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“Is this about the mistletoe? I told you, it was an accident. Corporate wanted shots of the lobby without all the holiday clutter. I didn’t know it would be so fragile—” Perry explained.

“Are you talking about the mistletoe, the inn, or me?” Grant challenged, eyebrows arched. He masterfully pivoted on his loafered heel with a grand flourish and disappeared into a crowd. Perry’s face fell, but just as quickly, he pulled himself together and exited in the opposite direction.

“Hi, Miss Annie,” Holly said, suddenly appearing and snapping Annie out of her trance. “I’m ever so happy to see you again at the Annual Simsbury Tri-Night Yuletide Festival of Light and Holiday Merriment, Featuring Joy, Wonder, and Magic.”

“You snuck up on me, Holly!” Annie said with a small laugh. “I almost dropped my cocoa,” she joked.

“Oh no, I’m terribly sorry,” Holly said.

“No need to apologize, I was caught up in my own thoughts and not paying attention. How are you enjoying the festival?” Annie asked.

“It’s divine,” Holly said. “This is the stuff of dreams.”

“Wow, you’re a little poet, aren’t you?” Annie asked, and Holly smiled.

“Do you want to come see the Christmas tree lighting with me?” Holly asked hopefully.

“Sure.” Annie shrugged, her eyes glancing around the crowd. “Where’s your dad?”

“He’s right near the tree!” Holly grinned, pointing at Chris. He looked taller than ever set against the green branches, and when he caught her eye, Annie gave him a small wave. She had to make him feel his heart was safe with hers and still hot enough to try and almost kiss.

Holly guided the way to a ginormous Christmas tree, covered in unlit lights and red round ornaments with “Simsbury” scripted in white writing. There was a small crowd already orbiting around it.

“Hello, stranger.” Chris smiled at Annie, his teeth looking unnaturally white. “I’m sorry I didn’t have the chance to visit the costume shop during rehearsal; the kids were really connecting with the material, and I didn’t want to interrupt their creative flow. How are you finding the Annual Simsbury Tri-Night Yuletide Festival of Light and Holiday Merriment, Featuring Joy, Wonder, and Magic’s first evening?”

“Oh, I’m okay,” Annie said, already flustered. She realized that this might have been the first time Chris had ever asked her a genuine question and waited with care and attention for her to answer it. She felt butterflies unleash themselves through her body, and Annie cleared her throat, hoping it could also clear her head. “The costumes are great. Holly was a wonderful help in getting me all set up. I’m really enjoying her company,” Annie continued, seeing Chris light up at her words. Keep it up, Annie, and maybe you can flatter and flirt your way to this almost kiss, she coached herself. “Oh, and the music is great. I didn’t realize you were also the musical director; you’re doing so much,” Annie said, trying to match Bailey’s tone and essence when she talked to Nick. Annie leaned closer and tried to make her eyes smolder before deliberately lightly biting her bottom lip in slow motion, hoping Chris’s eyes would linger there. Instead, a ringing noise cut through their conversation.

“Sorry, Annie, looks like I’m needed, I’ll be right back,” Chris said, abruptly speed-walking to the podium where a small group of people were securing the microphone equipment. Annie sighed. Guess I’ll have to go harder next time, Annie mused before turning back to Holly, who had been admiring the tree.

“Who lights this thing?” Annie asked, gazing upward at the massive spruce.

“Only the kindest, wisest, and best hot chocolate maker in the world! The mayor, of course,” Holly answered proudly.

“We have a mayor?” Annie asked.

“My uncle!” Holly grinned.

“Felix is the mayor? Like there was an actual election with more than one candidate, and Felix won? What’s his platform?” Annie asked, beyond fascinated to get a pulse on the political scene in town. But Holly only giggled, assuming Annie was making another one of her silly jokes. Before Annie could press for more information, the cluster of people parted, sparking action and making way for Felix to approach and officially welcome everyone to the Annual Simsbury Tri-Night Yuletide Festival of Light and Holiday Merriment, Featuring Joy, Wonder, and Magic. He didn’t appear to be hurt or walking with a limp. “Wait. Didn’t Felix injure himself this morning?” Annie asked, but her question was swallowed up in the applause and cheers for the mayor.

