She pulled out Santa hats, felt reindeer antlers, and glitter-covered glasses shaped like Christmas trees.
Cassidy leaned over with interest. “Ooh, I love this one,” she said, pulling out a green felt elf hat and placing it on her head. “What do you think?” she asked Liam, posing with her hands on her hips.
On anyone else, it would’ve looked silly. On Cassidy, it was… charming.
He tried not to show it. “You make it work.” Understatement of the year. She looked like a flirty, mischievous Christmas elf, and now his brain was full of thoughts it absolutely shouldn’t be having in a public space.
Thoughts that included the hat staying on… and not much else.
Elsie held up the glitter glasses. “And what about these for you?”
“No. Absolutely not.”
Cassidy rolled her eyes. “Don’t mind him. He’s just a grinch.”
Elsie looked momentarily deflated but quickly rallied. “No problem, not everyone needs a prop.”
“Do you mind if I keep this?” Cassidy adjusted her hat. “I want to wear it to the Santa House opening tonight.”
“Of course! It looks adorable on you,” Elsie said.
Cassidy looked back at Liam. “You coming?”
“The Santa House? No.” He would rather run the Jingle Bell 5k with his torn hamstring.
The Santa House, a small cottage next to the courthouse grounds, looked like a real-life gingerbread house. It was decorated in Bavarian style with whites and browns and plenty of oversized lollipops and gumdrops lining the walkway. The house opened tonight and would be available for kids, and kidsat heart, to stop by and visit the head elf himself. There was even a paddock off to the side that housed his reindeer. Well, two of them anyway.
Cassidy shrugged and turned back to Elsie. “So, what are you thinking?”
“Just a quick chat here. I’ve got some great hashtags lined up—#MapleFallsMagic, #CocoaCorner, and I was thinking maybe #SpicedCocoa?”
Cassidy nodded. “I love that idea.”
Elsie beamed. “Perfect. I’ll talk to Cassidy first, and then I’ll pop across the street to your shop, Liam, for a few quick quotes.”
“Sure. Whatever you need,” he said, far less enthusiastically.
Elsie turned away, her attention already locked on Cassidy, leaving him standing off to the side.
He should’ve felt relieved, escaping from Christmas hell, but he didn’t.
He glanced at Cassidy, watching as she laughed and adjusted her elf hat while Elsie fired off questions. She looked radiant. Confident. Like she belonged in the center of this holiday scene.
Liam was out of his depth here. Christmas wasn’t his thing and it hadn’t been for a long time. The lights, the fanfare, the endless holiday cheer… it all reminded him of what he’d once had and knew he’d never find again.
But somehow, standing in the Cocoa Corner watching Cassidy shine, he found himself wondering if maybe this season wouldn’t always have to hurt quite so much.
SEVEN
CASSIDY
Monday, December 1st
Cassidy was happily wearing the green elf hat around the shop when Madison and her grandmother Edith popped in. She’d met Edith a few times, and she’d loved her instantly.
“Happy opening day!” Madison said, walking in and giving Cassidy a side hug.
“My granddaughter tells me I have to try your hot spiced cocoa,” Edith said, her eyes twinkling. Her hair was pinned up into a classic twist with loose wisps framing her face. Her eyes were the same rich green as Madison’s with the same spark of fearlessness. “If it’s good enough to convince her to give up coffee, then it must be something special.”
