Deck the Shelves (Village of Berkingsley #2)

White Christmas

Chapter 12

(Just like in Boston)

“ H oly shite, Alice. I still can’t believe you neglected to tell us that your new boyfriend is Freddie Carter from the Chelsea Football team. What the hell, woman? That is not something you hold back from your friends.” Noah’s football commentary had been going non-stop for the last hour while he and Trevor unloaded the gingerbread displays from Theo’s truck into the foyer of Blackley Manor. Tables, covered in shimmery white cloth, had been set up in a sort of half square in the open area of the room. It was a day late, but the sun shone through the long front windows as if it was showing off its tan, casting light across the marble floor and following it up the intricately curved staircase. It was the day of the Gingerbread Contest, and we were just about done setting up.

“For the tenth time, Noah, he is not my boyfriend!” I shouted across the room.

“Just keep your focus, boys. Last one to go.” My sister’s glasses slid down her nose as she double-checked the to-do list on her tablet. Scarlett did not take her job as hotel operations manager lightly on a day-to-day basis. Throw in an event that had so much at stake; well, let’s just say her inner boss girl was showing up in two-inch gold stilettos. “Turn that last display a bit so it faces the door. Perfect.”

Theo kept the conversation going as he added across the room, “ I can’t believe you didn’t recognize Freddie Carter. He’s like the only famous person that has come out of Berkingsley. How did you not know that, Alice?”

I rolled my eyes at him. “Seriously? I couldn’t even name one football team before last week. You really think I’d care about a local player? It’s not like he was in my school year. If he graduated before you, he’s at least five years older than me!”

“Yeah, he was one year ahead of me and Scarlett. But geez, everyone in the village knows about Freddie.”

“Well, clearly not everyone,” I muttered back.

“People. Stop the yapping and get back to work. We all know Alice wasn’t particularly keen on sports growing up. But I’m sure that will all change soon enough,” my sister said with a smug grin.

“Yes, I suppose it will,” I said, lifting my eyebrows at her mischievously.

“What’s most important here is that we are sure to get some VIP perks now that our girl, here, is dating the star player of the team,” Noah said, straightening the last table and then brushing his hands together.

“Again, Noah. He is not my boyfriend.” I shook my head at the obnoxious commentary that was now starting to give me a headache.

I tried to focus on the sweet scents of cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla that floated up from the tables, making the hotel entrance smell like a childhood dream. Two dozen buildings constructed from graham crackers sat in a row, thankfully all still intact due to Scarlett’s watchful eye. There was no limit to the creativity of the entries. One display looked like a board game of Candy Land, with 3D replicas of Peppermint Forest, Gumdrop Mountain, and King Kandy’s castle. It was quite detailed, but was the concept creative enough? Debatable. My favorite was the recreation of Spines ‘n” Wines, complete with chocolate bar bookshelves and grumpy little Winston molded from a lump of frosting. The winner of the contest was not up to me, though. The $100 gift certificate to Mae’s Eatery, a bottle of wine, and a free weekend stay at Blackley Manor went to the display that received the most votes from today’s guests. Of course, if a child won, the award converted to a shopping spree at the local toy store and a monthly box of assorted cookies from William’s bakery.

“Hey, Alliecakes,” Scarlett shouted across the room at me, using the nickname she christened me with as a child. I couldn’t fault her for the name; my obsession with Victoria Sponge Cakes led to an annual birthday cake made of whipped cream and jam. My mouth watered every time she used the nickname.

“Yes, big sis?” I shouted back from the dining room without looking up. My focus was on the little vases that I was arranging, filling each glass with a spring of holly and a stem of baby’s breath.

“Let Theo know that the bags of ice are out in the boot of my motor.”

“Will do. Did you hear that, Theo?” I shouted toward the bar where I had last seen him mixing up a special fruity concoction he was calling Milia’s Christmas Punch and a batch of spiked hot chocolate for the adults. Emilia was behind the bar filling plates with buttery shortbread cookies that William undoubtedly baked at 4 a.m. this morning. The dear old man had hired help last year for his business, but he still insisted on personally having his hands in the dough for events or people that were special to him.

“Theo’s in the back grabbing some marshmallows, but I’ll let him know,” Emilia called back. If this day had a happy ending, we really should consider running a private cruise ship. We all worked together like the hospitality crew on David Beckham’s private yacht. Damn, if only I could find a job where I could see David Beckham shirtless…

“Hey, there.” A sexy male voice pulled me right out of my daydreams, but when I turned around, I irrevocably found myself plopped into a real-life fantasy. Right there in front of me stood the most attractive man I ever laid eyes on. Strong symmetrical face, a shadow of facial hair encompassing a wide, gorgeous smile. White dress shirt. Black trousers. Black suspenders and a tight silver chain around his neck. Blimey, I think I might have peed myself a little.

