Small Town Christmas (Blue Harbor #4) - Olivia Miles Page 0,33
her, and her cheeks felt warm. She’d gone too far, acted “Christmas crazy” as her sisters used to joke, even though she knew they were only teasing.
“With my mother gone, sometimes those memories are all I have,” she explained.
Phil’s gaze was steady on hers, and she looked away, eager to change the subject. “But Georgie is definitely happy, that much is true.”
Hearing her name, Georgie called out, “Are you guys coming in? I need help with the lights!”
Cora exchanged a look with Phil. “Guess that’s our cue.”
They walked back into the living room, where already Georgie was starting to tear into the ornaments that Phil had bought from the store.
“Now, here’s a trick,” Cora said. “You have to start with the lights first.”
“I’ll do the honors,” Phil said gamely, and Cora sat back, not even twitching when they were clustered on some branches and sparse on others. The joy in Georgie’s eyes confirmed that the lights didn’t need to be perfect; they were perfect for her.
And wasn’t that what made Christmas traditions so wonderful? Each family had their own way of doing things.
Or at least her family did. Once.
Phil looked over to her, giving her a quizzical expression. “Everything okay? I mean, the lights aren’t as perfect as the trees in your store, but…”
Cora laughed. “The lights are perfect. It’s silly, really. My two older sisters made other plans for Christmas Eve and, well…it’s disappointing.”
To say the least. She’d been fighting back a pull in her chest all day, considered going so far as to just watch their beloved holiday movie on her own, tonight, maybe.
But then she remembered that Maddie would be counting on her, much the way they had all once counted on her to uphold their traditions.
“I’m starting to get the impression that Christmas is a big thing in your family.” Phil handed her an ornament, and Cora searched for just the right branch to hang it from.
She laughed. “Gee, I wonder what gave that away. But, yes, my mother loved Christmas. It was her favorite time of the year and she always made it beautiful and special. When she was gone, it was important for me to keep her traditions going. It made me feel like she was still with us in a way. Harbor Holidays allows me to do just that.”
Phil frowned deeply, and then cleared his throat.
Cora didn’t want to dwell. It made her sad, when Christmas was supposed to be a time of joy. “What about your family?” She hoped she hadn’t overstepped.
It was pretty obvious that Phil was a divorced, single dad, who didn’t make much of the holiday on his own, but she was curious about the Keatons, and what exactly had transpired that led to Phil coming back to town, alone, with Georgie. Why suddenly introduce her to Blue Harbor if his grandparents were now living somewhere else and closer to where he lived?
“Not unless you call eating at one of the most expensive hotels in the city as a big deal,” Phil said. He shrugged. “My parents liked to get out on to the town, go to parties, get dressed up. See and be seen, you might say.”
“And you?”
“Me?” He jutted his lip, as if he hadn’t considered it. “I always got what I wanted for Christmas. No complaints here.” He grinned, but his eyes fell flat.
Cora frowned at this, knowing that she would be miserable spending her holidays that way, thinking that Mrs. Keaton would be too.
“I guess the thing I like most about this time of year is that everyone is home.”
She was sure at least one of her sisters would have shot her a look for admitting to this. Sure, she was a homebody, everyone knew that, but wasn’t that what made Christmas so special? It wasn’t just about the lights and the gifts and the food. It was about the simple joy of being home, surrounded by those you loved the most.
Or, in this year’s case, maybe not.
They finished decorating the tree and then sat on the couch to admire it, Georgie sipping her hot chocolate, and Cora and Phil drinking their wine.
“I bet this tree is just as pretty as your tree, Cora,” Georgie said.
Cora sputtered on her wine. “Actually, I have a confession. I don’t have a tree of my own.”
Phil pulled back against a throw pillow, looking at her in mock horror. “But Christmas is just around the corner!”
“You have to hurry before they’re all gone!” Georgie insisted.