Cowboy’s Christmas Bridesmaid (Trinity Falls: Icicle Christmas #8)

13. Valentina

13

VALENTINA

V alentina moved around her apartment, cleaning and dusting—just as she did each day after work.

Her apartment never really got a chance to get very messy, but the ritual calmed her spirit and helped her make the transition from work time to relaxing at home, even if she normally brought at least a little work home.

Besides, she loved the fresh pine scent from the wood cleaner she used on the floors. Today it was blending with the spice of the cinnamon candle she had burning on the kitchen counter—making the whole place smell like Christmas.

She thought again about getting a tree for her little space.

She peeked out her front window at the snowflakes drifting down, and saw there were fewer trees for sale on the lawn outside the library. But the big town tree was right there. When it was lit up, she would be able to see it from the window .

And she could see Tanner and Zeke’s lights from the bathroom window.

She had spent the last few days alternately telling herself not to think about Tanner Williams, and indulging in wild fantasies where he actually kissed her in the middle of the Christmas light display.

He wasn’t going to kiss me, she tried telling herself again.

But she was pretty sure he’d been thinking about it. The way he had held her, so gently, like she was something precious, his eyes on hers like he was trying to read what was written on her soul, before they slid down to her mouth.

And then the whole garden had lit up all at once.

Just thinking about it made her smile. It was like magic—like the universe had stepped in to shine a spotlight on the fact that they were perfect together.

No, she reminded herself sternly. We both work for Mr. Radcliffe and it’s not right to think of Tanner that way.

But she was having a hard time not thinking of him almost constantly. And it wasn’t like she could avoid him when they were about to head over to the Webb family’s farm together to meet everyone and to talk with Lucy Beck about the Co-op Grocer’s.

Valentina knew she should be looking forward to having a frank conversation with Lucy about whether there was anything lacking at the Co-op.

But honestly, she was just excited to see Tanner and Zeke again. This wouldn’t be like going to Cassidy Farm and watching the seven-year-old dash from activity to activity, showing her everything he could do, and everything he thought she would like. It would be nice to have a quiet evening with a big family.

She missed her big brothers more and more lately. Maybe that was Tanner and Zeke’s effect on her. All that jubilant male energy reminded her of her brothers’ childhood antics. They had roped Valentina into their silly pranks more often than not, and her mom always scolded them for being a bad influence on their little sister. But looking back, Valentina also remembered her mom trying not to smile as she did.

Mom liked having her included back then, and she was finding that she liked to be included now too.

She wiped down the kitchen counters and blew out the candle before heading to her room to grab some clothes to put on after she showered.

Sadly, she didn’t have a lot of casual options. Most of her wardrobe was either work clothing or cozy pajamas. While she searched clearance racks and doubled up on coupons for work clothes that looked professional but didn’t cost an arm and a leg, Valentina treated herself when it came to warm pajamas for hanging out at home—after all, they weren’t nearly as expensive. Her current favorite was a fleece set in a red and white Nordic print that made her think of candy canes.

She grabbed a pair of dark jeans and a camel-colored sweater and laid them on the bed before heading into the bathroom for a quick shower.

Once the water was steamy warm, she got in. From inside her bathtub, if she went up on her toes, she could just see out the small, high window that overlooked the lawn between the two apartment buildings.

The decorations there weren’t lit up yet, but they would be soon. The garden still looked so cheerful, especially with the early snow blanketing the whole lawn. She wondered how much happier the residents in both buildings felt each time they walked past and saw the display. Some tenants even had windows that faced the garden. She imagined it would be lovely to look out at the brilliant holiday sight.

She showered quickly and was dressed and ready by the time her doorbell rang, making her heart skip a beat.

It’s not like that, she tried to remind her heart.

She grabbed her bag and headed downstairs to find Tanner outside waiting with Zeke by his side.

“Hi, Valentina,” Zeke said before wrapping his arms around her waist. “I’m glad to see you.”

“I’m glad to see you too, Zeke,” she said, hugging him back.

When he let go, she felt tears prickle her eyes, though she had no idea why. It was just awfully nice to be hugged by Zeke Williams.

“Ready to see Timber Run?” Tanner asked, his deep voice as calm and gentle as always.

“Yes,” she said as they headed to his truck. “I hear it’s one of the most interesting houses in Trinity Falls.”

“Where did you hear that?” Tanner asked.

“Caroline over at the library,” she told him.

“Well, Caroline’s right,” he said, opening the passenger door for her and offering her a hand to get in.

She didn’t really need it, but she loved the way it felt when his hand enveloped hers, warm and comforting.

The three of them talked about their day all the way to the Webbs’ farm. Mostly, Zeke told them about the Winter Party plans Mrs. Hastings had for the class. From what Valentina could tell, they weren’t exactly having a party for Christmas or Hanukkah, but based on the treats Zeke told them the different kids were bringing in, at least those two holidays would be represented by delicious offerings from home, maybe even more.

“Are you going to a Winter Party, Valentina?” Zeke asked suddenly.

“Well, not really,” she told him. “But I always have a video call with my family on holidays.”

“I can bring two grownups to my holiday party,” Zeke said, a hopeful note in his voice.

