Chapter One
SHE’D STOPPED BELIEVING INSanta Claus by the age of seven, but Maisie Smart would absolutelyneverbe too old for the magic of Christmas. If, however, she one day suffered a crisis of holiday spirit, she’d just get herself back to the adorably festive town she was currently driving through. Merry, Washington, just a couple of hours outside of her hometown of Seattle, was what every kid—and she—imagined the North Pole to be. Complete with elves.
A line of little kids, one behind the other, wearing candy cane–striped pinnies over their winter jackets and warm hats, waited at a crosswalk. The main street was lined with adorable storefronts showcasing elaborate holiday displays in every window. Maisie’s stomach growled at the same time a parking spot opened up, coincidentally, in front of a store called Karma. Conveniently, the store to the right of that one promised the best hot chocolate and cookies in Washington.
Cutting the ignition, she grabbed her purse then braced herself against the door, lifted the handle, and shoved. It got a little sticky in the cold weather but Junie, short for Juniper, wasn’t just her Jeep; it was her baby. She’d bought it, secondhand, with the first big check she’d received for her photography work on a film set.
It wasn’t until she closed the Jeep door that the holiday music registered. She didn’t see any speakers, which just made it more magical. Each of the dark lampposts boasted seasonal decorations that would light up when the sun went down. Bell, sleigh, mistletoe, candy cane, angel, repeat, as far as she could see down both sides of the street.
One week until Christmas and Maisie felt like those little kids waving at her as they marched by: full of hope and ready for the magic of the season.
She was spending Christmas with her family for the first time in several years. They were staying at an actual tree farm, and she’d just—like on her way out of town—signed a contract to be the artist in residence at the University of Washington from January to April with a possible extension. It was huge. Six months ago, she wasn’t even sure if she should or would apply. Despite being raised in a home that valued education above all else, it wasn’t Maisie’s strong suit, something she’d never been able to explain to her mom. Now, she was going to be sort-of staff at an accredited school.
Nerves simmered in her stomach the way they did whenever she thought about this new path. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, removed one glove with her teeth, and typed out a text to her bestie.
Maisie
This town is utterly adorable. I’m so excited.
Lexi
I looked it up online. Apparently in the summer, it’s “udderly” adorable thanks to the cow pageant. Send pictures.
Maisie sent a bunch of happy face and Christmas tree emojis then took a quick video. Her best friend, Lexi, was probably blissfully cocooned in her fiancé’s arms. A little pang poked her in the ribs. Longing. It was no secret that the holidays were sweeter when shared.
The phone rang almost immediately, Lexi’s face lit up the screen, and her friend started speaking before Maisie even had her phone all the way to her ear.
“Are you sure this place isn’t actually the North Pole? Have you seen Santa? Did you sit on his lap?”
Maisie laughed loud enough to draw a few curious stares. “There’ll be no lap sitting, thank you very much. I’m done believing wishes come true when you whisper what you want in a man’s ear.”
“One of these days you’re going to tell me who turned you against relationships. For yourself. Because you were all the way onboard for me being in one,” Lexi said.
An image of Nicholas King, well over six feet, dirty blond hair just a little long so it fell in his eyes, and the kind of muscles that made coherent words fall out of her brain, popped into her mind unbidden. Unwanted. Kind of like she’d felt when she woke up alone in a hotel room after the best night of her life.
“We were talking about sitting on Santa. Specifically, his lap. Which, when you really take a moment to dissect the tradition, is kind of creepy. ‘Here, strange man. Let my child sit on you.’”
Lexi’s laughter was soft and comforting. Maisie got the pleasure of hearing it a lot more often now that her friend had given herself over to falling in love. The real kind that lasted forever and maybe longer. The kind that eluded Maisie.
“Way to deflect and redirect. If photography doesn’t work out, you could always try being a lawyer.”
Wouldn’t that make her parents happy. “No thanks. Jacob already has that covered.” Her older brother was one of the most respected entertainment lawyers on the East Coast. Both her siblings had excelled in school and in life. They, unlike Maisie, were proud recipients of many scholarships, degrees, and educational accolades. On top of that, they were both settled in loving and committed relationships.
“You okay?” Lexi asked.
Maisie nodded, even though her friend couldn’t see her. “I’m great. I’m in Santa’s village, about to have hot chocolate and cookies before going to a tree farm chalet to spend a week reconnecting with my family. I’m going to go sledding, cut down a tree, and do every Christmasy thing this town has to offer.”
Her parents might not be into all of the activities, but she was fairly certain she could convince the rest of her family to take part. Growing up, Maisie had sometimes felt a bit like an outcast in her own family, so doing things she enjoyed on her own wasn’t new territory. The dreamer in a house of hardcore academics.
“You’re going to have a great time,” Lexi said. “Oh, Will just got home. Send me videos of the tree farm or FaceTime me later.”
“I will.” Maisie hung up, wondering, not for the first time, if she should have confided in her bestie rather than keeping her feelings wrapped tighter than a present.
But she didn’t want to be a rain cloud on Lexi’s rainbow. She and her fiancé, Will, had only just found each other. Maisie didn’t need to dish about a man who’d ghosted her. Even if the very detailed memory of him still haunted her six months later.It’s just the holidays. They make people more hopeful and nostalgic.Maisie was all about looking forward. Starting now.
After grabbing a box of holiday treats at the adorably decorated bakery Bits and Bites, Maisie jumped back in her Jeep and headedtoward the tree farm. As the bustling core of the tiny town gave way to quieter roads and wide-open parcels of land, Maisie’s fingers itched for her camera. Snow spread out like blankets at the foot of the mountains, untouched and sparkling. It sent that familiar tingle through Maisie’s veins. Her parents never understood her love of photography. They’d thought it was a hobby, something she’d outgrow.
But every time she got that feeling, the one that made her want to see life through a viewfinder and capture it, she knew she’d made the right choice. She’d done some fashion photography in her early days and worked on multiple sets in Hollywood before striking out on her own. Now, Maisie’s business was steady, satisfying, and local to the Seattle area. She wasn’t rich. But she was happy. Her parents, Mom in particular, didn’t know why she couldn’t be both of those thingsandhave a couple prestigious letters behind her name.
