Tidings of Joy: Based on a Hallmark Channel original movie Read online

  Table Of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Cranberry Crostini

  About The Author

  Sneak Peek of Wrapped Up In Christmas Joy

  Christmas in Evergreen: Tidings of Joy

  Copyright © 2020 Crown Media Publishing LLC

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereinafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Print ISBN 978-1-952210-01-3

  eBook ISBN 978-1-952210-02-0

  For more about the movie visit:

  https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/christmas-in-evergreen-tidings-of-joy

  Chapter One

  Way up north, nestled in the heart of Vermont, there’s a little town called Evergreen. Some say it’s so far north that on a clear day you might be able to catch a glimpse of Santa’s workshop in the North Pole.

  Evergreen beckons tourists from all over. Many come just to see its famous magical snow globe that sits in a place of honor in the Chris Kringle Kitchen, owned by Joe and Carol Shaw. People come from far and wide to give that snow globe a good shake and make their wish, then drop a letter to Santa in the big red mailbox in the middle of town square. If they’re lucky, they might even catch a glimpse of the old red truck, decorated with garland and bows, delivering Christmas trees to the locals.

  A winter wonderland of sorts, most any winter day you’ll find Evergreenians skating on the pond as the Evergreen Express, appropriately numbered 1225, brings new visitors from the city to town for a proper dose of holiday cheer.

  Only five passenger cars long, the train rides sold out well in advance. And although most of the people boarding the Evergreen Express in New York City this morning were visitors eager to see if all the hype about the small town was for real, Ben Baxter was just trying to get back home.

  The bright red Evergreen Express stood out against the other trains in the station.

  Ben grasped the shiny brass rail and climbed aboard. As he walked down the aisle to choose a seat, he noticed a pretty blonde in a burgundy sweater taking pictures of the inside of the train so enthusiastically he could almost hear “Deck the Halls” playing inside her head.

  Thoroughly enjoying herself, she leaned back to get a better angle of one of the wreaths. She clicked off another picture with her smartphone, probably posting it to social media right now. Tap-taptap-tap-tap. She looked pleased with herself, and her smile pleased him.

  Fresh garland draped the interior of the train from end-to-end above the windows, leaving the scent of fresh pine hanging in the air. Twinkling white lights reflected in the red-and-gold Christmas ornaments. Festive. Beautiful. Every detail had been addressed, right down to a cheery red velvet bow at the end of each aisle of seats in the historic train. The Evergreen Express could probably even tempt Scrooge out of a bad day.

  The train, over one hundred years old, had been restored to its original glory about fifteen years ago. Ben could still remember the weekly news reports about the project. The tongue and groove two-inch wooden plank flooring had been refinished by hand, one board at a time. It’d been a painstaking process, but even today the pine that lined the walls gleamed as if it were brand new. The original bench seats, positioned face-to-face from the days when the train had traveled in both directions on the same track, had been reinstalled, but thankfully they’d chosen to update them to add a little cushion for the guests.

  For a split second, Ben considered sitting across from the perky blonde, but instead he turned and took a seat a couple of rows forward, facing the direction the train would be running.

  Ben glanced across the station at the other trains lined up waiting for passengers. He wondered why someone hadn’t taken the initiative to attempt some type of nod to the holiday on any of the other trains. Not a wreath or a bow to be found. They seemed quite bah humbug sitting there, void of colorful decorations.

  He considered himself lucky to be aboard the 1225 to Evergreen this morning. He slid a hardcover novel from his briefcase, put on his glasses, and settled in to pass the time on the nearly six-hour ride.

  “All Aboard for Evergreen, Vermont!” The announcement boomed with authority across the platform.

  And with that, the train whistle blew, and the train lurched and pulled away from Penn Station right on time, headed for the snowy hills of Vermont. Through the city and suburbs there wasn’t much to see, but the closer they got to Vermont, the prettier it became.

  Ben lowered his book for a moment, letting his imagination wander while enjoying the view. The clickety-clack of the wheels on the tracks changed pitch as they entered the tunnel. In the darkness, the festive lights seemed even more magical.

  On the other side, tall pine trees laden with snow seemed to curtsey along both sides of the tracks, a welcome sign of what was ahead. High above the valley, the train chugged over the bridge that crossed the river. Against the icy backdrop, puffs of smoke guaranteed the folks tucked away inside the homes dotting the hillside were warm and safe.

  Black cows dotted the bright white fields as the snow continued to fall.

  Imagining how hard it must’ve been for the pioneers working their family farms in this valley during the harsh winters, he was thankful for the modern amenities of today.