“I’ll bet they’re supposed to be from your family,” Valentina said.

“I’m sure Valentina can’t take time off work,” Tanner said at the same time.

Valentina laughed nervously, uncertain whether she was relieved that Tanner didn’t want her there, or hurt, or both.

“Oh,” Zeke said sadly. “I’m sorry, Valentina.”

“That’s okay,” she told him. “You can tell me all about it afterward, next time we see each other.”

“Here we are,” Tanner said, pulling his truck down a long drive.

“Oh,” Valentina said, catching sight of what could only be Timber Run. “Oh, wow.”

She had privately thought it was a little silly for a house on a farm out in the country to have a name. But seeing the elegant wood and glass of Timber Run rising out of the hillside, she could see instantly that she had been wrong.

“Now, Mrs. Webb is a little particular about her wood floors,” Tanner said. “So we’ll all give our shoes a good wipe on the porch and then take them off as soon as we go in, okay?”

“Yes,” Zeke said seriously.

By the time they all got up to the porch to wipe their shoes, Valentina was more eager than ever to see the inside of the house. Even through two inches of snow, she could see that the porch decking was set at a diagonal angle, and beautiful poinsettias were displayed on a small table. The whole place felt so deliberately simple and beautiful.

“Welcome, welcome,” Leticia Webb called to them as she opened the front door. “Come on in.”

Rich, savory scents drifted out of the house, as well as the faraway sound of Christmas music.

“We’re still in the kitchen,” Leticia said. “But make yourselves at home.”

“Thank you for having us,” Valentina told her as they all came in and slipped off their shoes on the pretty rug next to the door. “I’ve always wanted to see Timber Run. Everyone says you had a big hand in its design.”

“I’m no architect,” Leticia replied, her face lit with delight at a chance to talk about her home. “But Simon and I worked with an architect from the city, and he allowed me to put my touches on it. Then the Esh family built the structure.”

She knew that name. Mr. Esh and his family were Amish, but Valentina was learning that they did a lot of building in Trinity Falls.

Since Mr. Radcliffe was mostly just replacing roofing, HVAC, and electrical, they hadn’t needed anyone for a big building project yet. But one look at the gorgeous woodwork at Timber Run made her determined to reach out to them if the opportunity ever came up.

“It’s exquisite,” Valentina told her. “The ceilings are so high.”

“They’re no fun to dust, let me tell you,” Leticia said, shaking her head in mock dismay. But she was clearly tickled.

Ashton Beck, Lucy’s husband came up, shook Tanner’s hand, and the two of them headed to the kitchen. A little boy who Valentina thought might be Kellan’s son, ran up and grabbed Zeke’s hand, leading him to the kitchen too.

“I’ll just show you to the dining room and Lucy will be right out with some tea and appetizers so you two can chat,” Leticia said, leading the way.

“Oh, wow,” Valentina sighed.

The whole back wall of the house was floor to ceiling glass, revealing the woods beyond. In the summertime it was probably just a soft haze of green, but right now the bare, silvery branches wore only a mantle of white, allowing a beautiful view of the creek and the snowy bank.

“This is what Simon promised me when he proposed,” Leticia said fondly. “If I would come and live on the farm with him, he would give me a modern home with a view of those woods in the back.”

“I’m so glad you said yes,” Valentina murmured, drinking in the view.

“Me too,” Leticia said with a smile. “Don’t tell him I said so, but I would have married him even without the pretty house.”

“Valentina,” Lucy called to her as she came out of the kitchen carrying a tray.

“Let me help you with that, sweetheart,” Leticia said, hurrying over to her.

Valentina watched them unload a teapot and two pretty earthenware cups as well as a wooden cutting board with cheese and rectangles of rustic bread.

“Oh, wow,” Valentina said. “This looks amazing.”

“Well, you won’t remember what you talked about if you don’t have a little snack,” Leticia said, patting Lucy’s head absentmindedly as she headed back to the kitchen. “Enjoy, girls.”

“Thank you so much for doing this, Lucy,” Valentina told her. “I shop at the Co-op, but I’ve never known much about it. How does it work? Is there anything that would make it better?”

She took a breath and tried to remember to pace herself.

“Well, I guess it’s easiest to start with the history,” Lucy said with a smile. “Now all this is before I was born, obviously. But when Tom Dudek, my manager, was a kid, he remembers when his dad and a couple of other people in town started the place.”

“Oh, wow,” Valentina said.

“They would take turns accepting deliveries of fruit, vegetables, grains, dairy, meat, poultry, and so forth from the local farmers early in the mornings,” Lucy said. “And they also took turns driving Bennett Harbrook’s van into the city for the things we couldn’t get around here. The Co-op didn’t have everything back then, like it does now. But it had a lot.”

“It sounds like a real adventure,” Valentina said, privately wondering how they had possibly worked out costs and reimbursements.

“It was a labor of love back then,” Lucy said. “As Tom says, it was actually cooperative. Now most folks just pay the one-time investment if they want to help out, and they get their discount on Tuesdays and certain specials in exchange. And workers like me are paid to do the rest. And anyone can come and shop, not just the members.”

