The Lodge on Holly Road

“I have something for my favorite innkeeper,” he sang, holding out a huge holiday floral arrangement.

“You’d better not let Ann Marie or Gerhardt Geissel hear you say that,” Olivia cautioned with a smile. Although, knowing Kevin, he said the same thing when he delivered floral arrangements to them.

He grinned and winked. “I can see you’re all ready for Christmas here at the lodge.”

“Of course we are. It’s my favorite time of year.”

“This place could be a movie set,” he said with a dramatic sigh. “Olivia, you are the queen of Christmas.”

“Well, if I’m the queen, then you and Heinrich are my princes. I look forward to your lovely arrangements every year. Please tell him that.”

After a few more pleasantries, Kevin was on his way to flatter more of the residents of Icicle Falls, and Olivia took the arrangement over to the kitchen counter and removed it from its box. As she’d expected, it was a feast for the eyes with red and white roses, delicate ferns and baby’s breath. Candy canes bloomed inside the big red ribbon bow wrapped around the vase. Gorgeous.

She didn’t have to read the card to know it was from Eric but did, anyway, just so she could delight in the message. “Merry Christmas to the world’s best mom. Love, Eric.”

She pulled a tissue from her sweater pocket and dabbed at eyes that had suddenly grown misty. She had such a wonderful son. She was so lucky that he’d opted to stay in Icicle Falls and help her run the lodge. As if that wasn’t enough, every year he sent her a Christmas bouquet. He’d been doing it for fourteen years, ever since George died. At first the arrangements were small and simple, fitting a young man’s budget, but as he’d gotten older they’d gotten more elaborate. And more expensive.

The door from the reception area opened and he walked in.

“Look what came,” she greeted him.

“Well, whaddya know. I guess Santa came through again.”

“Santa Son,” she said with a smile. “They’re lovely. I wish you wouldn’t be so extravagant, though.”

“You’re worth it,” he said, stopping to kiss her on the cheek before going to the refrigerator to forage for lunch.

“There’s leftover potpie,” she said. As if he didn’t know; as if that wasn’t what he was looking for. It was one of his favorite meals and she made it for him on a regular basis.

“Got it,” he said, pulling out the casserole dish. “So, has everyone checked out?”

“All but our last guests. I haven’t seen them yet.”

“The couple with the baby? They just left.”

“Well, then, that’s it until our Christmas guests start arriving. I’ll get their room and the Braxtons’ cleaned after lunch.”

He shook his head. “Why you gave Morgan time off the day before Christmas Eve I’ll never understand.”

“Because we don’t usually have that many rooms to clean. She can have a break and we can save some money.”

“We don’t need to save money anymore. And it would be nice if you didn’t kill yourself right before the Christmas rush.”

“Cleaning two rooms isn’t going to kill me. I’m not that old yet.”

Her son wisely didn’t argue the point.

She fingered a red rose. “I’m glad we’ve got so many people staying with us for the holidays.” Having other people to think about made it so much easier.

“Yeah, we’ve got plenty this year.”

“It’s going to be wonderful,” Olivia predicted.

“As long as we don’t get any more Braxtons,” Eric said. “I hope you didn’t give him a refund.”

“Did he ask you for one?”

Eric nodded. “Ran into me in the upstairs hall. Please tell me you didn’t give in to that jerk.”

Olivia shrugged. “Fifty percent off.”

Eric shook his head. “You’re too soft, Mom.”

“Well, it’s Christmas.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to humor jerks like Braxton.”

“I couldn’t bring myself to be as small as him, not at Christmas. Anyway, he’ll get what’s coming to him. We all do at some point.” And sometimes people got what they didn’t deserve, like losing a spouse. Olivia shooed that thought away. “Heat me up a little of that potpie, will you? Then I’m going to get those rooms cleaned and finish my shopping before the day gets away from me,” she said, forcing cheer into her voice. “Can I pick you up anything?”

“Nah, I’m fine. And I’ll clean the rooms. I’ve done all my outside work for the day and I need something to do.”

He was always working, but she decided to let him have his way.

“All right, then, you’re in charge,” she said when lunch was done and she was ready to leave for the store. Actually, he was pretty much in charge even when she was at the lodge, which left Olivia free to enjoy cooking for their guests. What would she do without him?

