Christmas in Evergreen Tidings of Joy - Nancy Naigle Page 0,25
green for the holidays. I love my book. Thank you both. I’ve got to tend to the other guests. Enjoy.” Megan took off to the kitchen, reappearing in an instant with a tray of cheese puffs.
Katie had almost forgotten the thrill of seeing her book in a reader’s hand. Her heart pounded wildly.
Nan glanced down at Katie’s laptop. “How is the article going?”
“Tricky, actually. You know, my mom works for a business magazine, but honestly I’d rather write about the Christmas time capsule.”
Nan sat down in the chair next to the desk. “Don’t give up hope on being able to write that. The time capsule was intended to be a surprise,” she explained. “And this town loves a mystery as much as they love—”
“Wait a minute,” Katie said. “I thought nobody remembered anything about the time capsule.”
Nan froze, her cheeks filling with air as she sucked in a breath and averted her eyes. There was something going on in that look on her face. “Well, yes…” Nan tripped over her words. “I guess—”
A rambunctious ho-ho-ho came from the doorway as Hannah, David and Michelle all entered in high spirits, shedding their coats and piling them on the bannister.
Katie’s thoughts were still on Nan’s reaction to her comment about the time capsule. Her writer instincts twitched. She knows something.
“I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.” Megan had just walked back into the living room with more coffee for the guests.
“We wouldn’t miss this,” Michelle said.
“This is one of my favorite traditions.” Hannah draped her coat on top of the others on the bannister, making herself at home.
“With more guests coming next weekend, it’s time to make more cookies.” She turned to the guests standing by the fire. “Everyone is welcome to help.”
They gave Megan a nod. Katie turned back to her laptop, pecking at the keyboard on her notes, trying still to come up with the right angle for that article for the magazine.
Megan leaned close. “I know you’re writing, but if you’d like to help, we always need more hands.”
“Oh, I—” She waved her hand, almost ready to tell Megan she was going to pass, when Ben came through the front door, looking handsome in a blue half-zip sweater that really set off his blue eyes. On second thought, spending time doing some holiday baking sounded like fun…especially if Ben was going to be involved.
“Hey, everybody.” He closed the door behind him.
“Yeah. Sure.” Katie changed her response to Megan, then bounced right out of her seat. “I’d love to help.” Her pulse accelerated. Rushing to get to the kitchen before Ben realized he’d influenced her decision to join, she tried to look calm while waiting for more directions from Megan.
Ben tossed his scarf over the handrail, rubbing his hands together as he headed into the kitchen. “Yeah! Cookie time.”
His enthusiasm tickled Katie. From the doorway of the kitchen, she overheard Nan talking to David. “I found a few more news clippings in the archives, and I know you’re on another search. I didn’t find anything explicitly about the key you mentioned, but maybe this will be helpful.” She handed him the blue folder, and Katie couldn’t help but wish Nan had given that folder to her.
“Wow.” David flipped through the pages. “Thank you, Mrs. Baxter.”
“You’re very welcome, David. I just know if anyone can figure this out, it’s going to be you.”
Katie ducked back into the kitchen, convinced Nan was up to something.
Everyone was claiming workspace around the vast kitchen island, and Megan was moving another batch of cookies into the oven. There were cookies everywhere. She must’ve been at it for hours. No wonder the inn smelled so good. It was like a factory in here.
Gooey frosting and perfectly browned fresh-baked cookies were already cooling on racks on the table and the long counter, ready to be decorated once they got these next batches all rolled out and onto trays ready for baking.
David was stamping out snowmen like an old pro.
“You’ve done that before,” Katie remarked.
“Yes, I have. I love helping Megan with the baking any time of year.”
“Good for you.” She watched as he spaced the snowman shapes on the baking sheet then carried it over to Megan, who’d just closed the oven door. “There’s no more room?”
“No problem.” Megan took the tray from him and slid into the convection oven on the counter.
“All right.” He smacked a high-five with her. “Can I get started decorating while those bake?”