“Looks like we’re going to have our work cut out for us,” Cassidy replied, eying Emma.
“I just hope she’s on my team.” Liam grinned.
Before they could talk more, Mrs. C. clapped her hands, calling everyone’s attention. The older woman wore a black wool coat, a matching stocking cap, and the largest rhinestone Santa pin Cassidy had ever seen. She was dying to know where the woman had got it from. It would go great with her ever-expanding collection. Her favorite was her Christmas tree pin, which was currently on her coat. After that, it was a three-way tie between Rudolph, a rhinestone snowflake, and her pearl snowman.
“Listen up, folks! Welcome to the twenty-third annual Maple Falls snowman-building competition!”
The crowd cheered.
Mrs. C. counted the participants and nodded approvingly, counting out popsicle sticks and dropping them in a tin can.
“We’re doing teams again this year. Go ahead and pass the tin around. Pull a stick, and the color will tell you which team you’re on. All accessories are fair game. There are hats, scarves, buttons, mittens—you name it.”
Cassidy reached in and pulled out a green stick. She looked over to Liam as he pulled out red.
“Oh, you’re going down,” she said with a laugh.
Emma pulled out a red stick next and let out a squeal of delight. “Yes! I’m on Liam’s team!”
Liam’s lips curved, ruffling Emma’s hat as she bounced beside him. “Looks like we’ve got the winning team, kiddo.”
Around them, kids and parents pulled out sticks—blue, silver, gold, red, and green. Emily pulled out blue. Meg from the bookstore was on the gold team. Tyler joined them on red, while Zoe, Kit, and Madison joined Cassidy on green.
“You have thirty minutes to build the best snowman you’ve ever seen,” Mrs. C. announced. “On my mark!” She blew her whistle.
Cassidy and Liam both sprinted toward the table of accessories.
“Wait, wait! We don’t even have a plan yet!” Zoe called, but Cassidy wasn’t listening. Her eyes were locked on a silver glitter scarf that was calling her name.
Liam reached it first.
“No way. That one’s ours. I saw it first,” Cassidy said, curling her fingers around the edge.
“You can’t call dibs on a scarf,” Liam shot back, but there was a spark in his eyes.
“Look at it. It’s silver glitter! It’s meant for me! Plus, it matches our theme!”
“Theme?”
“Mmm-hmm. It’s, uh… Jingle Bells Jazz.” Cassidy made it up on the spot.
Liam laughed. “That’s not a theme.”
“It is now,” Cassidy said. “Jazz hands, glitter, little snowmen with saxophones?—”
“That can’t be real,” he muttered. “You’re making this up.”
“Maybe,” she said, batting her lashes. “But it’s working, isn’t it?”
Emma peeked up from where she was gathering buttons for the snowman’s face. “Come on, Liam, let her have it. She’s got that look.”
“Oh, betrayal,” he said dramatically, placing a hand on his chest.
Emma giggled, and Cassidy’s heart squeezed watching them. Liam’s expression softened as he glanced down at Emma, then back to Cassidy, and with a resigned sigh, he handed over the scarf. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”
Cassidy smiled. She had been called a lot of adjectives—goofy, weird, funny, sweet. Never cute. Jean-Paul certainly never said that. Even when he was trying to woo her with his Shakespearean sonnets and pricey champagne.
Before she could overthink it, she leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. “Thanks for the scarf.”
