Because Cassidy St. Clair didn’t back down from a challenge, especially a festive one. Oh no. She was going to make her shop sparkle so bright that no grinch would even dream of touching it.
She was halfway through wrapping a candy-cane-striped garland around one of the front café tables when Muff gave a dramatic huff and flopped in front of the door, as if all this decorating was all work and no play.
“You’re not exactly helping,” she muttered, nudging the loose end of the garland around the table leg while Muff let out a groan that sounded suspiciously like a yawn.
That’s when she saw Liam stepping out from his shop across the street, coffee in hand.
His beard looked freshly trimmed, dark eyes shaded under thick brows as he crossed the street with easy confidence, like he had nowhere to be and knew everyone would wait for him anyway. The cold didn’t seem to touch him.
“Ah, I see you’ve finally stepped up your game,” he said, coming to a stop beside her. He took a sip from a black ceramic mug that read “Bee Cool,”with a tiny cartoon honeybee on the front.
She caught herself biting her lip and narrowed her eyes at him. “Is that supposed to be a threat or a flex?” Cassidy refused to look at his shop and catalog the amount of decorating he’d already done today. She liked it better when he just had a wreath and a bit of garland. Now he was showing her up.
“Bit of both,” he said, flashing a slow, infuriating grin.
“For your information, these are more than decorations. I’m making a statement.”
He quirked a brow, but before he could respond, Muff trotted over, tail wagging furiously. His entire posture softened as he crouched down, ruffling the pup’s ears.
“Well, hey there, sweetheart,” he murmured, the corners of his mouth lifting into a relaxed, genuine smile Cassidy hadn’t seen before.
Muff licked his chin, and Liam chuckled, the sound low and warm.
“You’re a traitor, you know that?” Cassidy muttered to her dog, but she couldn’t help noticing the way Liam’s dimples showed when his face lit up.
She was smiling in return before she could even help herself.
Liam glanced up from Muff. “So what’s this big statement, then? The dollar store’s named you their holiday princess?”
Her smile turned to a scowl. “Hey! I’ll have you know these decorations were expensive!” She stopped and looked around at the cheap tinsel and lights she’d rounded up. “Okay, that’s a lie. But that’s not the point.”
Liam scratched under Muff’s chin, the pup leaning into him with blissful abandon. “Then what’s the statement about?” he asked, still smiling at the dog.
She crossed her arms. “No Gingerbread Jerk is going to dim my holiday sparkle.”
“What’s a gingerbread jerk?”
“Notagingerbread jerk.TheGingerbread Jerk.” She sighed. “Emily stopped by in full crisis mode. Said someone trashed her pie tin tree and told me to keep an eye on my things.”
He let out a short laugh. “She made a tree out of pie tins?”
“It wascharming,” she defended, eyes flashing. “And now it’s a pile of twisted metal behind her bakery.” She may have taken poetic liberties with that last line.
He took a sip of coffee, the corner of his mouth twitching. “Maybe the saboteur’s just doing the town a favor. Christmas around here can be a little… much.”
She paused mid-wrap. “Wow. Okay. Now you sound like Mr. Alders.”
“Mr. Alders? The sweet old guy at the hardware store?”
“Sweet?” She huffed. “He came into my shop and said I was ruining everything. That it was all ‘too much like the rest of Maple Falls.’ You should’ve seen the way he looked at my sweater.” She flung her coat open to reveal her bright greensweater with flashing lights and a cartoon gingerbread man giving a thumbs-up.
Liam burst out laughing, Muff barking happily as if in agreement.
“What?” she demanded, hands on hips.
“You didn’t flash him like that, did you?” he asked, eyes dancing with mischief.
“Shut up.” She couldn’t hide the flush in her cheeks.
