secret.
Instead he nodded slowly. “It wasn’t on the list. She said that she wants to spend more Christmases like this with her father.”
Cora fell silent as she processed the magnitude of such a simple request. She could tell that Mr. Davidson was thinking the same thing as her. That of all the things in the world the child could have asked for, she was asking for something that shouldn’t really have to be asked for at all.
“Thank you,” Cora said, not yet sure what she would do with the information, but knowing that she should find a way to tell Phil, even though she was still a little worried that he might not fully understand. Or worse, take offense. He was sensitive about his relationship with his daughter, even if it had bloomed right before Cora’s very eyes. “The father is a bit of a Scrooge, you might say.”
“Tourist?”
Cora sighed as she popped open the last box of her ornaments. They were lovely, hand painted, and representing Italy.
“Actually, he’s the Keatons’ grandson.”
Mr. Davidson squinted at her. “But the Keatons loved Christmas!”
Cora could only shrug. “Guess they didn’t pass on the traditions.”
Which was exactly why she felt it was so important to keep her own alive. It would break her heart not to keep her mother’s thoughtful plans and dreams going. Luckily, thanks to the store, she didn’t have to. So long as she could keep sharing the joy of the season, she wouldn’t have to worry about her sisters moving on with their lives and holiday plans.
Phil and Georgie were proof of that.
“Don’t worry. I’m working on him,” she assured Mr. Davidson, and he laughed, a jolly sound, straight from the belly. He was a natural.
“Oh, I never had any doubt.”
From across the square, the children had started to notice the plush, deep red, velvet suit, and the signature white curly beard, and a cry went up as they began calling out to him, their excitement growing when he pulled up his belt and then lifted a white-gloved hand in a dramatic wave.
Cora chuckled. “You’re good at this.”
“You are too,” he remarked.
Cora smiled to herself as he walked away. She was good at this. And really, Phil was too. He just had to believe in Christmas. And in himself.
Feeling warmer than she had earlier, even without the assistance of a heater, she waved to Natalie who joined her to finish setting up the stand.
“Be sure to take some time off to enjoy yourself,” she told Natalie. Even though they would be busy, this was a special event that she wanted to enjoy.
“Thanks,” Natalie replied. She gave Cora a funny look. “I was hoping to enter the skating contest with Zoe. My mom offered, but I don’t want her slipping and breaking something.”
Cora laughed, thinking of the result of her father’s recent fall. “Don’t want her ending up with a caregiver like Candy.”
“She’s not so bad, though, right?” Natalie asked.
Cora thought about it. “Not bad. Just different.”
“Different isn’t always worse,” Natalie said. “And I should know. When I got divorced, I thought my life was over, but Zoe and I have made it work. Being in Blue Harbor helps, even if there aren’t many eligible men.”
Cora grinned. Not long ago, she was lamenting over this too. Still, Natalie had a point. Different was just different. Not necessarily better or worse. She’d try to remember that next time Candy tried to change the way her family usually did things. It would be a struggle, she knew.
She swept her eyes over the green, which had been covered in a blanket of white snow for weeks now, looking for a glimpse of a red pom-pom hat. Phil wouldn’t miss this event! He couldn’t. Georgie wouldn’t let him.
It wasn’t until Natalie had left and returned from the skating contest, a third-place ribbon proudly in her hand, and they had restocked their bestseller, glistening tree toppers shaped as stars, that Cora finally spotted Phil approaching her stand.
Her heart sped up and her stomach flipped and the little jab that Natalie gave her was nearly enough to knock her off her feet, had the snow been any slicker.
“You came!”
“Daddy had to work,” Georgie explained. “I hope we didn’t miss anything.”
“Absolutely not,” Cora said, deciding not to the mention the skating contest. There would be plenty more activities to keep Georgie happy.
And her happy too, she thought, deciding now was actually a good time to break away. The surge of traffic when the carnival opened had waned in