Not Just For Christmas

Carrie quickly made her decision and closed the menu. Lowering her gaze, she pushed thoughts of Value-X from her mind for the umpteenth time. Her worries kept intruding on the pleasant day she was hoping to have.

“You’d better tell me,” Vaughn said. His hand reached for hers and he gently squeezed it. “Something’s wrong.”

Apparently she hadn’t done a very good job of hiding her concerns. Rather than blurt everything out, she stared down at the tablecloth for a long moment.

“We learned this morning that Value-X is considering Buffalo Valley as a possible site,” she finally said. “Apparently they’ve already negotiated for a piece of land. I don’t need to tell you what that’ll do to our community.”

“It might be a good thing,” he said slowly. “Try to think positive.”

“If this is progress, we don’t want anything to do with it,” she muttered. Vaughn couldn’t possibly understand. She was sorry she’d brought up the subject. “We happen to like our town just the way it is.”

“It isn’t that—”

“We’re going to fight it,” she said confidently.

“How?” Vaughn asked. “Isn’t that a little like David fighting Goliath?”

“Perhaps, but like David, you can bet we aren’t going to idly sit by and do nothing.” Already plans had started to form in her mind. “Other communities have succeeded. We can, too.”

“You’re serious about this?”

“Damn straight I am.”

“Don’t you think you’re overlooking the positive aspects of a company like Value-X opening a store in Buffalo Valley? They have a lot to offer.”

Carrie glared at him. “You don’t get it, do you?”

“I guess not. Help me understand.” Vaughn leaned back in his chair, his expression serious.

“Value-X will ruin everything. We don’t want it, we don’t need it.” Carrie struggled to keep her voice even.

Vaughn studied her. “I imagine you’re a formidable opponent when you put your mind to something.”

“It isn’t only me,” she told him. “The entire town is up in arms. We haven’t come this far to let some heartless enterprise wipe out all our efforts.”

Vaughn frowned. “Value-X will mean the end of Knight’s Pharmacy, won’t it?”

That was only the beginning as far as Carrie could tell. “And AceMan Hardware.” She ran one finger across the tines of the fork. “The only business I can’t see it affecting is the Buffalo Valley Quilting Company.” Carrie shot him a look and wondered why she hadn’t thought of this earlier. “That’s it!”

“What is?”

“A quilt. It’s the perfect Christmas gift for your mother.”

Vaughn didn’t appear convinced. “A quilt?”

“They’re special. Hand-sewn, and you could go traditional or innovative.”

“How much are they?”

“I don’t know the full range of prices,” she said, “but if the quilt is more than you want to spend, there’re table runners and place mats and lap robes.”

“Hmm.” The idea seemed to take hold. “That does sound like a gift she’d enjoy.”

“I’m sure she would,” Carrie said. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of it earlier.”

“So how do I go about this?”

“If you don’t want to drive back to Buffalo Valley so soon, I could choose one for you,” she offered.

“Perhaps Mom should pick it out herself.”

“Great idea—and I know Hassie would love to see her.”

“I think it would do my mother a world of good to renew her friendship with Hassie.”

The waitress arrived and took their orders. Seafood linguine for her, lasagna for him. And a glass of red wine for each. “Hey, it’s Christmas,” Vaughn said with a grin.

He took his cell phone from his jacket and flipped it open. Within seconds, he had his mother on the line.

“What about tomorrow?” he asked, looking at Carrie.

“I’m sure that’ll be fine.”

“Hassie will be there, won’t she?”

Carrie nodded. “She’s scheduled to work in the morning, but she has the afternoon free. I’ll cover for her, if need be.”

He relayed the information to his mother, then ended the conversation and slid the phone back inside his jacket. Smiling at her, he said, “Thanks, Carrie.”

A warm feeling came over her, and once again she lowered her gaze. Vaughn Kyle—kind to old women and a thoughtful son. He was exciting and he was interesting and he made her heart beat furiously. She could only regret that he was heading back to Seattle so soon after Christmas.

Four

“I suppose you heard,” Hassie said when Leta Betts came bustling into the pharmacy late in the afternoon. The word about Value-X had filtered through Buffalo Valley, and the town was rife with speculation. Nearly everyone she knew had stopped by to talk it over with her, as though she had a solution to this perplexing problem.