It was a question she asked herself a lot lately. She wanted her son to find a nice woman and settle down, but so far no one in Icicle Falls had fit the bill. What if Ms. Right lived somewhere far away and didn’t want to move to Icicle Falls? Olivia wasn’t sure she could run the lodge alone, wasn’t sure she wanted to. But she hated the idea of closing it. It had meant so much to George. And to her.

What will be, will be, she told herself. Meanwhile, she had a lot to be thankful for. Eric was here, helping her. And Brandon, her baby, would be coming home for Christmas. Both her boys at the lodge. It was going to be a perfect holiday. Well...almost perfect. As perfect as it could be without George.

Once at the Safeway, she got busy picking up the items on her grocery list. Her friends Pat Wilder and Ed York had come in to get some lunch at the deli and she stopped to visit with them for a few minutes. Honestly, those two acted more like infatuated teenagers every day, she thought as she made her way to the produce department.

She realized she was suddenly feeling slightly Scroogey herself. She could have blamed it on the grumpy Mr. Braxton but she knew the real reason. Still, it was better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

Probably better to quit hanging mistletoe around the lodge, too.

No, no. People needed to celebrate. Someone would make good use of that mistletoe, even if it wasn’t her. She made a quick detour to the baking aisle, grabbing some chocolate chips and more flour. When she got home she was going to bake cookies.

* * *

Eric had dinner with his mom, then left her finishing up a knitting project and enjoying some old Christmas movie on TV to go meet up with his pals for a pre-Christmas beer fest at Zelda’s, a favorite hangout for locals and tourists alike.

He found the place brim full of holiday cheer and people. A tree dressed up in pink ribbons and lights greeted visitors when they came in and the bar was decorated with silver tinsel and bells. The cocktail waitresses all wore Santa hats. So did half the customers.

Eric went over to the table where Bubba Swank and Rob Bohn were waiting for him. They hadn’t waited to order, however, and had both already made a dent in their beers. Bubba raised his in salute. “Merry Christmas. Got your shopping done?”

“Of course,” Eric replied. “Unlike you slobs, I don’t leave it till the last minute.”

“You also don’t have anybody but your mom to shop for,” Rob said.

His mom and his brother, but it didn’t take long to buy iTunes and Bavarian Brews gift cards. “Yeah? And who’ve you got to shop for besides Ivy?” Eric retorted. Rob and Ivy had a couple of kids, but Eric knew who bought the presents for them, as well as all the other people on their Christmas list.

“My parents,” Rob insisted. “And my brothers.”

“And you buy their presents? Not your wife?”

Rob was silent, and Bubba gave a snort.

“So, you going to Seattle to see Gina?” Eric asked Bubba.

“First Christmas with the girlfriend,” Rob put in. “I’m betting that’s a yes.”

Bubba frowned at his beer. “Actually, that’s a no.”

“Uh-oh,” said Eric.

“Uh, you still have the girlfriend, right?” asked Rob.

Bubba shook his head. “She broke up with me day before yesterday. By text.”

“Seriously?” Of course, breakups happened all the time, but Eric was surprised to hear about this one. Bubba was a nice guy, good-looking with a six-pack and the kind of strong jawline that seemed to draw women like a magnet. He owned a big place on Mountain View Drive and had a successful business. Plus he was a great guy. If Bubba couldn’t hang on to a woman, what hope was there for someone like Eric, who wasn’t exactly calendar-boy material and who worked running his mom’s lodge?

“That’s harsh, man,” Rob said. “How come?”

“She said she didn’t see it going anywhere.”

“Which meant she didn’t want to move,” Rob deduced.

Bubba nodded. “I think that’s about it.”

“I guess she doesn’t know what a gold mine Big Brats is. Did you tell her you’re a millionaire?”

Bubba shook his head again and took a long swig of beer. “Only a half millionaire. She can probably do better in Seattle.”

“I doubt it,” Rob said. “But that’s the problem when you get involved with tourists. They come up for some laughs and then they return to their real life. You were good enough to flirt with, hang out with this summer, but when it came right down to it...”

“I guess I should’ve known,” Bubba said with a shrug.

“Yeah, you should have,” Rob said. “Drink local and date local.”

“First you gotta find someone local,” Bubba said. “We can’t all meet a cute little cheerleader in high school and live happily ever after.”

Now Rob wasn’t looking quite so happy.

