same verse in the first book of Peter that so often inspired her now began to chastise her.


Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.”

God was big on hospitality.

“Lord, help me with this!” she petitioned anxiously. “How am I supposed to be hospitable to someone I’d like to punch in the eye?”

After a little conversation with God, Merry had calmed down enough to coax both Peppy and Nog up to her bedroom. She put on her softest pajamas, gathered her hair into a bundle that resembled a spouting whale, and secured the hair bundle with a band. Then she walked to her bookshelf and pulled out one of the old photo albums from her childhood.

Her mother had been diligent about recording every moment of her only child’s life. Pictures were neatly ordered, giving a linear perspective of young Merry Noel’s existence. Days after her birth . . . learning to eat solid food and dispensing most of it on the top of her head . . . standing beside a Christmas tree decorated with red bows—it was all there. There was a photo of Christmas every year—only one. Sometimes Merry held a birthday cake as she stood there, giving a nod to the fact that Christmas was also her birthday.

BOOK: Love Finds You in Frost Minnesota
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