“I’ve seen calls for volunteers though,” Valentina said.

“Oh, yes,” Lucy said with a smile. “People do come and help out from time to time with all kinds of things. The community has been really good to us.”

“The reason I wanted to chat with you is that Mr. Radcliffe has some land up near where the highway will be coming in,” Valentina said. “You know he’s putting a deed restriction on each sale that makes it impossible to convert the properties for commercial use.”

Lucy nodded. Everyone knew that by now.

“Well, he’s having a hard time finding buyers for it since he’s selling built homes that are in nicer locations,” Valentina said, pausing for a moment.

“I see,” Lucy said, in a way that made Valentina know that she didn’t see.

“I’m not here for Mr. Radcliffe today,” Valentina said carefully. “I just wanted to do a little legwork on my own. I know everyone loves the Co-op. If something could be done with that land that helped the Co-op, maybe he would consider letting it go for something other than residential use.”

“Oh, wow,” Lucy said. “I won’t tell anyone we had this talk.”

“Thank you,” Valentina told her. “It’s not exactly a secret mission or anything. And you of all people know that Mr. Radcliffe’s heart is always in the right place when it comes to the people of Trinity Falls.”

Lucy chuckled in agreement.

Last year, Lucy had held her debut art exhibition, featuring her amazing paintings of local Trinity Falls landmarks. Mr. Radcliffe had shocked everyone in attendance by swooping in at the last minute and personally buying every single painting. It had caused quite a stir when all of the locals were outbid by the mysterious billionaire on the hill, but everyone was pleasantly surprised when he went door to door, delivering them as gifts to the residents as a way to get to know them all better.

“It’s complicated,” Lucy began. “The local farmers would tell you that more refrigerated shelf space for produce is what we need. But I’m not sure that’s true. More space could equate to more sales, or it could result in a lot of spoiled produce if we overstock. It’s hard to know.”

“Interesting,” Valentina said. The store space was probably at least one third produce already, but in a farming town, maybe that didn’t feel like much.

“We have all kinds of other things with minimal shelf space, though,” Lucy went on. “The bakery section is small, and we have an area for work from local artisans that seems to be doing well.”

Valentina nodded. She had seen all of those things, and tried plenty of them, too.

“I honestly think you should come and visit the store when you have a good amount of time,” Lucy said. “Walk around and see what you think. As someone coming in from outside with a mind for business, you might see things we don’t.”

“I’ll do that,” Valentina agreed. “Although my instinct is that you and Tom Dudek have been there the longest and your thoughts and concerns are almost definitely where I need to put my attention if I want to come up with anything.”

“How did you think of this in the first place?” Lucy asked.

“Well, I’ve been trying to convince Mr. Radcliffe to think outside the box about this particular land for a while now,” Valentina told her. “But specifically looking at ways to help the Co-op was Tanner’s idea.”

“That was really nice of him to think of the Co-op,” Lucy said with a smile. “You picked a great guy there. I don’t know you very well yet—but talk about a way to make an amazing impression.”

“Oh,” Valentina said, feeling awkward. “No, we’re not… We’re just colleagues, and friends.”

“Are you sure about that?” Lucy asked, glancing through the wide opening to the kitchen, where Tanner stood leaning against the counter talking with Ashton.

When he caught Valentina looking, he winked at her, and she felt her whole face go warm.

Lucy was giggling at her before she could even look back.

“Ugh,” Valentina said, wishing she could disappear.

“Don’t be embarrassed,” Lucy told her quietly. “Why don’t you just see where it goes? He’s a wonderful man, always ready to lend a hand. And Zeke is a great kid.”

“He’s the best kid,” Valentina heard herself say firmly.

Lucy’s eyes started dancing, and Valentina wanted to kick herself.

“How’s it going?” Tanner’s voice boomed as he entered the room, as if she had called him over with her stolen glance.

“Lucy has been so helpful,” Valentina said quickly. “I’m going to go to the Co-op just like she suggested, and pay special attention to the areas we talked about. Thank you so much for bringing me, Tanner.”

“It was Joe Cassidy’s idea,” he said, shrugging but looking pleased.

He is a wonderful man , Valentina thought to herself. Lucy is right.

“ Valentina, Valentina ,” Zeke yelled, running in from the kitchen with the other little boy hot on his heels. “There’s a big ham, and mashed potatoes and green beans, and for dessert there’s a cake .”

“Oh, that sounds like a lot for Mrs. Webb,” Valentina said. “Lucy and I have a good plan now, so I think I’d better offer a hand.”

“She’s a natural born Trinity Falls girl,” Lucy declared .

“She sure is,” Tanner said, smiling down at Valentina with obvious pride in his eyes as she hurried past.

“I’ll help too, Valentina,” Zeke said excitedly, dashing up to grab her hand. “The kitchen is this way.”

She felt an ache in her chest as she let him lead her. This boy, this man, this whole little town—they were all breaking down the defenses she had kept around her heart for so long.

I can’t get attached, she reminded herself. There is no place for me here, not long term. Sooner or later, Mr. Radcliffe will get everything sold off and he’ll send me back to the city.

For the first time, the thought caused her real pain.