“Then I suggest you get back to it.” She picked up a packet of papers. “I have work to do. Good morning, Winston.”

  After he left, she went to talk to Pauline, relieved to hear that Conner was happy to donate his company’s time. “That’s wonderful,” she told Pauline. “I didn’t actually lie to Winston, but I did insinuate that the work could be donated.”

  “Well, it’s all taken care of, so don’t worry.” She handed Krista a folder. “City Council agenda for tonight’s meeting. It starts at seven.”

  “Thank you.” Krista frowned. “I need to find a babysitter.”

  “What about Anna?”

  “Would she be interested? On a school night?”

  “She was just telling me she was trying to earn money for Christmas. I can find out and get back to you on it.”

  Krista smiled. “You really are a treasure, Pauline.” She wanted to hug the older woman but knew that wouldn’t look very professional. Instead she just thanked her—again.

  By the end of the workday, Anna had gladly agreed to babysit Emily. Naturally, Emily was thrilled at the prospect of spending the evening with a “cool teenager.” She was dropped off a little before seven and, after an inconsequential council meeting that the mayor adjourned earlier than usual, Krista got Anna home before nine. Although she’d appreciated Anna’s availability at such late notice, it wasn’t very convenient to drag Emily in her pajamas to get Anna home. Especially on a school night.

  “Bye, Anna,” Emily called out sleepily. “And thanks for helping me—on you-know-what.” She giggled.

  “Well, just keep working on it,” Anna told her. “We can go over it again on Thanksgiving if you want.”

  “Yeah. I’ll bring it with me. Good idea.”

  Krista watched as Anna went into a handsome two-story house. It was hard to see too much of it in the dark, but it looked like Edwardian style. And like the house where Emily’s friend Laurel lived, this was in the historic neighborhood too.

  “What is it that you and Anna are working on?” Krista asked as she drove them toward home.

  “It’s a secret.” Emily giggled. “Something for Christmas. Please, don’t ask me. That would spoil everything.”

  “Oh?” Krista nodded knowingly. “I see.” Emily had been making Krista homemade Christmas presents for the past several years. But she didn’t usually start this early. It was a good reminder that it was about time to ask Emily what she wanted for Christmas. But not tonight. It was already past her bedtime.

  To Krista’s relief, the short week passed quickly, and on Thursday afternoon, she and Emily were parking in front of a handsome two-story farmhouse with a wraparound porch. Opposite the house was a classic red barn. “What a pretty place,” she said as Pauline opened the door. “It’s absolutely picture-perfect.”

  “Thank you.” Pauline took the hot casserole of baked yams. “We enjoy it.”

  As Krista removed her coat, she introduced Pauline to her daughter.

  “I’m very pleased to meet you,” Pauline told Emily.

  “Where do you keep your goats, Mrs. Harris?” Emily asked politely.

  “Oh, you don’t have to be that formal,” Pauline told Emily. “Why don’t you—”

  “Grandma.” Anna popped around the corner with a grin. “You should just call her Grandma, Emily.”

  “Sure.” Pauline smiled. “That’s a good idea.”

  “And the goats are out in the pasture behind the barn,” Anna told Emily. “Can we go see them, Grandma?”

  “Of course. The turkey won’t be done for at least an hour so there’s plenty of time.”

  Krista wasn’t sure why she felt nervous as she followed Pauline through the house, but she suspected it was related to meeting Conner’s wife. She’d enjoyed getting acquainted with Conner during the past two weeks, maybe even too much. It would feel strange to meet his significant other. And yet she wanted to know her.

  “This is my daughter, Julia,” Pauline told Krista as they went into the kitchen.

  “Pleased to meet you.” Krista shook the tall brunette’s hand. She definitely resembled her brother.

  “And that’s my husband, Kyle.” Julia pointed to a nearby family room where the guys were intently watching a football game. “I guess you can meet him later. The game’s in the last quarter. And one team is Kyle’s alma mater and the other team is Conner’s. I think they even have some bets on the table.”

