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Mr. Bailey cleared his throat. “First, I’d like to thank all of you for showing me and my son the beauty and real Christmas spirit that comes with a small town such as yours. We loved being a part of your Holly Days and your Reindeer Games.” He paused and looked around the room, stopping when he saw me. “But as much as I enjoy good competition, it was in the smaller moments that I realized just how special this place is.”

I swallowed and put my free hand on my rolling stomach, reminding myself to breathe.

“I became a lawyer to help people, but somewhere along the way, I had forgotten what that meant…what a real community, a real family, looked like.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out the red scarf Sandy had given him yesterday evening.

He still carried it.

Don’t get your hopes up yet, G.

It could mean nothing.

“My father believed in this town, in what it stood for, and although he and I didn’t agree on much, and although I may not see everything as clearly as he once did, I know now that I don’t have to see something in order to believe in it,” he continued.

Wait.

Jo and I exchanged a quick glance.

What is he saying?

“So, I have some good news for you.” Mr. Bailey smiled. “Thanks to a very talented local artist, the back taxes on this Market have been paid off.”

My jaw dropped as the crowd gasped in unison, and I searched the room for any sign as to who it may be, but in my heart I knew.

Did she…did she actually do it?

“And once that was handled, a very…passionate buyer stepped forward and offered a price that the court and I just couldn’t refuse,” Mr. Bailey added.

So, someone did buy it.

One of those stiff-suit guys?

Mr. Bailey placed the microphone back into its stand and motioned toward the side of the stage where a very familiar figure was making her way up the stairs. “Ladies and gentlemen of Mullings Creek, I’d like to introduce the new owner of The Market, Ms. Silvia Mancini.”

Nona?!

Chairs slid back as people jumped up, cheering and whistling wildly. Nona took her spot center stage, giving a small wave while she beamed at all of us. Once she stepped toward the microphone, the applause died down.

“My dear Enzo and I had plans to travel the world, but sometimes plans change, life changes, and we have a choice on whether or not to change with it.” She paused and looked down and away for a moment before continuing. “My family is here. My heart is here. And I can think of no better use of that money we had saved than to keep this place, our beloved Market, here too.”

More applause and cheers rippled through the crowd, several of whom now wiped their eyes before Nona made her way back down the stairs.

Jo and I turned to each other at the same time.

“Did that really just happen?” I asked her.

She nodded, the feathers on her mask shaking. “You did it, Gianna.”

I looked around at everyone in their beautiful formal wear and masks. Phineas stood with Eve near the big punch bowl and was laughing at something she had said. Hal and his son chatted with Sheriff Kingston near the stairs to Mom’s studio. And Ann stood with an earbud in next to Levi, who had the other one and was showing her something on his phone. Most of the townspeople who had stands at The Market were now hurrying over to each other’s tables, their faces twinkling with hope.

“No,” I said to Jo, my eyes filling with tears. “We did it.”

James convinced his dad to make a gingerbread house and play along with the games.

Jo made an amazing candy cane scavenger hunt.

The Holts donated more trees and poinsettias to small businesses than in years past.

The choir learned a new song to honor the Baileys.