  Then again, maybe he was more suited to that time. He still couldn’t believe how he’d blown that job interview today. Sure, they’d been impressed by his portfolio of work, but they were right. None of his bylines were current. He’d have to prove he still had those journalistic chops if he was going to work in that field again.

  He wrestled with the idea of resuming his career at the paper. He’d loved that job, but he loved helping Nan at the library too. And the kids were great. Helping them bond with books, find power in story, it was so satisfying.

  Maybe the universe was trying to tell him something.

  A photo click from a phone, followed by another and another came from behind him. He was so tempted to turn around to see her
again. Self-conscious, he smoothed the back of his hair.

  He heard a moan, followed by a grumbling from behind him. “Really? Low battery already?”

  The age of technology, he thought with a laugh. He didn’t even have to turn around to see who the complainer was. It was a wonder her phone had lasted even this long. She’d been taking pictures the whole ride.

  He’d never personally understood why people were so obsessed with taking pictures from their phones. While concentrating on that tiny screen to capture the moment, they missed it real-time and life-sized altogether. Sometimes it was better to just open your eyes and be present. Those memories were the ones that’d last.

  A moment later the woman walked down the aisle with her phone charger in hand. Just as he was about to let her know there wasn’t a charging station, the train jostled, throwing her off balance right into him.

  Ben dropped his book and reached out to break her fall.

  “Oh, wow!” She juggled a magazine, her phone and that phone charger, practically plugging it right into his nose.

  “Are you okay?” He steadied her by the elbow. Taking off his horn-rimmed glasses, he set down his book and smiled.

  She waggled the phone charger in the air. “I’m so sorry. I was just…uh…looking for a plug.” The train pitched again.

  “Sit,” Ben said, motioning to the seat across the aisle from him. “Good luck with that. This train’s been running since way before anyone needed to plug anything in.”

  “Oh, yeah. I guess that makes sense.” She studied her surroundings. “This is authentic? It’s incredible. Look at all the decorations. It’s the Polar Express combined with the Hogwarts Express and ended up the—”

  “Evergreen Express. We do a pretty good job of spreading Christmas cheer.”

  “We?” Excitement danced in her eyes. “Are you from Evergreen?”

  Ben couldn’t hide his pride. “Born and raised.”

  “Wow. I’ve been reading a lot about it. It’s been getting a lot of press.” She whipped out her copy of Vermont Traveler magazine, opening it to a dog-eared page, which she began quoting from. “With a world-renowned Christmas Eve festival, Evergreen, Vermont remains a must-see destination for anyone seeking the magic of the Christmas season.”

  “All true.” His playful side-glance, he offered no apology. Those things were what he loved about his hometown. “People have a hard time believing it, because at first glance, the articles make us all seem like we’re wandering around under the spell of some kind of peppermint gas leak and we’ve lost our Christmas-addled minds.”

  “Like this?” Katie held up the magazine article. “You have five Christmas tree farms. Not tree lots, but farms?”

  “The town is in a pine forest,” he explained. “They grow almost as fast as we sell ’em.”

  “A local coffee shop called the Kringle Kitchen?”

  “Yes, but it’s not named after Santa Claus.”

  “Or is it?” She narrowed her eyes.

  “No, really, it was originally a bakery that made kringle—”

  She raised her hand to stop him mid-sentence. Her voice went up an octave as she went on. “—that also has a snow globe said to grant Christmas wishes.” She rested the magazine in her lap, then shifted her gaze toward him, eyes narrowed with a crooked smile.

  Even he was amused. “Okay. Yes. But. The snow globe draws a lot of tourism. And it—” He paused, unable to hold back a laugh. “I get how it sounds, but that snow globe also sort of works?”

  She rolled her eyes. “It grants your wishes?”

  “I mean…kind of? Not mine specifically, but people I know. Yeah.”

  She didn’t look the least bit convinced, but she didn’t seem offended either, and the bottom line was no matter how cynical she seemed at the moment, she was headed for Evergreen. In a few hours, she’d see and experience it all firsthand.

  She pressed her lips together, and he could tell before she even opened her mouth that she was getting ready to come out with a zinger. Here it comes.

  And she didn’t let him down.

  Sitting straighter in her seat, she cocked her head and grinned. “So does the town just magically disappear after Christmas, only to reappear at the first snowfall?”

  “Like Brigadoon?” Did she really think the musical reference joke would be lost on him?

  She responded with a resounding, “Yes!”

  “No. They’re the next town over.” He remained deadpan, enjoying the challenging banter. “We’re rivals because we do fewer musical numbers than they do. But our football team is much better.”

  “Good to know.” She pushed her hair back over her shoulder.

