Page 71 of Cowboy’s Christmas Baker

16

MALLORY

Mal stood at the table outside the bakery on Saturday morning, smiling as she watched Annie Williams handle the small line.

“Really,” Annie said. “I’m fine, you can go.”

And the young woman was right, of course. She was managing the line just fine, holding folks to the cap for jingle bell knots, pouring cups of coffee, and giving away samples.

“What am I going to do without you?” Mal asked, shaking her head.

Annie laughed and turned to the next person in line.

It was a gorgeous day for the Hometown Holiday Celebration. Tiny flurries had been swirling off and on all morning, adding ambiance without forcing anyone to get out their shovels again.

All the shops seemed to have tables outside this year, and the decorations were as festive and homey as ever. Boughs of fresh pine, velvet ribbons, twinkle lights, and garlands of candy or tinsel were everywhere Mal looked.

While it was still dark out this morning, Sheriff Cal Cassidy and his men had placed cones to keep cars off the village streets for the day. And though it was still fairly early, tons of neighbors already filled Park Avenue, greeting each other, shopping at the tables and booths, and filling the cold winter air with plumes of warm breath that carried the sounds of comfortable talk and laughter.

There were so many familiar faces, and plenty of new folks too. Between Baz Radcliffe’s property sale and the new highway coming in, Trinity Falls was really getting an injection of new energy. A group of men stood together by the train station, looking out over the town as if they weren’t sure if they were really allowed to join the celebration. Mal wasn’t positive, but she thought they might have been part of the excavation crew for the new road. While she watched, Reggie Webb marched right up to them, smiling and waving as if to welcome them and point them toward the food and fun.

That was Trinity Falls all over. For better or worse, people paid attention, and you were never alone. Neighbors might not have loved the highway workers tearing out a hundred-year-old tree a few months ago to prep the road site. But they weren’t going to let them stand on the edge of the crowd today either. If you lived in this town, you were part of it, simple as that.

Mal had loved that sense of community when she lost her mom. The town had treated her with such kindness and helped her feel like she was never alone.

But now, when half the town thought she was heartbroken over Declan Hawkins and the other half thought she was all but married to Harrison Law… well, it made her wonder what it might be like to live in a town where people didn’t care quite so much.

“Oh, Mallory,” a familiar voice said mournfully.

She turned to see Amanda Luckett shaking her head frowning in Mal’s direction. Amanda had been the prettiest girl in high school and she was somehow even prettier now, always with that signature gorgeous smile on her face.

Except right now…

“Hey, Amanda,” she said out loud, reminding herself that the sweet woman always had the best of intentions. “How’s it going?”

“I heard about Declan,” Amanda said. “And I’m really sorry.”

“Oh, I’m happy for him,” Mal replied. “He and Julie hired me to make their wedding cake. Isn’t that great?”

“I heard about that too,” Amanda said, looking scandalized. “But I hoped it wasn’t true. How could they ask you to do that?”

“I’m honored,” Mal told her. “Julie has some great ideas. I think it’s going to be a magnificent cake.”

“You really mean that, don’t you?” Amanda asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied Mal’s face.

“Of course,” Mal told her. “How have you been? How’s your mom?”

“So then it’s true,” Amanda said, her eyes widening as she ignored Mal’s questions.

“What’s true?” Mal asked.

“You’re seeing that absolutely gorgeous new man in town,” Amanda said, shaking her head in admiration. “He’s so tall, Mallory. Well played.”

“Oh,” Mal said awkwardly. “I, uh, well…”

“Mallory,” Katie yelled, running up to hug her around the waist.

“Hi, Katie,” Mal said, relieved at her little friend’s good timing.