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

  “I came to tell you something. Carol wanted to know if you were okay to have today’s meeting at the Kringle Kitchen so she can see Allie off?”

  Ben didn’t seem to really like the idea of the change. “It depends. I don’t know if Nan can spare me.”

  “Of course I can,” Nan said. “Go off to your stuffy old historical society meeting.”

  Katie’s ears perked at that comment. This might be just the break I need.

  “Bring back pie too.” Nan rubbed her hands together. “Would you? Please and thank you?” There was mischief in the tiny woman’s eyes.

  “Of course,” Ben said as his grandmother headed back around to sit at her desk.

  “Historical society, huh?” Katie moved closer to David and Ben. “Can I come along?”

  “It’s pretty much members only,” Ben interjected.

  What was so secret about Evergreen that they couldn’t let her listen in? “I see.” But not one to give up so quickly, she turned to David. “Do you know how one becomes a member of the Evergreen Historical Society?”

  “Yeah!” With no hesitation, he spilled the beans. “Just go to the meeting.”

  “Ah-ha!” Katie beamed, giving Ben a two-can-play-at-this-game look.

  “We’ve been trying to get more people to participate all year,” David said.

  “Great.” She walked toward the exit. “Lead the way.”

  David held the door for her.

  “Great,” she heard Ben say with a lot less enthusiasm from behind her.

  She stopped and took two quick steps back inside the library. David waited for Ben to move, but he just stood there. “Are you coming?” Before giving him half a chance to answer, she poked at him a little saying, “I don’t want to be late. I hear there’s pie!” She hurried out the door, hoping he’d follow, which he did. When Katie glanced back, Nan waved with a knowing smirk.

  Chapter Six

  Ben, David and Katie made the short walk from the library to the Chris Kringle Kitchen without much conversation.

  Ben wasn’t really sure if this woman flustered or fascinated him. And what was she really up to, anyway? He didn’t take kindly to people minimizing the good life here in Evergreen. It might seem old-fashioned to some, but it was a wonderful way to live. Each year, some reporter would show up to write some story about the town, and each time it ended up being a slap in the face. He knew writers were paid to write stories that sold papers, but making fun of people was not his idea of good journalism.

  He looked over at Katie. Her fair coloring and blond hair made her seem almost angelic. He’d been fooled by beautiful women before, though. Was it possible she was different?

  When they got to the diner, Ben held the door for Katie and David. He watched Katie eye the huge portrait of Santa that covered the wall on the right.

  She turned his way, an eyebrow arching slightly.

  He knew exactly what was going through her mind. Not named after Chris Kringle, huh? The larger than life-size painting had to be the size of the portraits of the presidents on display at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. Maybe the name was a little bit after the jolly old fellow too, but everyone around here knew it was a play on words because of the pastry they were known for.

  He saw Katie staring across the way.

  Okay, from her perspective, it might seem over the top. She was watching Nick, who looked just like Santa Claus, sitting at his usual table with the local artist who was freehand sketching a holiday scene.

  If he put himself in Katie’s place, he could see how it might look to an outsider. Maybe a little too perfect. His case for the town that this was legit and not some marketing scheme seemed a bit wobbly.

  Hannah rushed over to Katie. “Hey. Are you settling in okay at the inn?”

  “Yes. I am. Less than twenty-four hours in Evergreen, and I’m already joining societies.”

  “David has a way of getting people involved,” Hannah admitted. “This is great. We can always use a fresh point of view.”

  “I was willing,” Katie said with a laugh. She turned, and moved straight for the counter where the snow globe sat on a bed of fake snow. “Is this the famous snow globe?”

  Ben watched with amusement.

  “It is.” Hannah picked it up. “Do you want to make a wish?”

  “I do! Thank you.” Katie took the snow globe between her hands. She blew out a breath, then drew in another so deep, so hopeful. Eyeing Ben and then Hannah before concentrating on the snow globe itself. “I know there’s a second book in me, snow globe. Please don’t let me down.” She stared into the snow globe, closed her eyes and gave it a shake, holding it until the snow finally settled again. When she opened her eyes, she gave Hannah a resolute look. When she turned to Ben, he gave her a hopeful nod.