“Freddie,” I said, flustered. The fuzzy feeling floating around in my head left me void of words.

“I have an important question only the boss can answer. Hat,” he said, holding up the Santa hat we purchased from the festival, “or no hat.”

The teasing look in his eyes brought me back to reality. “Oh, come on. Is that even a real question? Hat. 100 hundred percent,” I said, taking it from his hands and placing it on his head.

As I adjusted the end of it, he grabbed my hand to stop me. The playful glimmer in his eyes turned to the smokey intensity they often held. Our faces were inches away from each other, and though we were alone in the corner of the dining room, I’m sure all my friends were pretending not to watch our interaction from afar.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t get out here yesterday. I really wish I was there for you.” He brought my hand to his side but didn’t let go.

My lungs took a quick breath, holding it captive, and I felt an endless warmth engulf every part of me. My eyes searched his for a brief moment, wondering what meaning his words held. This man, God, he did something to me. How did he make me feel so vibrant and alive one moment and so safe and secure the next?

“I know,” I managed to murmur. “But I’m okay now. Talking to you last night helped more than you know. And I can’t thank you enough for all that you did to make today work. You’ve pretty much reached hero status in my eyes.” After our conversation yesterday, Freddie called in a favor from some of his teammates. He and his two friends, Tommy and Wes, would be serving drinks behind the bar today. A simple post on his social media page sharing the news had our event sold out within the hour! Looks like I wasn’t the only person excited to see this man.

“Alice, I told you, I can’t say no to you. I’d do anything to see you smile. Besides, my mates owed me a favor after I saved their arses from the paps. Photos of them half naked on the lions at Trafalgar Square would not have gone over well with the PR team.”

“Seriously?” My lips formed a smile mere inches away from his face. I could feel the minty warmth of his breath mixed with mine.

“Oh yeah. It’s quite the story.” He leaned closer and his voice grew husky. “But right now, I wanted to tell you—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Noah’s voice cut through the room, abruptly extinguishing the intoxicating moment. We stepped apart awkwardly, and Freddie ran his hands over his head as Noah approached us. Excitement was radiating from every pore of his body, from his wide eyes to the giddy smile on his face. He clapped his hands together and brought one to his mouth, biting his fist. “Oh man, Freddie Carter. I can’t believe I’m meeting you. How are you, man?”

“Hello, mate. You must be a friend of Alice’s?”

“Yes. Yes, I am. The name’s Noah.”

“Hi, Noah. Thanks for doing all the heavy lifting this morning. I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help.”

“Oh, it was no big deal. I wasn’t able to catch the match yesterday, but I followed along on my phone. Two goals. Congrats, buddy.” His weight shifted side to side as his words flew out eagerly.

“Well, thank you so much, Noah.”

Behind him, Trevor hustled over, breathing heavily and shaking his ginger head profusely. “Sorry for the rude interruption, Alice. Noah doesn’t understand the concept of privacy or tactfulness.” He shot Noah a stern look from behind his glasses that belonged to a teacher in a classroom. “Hi, I’m Trevor, Noah’s boyfriend,” He extended his hand to Freddie.

Freddie gave it a hefty shake in return. “Ah, it’s alright guys. It’s a pleasure to meet you both. I’m Freddie.”

“Oh, I know all about you and your team, Freddie. Noah hasn’t shut his mouth all morning,” Trevor whined.

“Noah’s love of the game seems to make up for my lack of enthusiasm,” I added with a smirk.

“Something tells me that you’ll soon have a renewed interest in the sport.” Trevor winked at me.

I grinned at Freddie demurely. “Yeah, I think so too.” A quick glance at my watch told me that we needed to wrap up the small talk and get ready for guests. Scarlett noticed the same thing and, of course, immediately took control. Her heels echoed off the marble floor as she demanded everyone’s attention. Theo and Emilia stopped their work at the bar, and we gathered around my sister.

Scarlett flicked her thick mahogany hair back behind her shoulders. She scrolled down her tablet with a pen, getting right to business. “Alright, babes. First off, Alice and I want to thank you for all the help you’ve given this weekend. We know our parents are beyond grateful, no matter how this turns out. Alice?” She nodded her head in my direction, putting the spotlight on me.

“Yes, thank you so much. You all are the best friends a girl could have. It’s been a difficult season for my family and, well… me, but you’ve all been so understanding. I can’t thank you enough. I love you guys.” Emilia squeezed my hand beside me. “Okay, enough with the sentiments. I told myself I would not cry today.” Soft laughter from my friends filled the air. “Now, I need to officially tell you the best news. Thanks to Freddie and his teammates, ticket sales for the event skyrocketed overnight, and we are extremely close to reaching our goal.” I hoped Freddie could see how close my heart was to bursting with gratitude. Beside me, my friends hooted and cheered. “It only took a couple of football guys dressed in their finest to get us across the finish line. So, let’s get this done! We’re going to save the bookstore!”

