Christmas in Evergreen Tidings of Joy - Nancy Naigle Page 0,24
the desk in the den to set up her laptop and get all of her thoughts down while they were still fresh. She didn’t want to lose a single moment or emotion.
In the other room, guests were visiting, and Ezra had stopped by. He was talking with a couple visiting from Boston, and since that was where Ezra was getting ready to move, they were in full-out sharing mode. They’d even already set up a night out in Boston next month. Ezra was putting notes into his phone on people to look up and places to see.
Megan hadn’t been kidding when she said she’d be serving heavy hors d’oeuvres. Katie didn’t need a meal after all of the delicious appetizers. Holiday music played from the speakers above, making the conversations seem even more festive.
So many things floated through Katie’s head. This town, and its kindhearted and talented people, had inspired her with everything from tradition, history, mystery and blooming love. For the last hour, she’d sat here at the writing desk in the den, pouring her heart onto the page, afraid that if she didn’t, she might lose something. She wasn’t sure what all of it would amount to, but just the act of typing words on the page had her creative juices flowing.
Megan swept through the room with a small tray of homemade marshmallows, dropping them into the cocoa mugs from little silver tongs like some kind of marshmallow fairy princess.
Katie reached for her mug, taking a sip, then licking a melty marshmallow from the edge. The ooey-gooey sweetness reminded her of so many childhood Christmases in the city.
“Thank you,” Katie said, lifting her cup in a toast to her in appreciation.
“You’re welcome,” Megan sang out as she worked her way across the rest of the room.
“Hello, everyone!” Nan called out the greeting as she walked through the front door. She unwrapped her long scarf from around her neck and peeled out of her coat. “Oh, Megan,” Nan called out. “I’ve got something for you.”
“For me?” Megan turned, placing the tray of marshmallows down on an end table.
Katie turned, curious to see what it was too.
“Look at this.” Nan held something in her hands, her back still to Katie, but she could see the way Megan’s face lit up.
Nan turned to Katie, flashing a copy of Katie’s debut novel, Wooden Fishes—the hardcover edition. Megan grinned ear to ear as Nan turned the book to the back of the book jacket with Katie’s picture on it. “We don’t often have published authors in town.”
Katie’s heart nearly skipped a beat at their excitement. “You have my book?” She could barely swallow. It’d been a long time since someone had shown up with a copy of her book in their hands, and even then, it’d been a planned book signing event.
Megan danced. “When I heard you were a writer, I looked it up and asked Nan for it.”
“I run a library, so I have a lot of books.” Nan made light of it. “And Megan’s wasn’t the only request I’ve gotten for it since you’ve arrived. I special ordered this one for her.”
“Oh my goodness. Thank you both.” Katie felt like this happening at the moment she was pouring thoughts onto her laptop was a sign that she did have a second novel inside her. Maybe that snow globe did have some magic. She quickly dismissed the silly idea. There was no magic in writing a book. It was hard work. Every single word of it.
Nan handed the book to Megan. “Here you go, sweetie.”
“Thank you.” Megan immediately turned to Katie. “I hope this isn’t overstepping with you being a guest and all, but would you? Sign it?”
“Of course!”
“Oh my gosh. This is so exciting. I’m going to keep it right out here where guests can enjoy it. They’ll love that you’ve been a guest here. You wait right here. Let me get a pen.”
Katie giggled. What a surprise. Megan was back with the book and the pen in a jiffy.
“May I personalize it to you?” Katie asked.
“I’d love that.” Megan clapped her hands, and she and Nan held hands as Katie bowed her head to autograph the book.
“Here you go.” Katie handed her the book. “This is more exciting for me than it is for you.”
“Somehow we doubt that,” Nan said.
Megan placed the book, face out, on her bookshelf. “The perfect spot.”
“I like it, and it does go with the decor,” Katie assessed.