  “Magic,” he whispered playfully, hoping she was sincere in her excitement and at the same time that the snow globe granted her wish so she’d believe in it too.

  “I hope so.” She set the snow globe back down in its place of honor.

  Carol, owner of the Kringle Kitchen, walked over, carrying a tray of fresh-from-the-oven cookies. “I see we have a new face.”

  “We do. This is Katie,” Ben said. “She just arrived on the Evergreen Express yesterday from the city.”

  “Hi, I’m Carol,” the pretty blonde wearing a Christmassy red sweater said, “and that’s my husband Joe.” She waved to him to respond. He was much taller than Carol, and his glasses were just as red as her sweater.

  “Hello,” Joe called out from the table in the back as he waved.

  “Thanks for letting me crash your meeting.” Katie followed the others.

  Ben let the ladies finish their introductions, heading over to the table with the others for the meeting.

  “She a friend of yours?” Ezra asked him quietly.

  “No. Don’t know her, really. I bumped into her on the train yesterday. Turns out she’s a reporter of some kind writing a story about the town.”

  “Oh?” Ezra perked up, as he was known to do when a hint of publicity was in the air.

  Carol carried the tray of cookies over to the table, and Hannah sat down next to her nephew, David.

  “Come on. Sit.” Carol was still talking to Katie. “Join us.”

  “Glad to have you aboard.” Ezra motioned Katie to an empty seat at the long table. “Ben was just telling me that you’re writing about Evergreen.”

  Ben could feel his face go red. He hadn’t meant for Ezra to share that. Why didn’t I keep that comment to myself? He pulled out the chairs for Carol and Katie.

  She looked into his eyes, as if the gesture had been unexpected, but took the seat. Her eyes seemed even bluer up close.

  “Thank you.” Katie sat down and directed her response to Ezra. “Well, to be fair, I’m not entirely sure I’m writing about anything yet. But I’m collecting a few notes. I’ve been reading about this time capsule…”

  Ben sat down next to her. It hadn’t taken her two seconds to stir up old Evergreen lore.

  “Oh—whoa. We haven’t talked about that for a while.” Carol placed her palms on the table. “That one’s a mystery. Has been for years. Maybe some fresh eyes can help us figure it out.”

  Looking excited about the possibility, Joe’s glasses lifted on his face as his eyebrows rose. “And now we have two journalists for the price of one.”

  “Two?” Katie looked puzzled. “Who?”

  Ben pressed his lips together, trying to make it look like he wasn’t regretting Joe’s comment. He avoided Katie’s gaze, but he could feel it without even turning her way.

  “Well, you and Ben,” Ezra explained. “He has a journalism degree. He wrote for a paper in Chicago before coming back to—”

  “Okay.” Ben leaned his forearm on the table wishing he’d thought to ask Ezra not to
mention that. “Okay. It’s not a—”

  “He failed to mention a journalism background.” Katie turned in her chair, her back to him. “All right, bring me up to speed on this time capsule.”

  “Well,” Carol said. “My parents used to run this diner when it was just a bakery. And they were best friends with—”

  “My parents,” Hannah continued, “who, of course as I already told you, ran the town Tinker Shop.”

  “Which is also the town arts center.” Katie remembered from Elliott and Hannah’s discussion at the inn.

  “Yes,” Hannah confirmed.

  “When we were kids,” Carol said, “we’d always hear this talk about a Christmas time capsule, but then every time we’d ask our parents about it, they just kind of smiled and said ‘oh, you’ll know one day,’ but that day never seemed to come.”

  “Then a few years ago, we found this archive of newspapers and found this article.” Hannah flipped through papers in a folder on the table in front of David. “David’s been tracking it since he could read. We love puzzles.”

  “We do, and we’re good at them. We’ll have to tell you about the key to the bells.”

