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He had a feeling this Christmas was going to be a good one—a really good one.
Chapter Twelve
It was starting to feel like Christmas.
This was the first time since Leah had been in Kringle Falls that she’d allowed herself to relax and enjoy the outing. It was a charming town. She could understand why her grandmother had spent her life there. But she could also see why her mother, who didn’t like to be told what to do, would feel smothered in such a small town.
Leah smiled as she pulled into the driveway of the B&B. Even though the snow had stopped and the sun had come back out again, there was a coating of snow on the inn’s rooftop and on the tree limbs. She couldn’t wait to see the house and pines draped in Christmas lights. It was going to be beautiful.
And then the car rounded the house, she saw the fallen tree limb lying on Shaun’s SUV. The smile slipped from her face. If it wasn’t one thing, it was another.
“I’m really sorry about your vehicle,” she said.
“Don’t worry about it. The SUV will be fine...or it won’t. Either way, I’m glad it gave me a chance to spend a little time in Kringle Falls. I’ve never visited a place quite like it.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“It is.” When the car pulled to a stop, he said, “I need to take Mochi out, and then I can help you carry in the groceries.”
She held the ring of keys out to him. He grabbed them and got out. With long, quick strides he headed for the back door.
She stepped out of her car and looked up at the sky. The sun had barely sunk below the horizon, but the sky was still a powder blue with clouds that looked like they were made of cotton candy—all pink and fluffy. It was beautiful, like something out of a painting.
“Woof. Woof.”
She lowered her gaze to see Mochi dragging Shaun down the back steps. Leah couldn’t help but laugh. She wondered who was walking who.
She moved to the back of the car to start unloading. After being in town and once more seeing all of the festive decorations, she was thinking she needed to get a move on decking the halls of the Kringle B&B.
And maybe while she was searching for the holiday decorations, she’d poke around the attic for anything that would tell her about her father and other relatives. She’d been telling herself that if she could just unravel the secrets of the past, she would be able to put this place up for sale. She could let it all go and return to her life in California.
Of course, she could talk to the Kringle Falls residents and find out what they knew about her family. The thought of the awkward conversation had her chest tightening.
Who, besides her, didn’t know about their family tree? She could imagine the strange looks she’d get when she admitted that her mother never told her about Kringle Falls—about her grandparents—about her father.
The next thing she knew Shaun was by her side. He handed her the leash. While she walked Mochi around the yard, Shaun unloaded all of the bags from their shopping spree.
Leah had yet to see what sort of clothes he’d picked out. She was certain he’d found something because when he caught up to her in the grocery store, he’d had a bag in his hand.
She followed Mochi around the yard as she sniffed at this and that. They even made it to the end of the driveway to get the mail. However, it didn’t take long for the cotton candy clouds to fade into the darkening sky. And then it was time to go inside.
Leah put away the groceries while Shaun loaded his clothes in the washing machine. Mochi played with her squeaky flamingo, which she liked to throw into the air and then chase. It was a very domestic moment—something Leah could get used to. If only…
As though Shaun sensed her thinking of him, he stepped into the kitchen. “I have some emails to respond to. Do you need me to do anything first?”
She shook her head. “I’m good.”
Buzz.
Shaun withdrew the phone from his pocket. He frowned when he saw the screen.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“I don’t recognize the number.”
“Don’t answer it.”
Before she got all of the words out of her mouth, he had the phone pressed to his ear. “Hello.”