“I don’t like it,” Leta muttered, walking behind the counter of the soda fountain and pulling out a well-used teapot. “Want me to make you a cup?”

“Please.” Hassie had filled prescriptions all afternoon, between interruptions, and she was ready for a break. She’d known that Leta would come by at some point; fortunately, there was a lull just now, which made it a good time to talk to her dearest friend.

“Where’s Carrie?” Leta found two mugs and set them on the counter.

“It’s her day off.”

“I heard she went to see Heath.”

Hassie had heard about that, as well. Carrie had a good heart and cared about this community with the same intensity as Hassie did. Once Carrie received her Pharm.D., Hassie had planned to turn the business over to her. That was before the threat of Value-X, however. If that threat became a reality, Hassie couldn’t sell the pharmacy, not in good conscience. In all likelihood the place would be out of business within a year after the big retailer moved in.

“It’s a shame, you know,” Leta murmured. She dragged a chair closer to the counter and perched on the seat. Leaning forward, she braced her elbows on the edge, sighing deeply. “Who’d have thought something like this would ever happen?”

Hassie shook her head helplessly. She’d worked so hard to save this town. And now, even if oblivion wasn’t to be its fate, a corporation like Value-X could make Buffalo Valley unrecognizable, could turn it into something that bore no resemblance to the place it had been. The place it should be.

“What are we going to do?” Leta asked.

Hassie sat next to her and assumed the same slouched pose. Leta was her friend and employee, and there wasn’t anything Hassie couldn’t tell her. But this situation with the conglomerate had her poleaxed. She was at her wit’s end. “I don’t know,” she admitted.

“We’ll think of something,” Leta insisted, and poured tea into the mugs. She set one in front of Hassie and then added a teaspoon of sugar to her own.

“Not this time,” Hassie said as she reached for the mug, letting it warm her hands. She was too old and too tired. A few years back she’d fought for her town with determination and ingenuity, but this new war would have to be waged by someone else. She’d done her part.

“This was how we both felt when we learned Lindsay had decided to return to Atlanta, remember?” Leta prodded.

As though Hassie would ever forget. At the last minute Leta’s son, Gage, had realized he’d be making the worst mistake of his life if he let Lindsay leave without telling her how much he loved her. As a result, Lindsay had not only stayed on as a high-school teacher, she’d married Gage. Leta was a grandmother twice over, thanks to the young couple.

“Value-X is too powerful for me.” A bit of research had revealed that the retailer was accustomed to exactly this kind of local resistance. They had their battle plans worked out to the smallest detail. Hassie remembered from the television exposé that the company had a legal team, as well as public-relations people, all of them experts at squelching opposition. Hassie knew the town council couldn’t afford any high-priced attorneys to plead their case. Even if they banded together, they were no match for the company’s corporate attorneys. They were cutthroat, they’d seen it all, done it all. According to the documentary, they’d won in the majority of their cases. Like it or not, Value-X simply overran a community.

“We can’t give up,” Leta insisted. She glared at Hassie, as though waiting for some of the old fight to surface.

It wouldn’t, though. Not anymore. Slowly Hassie lowered her gaze, refusing to meet her friend’s eyes. “It’s a lost cause,” she murmured.

“This doesn’t sound like you, Hassie.”

“No,” she agreed, glancing at her tired reflection in the mirror above the soda fountain, “but it won’t matter that much if I lose the pharmacy.”

Leta’s jaw sagged open. “Wh-what—”

“I should’ve retired years ago. The only reason I held on as long as I did is the community needs a pharmacy and—”

“What about Carrie?”

Hassie had been so pleased and grateful when Carrie had come to work as an intern. This was what she’d always wanted for the pharmacy. Years ago she’d expected her son to take over, but Vietnam had robbed her of that dream. The hopelessness of the situation settled squarely over her heart.

“I’m sure Value-X will require a pharmacist. Carrie can apply there.”

Silent, Leta stared into the distance.

“I’m tired,” Hassie said. “Valerie’s been after me to retire, move to Hawaii. … Maybe I should.”

“You in Hawaii? Never!” Leta shook her head fiercely. “I’ve always followed your lead—we all have. I don’t know what would’ve become of us if not for you.”

