later that night after the Christmas Eve service. It would be cozy in her small rental, but she loved the idea of filling her home with friends and family.
The five days since the festival had been the happiest she could remember. The event had, by all accounts, been a huge success. According to the mayor, local businesses brought in more revenue in one weekend than in the previous holiday season in its entirety. Everyone Carrie’d spoken to had enjoyed the events she’d worked so hard to plan, and the renewed energy she felt within the town made all the hours of effort worth it.
Meredith had adopted out every animal she’d brought to the festival, which was amazing although Carrie’s house felt a bit too quiet without any fosters in residence at the moment.
Maybe it was time for her to think of adopting a pet of her own, one that got along with Daisy and Barnaby, of course. Her relationship with Dylan had shifted and deepened once again.
She’d been afraid that her proclamation of love would push him away. Although they hadn’t discussed those three little words and he hadn’t said them back to her, the way he held her close at night, like he never wanted to let her go, made her heart sing.
“I’ve got your pies ready,” Mary Ellen said when she caught sight of Carrie. The pastry counter was crowded with a long line of customers picking up last-minute treats for the holiday. Sunnyside had remained popular even when the town’s future seemed bleak, but there was a new energy within the cozy walls.
“Are you sure I can’t convince you to join us?” she asked as she took the brown paper sack from the woman. “It’s casual and I made an extra lasagna. There’s plenty to go around.”
Mary Ellen smiled. “Thank you, but I’m heading to Charlotte after the bakery closes to spend the night with my daughter and her family. My grand babies are two and four now. I want to be there for Christmas morning.”
“It must be hard not seeing them all the time.”
“Yes, but I was telling Danielle about all the new potential in Magnolia. And if it works out with one of the companies looking at the town for its headquarters, things will really change around here. She said they might even consider moving when the kids start school. She wants a real community feel for raising the girls.”
Carrie gave Mary Ellen a quick hug, joy rushing through her. This was exactly what she wanted for Magnolia, rebuilding the town in a thoughtful way that attracted young families and economic momentum.
She turned to leave then spotted Sam sitting at a table on his own, slouched over his phone with a scowl on his face.
“Hey, buddy,” she said as she approached.
He glanced up from the screen, and then his gaze darted away from hers, almost guiltily. “Dylan’s not here.”
“I see that. Merry Christmas Eve.” She took the seat across from him without waiting to be invited, doubting he would ask her to join him.
“Yeah,” he mumbled. “You, too.”
“I’m just picking up dessert for tonight. We’re going to have quite a feast.”
“Cool.”
He sounded about as enthused as he would be to a forced march through a hurricane. Carrie tried not to take offense.
“Shae will be there with her parents.”
“I heard. She messaged me.”
Carrie reached out and placed two fingers on the edge of his phone, moving it down to the top of the table. “Is everything okay, Sam?”
“Yeah, why?” He chewed on his bottom lip.
“Does Dylan know you’re here? He mentioned that you two were going to the beach today.”
“Yeah, but later.” His shoulders hunched up toward his ears. “If he has time after his stupid meeting.”
Curiosity pricked along Carrie’s spine. “What meeting?”
“He probably doesn’t want me to talk about his plans because he knows they make him look like a butt head.”
“Harsh,” she whispered, an unsettled feeling overtaking her curiosity. “It seems like whatever the meeting’s about is upsetting you. Does it have something to do with your parents?”
Sam shook his head emphatically, then pushed back a lock of too-long hair that flopped across his forehead. “It doesn’t matter what Dylan says. My dad would have never let this happen. He could be a jerk, but he cared about things other than the company.”
“Dylan cares about more than business,” she assured the boy. “He loves you and...” She stopped short of claiming he loved her. He cared about her and she thought he might actually