Christmas in Evergreen Tidings of Joy - Nancy Naigle Page 0,78

on his toes as he spoke. “When I heard the town was putting dollars in the budget for a part-time employee here at the library, I thought it would be great to spend more time here.” He looked over at Nan with more than business in those twinkling blue eyes.

Does he like Nan? They’d been friends forever. When Nick had been talking about Hannah and Elliott, had there been a little personal experience in that truth too? “At the library?” Ben waited for confirmation.

Nick made a slight head nod toward Nan.

That wasn’t very subtle. How had Ben not noticed that before? Nick and Nan. Sure, they’d been running around together like school kids over the advent calendar, but how long had that really been going on? How about that? Nan thought she was cramping his style, when all along Ben might’ve been the one holding her back from other things.

Ben enjoyed the broad smile on Nan’s face. “So there’s no story hour tonight?”

“Actually, there is.” She raised a finger in the air. “But my new employee and I decided that since it’s Christmas Eve, it would be best to do story hour in front of the new town mural.”

“But who’s doing the reading?”

Nan and Nick responded together. “Go see.”

Why do I feel like I’m being set up?

Were those two becoming an item? For all the years he’d lived with Nan, he’d never even considered she might’ve wanted to find someone to share her life with. Her life was so full of friends and the library. But something was definitely underway between them, and he couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed it before.

Ben walked over to Kringle Alley. Maybe David was doing the reading. That kid could do anything. It’d be a good thing for him to do, although Ben had to admit the storytime readings had always been the favorite part of his day. He was a little sad they hadn’t asked him to do it.

There was a huge crowd. So many people that he couldn’t even hear the story being told. Was it “The Night Before Christmas”? Maybe “The Gift of the Magi,” or something fun like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” All crowd favorites.

He politely pressed his way through the crowd. Someone had moved Henry’s antique sleigh here, and adults and children alike were gathered around it.

There, sitting on the velvet seat, Katie read from Louisa May Alcott’s book.

He blinked. How had Nan pulled this off? He stepped closer, trying to wrap his head around what was happening right in front of him. Her voice was full of life; she had her own array of wonderful inflection that added to the tale. Her hands moved gracefully as her gaze met each child, tempting them deeper into the story.

“And Effie fell asleep with a happy smile on her lips, her one humble gift still in her hand…” Katie’s voice carried over the tiny heads filling him with so much pride, happiness, joy. It was so good to see her. The best Christmas present he could ever ask for.

Ben took great delight in the fact that everyone enjoyed her reading so much. He wanted to shout a hello or wave, anything to grab her attention, but he stood there, holding on to each of her words.

She lifted her gaze, and their eyes met. She sucked in a quick breath but kept reading, but a smile tugged at the edge of her lips. “…and a new love for Christmas in her heart that never changed through a long life spent in doing good. The end.” Katie closed the book between her hands.

Kids jumped up and clapped. Families moved toward the games and booths.

“Hi, Mr. Ben,” one of the boys said, raising his hand in the air for a high five. “Merry Christmas.”

“Hi, guys.” Ben waved, recognizing lots of them.

She still sat in the sleigh, talking to one of the parents.

Ben walked over, trying to wait his turn. Finally, the woman wished Katie a Merry Christmas and left. “When did you—” He couldn’t even string words together. “You look beautiful. What are you doing here?”

With a playful lift of her shoulder, she said, “Someone had to read Louisa May Alcott. Did you know she wrote a Christmas story, too? It’s…” She lowered the book in front of her, and her tone became more serious. “I came for you, Ben.”

Overwhelmed by her comment, almost afraid he may not have really heard what he thought he’d heard, he replayed it in his mind. He’d dreamed she