  “Later,” Hannah said. “That’s a whole other story. So, this time capsule…” She passed the old copy of the Evergreen Mirror across the table.

  The paper had only been a quarter back then. The headline in bold black ink read: “Evergreen Hit By Record Snow!” Below it, a picture of snow piled high along the power lines and fallen trees filled half the page. The article was titled, “Blizzard Blankets Evergreen.”

  Ben watched as Katie scanned the article. He knew the content by heart. As a kid, he’d once tried to solve that mystery too. There probably wasn’t anyone in town who hadn’t spent at least a little bit of time over the years trying to piece together if it was fact or fiction.

  “Yes,” Joe said. “The Christmas blizzard. Fifty years ago, a blizzard kept everyone in town for almost the whole month of December. And if you read right there. Down at the bottom…” Joe pointed out something in the article. “Read that, David.”

  “Some residents of Evergreen also passed the time by making a surprise time capsule to be opened in fifty years.”

  Katie put her hand on the date of the newspaper in the top right corner. A little quick math in her head, and her eyes widened. “Meaning this year?”

  “Uh-huh,” Hannah remarked.

  “The problem is, there haven’t been any other articles written,” said Ben. “No new clues uncovered.”

  “And our parents have passed,” Carol said with a shrug. “There’s really nobody who remembers anything.”

  “Nobody?” Katie looked skeptical to him, but then, he was a little too. He tried to squelch his mixed feelings about her. Since the divorce, she was the first woman to catch his attention. Then again, he had no plans to repeat that mistake. There was never a good reason to start something up with someone just passing through town, either. He knew better.

  “Well,” David added, “Nan said there might be another box to go through at the library.”

  “Keep at it, buddy.” Ben loved how tenacious David was about these mysteries. He’d solved the key to the clock in the church tower last year. If anyone could figure this one out, it would probably be him. “Is there anything else you’d like to discuss before the meeting?”

  “Oh yes, let’s start the meeting.” Carol jumped at the sound of a horn from out on the street. She glanced at her watch. “It’s Allie.” She turned to Katie. “She’s our daughter. Michelle is driving her to the…” She fanned her face, trying to stop the tears already puddling at the rims of her eyes.

  “Now, honey.” Joe lifted his chin. “We can be brave about this.” He stood from his chair. “Probably,” he said with a wiggle of his brows.

  Ben held the door as Joe jogged to catch up with Carol, who was already out at the curb calling Allie’s name.

  Allie’s red truck was parked out front. Michelle and Allie were hugging when Joe and Carol got there.

  Ben was excited for Allie. She and Ryan had really found something special.

  Allie spread her arms wide and announced. “The great world awaits.” She saw her mom and dad standing there. “Mom!” Allie hugged her tight.

  Joe patted her shoulder. “You tell Ryan and Zoey Merry Christmas.”

  “I will, and I’ll be back after New Year’s.” Her lips quivered at the edges of her smile. “Everything’s going to be fine. I promise. I mean…I hope.”

  “Oh, Allie. I love you.” Carol wrapped her arms around her. Joe joined in the group hug, as did Hannah.

  “Merry Christmas,” Allie said to Hannah. “I’ll bring you some croissants.”

  “Yes, please!” Hannah hung close with the rest, wishing Allie a good trip and heartfelt goodbyes.

  Michelle climbed behind the wheel of the truck, and Allie walked around curbside to get in. Everyone had joined there on the sidewalk, including Nick, who stopped Allie before she got to the truck.

  “Have a splendid adventure. I’m sure you’ll have safe travels and all kinds of Christmas surprises.” He opened the door for her with a twinkle in his eyes.

  “Thank you, Nick.”

  Nick closed her door, and Allie rolled down the window. “Okay, the moment of truth.”

  Michelle squeezed her eyes closed and twisted the key in the ignition.

  Ben knew the truck would start. Allie belonged with Ryan. That finicky truck had enabled the whole relationship from the get-go. Today would be no different.

