Page 34 of Cowboy’s Christmas Baker

“Exactly,” she said. “When the farmer’s market is going, it will be the same at the other location. And the space is bigger up there. But most of the time, we think it would be a lot less active.”

“I haven’t been to the open-air market yet,” Harrison admitted. “But I can imagine. So what will you do?”

“That’s what we’re working on now,” Sam said. “Trying to find the best use for that space so we can keep up the day-to-day in this one. It’s a good problem, really. Captain Anderson wasn’t expecting the town to get as involved as they have.”

Harrison nodded and took the next section of lights from Sam, thinking that he wasn’t a bit surprised the town had embraced the veterans center. He’d grown up in a fairly small town. But Trinity Falls was different. All the adults had known his name and asked about his family members by name when they saw him, even though he was only here from time to time. There was a sense of community that went deeper than town pride, or even duty. Folks here felt a real ownership over each other’s struggles and successes.

He and Sam finished up with the lights and then hung a garland around the door and a set of sleigh bells on the inside knob.

Her little Ezra was leaning against Fallon’s chest now, practically nodding off as the big man quietly read to him from a picture book, in spite of all the activity around them.

“He’s really cute,” Harrison said.

“Thanks,” she replied. “He brought your cousin and me together, you know.”

He nodded. He’d heard only bits and pieces of the story, and he was very curious, but hadn’t wanted to ask too many questions when she was clearly busy.

The sound of a television came from the community room, and when he poked his head in to check on Katie, he saw that she and Amelia were watching Miracle on 34th Street with a bunch of the guys.

The two of them had a giant bowl of popcorn between them, and they were both eating and watching avidly. They weren’t exactly talking to each other, but it was the closest thing to bonding he’d seen Katie do with another kid since she was in preschool.

“Aw,” Sam said softly. “Hey listen, do you need to run errands or anything? I’ll keep an eye on her and buzz you when she’s ready to go.”

Every instinct told him not to leave his daughter. But he obviously wasn’t going to take her home when she was having this nice moment, and he didn’t want to just stand around watching her watch a movie.

“Tell you what,” he said to Sam. “I’m just going to grab a cup of coffee at the bakery. I can be back here right away when she wants to go.”

“That’s perfect,” Sam said with a knowing smile.

How small is this town?

He headed to the front door, grabbed his coat, and took off down the block before he could change his mind.

There really were only a few storefronts between the bakery and the center. He was standing in front of Mallory’s window before he’d had a chance to get in the headspace of seeing her again.

The first thing that caught his eye was the warm glow inside and all the pretty lights and garlands. Then he noticed that the sign was turned to CLOSED.

Three faces gazed back at him from one of the tables. Mallory was there, of course, her beautiful hair shining like burnished copper in the warm light. The dark-haired girl was beside her and the fashionable one sat opposite them, but she had turned in her seat to look at him.

He gave a quick wave, feeling like an idiot, and headed away. He wasn’t even sure where he was going, but wasn’t going to just keep standing outside the closed café like a stalker.

But before he got more than a few steps away, the sound of a door opening and bells jingling behind him made him stop.

“Harrison,” Mallory’s voice called out sweetly.

He felt his heart throb and wished he could rip it out of his chest.

She’s too young. And I’m too broken.

But she was also the woman who had soothed the ache in his soul with her messages, who had sent him passages from The Bible, The Jungle Book, and even Dr. Seuss in his lowest moments this year.

Reconciling the quiet strength and compassion of the online presence he knew as MalloryBakes with the irrepressible young woman he was getting to know in person felt almost impossible.

“Hey,” he said, turning back to her.

“Come on back,” she said with a smile. “I need your help with something, if you have a sec.”

“Oh, okay,” he replied, completely unsurprised to find himself instantly following her like a giant puppy, even though he had just reminded himself that he should let her be.