“Fiddlesticks.” Hassie forced a laugh. “Value-X is coming to town, and that’s all there is to it. We might as well accept the inevitable. Not long from now, both of us will be shopping there and wondering how we ever lived without such a store in town.”

“You’re probably right,” Leta returned, but her words rang false.

“Let’s just enjoy Christmas,” Hassie suggested, gesturing at the garlands strung from the old-fashioned ceiling lights. “What are your plans?”

“Kevin won’t be home, but he’ll call from Paris on Christmas Eve. Gage and Lindsay invited me to spend Christmas Day with them.” Hassie knew that Leta would take delight in spoiling four-year-old Joy and two-year-old Madeline.

“Bob and Merrily invited me over in the morning to open gifts with them and Bobby,” Hassie told her friend. They thought of her as Bobby’s unofficial grandmother. Early in their marriage, Bob and Merrily had lost a son—although not to death. They’d fostered a child from an abusive environment and had wanted to adopt him, but in the end, the California authorities had seen fit to place the boy with another family. It’d been a difficult time for the couple. Having lost a son herself, Hassie had understood their grief as only someone who’d walked that path could understand it. She’d tried to bring them comfort and the example of her endurance. Bob and Merrily never forgot her kindness, little as it was. Over the past few years, they’d become as close to her as family.

“You finally met Vaughn Kyle,” Leta said. “That’s definitely a highlight of this Christmas season.”

“Yes,” Hassie agreed, somewhat cheered. It’d been an unanticipated pleasure, one she’d always remember. In the hours they’d spent with each other, she’d forged a bond with the young man. Meeting Vaughn had left Hassie feeling closer to her own son, although he’d been dead for thirty-three years. Hard to believe so much time had passed since his death. …

“That was him with Carrie at the tree-lighting ceremony, wasn’t it?”

Hassie felt a small, sudden joy, sending a ray of light into the gloom she’d experienced earlier. “She’s spending the afternoon with him in Grand Forks.”

“It’s time she put the divorce behind her.”

Hassie felt the same way but didn’t comment.

“Do you think something might come of it?” Leta asked, her voice slightly raised.

Hassie couldn’t answer. Her hours with Vaughn had been taken up with the past, and she hadn’t discovered much at all about his future plans. She knew he’d been honorably discharged from the military and had accepted a position with a Seattle-based company, although he’d never said which one. Probably a big software firm, she decided. From what she understood, he’d be starting work after the first of the year. She felt it was a good sign that he’d come to spend two weeks with his parents.

“He’s been to town twice already,” Leta offered. “That’s encouraging, don’t you think?”

“I suppose.”

A small smile quivered at the edges of Leta’s mouth. “I remember when Gage first got interested in Lindsay. That boy drummed up a hundred excuses to drive into town.”

“Remember Jeb and Maddy?” Hassie murmured, her eyes flashing with the memory. These were the thoughts she preferred to cling to. Stories with happy resolutions. Good things happening to good people.

Leta’s responding grin brightened her face. “I’m not likely to forget. We hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him in months.”

“Years,” Hassie corrected. Following the farming accident that cost Jeb McKenna his leg, the farmer-turned-buffalo-rancher became a recluse. Hassie recalled the days Joshua had to practically drag his son into town for Christmas dinner. Then Maddy Washburn bought the grocery and started her delivery service. After those two were trapped together in a blizzard, why, there was no counting the number of times Jeb showed up in Buffalo Valley.

“Do you remember the day Margaret Eilers stormed into town and yanked Matt out of Buffalo Bob’s?” Leta asked, laughing outright.

“Sure do. She nearly beat him to a pulp.” Tears of laughter filled Hassie’s eyes. “Can’t say I blame her. Those two certainly had their troubles.”

Margaret had set her sights on Matt Eilers and wanted him in the worst way, faults and all. That was what she got, too. Not three months after they were married, Margaret found out that Matt had gotten a cocktail waitress pregnant. Granted, it had happened before the marriage, but Margaret had still felt angry and betrayed.

“Look at them now,” Leta said, sobering. “I don’t know any couple more in love.” She drank a sip of her tea. “If Margaret and Matt can overcome their problems, why can’t Buffalo Valley sort out this thing with Value-X?”