  Joe stood behind Carol with his hands placed sweetly on her shoulders as she crossed her fingers on both hands.

  Everyone sort of held their breath, except for Katie, who wasn’t aware of the local lore and this truck…yet.

  The truck started, and everyone cheered. “I guess the truck says we’re a go.” Allie waved.

  “Bon voyage!” Hannah yelled.

  Ben raised his arm above his head and waved. They cheered as Michelle pulled away from the curb with Allie grinning ear to ear. “Joyeux Noël! Merry Christmas! Au revoir!”

  Chapter Seven

  Later, after they’d all gone back into the Kringle Kitchen and worked through the Evergreen Historical Society agenda, everyone packed up to go about their day.

  Ben still couldn’t help but wonder what Katie’s intentions were. An anxious swirl in his gut made him pause, though. It wasn’t like he hadn’t experienced nosy journalists before, but this reaction was different—more personal.

  He walked outside with her, stopping her before she crossed the street. “So, did you learn everything you needed about Evergreen?”

  She cocked her head to the side. “If I’m being totally honest, it all feels a little too good to be true.”

  There it was again. Her doubt agitated him. “Which part? I’m just curious.”

  “Well, first off, you have a guy who looks exactly like Santa Claus on vacation.” She pointed inside, where Nick was still sharing coffee and pie with the artist.

  “Yeah. Nick.” Ben knew how that looked. “He splits his time between Evergreen and—”

  “The North Pole?” she teased.

  “No.” The joke bothered him more than it should. “Burlington. He comes from Burlington for the month of December.”

  “Look. Fine. But come on, even your alleys are decorated for Christmas. I get it. I’m all for it. I mean, you have to put on a good Christmas show. It’s for the tourists.” She was being playful about it, even raising her hands into the air and spinning as she spoke.

  “No. It’s not that.” His jaw pulsed. “It’s not like that at all. We truly love the holidays, and it’s wonderful that people like to get out of the city and come here to Evergreen to enjoy a real Christmas.”

  “Wait-wait-wait.” She held her hand up, increasing the space betwee
n them. “Are you saying that city Christmases aren’t real?”

  “No. I’m not saying that.” Or am I? This isn’t going well. “I mean we’re not cynical here.”

  “Who says we are?” She tempted him with those pretty eyes, although right now they were carrying a bit of challenge too.

  Honestly, he hadn’t meant to accuse her or the city of being cynical. He dropped his hands to his side. What could he say that wouldn’t just dig him in even deeper?

  They’d gotten as far as the gazebo before he stopped her. He made an effort to keep his voice level and calm. “If you’re truly interested in Evergreen, it’s important to understand that we embrace this for real. I want you to experience the real Evergreen if you’re going to write about it.”

  Their eyes held for a long moment.

  Her smile softened, open to giving it a try.

  He relaxed a little, excited to experience it with her.

  A shrill scream, followed by the sound of something breaking, came from inside the Kringle Kitchen. Ben and Katie turned and raced for the diner. He entered first, with Katie on his heels.

  As the door shut behind them, they both came to a full stop just inside and gasped.

  You could’ve heard a pin drop in the Kringle Kitchen at that moment. All eyes were trained on the wooden floor at the entrance.

  Shattered glass and water had splattered across the floor in front of Hannah. Chunks of the heavy wooden base were strewn too. An evergreen tree lay on its side next to the horse drawn carriage, as if there’d been a terrible traffic accident. Even the church had been flung off to the side, lying near the counter in a precarious position, its steeple off to the side.

  Hannah stood there, frozen in place with her mouth hanging wide.

  Nick stood just behind her with Carol, Ezra and Joe looking on, all in a state of shock.

  David clutched his folder, tears in his eyes.

  With her hands straight out to her sides, fingers splayed wide, Hannah slowly raised her head. “I was just trying to make a wish.” She could barely get the words out.

  Ben’s muscles involuntarily tensed as he watched the woman process what had just happened.