“Why, hello there,” Felix began, his cheeks rosier than ever and glistening under the pale moonlight, his eyes already looking wistful and far away. “It fills me with great joy to be with you all tonight. This charming town and its charitable people are surrounded by the magic of Christmas. Every year we have together is special, but this one feels like it has a little extra something,” Felix said, and Annie swore he directed that last bit to her. “This is a time for love and light. A season made for surprises and magic. So without further ado, let’s bring our beloved tree some of our renowned Simsbury spirit!” Felix reached over to flick the large switch next to the podium, and everyone collectively drew in a breath of anticipation and looked expectantly to the tree. When the tree remained dim, Felix chuckled nervously. “Hmm, well, perhaps we’ll try that again, shall we?” He switched the contraption again, but nothing happened. A faint disappointed and confused murmur grew among the crowd of people. Annie found herself moving a bit closer to the tree and noticed immediately that the main plug was out of place and dangling limply, making it impossible for any electricity to reach the myriad lights. From a few feet away, Annie found Nick.

“It’s not plugged in,” Annie mouthed to Nick. When he didn’t understand her, she mouthed it again, miming accompanying hand gestures. Once Annie could see his mental light bulb illuminate in understanding, Nick lowered himself under the tree to plug it in.

“Try it now!” Nick called out. Annie saw him stand up from under the tree, adjust his wool beanie, and beam. Felix took a deep breath and pulled back his shoulders and for the third time, switched on the panel. With this attempt, the tree exploded to life with sparkly brilliance, Annie’s mouth dropped open; it was blindingly beautiful. Her eyes widened, longing to take it all in. Voices around them erupted into celebration and cheer. Annie made her way closer to Nick, Holly at her heel, but before she could reach him, Annie watched Bailey plant a kiss on Nick’s cheek, leaving a very bold red imprint where her lips had been.

“Oh, Nick, your quick thinking saved Christmas!” Bailey beamed.

“Give the man the credit. Typical,” Annie muttered.

“It was nothing. And it was Annie who noticed it was unplugged in the first pl—” Nick smiled bashfully, realizing he was standing under a curiously placed bundle of mistletoe hanging off the tree.

“Should we? For old time’s sake?” Bailey whispered, her eyes looking like two hearts targeted on the mistletoe. Annie held her breath, waiting for one of them to make a move. Nick glanced at Annie and she gave him a weak thumbs-up. Maybe Nick would full-on kiss Bailey and this would all go away so they’d be able to escape. Instead, though, Bailey grabbed Nick’s face and planted another red-staining kiss on his other cheek. Annie let out a sigh, unsure if she was relieved or disappointed to find that nothing appeared to have changed.

“Wow, Annie, always such an eye. The hero of night one of the Annual Simsbury Tri-Night Yuletide Festival of Light and Holiday Merriment, Featuring Joy, Wonder, and Magic,” Chris whispered in Annie’s ear without even a shade of sarcasm. Instead, he stared at her fondly and with such warmth, opening his arms and offering a grateful hug. “Want to walk around a bit?” Chris asked and Annie nodded. Holly reached for Annie’s open hand and Annie jumped, unaware the child had been so close, but after a moment they eased into a companionable quiet as they meandered through the wares of various stalls and traded their old empty small cups for new empty small cups.

Once Holly had joined a few school friends, Annie kept her eyes peeled for rogue mistletoe clusters she might be able to take advantage of; perhaps if she could time it just right, she could maneuver Chris under one and he would make a move. But she should have been looking down because it was on a piece of fallen mistletoe that Annie’s foot caught and that spun her body into yet another classic clumsy moment. On cue, and without giving her a chance to fall, Chris wrapped his arms around Annie’s body.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN