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

  Allie pressed her hands to her hips. “But if you need anything while I’m away, Dr. Myer’s in—”

  “Montpelier,” Hannah and Lisa sang out.

  “We know.” Lisa said Allie’s next sentence for her. “He’s looking after all of your patients.”

  Hannah added, “And if any cows go into labor, he’ll handle that too.” It was an inside joke from the year all the flights had gotten cancelled. That was when Allie had met Ryan, and they’d both been snowed in, so it hadn’t been all that bad. Allie had ended up with a new boyfriend, and Henry had ended up with Allie in town to bring his new calf into the world.

  “Ha ha.” Allie’s lips pulled into a fake pout. “Well? I can’t help it if I worry.”

  “We got this,” Hannah and Lisa assured the woman. “Don’t you worry one bit.”

  “And you also have my cell phone number,” Allie reminded them.

  “We do.”

  Hannah was almost sorry to have to release Brutus to Lisa, but she had pugs at home waiting on her attention, so she handed the leash to Lisa, who took it in her free hand.

  “And when Kevin’s back from the logging camp with Thomas, I’ll have help.” Lisa whispered into Max’s ear, “You’re going to love Kevin. He’s very nice.”

  “Are you sure you don’t mind?” Allie wrung her hands together. “I know this is asking a lot.”

  “You have got to stop worrying,” Lisa said. “You’re going to Paris. Come on. Ryan’s going to be so excited to see you there when he accepts that award. It’s the trip of a lifetime.”

  Joy twinkled in Allie’s eyes. “I know, but I’ve just never been out of Evergreen for Christmas and it will to be tough to say goodbye to my parents later and—”

  “And you always talk about how there’s a big world out there and you want to go see it,” Hannah reminded her. “Seriously, Allie. Go be with Ryan and Zoey. I’ve got the truck keys.” She jingled the keys to the famous red truck from her fingertips. “And I’ll feed your fish.”

  “That’s right,” Lisa said. “And I’ve got these two little boys. We’re going to have so much fun.” She dropped a kiss on the dog’s nose.

  Hannah stage-whispered to Allie. “You know she’s going to end up adopting them.”

  “Oh, yeah. A thousand percent.” The three of them laughed and although they were giving Allie a hard time, Hannah knew she’d miss her while she was gone.

  “Excuse me, I’m sorry to interrupt.”

  All three of them spun around to see a blonde with a suitcase at her side, trying to get into the store, which they’d unknowingly blocked in their dog detail huddle.

  “Not at all.” Allie stepped aside.

  “Hi.” Lisa set Max down on the ground and handed his leash off to Allie. “Sorry. Welcome to Daisy’s Country Store.”

  “Thanks. Are you Daisy?”

  “Ah, no, that’s a whole other story. Daisy was the original owner. I’m Lisa. I own the place now. I kept the name to keep the spirit of what she built here.”

  “That’s really nice.” She placed a hand against her heart. “I’m actually just looking for a phone charger—”

  “Just a charger?” Lisa asked. “You sure? Nothing else? Because we are just filled with all kinds of cute little quaint things made right here in Evergreen. Wonderful gift ideas, too.”

  Hannah held back a laugh as the stranger flashed her a look, locking eyes as if to say, Is she always like this?

  “See those hats over there? They’re really great. Right? Hannah, right here, made those hats!”

  “I did.” Still holding Brutus, Hannah offered up a finger wave.

  “For real, those hats are so cute,” Katie said, “but I, um—”

  Lisa pouted. “But like everyone else who comes into a general store, you’re looking for something practical and general.”

  “Lisa, don’t worry.” Hannah reassured her. “Tourist season is just around the corner.”

  “She’s right.” Katie lifted her left hand. “Actual tourist here.”

  “Be careful now,” Allie said. “A lot of people come here as tourists and end up as residents.” She thumbed toward Lisa.

  “It’s true.” Lisa raised her hand. “Actual resident. Let me go get you that charger.”

  “Thank you.” Katie watched Lisa skip off into the store, then turned to Allie and Hannah. “Do you guys happen to have directions to Barbara’s Country Inn?”

  “Yeah,” Hannah said. “I’m dropping off decorations over there in just a minute. Do you want a lift?”

  Katie’s eyes widened. “Wh—Are you sure?”

  “Of course. No problem at all.” Hannah jingled the keys to the red truck in her pocket.

  Allie offered Katie a knowing smile. “Welcome to Evergreen. People are a lot friendlier than you could ever imagine around here.”

  “I can see that.” Katie couldn’t help but shake her head.

  Lisa came back, carrying a few things. “All right, here’s your charger,” she said to Katie, then handed a box to Hannah. “And here are the decorations.” Then back to Katie again, she lifted a pretty striped toboggan in shades of pink and blue and handed it to her. “And the hat is on me. It gets cold in Evergreen. You’ll need it.”

  “Wow.” Katie held the hat. “Thanks. You guys really are nice. Thank you.” It was too warm for a hat today, Hannah thought, but it sure was a nice gesture.

  “That’s a terrible way to run a business,” Allie said to Lisa in a low voice.

  “Whatever. Be nice.” Lisa slapped at her. “It’s Christmas.”

  Allie’s giggle made it abundantly clear that she enjoyed poking fun at the newest business owner in town.

  “Come on.” Hannah carried the decorations over to Allie’s red truck with Katie dragging her suitcase behind her.

  “Very cool truck.” Katie stood there for a moment, checking it out. “Can I just set my bag on the floorboard here?”

  “Yep. Should slide right in.” Hannah slipped behind the wheel while Katie got situated, then slammed the door closed.

  Katie stood there, looking amazed, as Hannah climbed into the red pickup truck. “You even decorated the truck?”

  “Oh, yeah. It’s tradition,” Hannah said. “But it’s not my truck. It’s Allie’s.”

  “My brother would have gone crazy over this truck.” Katie stroked the metal dashboard. “He and my dad were always working on old cars. What year is this? A 1956?”

  Hannah shrugged. “I have no idea. It’s just part of Evergreen. It was Allie’s grandpa’s truck. Allie and I went to high school together. We used to beg her grandfather to let us drive this truck. Allie loves it, even if the truck is finicky sometimes.”

  “Sentimental reasons.” Her voice softened. “I get it.”

  “Whenever anyone needs a truck, she lets us use it.”

  “That’s really nice of her.” Katie laughed. “I feel like I’ve said that like a hundred times already. Everyone really is nice.”

  “Guilty as charged,” Hannah said with a wrinkle of her nose. “And proud of it.”

  The truck rumbled along, vibrating under their feet. It took less than two minutes to make a loop around the square and one turn to arrive in front of Barbara’s Country Inn. Hannah parked right in front, noticing the inn had transformed into a Christmas paradise since yesterday. A pretty wreath hung on the door, and even the garden trellis now seemed festive decorated with ribbon and decorations.

  “I feel like a dope,” Katie said. “I could have definitely walked this far.”

  “No way. I was coming here, anyway. It’s my pleasure.” She got out and came around to the other side of the truck to help the new guest. “You’re going to love this place.”

  Hannah watched as Katie got out of the truck and saw Barbara’s Country Inn for the first time. Katie
shook her head. “I honestly think I already do.”

  Hannah wasn’t sure if Katie meant Evergreen or the inn, but both were equally wonderful.

  Chapter Four

  Katie slid her suitcase out carefully to be sure she didn’t scrape the paint on the old truck. She knew how much effort went into the restoration of these old vehicles. Hopefully she’d see the truck around town again while she was here so she could snag a picture to send home to her brother. He’d be so jealous to have missed out on the ride.

  Hannah had already skipped around to the passenger’s side of the truck. “Got it?”

  “Yeah. Thanks.” Katie set the bag down and lifted the handle, but it wasn’t very easy to roll on the snow along the edge of the driveway, so she lifted it and carried it to the sidewalk, which had been cleared.

  A wooden sign painted in forest green hung from two slight chains on a tall wrought iron bracket with Barbara’s Country Inn in fancy white scripted letters.

  On the porch, two people passed garland back and forth around the tapered white columns on the front of the Craftsman-style house. Gray stacked stone covered the bottom of each post to the handrail, which offset the deep burgundy house paint. The inn had welcoming curb appeal.

  “Hey! Hannah!” A good-looking guy stepped from around one of the porch columns. His close-cropped curly hair accentuated his big brown eyes. “You’re just in time for the lights.” His smile was playful, and he couldn’t take his eyes off Hannah.

  “Great. I brought some more snowflakes for you, and a couple of other things you can use inside or out.” She walked up the sidewalk, stopping just short of the front steps. With her chin tipped up toward the man in a big smile, she introduced her. “Katie, this is Elliott. He runs the arts center in town.”

  “Hey, Katie.” He ran down the steps toward her. “Hannah, I told you, I’d like to keep calling it The Turner Tinker Shop.”

  “And that’s sweet of you, but it’s an arts center too.” She turned to Katie. “The Turner Tinker Shop used to be my parents’ store, where everyone in town used to go to get things repaired.”

  “I reopened it.” Elliott chimed in. “And I still like fixing things. Plus, there’s so much history in the name.” He turned his focus to Katie. “You should stop by and see it, Katie. I just set up a new area for crafts, and a glassblowing studio.”

  “Wow,” Katie said. “There’s a lot going on in this town.” People thought New York was busy, but this place had more action per capita hands down, and she hadn’t even unpacked yet.

  Hannah’s gaze never left him. Katie could feel Hannah’s appreciation for what Elliott was building. They were so cute together.

  “Plus, the rumor around town is the place has something to do with a secret Christmas time capsule.” Elliott winked.

  “A Christmas time capsule?” Katie wondered when the amazement would end. “Really?”

  “Really,” Hannah said with a sheepish grin. “Actually, I think that’s the town’s longest-running rumor. I used to hear my parents talk about it when I was a kid, but it’s one of those things that people really aren’t sure actually exists.”

  Katie liked Hannah’s honesty. “Well, as rumors go, I’m sure that one is pretty good for tourism. Like the snow globe or that mailbox.”

  “Those aren’t rumors. The snow globe and mailbox…they exist,” Hannah said with all seriousness.

  “You mean to tell me you believe in the snow globe granting wishes?” How gullible did these people think she was?

  “Oh, I most certainly do. I’ve seen it in action,” Hannah said.

  Katie wasn’t about to argue with yet another Evergreen resident who seemed to believe in Christmas magic, but someone was crazy, and she was pretty sure it wasn’t her. Then again, if she did run across that snow globe, it couldn’t hurt to make a wish just in case. If that snow globe grants wishes, that would make one bestselling novel!

  From up on the porch, a woman called out, “A little help?” She struggled with an armful of garland already adorned with silver ornaments. Definitely a two-person job.

  “Oh! Excuse me. I’m helping Megan.” Elliott touched Hannah’s arm before acknowledging Katie. “Welcome to Evergreen.” He took the stairs two at a time to the rescue.

  Katie wished someone looked at her the way Elliott had just looked at Hannah. “You two are the cutest couple.”

  “Huh?” Hannah stepped back as if what Katie had just said made no sense at all.

  “You two.” She pointed toward Elliott up on the porch.

  “Oh. Us? A couple? No. We’re just friends,” Hannah insisted. “That’s it.”

  “Oh. Sorry. The smiling and the banter and the back and forth…y’know, just the overall demeanor. I thought—”

  Hannah gave an insistent, “No.”

  “Okay.” She wasn’t buying that at all.

  “Common mistake, but we’ve been friends since we were little. He runs the arts center, and he’s way too handso—Busy. We’re both very busy. Let’s get Megan to check you in. Shall we?”

  Katie caught the stumble over Hannah’s words. That girl was more interested than she was letting on. From here, it was more than obvious. She watched Hannah trip over herself trying to deny it all the way to the steps, where Elliott stood smiling at her. This was adorable. “Sure. Let’s get me checked in.”

  “Megan,” Hannah called up to the porch. “You have a guest. Who needs—you need to check her in.”

  Katie wasn’t buying Hannah’s act that she was completely unaware of a little something between her and Elliott for one second. She followed her onto the porch, and before they got inside, all the lights in the garland and on the house came on at once.

  Elliott stood there proudly with the cord in his hand, smiling.

  Hannah lit up as bright as all of those lights. “Ahhh. It’s so pretty.”

  His smile broad, he nodded, clearly pleased with himself.

  Katie was pretty sure by the look on Elliott’s face that he was thinking something like, And so are you, Hannah.

  Friends? Sure.

  “Come in.” Megan opened the door.

  Katie followed her inside.

  Inside, the warmth from the brick fireplace in the living room washed over them. It felt so good after being in the cold damp air, and the room smelled good, too—like fresh-baked goods and Christmas. Tiny white lights blinked on the tree in the corner of the room, the light dancing off of dozens of clear glass ornaments. Fluffy white hydrangea and deep red poinsettias, almost the color of the exterior of the house, peeked from between the branches. Gorgeous golden ribbons swept in and out of the limbs from bottom to top in a flourish beneath a beautiful white feather-winged angel.

  Megan pulled a card with Katie’s name on it from the card file on the desk. She handed her a barrel key on a ring in the shape of the sign out front.

  Katie admired the old key. “How pretty.”

  “Thank you. We’re so glad to have you here at Barbara’s Country Inn. You’re in the Holly room. It’s one of my favorites. I think you’ll be very comfortable in there. The light is wonderful in the afternoon. I’m Megan. My sister owns the place. Welcome again.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Katie said. “I’m looking forward to my visit.”

  “It wouldn’t be a B&B without breakfast. You’ll find everything you need to know about that on the desk in your room. If you’ll just leave the slip on your doorknob before you go to bed tonight, or bring it down and drop it off here anytime, we’ll take care of that. We host a gathering every night here at the inn with hors d’oeuvres and desserts. I call it Meet and Mingle, because it’s not just for the guests—locals stop in too.” Megan’s face was animated as she spoke. “I love how people always find common ground. It’s so lovely. I hope you’ll be able to squeeze in at least one night with us, but I understand with so much g
oing on.”

  “It sounds wonderful.”

  “Good. There’s a complete calendar in your room of things to do in Evergreen during your stay. It’s right next to the complimentary basket of goodies.”

  “You’ve really thought of everything.”

  “We try.” Megan stepped around the desk. “Can I help you with your bag?”

  “No, thank you. I can manage.”

  “Upstairs. First door on the right.”

  Katie climbed the wooden staircase to the second floor. Just as Megan had said, the Holly room was right at the top of the stairs. Evergreen, Spruce, Poinsettia and Mistletoe were the names of the other rooms she could see from here. She rolled her bag on the wooden floor. The door to the room was propped open, so she brought her bag inside and closed the door behind her.

  It was much bigger than she’d expected. She had plenty of room to work. Delighted, she left her bag sitting where it was and toured through the room. Chairs in front of the windows and a desk against the wall offered two great options to nestle in for writing, should inspiration strike. The bed was covered in layers of fluffy linens of red and white. Two pillows were wrapped like presents in front of the heaping pile of fancy pillows. A huge poinsettia took up the better part of a round table in front of the window. The king-size bed looked so comfortable with the pillows piled on top that she was half tempted to forego unpacking and stretch out for a long nap. Maybe even until tomorrow.

  She laid on the bed face down and let the quiet hang around her for a moment before turning over and staring at the ceiling.

  As much as she wanted to just lie there in the pretty room and absorb the joyful environment, it nagged at her that she’d kind of left Mom hanging when her phone had died. Mom was probably wondering what the heck was going on. She got up and plugged her phone in, and set up her notebooks, pens and laptop on the desk. A tiny red glass vase held a single sprig of holly. She tapped the edge of her finger against one of its bright-green pointed leaves. The berries were so glossy they didn’t look real. Just like the rest of the town, it seemed too perfect to be true. Yet it was. She shifted the tiny bud vase, letting the sprig lean as if pouring inspiration toward her workspace.