Scarlett quickly reminded everyone of their duties during the event. Armed with her tablet, she and Trevor would be checking people in at the door, ensuring everyone had a ticket, and no superfans were trying to sneak in. Theo and Emilia were tasked with maintaining the bar and making sure the food and drinks were stocked. Admission sales ended this morning and each included two drinks and five tickets for voting in the gingerbread contest. Any drinks beyond that would be an additional cost, and Theo was prepared to check IDs and collect payment.

Against Scarlett’s better judgment, I insisted that Noah had free reign of the music that played through the speakers in the room. I knew he would keep it fun and festive. Freddie and his teammates were serving drinks at the bar, and I would be keeping an eye on the tables of gingerbread houses. With their instructions from Scarlett, everyone scattered to their places, ready for the crowd to filter in. Freddie’s teammates, Wes and Tommy, had arrived and were behind the bar, getting directions from Freddie. I headed over to say hello and extend my gratitude for them stepping in to help.

“Tommy! Wes! I didn’t know athletes could clean up so well. Thank you for giving up your Sunday afternoon to help a small-town girl save the village bookshop. Sounds like something right out of a Christmas novel.”

“No problem, Alice. Any friend of Freddie’s is a friend of ours,” Wes said with charm.

“What he means is we owed Freddie big time from saving our arses a few weeks ago. And you seemed like a cool girl the other day, so we don’t mind donating our services.”

“Could have gotten a bit more if we auctioned them off for dates. There’s still time. Right, mates?” Freddie elbowed Tommy in the ribs. “I know you guys need some help on the dating front. This could be the perfect opportunity.”

“Oh, definitely!” I played along. “There are a few older ladies in our town who would love to have something to talk about at their next puzzle club meeting. A date with a much younger athlete? I bet that could go for a large sum of money.”

Wes and Tommy grew fidgety, looking at each other like they didn’t know what they had gotten themselves into. “Well, um, you know, I’m not sure that would-”

“I’m totally pulling one on ya, boys. Geez, how big is that debt you have to repay Freddie?” They both broke into nervous laughter at my question.

“Let’s just say that I’m never drinking a Moscow mule ever again, even if I live to one hundred,” Wes admitted. He seemed to blech at the mere thought.

Tommy handed me a bag from behind the bar. “Alice, we brought along two of Freddie’s jerseys, one for you to keep and one to raffle off. That should help bring some money in.”

“Oh, yeah,” Wes said. “Way more than a date with us. I mean, look at the guy!” He grabbed Freddie’s cheeks and squeezed them together. “Who wouldn’t want a signed jersey with his name on it?”

Freddie shrugged him off. “Good save, guys. Guess we won’t need to run the dating auction. I’m sure the jersey will help bring in some revenue. I heard it’s getting popular amongst the ladies as a sexy nightgown.” He stared me straight in the eyes, with a slight smirk on his lips as he said that last bit.

I stared right back, ignoring the confused look on his friends’ faces, not intimidated by Freddie’s insinuation in the least. I lifted my shoulders in defiance and licked my top lip. “Hmm, who knew?” Before we could venture into this new game of flirting, our first guests filtered through the double doors of the hotel.

“Show’s starting, boys. Knock ‘em dead.”

I headed toward the tables, ready to mingle and greet the faces that walked by, many of whom I had known for years and others who were making their first visit to Berkingsley. I issued thank-yous and rattled off instructions on how the contest worked to people gazing upon the displays. The mood in the air was festive, enhanced by the beautiful Christmas decor throughout the first floor of the hotel and the Christmas playlist Noah was controlling from his phone. Classy golden lights strung across the ceiling, illuminating the room as the sun began its journey home for the evening. Combinations of red bows, poinsettias, and evergreens wrapped around the black bars of the elegant staircase banister, forming a Christmas garland that was as aesthetically pleasing to the eyes as it was to the nose. To top it off, a stunning eight-foot-tall Christmas pine stood at the front of the dining area, framing the tall windows and giving a show to all the people who entered.

I loved a good celebration, and even though this event was born out of an impossibly dire situation, it turned out that even joy could be found amongst the difficult things in life. I looked around at my friends who selflessly gave up their weekend to help my family, and I knew in my heart that I was lucky. Neighbors filtered in: friends of my mother who would give her the clothes off their back, the local business owners wanting to show their support for another village treasure, and the young kids excited for yet another Christmas event in town. I glanced over at my parents talking animatedly to their friends. My dad caught my eye and gave me an encouraging nod. My heart felt full, and it wasn’t just because I knew my parents would be okay. It was because I knew I’d be okay, too. It didn’t matter whether I had a man beside me or if I stood on my own two feet. I was bound for good things.

