Mistletoe and Memories (Evergreen Hollow Christmas #4)

Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Nora knew she was getting a little carried away with planning her parents’ surprise, but she couldn’t help herself.

Once she got into event-planning mode, it was hard for her to slow down. It had always felt this way, for as long as she’d done it for a career—as soon as the ideas started coming, they would cascade, and keep coming as she organized and refined them. It was what had made her somewhat obsessive about her work when she did it full-time in Boston, and now, with just Madison and Aiden to occupy her, the part of her mind that loved working on a new event was free to entirely occupy itself with the anniversary celebration for her parents.

She’d spent most of the day gathering odds and ends around town. Leon had the delivery of the items for the recreation of the malt shop, and she’d picked those up last, after stopping at a variety of stores around town. Rhonda had always loved collecting stamps, so she’d asked a handful of friends and neighbors if they had any old ones lying around, and then gotten some of the new holiday stamps from the post office to collage onto coasters. At the flower shop, she’d gotten red and white rose petals to dry. And she’d found the perfect tablecloth, better than the one they’d originally picked out.

Besides that, there was plenty to coordinate for the scavenger hunt, and make sure that everyone who had a part to play was still on board and knew what they would need to do. Aiden had the day off, and had promised he didn’t mind watching Madison so that Nora could spend the morning and afternoon running around town.

She hadn’t stopped all day, but it had been oddly relaxing. On her own for a little while, she’d been able to do everything at her own pace and in whatever order she wanted, without worrying about diaper changes or feeding times or Madison getting fussy. It felt like a much-needed break, and she appreciated Aiden more than she could express for using his day off to give her one free.

It wasn’t that she would change anything at all about her life now. She’d felt guilty at first, every time she wanted a moment alone or a few hours to herself, thinking that it meant that she somehow didn’t want her baby around. She’d finally gotten up the nerve to tell Rhonda that, the last morning that she’d stopped by the inn, and her mother had quickly set her straight on that account.

“There were plenty of days when all I wanted were a few hours of silence with a cup of coffee and a book, and both of my hands free to enjoy them,” Rhonda had told her firmly. “And it doesn’t make you a bad mother for feeling that way. No one wants to be around anyone twenty-four hours a day—not spouses or siblings or friends. Everyone needs time alone. We just for some reason expect mothers to be excluded from that, and want their children attached to them permanently, and if they ever feel differently, they’ve done something wrong. And it’s just not true.”

That had made Nora feel better. And she had made sure to remember it that morning, as she’d enjoyed her first leisurely cup of coffee at The Mellow Mug since Madison had been born, sitting down with it and a pumpkin cream cheese cinnamon roll in one of the window seats, and watching the people walking by on the sidewalk. It had been relaxing and much needed, and she’d done her best not to feel guilty.

Similarly, she’d reminded herself of it when she’d lingered at the clothing boutique for a few minutes, looking at a new dress that had come in, and when she’d talked to Leon for a while longer than expected about the store’s Christmas decorations.

It was her day off, and there was nothing wrong with enjoying it. And it was definitely much needed.

Her last stop was Rockridge Grill, to give Jonathan the decorations for the back room. He’d agreed to let them store everything there until the day of, so that there was no chance that the surprise might be spoiled by Rhonda accidentally stumbling upon them at one of her daughters’ houses. Jonathan met her at the counter, going back to unlock the door so that Nora could set the bags there.

“Just bring me the keys before you go,” he said, dropping them into her hand, before going back to check on the customers at the to-go counter.

Nora put the bags in one corner, looking around the space. There was the bar toward the back that they would redecorate as the old soda counter, and space for the tables and chairs that would be set up. Right now, it was just a bare room with a concrete floor and white-painted walls, but looking around, she could clearly see the vision of how it would all come together.

It was enchanting, just picturing it. And it would be so much more perfect once they were able to make it all a reality.

Before heading home, she decided to get takeout from Rockridge Grill, since she would get home just a little before dinnertime. The special was maple-basted chicken thighs with garlic mashed potatoes and a root vegetable medley, and Jonathan boxed up two containers for her, along with an extra slice of the homemade carrot cake that was the day’s dessert special. “Next week is pie week,” he told her with a grin, as he handed over the plastic takeout bag. “I know how much Aiden loves pie. A different type every day. Monday is apple, and Wednesday is pecan.”

“I’ll have to tell him to swing by on his way home. Don’t tell Mom,” Nora added with a laugh. Rhonda took pride in her baked goods, but Aiden was as much a fan of the pies that Jonathan made for Rockridge Grill as he was of his mother-in-law’s desserts. But Aiden had always had a huge sweet tooth.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Jonathan promised, laughing as Nora took the bag from him.

Snowflakes were starting to fall as Nora headed home. The snow crunched underfoot, crisp and hard, and she drew in big lungfuls of the crisp, cold air, enjoying the late afternoon. It would be snowing heavily for the next few days, and she was determined to enjoy the walk. She might be cooped up in the house with Madison for a few days to come, depending on how hard the snow came down.

The house was quiet when she walked in, the living room warm from the low fire burning in the fireplace. For a moment, she thought that Madison was actually down for her nap, and that the lavender diffuser had worked. But then she heard the baby monitor on the coffee table crackle, and the sound of Madison laughing and cooing over it. Aiden, however, was nowhere to be seen.

She hurriedly set the bag of food on the kitchen table, tugging off her gloves and heading for the stairs. She could hear Madison as soon as she stepped onto the second floor, and she walked to the nursery, pushing open the door. As soon as she stepped inside, she let out a sigh, stifling an amused smile. Normally, Madison not napping was nothing to be amused about, but the sight in the nursery was so adorable that she couldn’t help it.

Madison was in her crib, babbling and cooing at the mobile spinning above it, watching it curiously as she opened and closed her tiny fists, reaching up for it even though there was no chance of her reaching. And next to the crib, slumped down with hair falling messily into his face, was Aiden, napping in the glider.

Apparently, the lavender scent wasn’t working on Madison the way it had that day in Sabrina’s office. But it was definitely working on Aiden.

Nora stepped over to where he was sitting, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder as she leaned over to press a kiss to the top of his head. “Honey,” she said softly, and Aiden jerked awake, letting out a muffled noise as he sat up.

“Hmm? Oh.” He ran a hand over his face, looking up sheepishly at Nora. “I must have fallen asleep.”

“You definitely did.” She smiled. “I brought home takeout for dinner. But it can be warmed up. Go lay down and finish your nap.” She dropped another kiss atop his head. “I’ll watch Madison.”

He nodded, clearly tired beyond the point of arguing. He gave her a quick kiss as he stood up, lumbering across the hall to the bedroom.

“You, little one, might sleep tonight after all, since you definitely didn’t nap today.” Nora scooped Madison up, putting her on her hip as she carried her downstairs. Madison grabbed a fistful of her hair, still babbling about nothing as Nora walked down to put the food in the refrigerator until Aiden woke up and she could reheat it.

“Let’s see if we can get you to do even a little bit of a nap,” Nora said encouragingly, walking into the living room with the baby. Outside of the big picture window, the snow was starting to fall harder, coming down on the sidewalk in thick flakes. She walked back and forth, watching it as she rocked Madison.

It was beautiful, she thought. More picturesque than anywhere else she’d ever lived. And no matter how difficult the days could be sometimes, or how tired she was, or how much she sometimes missed the old days of planning events in the city, she knew one thing for sure.

She never actually wanted to be anywhere else.