“Uh, you guys are okay, aren’t you?” Bubba asked.

Rob smiled but it seemed forced. “Sure. We’re okay.”

“Yeah?” Eric wasn’t buying it.

“Okay, we’ve got some shit going on. Well, I’ve got some shit going on.”

Rita Reyes was at their table now, ready to take Eric’s order. “Merry Christmas, Eric,” she said. “How are things at the lodge? Are you guys full up?”

“Not quite,” he said. “There’s still time to make a reservation for Christmas dinner.”

“Someday I’m gonna treat myself and do that. Your mom’s Christmas dinners are legendary. So, what can I get you?”

“Hale’s Mongoose.”

“I’ll have another,” Rob told her, and she nodded and hurried off. “There’s a fine-looking sugarplum,” he said, admiring the view as she threaded her way among the tables.

“Hello,” Bubba said, tapping him on the head. “Married man?”

Rob frowned.

“So, what’s going on with you two?” Eric asked, returning them to the subject at hand.

Rob contemplated his beer. “Sometimes I wonder if, aw, I don’t know. I think we got married too young.”

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of leaving Ivy,” Eric said.

“I don’t know,” he said again. “Sometimes I feel like I missed out somehow.”

Eric couldn’t believe his ears. Rob and Ivy were the perfect couple. In fact, he’d envied his old high school buddy. Rob seemed to have the perfect life. He’d married into a great family, and Christmas Haus, the shop he and Ivy owned, was a gold mine. It was originally called Kringle Mart, and they’d recently changed the name and doubled their business. In addition to sitting on a gold mine, he was married to a pretty woman who was about as nice as they came. A perfect life, a perfect marriage. If Rob couldn’t make it, who could?

Lately, Eric had been feeling the pull toward marriage. It seemed as though all his friends were happily paired off, either married or in a serious relationship. Well, it had until tonight.

“You’re nuts if you leave,” he told Rob.

“Yeah, probably,” Rob agreed. “But I wish I’d stayed single like you, man. Your life is your own. You can do what you want. All of that, plus good home cooking.”

Who was he kidding? Eric’s life was tied up in running the lodge and watching over his mom. Yeah, the home cooking was great and there was nothing else he’d rather do than run the lodge, but living with your mom didn’t exactly make for a great sex life.

“Yeah, right,” he said. “My life’s so great, that’s why I’m hanging out with you two—who, by the way, are a real pair of downers.”

“Love can be a downer,” Rob said morosely.

Rita was back with their beers. Just in time because Rob had swilled all of his. He lifted up his glass. “Okay, guys, here’s to the new year. Let’s hope it gets better.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Eric said. And better for him would include a woman. He was getting tired of his bachelor existence, tired of things not working out. His younger brother didn’t seem to mind going through women like candy but Eric did. He was ready to settle down.

Except if someone in a practically perfect marriage like Rob could be discontented, if a nice guy like Bubba couldn’t hang on to a woman, what chance did he have? And where was he going to find Ms. Right? Date local, great idea. But he’d tried the local girls and nothing had come of it. He’d even expanded his search to nearby Wenatchee and that hadn’t panned out, either. Was he too picky?

No, he decided. It wasn’t picky to want what his folks had. They’d been so happy. Maybe that was some older-generation thing. Maybe it didn’t work that way for people his age anymore. Who knew?

All he knew was that hanging out with his friends should have put him in a good mood and instead they were a holiday bummer.

Never mind, he told himself. Santa’s still alive and well, and it’s Christmas in Icicle Falls. Your life’s not so bad.

But hey, Santa, if you’re listening, it could be better.

Chapter Four

I’ll Be Home for Christmas

“What do you mean you won’t be coming for Christmas Eve?” John Truman’s mother demanded.

John had not been looking forward to this conversation, which was why he’d put it off to the last possible minute. “I’m doing something with Holland.”

“With her family?” his mother asked suspiciously. When it came to Christmas and her kids, Mom didn’t like to share.

“No. Just the two of us. But we’ll be back Christmas Day.”

His mother harrumphed. “That’s all well and good, but it’ll just be us on Christmas Day. What am I supposed to tell the aunts and uncles, and your cousins? And Ben’s bringing his fiancée, too.”