  Krista looked around the old-fashioned kitchen, which smelled delightful. “I love this kitchen,” she told Pauline. “Those must be the original cabinets and the sink and countertops too. It’s charming.”

  “Mom’s nagged Dad to redo this kitchen ever since they moved here,” Julia said. “But Dad always claimed he was too busy with work.”

  “And now that he’s retired, he’s still too busy.” Pauline put the yams on the back of the stove, then set Krista up snapping off the ends of the green beans.

  “All those goats keep him occupied.” Julia returned to peeling potatoes.

  “But I don’t really care anymore,” Pauline said. “This kitchen has grown on me. Now I just call it vintage.”

  “Speaking of vintage, have you guys seen the Christmas House lately?” Julia asked. “It’s really coming along. I stopped by there yesterday to drop off some pillows and rugs and things, and it looks awesome.”

  “Julia has a shop in town,” Pauline told Krista. “She’s donating some things.” She turned to Julia. “I haven’t been by since the moving day. Maybe I’ll pop in tomorrow. Dad’s been there almost every day—painting—but he said he’s nearly done now.”

  “Emily got to see it last week. She told me that it’s been painted red and green on the outside. She said it looks just like a real Christmas House.” Krista frowned slightly as she snapped a bean. “I haven’t seen it myself, but red and green sounds a little, well, Christmassy.”

  “It’s not the traditional Christmas colors,” Julia explained. “Not bright crimson and kelly green. The body of the house is a dark sage green and the trim is creamy white, with burgundy shutters and door. I wasn’t sure about it myself when Dad told me. The owner of the paint store donated the paint, and his wife selected the color palette, so no one wanted to complain. But when I saw the finished house, I was pleasantly surprised. It’s actually quite charming.”

  “Well, I can’t wait to see it.” Pauline opened the oven to baste the turkey. “I read in the paper that there’s an open house on Sunday. Do you think the house will be ready by then, Julia?”

  “I sure hope so. I plan to spend most of tomorrow there. I’m working with my designer friend. We hope to get it all staged and set up by Saturday. Feel free to pop in if you want, Mom. You too, Krista.” Julia dropped a potato into a pot. “That way you can have a sneak peek and miss the crowds.”

  “How does the contest actually work?” Pauline asked. “All I know is that contestants write essays. But when does it happen?”

  “The deadline for the essay contest is December seventh,” Julia told her.

  “That’s just a week away,” Krista said. “And they only just moved the house.”

  “Yes, but the contest has been in the paper for the past several weeks. People have been sending in essays—five hundred words or less—explaining why they want to win the house.”

  “Who reads all those essays?” Krista asked.

  “The newspaper staff reads them initially,” Julia explained. “To sift them down.” She laughed. “Beth admitted that a lot of them were pretty lame but provided some good laughs. After they eliminate most of the essays, there’s a committee of twelve people from all over the community who will read and vote. And, of course, the essay writers are anonymous.”

  “That seems fair.” Pauline put the finishing touches on a veggie platter. “But how do they do that?”

  “The entrants include their contact information in a sealed envelope. So the judges don’t know whose they’re reading. According to Beth Seymour, they’ve already received hundreds of entries. She thinks there might be nearly a thousand before they close it.”

  “Interesting.” Krista was actually more interested in where Conner’s wife was hiding out just now. Surely, she’d come with Conner and Anna today. Maybe she was watching the football game. She snapped a bean in half. “When I first heard about the Christmas House contest, I wondered why they didn’t just raffle the house. That could’ve raised money for Christmasville’s general fund.”

  “And that would’ve pleased our CFO.” Pauline winked at her. “But to be honest, I think the essay contest sounds like more fun. Housing is such an issue in this town, I’m sure there are plenty of people who could write a good essay about—” She was interrupted by a rousing yell from the family room, where the sports fans were obviously still glued to the TV. “Must be a good game,” she said. “Probably almost over.”