For the first time all week, Hassie felt hopeful. “Maybe you’re right, Leta. Maybe you’re right.”

Carrie sat down at the kitchen table and reached for the cream, adding it to her coffee. Even though she was twenty-seven years old, she found it comforting to watch her mother stir up a batch of gingerbread cookies. The house was redolent with the scent of cinnamon and other spices.

Her morning had been busy. After a lengthy conversation with Lindsay Sinclair, who’d been in contact with the Value-X corporate offices, Carrie had spent an hour on the Internet learning what she could about the big retailer.

“Did you have a good time yesterday afternoon?” Diane Hendrickson asked. She set the mixing bowl in the refrigerator, then joined Carrie at the table.

“I had a wonderful time.” She was surprised to realize how much she meant that. Lowering her eyes momentarily, she looked back up. “I told Vaughn about Alec.”

Her mother held her gaze. Carrie didn’t often speak of her failed marriage, especially not to new acquaintances.

“It came up naturally, and for the first time I didn’t feel that terrible sense of … of defeat. I don’t think I’ll ever be the same person again, but after talking to Vaughn, I knew I don’t want to be.”

Her mother smiled softly. “There was nothing wrong with you, Carrie.”

“That’s true, Mom, but I was at fault, too. I suspected Alec was involved with someone else. I simply preferred not to face it. The evidence was right in front of my eyes months before he told me. I don’t ever again want to be the kind of woman who ignores the truth.”

“You’ve never—”

“Oh, Mom,” she said, loving her mother all the more for her unwavering loyalty. “It’s time to move forward.”

“With Vaughn Kyle?”

Carrie had thought of little else in the past three days. “Too soon to tell.”

“But you like him?” her mother pressed.

She nodded. “I do.” It felt good to admit it. Good to think that her life wouldn’t be forever weighed down by a mistake she’d made when she was too young to understand that her marriage was doomed. Her husband’s betrayal had blindsided her. Outwardly she’d picked up the pieces of her shattered pride and continued her life, but in her heart, Carrie had never completely recovered. Alec had shattered her self-esteem. Somehow she’d convinced herself that there must’ve been something lacking in her; it’d taken her a long time to realize the lack had been his.

Carrie drank the rest of her coffee and placed the cup in the sink. “We spoke about Value-X, too, Vaughn and I. At first he didn’t seem to see how a company like that would hurt Buffalo Valley. In fact, he felt it might even have a positive effect. If so, I don’t see one. But he let me vent my frustrations and helped me clarify my thinking.”

“Will you be seeing him again?” her mother asked innocently enough.

“Most likely. He’s bringing his mother into town this morning. He’s buying her one of Sarah’s quilts for Christmas and thought she’d like to choose it herself.”

“What a thoughtful gift.”

Carrie didn’t mention that she’d been the one to suggest it. “They’re meeting Hassie later.” They hadn’t made any definite plans, but Carrie hoped to meet Vaughn’s mother. She was almost sure he’d stop by, either here or at the store; in fact, she was counting on it.

The doorbell chimed right then, and fingers crossed, Carrie decided it had to be Vaughn. Her mother went to answer the door.

“Carrie,” she called from the living room, “you have a visitor.”

“I hope you don’t mind me dropping by unexpectedly,” he was saying to her mother when Carrie walked in. Vaughn stood awkwardly near the door. He removed his gloves and stuffed them in his pockets.

“Hello, Vaughn.” Carrie didn’t bother to disguise her pleasure at seeing him again.

“Hi.” He looked directly into her eyes. “Would you be free to meet my mother? I left her a few moments ago, drooling over Sarah’s quilts.”

“I’d like that.” Carrie reached into the hall closet for her coat and scarf. “What did you think of the quilts?” she asked, buttoning her coat. She wanted him to appreciate Sarah’s talent.

“They’re incredible. You’re right, it’s the perfect gift for Mom.”

Carrie supposed she had no business feeling proud; the quilt shop wasn’t hers and she had nothing to do with it. But everyone in Buffalo Valley took pride in Sarah’s accomplishments. It was more than the fact that Sarah had started the company in her father’s living room. People viewed her success as a reflection of what had happened to the town itself—the gradual change from obscurity and scant survival to prosperity and acclaim. Her struggles were their own, and by the same token, her successes were a reason to celebrate.

