items. With her laptop in her tote bag, she gave the office one last sweeping glance and walked out, closing the door behind her. She could take any follow-up calls from the carriage house.
She walked across the street. People filled the sidewalks as if it were a weekend.
The sign in front of The Stalk Market read 3.5 SHOPPING DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS. WE HAVE GIFTS FOR THE GARDENERS ON YOUR LIST.
Strolling down Main Street, Vanessa exchanged pleasantries with passersby carrying colorful packages, even recognizing some of them as employees helping with the changes at Porter’s. Across the street in the park next to the library, kids tossed snowballs at each other, and delighted squeals of excitement hung shrill against the icy chill.
She ducked inside a boutique. Warm air welcomed her into the space with the aroma of mulled apple cider being served to every shopper. She sipped on a cup while perusing the variety of gift options. Colorful angel ornaments would make such a cute adornment on a box. She tucked her favorites into a handbasket and picked out a beautiful picture frame for Kendra, then bought matching holiday pajamas for Anna and herself. They’d open them on Christmas Eve like they always had at her grandparents’ house. With three bags in her hand, she made her way into each shop, trying to get a little something from each one, spreading her spending across all of the retail shops.
Loaded up with gifts for everyone on her list and three extra-tall rolls of wrapping paper, she slid into her favorite booth at the Blue Bicycle Bistro.
She was getting ready to swallow her first bite of chicken and dumplings when Lilene marched in and stood next to her booth, her arms folded and her lower lip trembling.
“Lilene? What’s the matter? You look upset.”
“Upset?”
“Sit.” She scooted over in the booth, but Lilene took the seat across from her. “I can’t believe you’d stoop so low. Just days before Christmas.”
The words came out like hornets, stinging with each syllable.
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know. Corporate left a very detailed message for me to give to you.” She shoved three pink message-pad sheets across the table.
Vanessa read them. “There’s some mistake.”
“He seemed pretty clear to me.”
“No. They have the warehouse. That’s what they needed. Did he not get my reports?”
Lilene reached over and flipped the second pink note over to the back. “Indeed. He did.” She glared at Vanessa. “How could you pretend to be our friend? You’re a wolf in sheep’s clothing. That’s what you are, or worse, like the wolf that pretended to be Red Riding Hood’s grandmother. Mean, just downright mean.”
“Lilene, I promise—”
“Do not give me your empty lines,” Lilene said. “I’ve delivered the message. I’m sick about it. I need the rest of the day off.” She got up and swept out of the diner like Jack Frost on a tailwind.
Vanessa stared at the messages. There was no reason to return Edward’s call. Everything was pretty clear. Edward knew what he’d done. He left those details with Lilene on purpose, so there was no way anyone in this town would ever trust her again.
She stood up, did a half turn, and saw Buck sitting there behind her. “Buck. Can I sit?”
“Sure.”
“You heard?”
“Every word.”
“You don’t believe that about me, do you?”
“Two sides to every story. Always is,” he said.
“What’s your story?” she asked. “Why are you and Mike estranged?”
“That’s a long story.”
“How about the log-line version?”
“I’m the one who owned Porter’s. All of it. The store, the factory and warehouses. Even Fraser Hills Percherons.”
“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Vanessa couldn’t believe no one had told her.
“I was the mayor of this town for a long time. My family ran businesses in this town from the time it had a population of less than a hundred.”
“You used to do all that stuff with the horses too? Like Mike?”
“Not nearly as good as him, but yes. My family initially built carriages for draft horses. We dabbled, but it wasn’t until recent years that Mike really made something big out of that. I carved out that part of the business, and all the land it sits on, and gave it to Mike before I sold to AGC.”
“That sounds like a pretty sweet deal. Why was he mad?”
“It’s not just business, Vanessa. It’s family.” Buck looked tired. “I had my reasons for selling, but all Mike noticed was that the legacy he thought would always be there had been torn apart.”
“I guess I