As if John hadn’t already met his big brother’s girlfriend a million times. Anyway, if all went according to plan, he’d be showing up on Christmas Day with a fiancée of his own.

When he shared this with his mother, she wasn’t all that excited. “So, you’re going to do it.”

“Yep. We’re driving up to Icicle Falls tonight to stay in this really cool B and B and I’ll propose on Christmas Eve. Then we’ll come by the house on Christmas Day and show you the ring.”

There was a long moment of silence on his mother’s end. “Well, John, we love you and you know we’ll welcome her into the family.”

And that was as much as he was going to get out of his mother. She and Holland hadn’t quite warmed to each other yet. Mom thought Holland was self-centered. Translation: Holland didn’t always want to go along with Mom’s social plans for the family. Holland thought Mom was controlling. Translation: Holland didn’t always want to go along with Mom’s social plans for the family. They were both strong women but John knew they’d really come to love each other. Eventually. Once Mom got over the idea that Holland wasn’t good enough for him.

All moms thought that about their kids, right? Except she loved his brother’s fiancée, probably because Margo fell right in with everything Mom wanted to do, from impromptu family picnics to Father’s Day barbecues. But Holland had a family of her own, and an important job at a Seattle ad agency. She had a social life, too. She had girlfriends, and a book club, and that all took time. And she and John had friends. They couldn’t necessarily drop what they were doing and come running whenever Mom called. That was what Holland said when she balked at Mom’s latest plans for family (and girlfriend) solidarity. Fortunately, she’d never said it to Mom’s face, or there would’ve been hell to pay.

“I just hope you know what you’re doing,” his mother added.

Oh, yeah. Feeling the motherly support here. “Thanks, Mom.”

“You haven’t even been together a year.”

“Eleven months.” Close enough. And they’d known each other before then. They worked in the same downtown building and had hung out at lunch sometimes.

“And you two did have that rough patch,” she continued.

“Everybody has rough patches, Mom.” He remembered his parents doing their share of fighting when he was in grade school. “Anyway, that was months ago.” He and Holland had worked things out since then. Okay, so they still had a fight once in a while. Every couple had disagreements, right? “We’re fine now.” And they were going to have a great time up in Icicle Falls, where he’d booked them a room at the kind of classy place Holland would love, with a fancy lobby and fireplaces in the rooms. Oh, yeah. It was going to be totally romantic. He had everything planned out. A late dinner at one of the local restaurants, shopping the next day, followed by a romantic sleigh ride and maybe some skating in the outdoor rink in the town square. Then, after Christmas Eve dinner, he’d whip out the ring he’d bought, get down on one knee and ask her to marry him. After that they’d have champagne in their room, get a fire going in the fireplace and heat up the sheets. Oh, yeah. Holland was going to be blown away.

“I just don’t want to see you hurt,” his mother said.

Had his mother been a wet blanket in another life? “What makes you think I’ll get hurt?” He wasn’t an idiot, for crying out loud.

Another silence on the other end of the line. “Honey, sometimes you’re not...”

“Not what?”

“Not very realistic.”

Okay, sometimes he was an idiot. But how could he have known Sarah Schoop was out to use him? Okay, so she’d gotten him to buy her a few expensive presents. He hadn’t minded. He liked being generous. Maybe he liked being obtuse, too. He and Sarah would probably still be together if his mother and sister hadn’t done an intervention after his sister overheard Sarah asking him to pay for her boob job. They’d explained that Sarah loved him only for his 401k. Yeah, Sarah was a mistake. But he was older and wiser now. Once a guy passed thirty, he developed a little more discernment. And one thing he knew—Holland didn’t need to use him. Well, except as a sex toy.

“You need a woman with a good heart,” said Mom.

“Holland has a good heart.”

“I’m sure she does...somewhere.”

“Mom,” John said sternly, “you’re talking about the woman I love.”

“Don’t remind me,” she said.

“Okay, I have to go,” he said, pissed.

“All right, but what am I supposed to tell the family tomorrow?”

“Tell them that the next time they see me I’ll be engaged.”

That didn’t make his mother happy but it sure made him smile.

He was barely off the phone with Mom when his smartphone rang. This time it was the love of his life. “Hey,” he said. “I’m just leaving to pick you up.”

“Yeah, about that.”

Oh, no. His mind latched on to the image of a building getting whacked by a giant wrecking ball. He could practically hear the crack and crumble of his carefully laid plans. “What?”