  “Is Conner’s wife here?” Krista asked, then instantly regretted it. She could tell by Pauline’s and Julia’s faces that it was the wrong thing to say. But she couldn’t take it back.

  “Conner’s wife . . .” Pauline reached for a dish towel. “I didn’t realize you didn’t know.”

  “Didn’t know?”

  “Brianna passed away almost six years ago,” Julia told Krista. “Lymphoma.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.” Krista felt her cheeks grow warm. “I didn’t know. I just assumed . . . well, he wears a wedding ring.”

  “Yes, we’ve encouraged him to remove the ring,” Pauline said. “But he says he does it for Anna’s sake. She was only eight when her mom died. The same age as Emily now. And she was worried that they would forget her mom. Conner wears the ring as a reminder that they won’t.”

  “That’s really sweet.” Krista snapped the last bean just as Anna and Emily came back into the house.

  “The goats are so cute,” Emily told them. “I wish I could have one for a pet, Mama. Do you think we could—”

  “We live in an apartment,” Krista reminded her, “with a no pets policy.”

  “Come on, Emily,” Anna called. “Come see my room.” And just like that, they were off.

  “Does Anna live here?” Krista asked Pauline.

  “No, but we’ve always kept a room for her. She stays here a lot during the summertime—when Conner is working.”

  The football game ended and the women all laughed to learn that Conner, the loser of the bet, was paying off his brother-in-law by running to the creek and back. Before long, they were all seated in the dining room, bowing their heads as Roy Harris said a blessing.

  As they visited and ate, Krista realized how much at home she felt with this family. And although it felt good, it was disturbing. She remembered the last time she’d felt at home with a family on Thanksgiving. She’d been just a little older than Emily, living with a new foster family in Phoenix. A really nice family. Or so she’d thought. However, it had all unraveled shortly before Christmas when the father was accused of something terrible with one of the older foster kids. She shuddered inwardly to think of it now.

  After dinner, Anna and Emily disappeared upstairs to “finish something” and Krista offered to help clean up, but Pauline wouldn’t allow it. “Why don’t you give Krista a tour of the farm?” she asked Conner. “I’ll bet she’d like to see the goats.”

  “Would you?” Conner asked.

  “I’ll admit I’m curious.”

  “Then let’s do it.”

  She followed him to the foyer. “But I have to confess I was actually thankful for our tiny apartment’s no pets policy when Emily asked to bring one home.”

  “Well, the kids are pretty cute. You might be tempted to adopt one after all.” He chuckled, helping her into her coat. He pointed down at her black suede pumps. “Do you want to borrow some boots? It can be pretty mucky out there.”

  “I think I’m okay.” She smiled. The truth was she didn’t want to lose the bit of height the heels provided. But once they got outside, walking through the muddy farmyard, she realized it was a mistake. Still, she didn’t plan to admit it. “This farm is so charming,” she said as he opened the barn door. “It must’ve been delightful to grow up here. Like a storybook.”

  “My parents only bought this place ten years ago. Anna and I actually live in their old house in town.” He opened a bin and scooped out some grain into a coffee can. “This is to feed the goats.” He handed it to her then led her through the barn, opening another door in back. “Just give the can a shake and they’ll come running.”

  Before she knew it, she was surrounded by some lively goats and kids in a variety of colors. The eager animals clambered about her like a bunch of puppies. And there was no denying they were adorable. No wonder Emily had loved it. Krista had never experienced anything like this. She followed Conner’s instructions to hold grain in the palm of her hand, watching the funny animals gobble it down. But soon there were more goats and kids, eagerly pushing and prodding until she started to topple over backward. Conner caught her from falling into the mud.

  “Oh my.” She looked into his startled eyes. “Thank you.”

  “Here, let me help you.” He took the remaining grain and poured it into a nearby plastic trough. “They can get a little rowdy when it comes to food.”