  Not only pretty, but smart. He was glad to have landed the joke. Not everyone got his sense of humor. “I’m Ben. Baxter.” He extended his hand across the aisle.

  “Katie Connell.” She shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

  “You too.” He could feel his cheeks reddening, but he couldn’t help it. Her playfulness was fresh, enjoyable. “So, what brings you to Evergreen?”

  “Some time off. I had a busy year. I published a novel a few years ago, and since then, I’ve been working on some freelance assignments, and I’ve been doing a lot of reading. When I heard about your town, I thought I should come check it out.”

  She’s a writer too. They might actually have something in common, or she could be one of those journalists looking to make fun of Evergreen. It happened all the time. Curious which camp she fell into, he leaned back in his seat. “So, are you also going to be writing about this place?”

  “No, you know, I plan on experiencing Evergreen,” she answered almost too fast. “At some point I have to start working on my second novel, and I think it might be good for me to take a break. Clear my head. Change of scenery.”

  As the train rounded the next corner, he pointed out the window. “You’re in luck, because scenery is something we do have.”

  A flicker of excitement played on her lips as she twisted in her seat to get a better view. She lifted her phone, momentarily forgetting she was nearly out of battery. “Oh, wow.” She gasped, taking in the view of the evergreens against the mountainside’s glistening snow.

  “We’re almost there.” Watching her take it all in was like seeing it again for the first time himself.

  “I can’t wait.” Katie hugged her things to her chest. “It’s gorgeous.”

  The Evergreen Express slowed, its whistle blowing as they inched along to a stop at the train station in Evergreen, Vermont. The depot was small, but with two chimneys puffing white smoke, even with the rooftop covered in snow, it seemed cozy and inviting. Decorated with the same garland and wreaths as the inside of the train, it appeared as if Santa’s elves had been hard at work here too.

  The train conductor announced, “Last stop, Evergreen, Vermont.”

  Ben let Katie leave ahead of him.

  She rolled her bright blue suitcase to the door, and the porter carried it down the stairs. “Thank you.” She grabbed one of the brass rails to steady herself down the steps, extending the handle on her bag. Stepping out of the way, she seemed a little lost as she merged into the throng of locals bundled in their winter coats, hats and scarves, anxiously searching for familiar faces.

  Ben exited right behind her with his briefcase, glad to see her slow down and turn back with a smile.

  “Wow, would you look at this?” She lifted her hands out as if she might catch the tiny snowflakes floating to the ground around them.

  He couldn’t help but enjoy her excitement. “Can I offer you a ride to town?”

  “Oh, thanks, but everything I’ve read mentions it’s a beautiful walk.”

  “It is a nice walk.” Surprisingly, he was disappointed she refused. He thought their interaction had been fun. Even borderline flirty. Wishful thinking. Shaki
ng it off, he pointed behind him. “So, the center of town is pretty much that way, and that’s where all the action takes place.”

  “All right.”

  “Okay. See ya.” He turned to go to his car, feeling the teensiest bit of rejection.

  “I guess, uh…” He turned just in time to see her do a playful jazz hands as she said, “Merry Christmas!”

  Everyone around her responded with a rousing “Merry Christmas!” that practically knocked her off her feet.

  “Oh! My goodness,” Katie said. “Wow.”

  “Welcome to Evergreen,” he said. If that surprised her, she would be in for a real eye-opener after spending a little time here.

  She was still juggling her big leather tote bag for her ringing phone.

  It’d be nice to run into her again. Maybe even over hot chocolate and a fresh kringle at the Kringle Kitchen one morning.

  In a small town like Evergreen, it wasn’t a stretch to think they would bump into each other.

  And with that, a mental list of ways to improve those odds ticked off in his mind.

  Chapter Two

  Katie finally silenced her phone as she pulled it out from the depths of her tote bag. With her feet firmly planted in the middle of this overwhelmingly Christmassy town, she answered it. “Hey, Mom.”

  “Katie, hi. You made it okay?” Mom had probably been tracking the train and knew the second it had arrived here in Evergreen. That woman had a plan for her plans.

  “I did. I just got off the train. I’m walking toward town this very minute, in fact.” In the distance, a jazzy version of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” played. She sucked in a deep breath of fresh winter air.

  “Is it wonderful?”

  “The air smells like pine. There’s a light snow falling. Not gonna lie, I already feel pretty relaxed. Everything okay there?” She grabbed the handle on her suitcase, her other hand holding her phone to her ear while rolling her bag down Main Street.

  Mom gave her a play-by-play of her day so far, which wasn’t all that uncommon. They talked all the time, but Katie didn’t need all of Mom’s aggravations seeping into her vacation-time, and it was already stealing her Christmassy vibe.