My attention shifted to Freddie and his teammates, who were serving the drinks at the bar. Between ladles of punch and hot chocolate, all three were gracefully accepting the praise bestowed upon them by beguiled fans, even offering to sign a few hats and photographs people had brought along with them. Sophie and her husband arrived with kids in tow, and I watched as Liddy immediately scampered over to Freddie, who picked her up and twirled her around in the air. Whether this thing with him and I developed into something more or remained strictly in the friend zone, I was glad that I had met a decent guy who gave me hope for future relationships. I had been in love, and my heart had been broken. But here I was, still willing to risk it all for a chance at finding that spark again.

People waltzed in and out the next two hours, placing votes for their favorite display, mingling with friends, and enjoying holiday treats as music filled the air. Elton John and Ed Sheeran were in the middle of praying for December snow when the clamor of a bell floated through the lobby. That’s not… that couldn’t be... Oh blimey.

In ran Maggie, with Pippy fresh on her heels, whining her little yip as she frantically tried to catch up to her friend. All decked out in her elf sweater with attached jingle bells, it was hard not to follow her tracks. The pair weaved in and out of the tables, causing them to wobble, and dozens of gasps filled the room. I held my breath and said a little prayer that the gingerbread men would live to see another day. When the jingle bells finished their song, I opened my eyes and said an early Happy Birthday to baby Jesus and thanked him for saving the displays from ultimate doom. Pippy nestled unperturbed in my dad’s arms while Maggie Girl sat at Theo’s feet, looking apologetically guilty. Suddenly, the Christmas carols were replaced by “Who Let the Dogs Out” by Baha Men, and the tension in the air was replaced by chuckles and clapping. Never a dull moment in my life, I swear.

After the winners of the contest and raffle were announced, the crowd dwindled, and the event eventually came to a close. Scarlett tallied up the profits from the bar and raffle, and with a toast over glasses of Christmas punch, she announced that we had done it. Our efforts were a success, and my parents’ home and business would be saved.

Emilia approached me from behind, putting her chin on my shoulder. “I’m so proud of you, my dearest friend. You made all this happen. Look at how happy your mom and dad look. This will be a Christmas you’ll never forget.”

I turned around and hugged my best friend. “I couldn’t have done it without you, Emilia. Thank you for always having my back.”

“Speaking of a Christmas, you’ll never forget… Milia, you need to come outside.” Theo grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the hotel entrance.

“Oo, if we weren’t already engaged, I would think you were about to propose,” she giggled.

I followed right behind them, my curiosity piqued by Theo’s excitement. Freddie, his teammates, Noah and Trevor also joined in line to see what the commotion was all about.

The winter air greeted us with a blustery chill, but that’s not what grabbed our attention. It was the large, fluffy snowflakes falling from the sky, putting us in the middle of an actual glittering snow globe.

Emilia let out a shriek. “It’s snowing! It’s actually snowing.”

“Ah! Alice, you were right. This day is just like a Christmas novel,” Freddie said.

I nodded, awestruck, catching a snowflake on my tongue. It didn’t usually snow in our village, and when it did, the snowflakes were never as large or as exquisite as these. They certainly didn’t accumulate on the ground as quickly, either.

“Not a novel,” Emilia said. “Home. It’s just like home. Mom brought Boston to me.” Emilia’s eyes filled with happy tears, and Theo wiped each one away before they could venture past her nose.

“She did. And it’s beautiful.” I replied, looking at the sky. My attention was diverted when, beside me, Freddie tilted my face toward his. The light from the lamppost made each snowflake shimmer like confetti as it fell all around us. The moment felt magical.

“It is beautiful. Just like you, Alice.” He leaned in closer, clearly about to kiss me. Did I want him to? I did. I absolutely did. My lips parted, welcoming his warmth. But before they met his, he pulled back.

“I can’t.”

My heart froze, and I prepared myself for the letdown when he grabbed my hand and pulled me a few steps over. “There,” he said. “No mistletoe. I wanted to make it clear that I’m kissing you because I fancy you, Alice Evans, not because we are standing under a decorated lamppost.”

Then, with anticipation bubbling inside me, his lips met mine. Soft and safe. Electrifying and sensual. The beginning of a beautiful something.

“Happy Christmas,” he whispered into my ear.

“A happy Christmas, indeed,” I replied before pulling his mouth back to mine and setting myself free.

Hi reader! I hope you enjoyed this little snippet into Alice’s life. If you want to experience more of Berkingsley, pick up Emilia’s story, titled What’s Handed Down .

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