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Mistletoe and Memories (Evergreen Hollow Christmas #4) Chapter 4 15%
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Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

Caroline was sitting in the breakfast nook in the kitchen, going over the menu for the upcoming week’s guests, when Jay came trudging in.

It was one of her favorite tasks—especially this time of year, when she could come up with items that were especially themed toward the season. She’d already written down a recipe for chicken thighs with maple roasted carrots, and rosemary and fig pork tenderloin with garlic and goat cheese mashed potatoes. She was flipping through one of Rhonda’s recipe books, looking for an old recipe for cinnamon maple monkey bread to make for breakfasts, when she looked up and saw Jay.

“Hey there.” She set down the book, noticing the glum look on his face. “It’s early for you to be back in. I thought you were going sledding with your friends today.”

Jay shrugged. “I just decided not to.”

Caroline raised an eyebrow. She could tell something was off. Jay was usually going nonstop from the time he woke up until the time he finally crashed at night. She wasn’t sure she’d ever seen a kid with as much energy as he seemed to have. It was boundless, so far as she could tell. But just at that moment, he looked like all his batteries had run out, and he was just standing there, seemingly deflated.

“Do you want some hot chocolate?” she asked. “I can make some fresh. And your grandma made more of those homemade marshmallows you love.” She expected him to perk up at that—there were few things Jay loved as much as hot cocoa with homemade marshmallows. He begged Rhonda to make it constantly.

Instead, he plopped down in the seat opposite Caroline, but didn’t say anything. His beanie also remained firmly on his head, despite the fact that the kitchen was actually quite warm. A roast was cooking for dinner, and the oven had heated up the space over the last couple of hours.

“What’s going on?” Caroline asked, a tinge of concern in her voice. “You look bummed out. And you don’t want to take off your hat?” Her first thought was that he’d bumped his head while sledding, and didn’t want her to know, thinking she’d be upset. “Whatever it is, you can tell me,” she coaxed, and Jay let out a sigh, his cheeks flushing.

“It’s embarrassing,” he mumbled, and Caroline leaned forward.

“Well, whatever it is, it’s just between you and me. And maybe your dad, depending on what’s going on. But I promise no one else will know.”

Jay eyed her. “Promise?”

Caroline nodded. “Absolutely.”

He frowned, but finally tugged his beanie off, setting it on the table. At first glance, Caroline couldn’t figure out what could possibly be wrong, but she made sure not to let it show on her face. Whatever it was, it was obviously bothering Jay.

“This.” Jay pushed his hair back a little, pointing to a large pimple on his forehead. “I was out with everybody, about to go sledding, and then Will pointed it out. He said it looks like a pizza with marinara that doesn’t have the toppings on it yet.” His cheeks were fully red now, and Caroline could tell that it had upset him a lot. It really wasn’t that big, but she could remember how kids teased each other.

“That wasn’t very nice of him,” she said. “But getting pimples is normal. I still even get them sometimes. I definitely did when I was your age. Will is just being a little bit of a jerk. You shouldn’t take it to heart.”

Jay sighed. “It wasn’t that he said it that bothered me,” he mumbled. “It was who he said it in front of.”

“Who was that?” Caroline prompted, and Jay looked down at his feet, kicking them against the legs of the chair.

“Whitney.” Jay twisted his mouth as he said it, still not looking up. “I wouldn’t have cared what he said if it hadn’t been in front of her.”

Ah. Caroline thought she was beginning to understand, and she felt a small smile at the corners of her mouth. “You haven’t mentioned Whitney before,” she said carefully, and Jay shrugged.

“It’s not like she’s anyone important.” He looked up defiantly. “Not special or anything. It’s not that big of a deal, I just wish he hadn’t said it in front of someone who’s, you know…”

He trailed off, and Caroline waited patiently for him to finish.

“Who’s what?” she prompted finally, and Jay shrugged again.

“Not one of the boys,” he said finally. “That’s all.”

“That’s completely understandable,” Caroline reassured him. “Maybe you should talk to Will about it. Let him know that it bothered you that he made a big deal about it. If he’s a good friend, he won’t do it again.”

Jay didn’t look entirely convinced, but he nodded, getting up from the table without touching his hot cocoa. “I’m going to go back outside,” he said, tugging his beanie back on and hurrying back out into the snowy backyard. Caroline couldn’t help smiling as she watched him leave. It seemed to her that her stepson might have his first crush.

She heard the front door of the inn open then, and she also abandoned the hot cocoa for a moment, getting up to see if it was someone who needed anything—a guest, maybe. There were people coming in and out all day, but she tried to make sure that they saw her occasionally, in case anyone had questions or requests.

Instead, her heart lifted when she saw Rhett walking in. He’d been working three very long shifts in a row at the fire station, and she felt like they’d been passing each other by for the last few days.

She met him halfway in the living room, giving him a hug and a quick kiss. “I can make you a turkey sandwich,” she offered, and Rhett nodded.

“That sounds great.” He tugged his hat off, following her into the kitchen where he sank down tiredly at the table. “And then I think I’m going to go take a nap for a few hours. Where’s Jay?”

“Outside playing.” Caroline nodded at the window. “We had a bit of a heart-to-heart just now—it seems like he has his first crush.”

Rhett chuckled. “Oh?”

She nodded again, smiling as she explained the conversation to Rhett. He laughed, shaking his head.

“That’s adorable,” he said. “Next thing you know, he’s going to be coming home with a Valentine in February.”

“Maybe.” Caroline smiled. “Here you go.” She set a turkey sandwich with leftover gravy and onions down in front of him, on thick slices of sourdough bread that Rhonda had made yesterday. Rhett dug into it hungrily, letting out a sigh when he was finished.

“Thanks,” he said, taking the plate to the sink and dropping a kiss on the top of her head as he walked by. “I think I’m going to go take a shower, and that nap, and then I’ll come back to help you with dinner?”

Caroline nodded. “That sounds great.”

As he walked out of the back door to head down the hill to their house, Caroline reached for the forgotten cup of hot cocoa, taking a sip. The marshmallows had melted into it, and it had gotten cold, but it still smelled good.

At least until she took a sip, and felt her stomach churn again, a wave of nausea washing over her. She set the cup down, frowning.

Maybe it was her turn to visit the doctor.

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