“I have to work late.”

Two days before Christmas? Was she working for Ebenezer Scrooge?

“You go on up and I’ll meet you there.”

Oh, yeah, take two cars to a romantic getaway. “No way. We’ll wait and go tomorrow morning.” He’d paid a good chunk of change for the room but so what?

“No, you may as well have fun. Just go on up.”

How was that supposed to be fun without her? Here he was, planning to sweep her off her feet, and instead she was pulling the rug out from under him. “I’m not going up without you. That’s lame.”

“No, it’s not. Anyway, you paid for the room. You might as well use it.”

“It wouldn’t be the same without you. I’ll wait and we can go up later, after you get done at work. I’ll drive. You can relax.”

“There’s nothing relaxing about the way you drive,” she informed him.

John frowned. Honesty was important in a relationship, but sometimes Holland was too honest, especially when it came to his flaws. “Thanks a lot,” he muttered.

“Come on, John. Don’t be like that.”

“Like what?”

“All disappointed and grumpy.”

Kind of hard not to be disappointed. He’d had this all planned, and she’d known about it for a month. Since when was she so gutless that she couldn’t tell her boss she couldn’t work late?

“It’s been a sucky day. I just want to get a good night’s sleep in my own bed,” she continued, further bruising his ego.

Yeah, God forbid she’d want to cuddle up to him. They were serious, an item. Weren’t they supposed to want to be together?

“So I’ll see you up there tomorrow. Where are we going again?”

“The Icicle Creek Lodge,” he said, but not grumpily. He was not grumpy.

“Okay, see you there,” she said, and ended the call.

No matter what Holland said, he wasn’t going to go off and start their romantic getaway alone. “This reeks,” he grumbled as he tossed his phone onto the seat next to him and drove home.

Home was a one-bedroom apartment in Seattle’s Belltown. He guessed he’d find some Bruce Willis movie on Netflix and kick back with a beer.

And let that room at the Icicle Creek Lodge sit empty?

Yeah. That was the gallant thing to do because what kind of turd-brain went off and started a romantic weekend without his girlfriend?

A pissed one.

The car was all loaded with the champagne in the trunk, along with his suitcase. And, as Holland had pointed out, the room at the Icicle Creek Lodge was paid for. So, he could go home to his apartment and sit around feeling grumpy or he could go on up to Icicle Falls and check in to a really cool place, get everything ready for when she came up tomorrow. Hmm.

No, it didn’t feel right.

Still, he’d already paid the money. He called Holland again.

“What?” she snapped.

“Are you positive you don’t want to go up tonight? I’ll give you a back rub when we get there,” he promised. Holland loved his back rubs.

“No, I don’t. I’m not sure when I’ll get done and I’m tired from having to come in early. And I told you, I had a sucky day. I’ll see you up there tomorrow. Okay?”

Well, there was no reason to get snappy. Oh, except for PMS. And if that was what was going on he’d be better off letting her get a good night’s sleep.

“Fine,” he said, a little snappish himself. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow,” she said in a quasipatient tone of voice, as if she was dealing with someone who was a severe trial.

He knew when to give up. If she wanted to take two cars and waste gas, fine. “Okay.” He wanted to urge her not to take all day getting up there, but then he remembered that possible PMS thing so he didn’t. Instead, he said, “See you when you get there.” He added, “I love you, babe,” but she’d hung up. Well, he was the more romantic of the two of them. Weird, but there you had it.

He was also the thriftier of the two, probably because he didn’t make as much as she did. There was nothing wrong with being thrifty, and hey, if she was determined to bring her own car, then he’d go up tonight.

He turned toward I-90, brought up Pandora and got the Christmas music going. Once he hit Icicle Falls he’d maybe enjoy a late dinner at Zelda’s restaurant, where he’d planned to take Holland, just to check it out. And wish she was there.

She’ll be there tomorrow, he reminded himself. And then everything would go according to plan.

He made good time until he neared Snoqualmie Pass. Then the sleeting rain that had started around Bellevue turned to snow and traffic slowed down. There was a veritable logjam of cars in the spot designated for putting on chains, and with the way the snow was coming down, he could see why chains were required. Maybe Holland wouldn’t want to deal with that. Damn. He knew he should have waited and come up with her.