  They stood close together, watching the goats rush the trough, pushing and shoving to get their share. Krista’s good shoes were coated in mud and her long black coat was splattered a bit too, but she didn’t even care. She couldn’t remember feeling this carefree before—at least not for a long, long time. She turned to Conner. “I know you’ve been through some hard times, but you and your family seem truly blessed to me.”

  “We have a lot to be thankful for.” He paused as a particularly pushy goat nudged against her. With one arm around her, he kept her from tumbling. “Even in the hard times, well, it’s a good reminder that God allows the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. We’ve all had our troubles.”

  “That’s true. And I like to think our troubles make us stronger,” she declared.

  “And perhaps more empathetic too.”

  She looked up into his eyes, still enjoying the feel of him holding her tight. “I hope that’s true. I’d like to be more empathetic.” Suddenly uncomfortable with their closeness, she started to step back. “But sometimes I think I focus more on trying to appear strong. I guess that’s a by-product of being independent for so long.” She attempted a weak smile. “Makes a girl tough to stand on her own two feet.”

  He grinned. “I like tough girls.”

  She felt herself blushing. “I’m sure it’s been helpful to have your family around. Having their support through your hard times.” She tried not to feel envious—she really was glad for him . . . and for them.

  “I can’t disagree with you there.” He looked deeply into her eyes now, with such an intensity she felt slightly breathless. “And I can’t deny that my life is getting better all the time, Krista. Hopefully yours is too.” His smile warmed her throughout.

  “I hope you’re right,” she murmured. Then, feeling very self-conscious, she pulled away from his embrace, giving her full attention to the feeding frenzy that was about to end. She wondered if Conner and his family fully realized how good they’d had it all these years. Living in such a magical place, having each other to lean on . . . Perhaps they were used to it by now—although she doubted that they took it for granted.

  10

  Krista had never attended a live Christmas parade before, but because Emily was so insistent, she knew she had no choice. So with a thermal cup of coffee in hand, and dressed in her new thermal underwear and down parka, she walked with Emily, who was even more bundled up, toward town.

  “This is so exciting.” Emily straightened her mittens as they quickly walked toward Main Street. “Tonight we have to go to the grand opening.”

  Krista mumbled yes, but her heart said no. Everything she’d heard about these last two weeks was related to Christmasville. Even though she’d pretended to have on blinders while going from the elevator to the front entrance of City Hall, it was impossible not to see the transformation going on. And, sure, she knew the people were having fun doing it. But all this trouble, this expense, just for a holiday that would quickly come and go . . . well, she was almost inclined to agree with Winston the Scrooge. Was it really worth it?

  Krista couldn’t deny that the parade was charming, but it was also cold. According to the weather report on the radio, it was thirty-three degrees today and would drop to the midtwenties tonight! But still no snow in the forecast. The parade finally ended with Santa riding in an old-fashioned wagon that was pulled by some majestic Clydesdale horses.

  “Where are Santa’s reindeer?” Emily asked as she shoved the candy she’d gleaned from the parade participants into her pocket.

  “Probably vacationing in Palm Springs,” Krista told her. “Ready to go home and get warm?”

  “Wait.” Emily waved to someone just crossing the street. “There’s Laurel. Can I tell her hi, Mama?”

  Krista nodded with reluctance. She was cold and ready to go home but waited as Laurel and Emily greeted each other, visiting like chatterboxes.

  “Mama,” Emily called. “Can I go to Laurel’s house?”

  “May I,” Krista corrected.

  “May I?” Emily smiled hopefully. “Laurel invited me. I didn’t even ask.”

  Jessie approached Krista with a warm smile. “We’d love to have Emily this afternoon. But I have to run a couple of errands first. Could you drop her off around one?”

  “Please, Mama,” Emily begged.

  Krista couldn’t refuse her. And at least this would get her off the hook for putting up their artificial Christmas tree. Emily had insisted today was the day to do it, but Krista didn’t even think the bulky tree would fit in their tiny living room. She wished it would accidentally disappear—like the missing box of ornaments—but she didn’t dare get rid of it.