“I wanted you to know how much I enjoyed our time together yesterday,” Vaughn said, matching his steps to hers as they took a shortcut through the park. “I appreciate the suggestion about the quilt. And I learned a lot about you—and Buffalo Valley. You helped me see the town in an entirely different way.”

“I was grateful you let me talk out my feelings about Value-X … and everything else.”

Vaughn’s arm came around her and he briefly squeezed her shoulder. There was no need to refer to the divorce. He understood what she meant.

“I talked to Lindsay Sinclair earlier,” Carrie said, changing the subject. “She phoned the corporate office and asked if the rumors are true.”

“I thought you said they were negotiating for property.”

“That’s what I told Lindsay, but she doesn’t trust Ambrose Kohn. She said she wouldn’t put it past him to let people think Value-X was interested in the property so Heath or someone else would leap forward and offer to buy it. He’s not exactly the kind of person to generate a lot of trust.”

“What did your friend find out when she talked to the corporate people?”

“First they said they didn’t want to comment on their plans, but when Lindsay pressed the spokeswoman, she admitted that Buffalo Valley’s definitely under consideration.” Carrie’s shoulders tensed. “Lindsay took the opportunity to let her know they aren’t welcome in Buffalo Valley.” When she’d heard about that part of the conversation, Carrie had cheered.

“What did the company spokeswoman say then?”

Carrie laughed. “Apparently Value-X’s official response is that according to their studies, a growing community such as Buffalo Valley doesn’t have enough retail choices.”

Vaughn snorted.

“That’s what I thought. They’re sending a representative after Christmas. This person is supposed to win us over and show us everything Value-X can do for Buffalo Valley.” She couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

“It wouldn’t hurt to listen,” he said mildly.

Carrie whirled on him. “We’ll listen, but having a huge chain store in town is not what we want. Joanie Wyatt’s already started a petition, so when the company representative arrives, he or she will be met with the signature of every single person in town.”

Vaughn said nothing.

“What Value-X doesn’t understand is that Buffalo Valley is a small town with small-town values and that’s exactly the way we want to keep it. If they move in, they’ll ruin everything that makes us who we are.”

Vaughn stopped in front of a picnic bench, cleared away the snow with his arm and sat down. “What about jobs? Value-X will offer a lot of opportunity to young people. I’ve heard repeatedly that farming communities are seeing their young adults move away because of the lack of financial security.”

“That’s not necessarily true, the part about Value-X bringing jobs. After I talked to Lindsay, I got on the Internet and did some research myself. I learned that most of the positions Value-X brings into a town are part-time and low-paying. They offer few benefits to their employees. The worst aspect is that they destroy more jobs than they create.”

Vaughn’s frown deepened.

“I apologize,” she said. “I didn’t mean to get carried away about our problems with Value-X.”

Standing, Vaughn still seemed deep in thought. “No, I want to hear this. It bothers me that the company isn’t listening to your concerns.”

“They don’t want to listen.”

“But you said they’re sending a representative.”

“Right,” she said with a snicker. “To talk to us, not to listen. They’re under the mistaken impression that we’ll be swayed by a few promises and slick words. They’ve decided we need to think bigger and bolder and stop acting like a small town.”

“But Buffalo Valley is a small town.”

Carrie gave a sharp nod. “Exactly.”

As they approached the Buffalo Valley Quilting Compay, Carrie noticed the middle-aged woman standing inside by the window, looking out into the street. When Vaughn and Carrie appeared, she smiled and waved, then pointed to the quilt on display.

Carrie waved back, silently applauding his mother’s choice.

Mrs. Kyle smiled. Her eyes moved to her son and then to Carrie; her expression grew quizzical. Carrie didn’t have time to guess what that meant before Mrs. Kyle opened the glass door, stepped out and introduced herself.

Barbara Kyle knew that when she agreed to accompany Vaughn into Buffalo Valley, she’d be seeing Hassie Knight. A meeting was inevitable. They hadn’t been together since the day they’d stood in the pouring rain as a military casket was lowered into the ground.

Following the funeral, she’d kept in touch with Vaughn’s mother. They’d called each other frequently. But despite the war, despite her grief, Barbara’s college courses had continued, and she’d had to immerse herself in a very different kind of reality.