“Those were the musings of two high school kids, Nick. We’re grown up now.”
“Why can’t we have those dreams? Just me and you taking on the world!”
She rolled her eyes. “We’re both in our seventies. I think our times of taking on the world are behind us, dear.”
He laughed. “Maybe so, but can you imagine how much fun we would have? Or maybe we could check out Alaska? Or Montana? I’ve always wanted to move there. The fly fishing there is supposed to be amazing…“
She held up her hand. “Are you forgetting that I have a business here? And a life? My kids are here. My grandkids.”
He leaned back in his chair a bit and nodded. “I know. I get that, I really do. I mean, I have nothing holding me anywhere because I never had kids, but I understand how difficult that must be for you.”
She furrowed her eyebrows at him. “I don’t think you can understand. Look, I had a rift with my daughters for so many years. It has taken us a lot of work over the last year to really get to a good place with each other, and picking up and leaving doesn’t seem like the best move for me right now. Plus, I just opened my own business. I’m really proud of that.”
He sighed. “Do you plan to spend the rest of your life living here because your family does? Do you want to work forever? I can take care of you, Susie. You’d never have to work again.”
She felt so deflated. “This is the first time I’ve really had the life I wanted, Nick. I like it here. I have friends, and I really love running the bakery. It was a dream of mine for a long time.”
“I don’t remember you ever having that dream,” he muttered.
“Well, I did. Not as a child, but as an adult. I spent my entire life being a wife and mother, and this is the first time I’ve had something for myself. I don’t think I want to give that up.”
“Not even for me?”
She sat there quietly. “I don’t think it’s fair for you to ask me to make such a huge decision when we’ve only been back together for a few days.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to push. I just know I’m not getting any younger, Susie, and I’m ready to live the life I’ve always wanted.”
She paused for a moment. “What happens if the life you want isn’t the one I want?”
“I don’t know. I guess that was a possibility I never considered.”
* * *
Julie was so excited to have the Christmas cookie party. It was something she had done when her kids were little, and getting to watch her new son and her granddaughter experience the magic of Christmas was a blessing to her.
Dawson had been helping get everything ready, including buying cookie decorations at the store for her. She had so much to do lately that it felt like it was so hard to keep up. The one thing she didn’t want to lose was the ability to experience the holidays. Sometimes people got so caught up in the holidays they didn’t enjoy it. She was determined that would not happen to her.
“Is there anything else I can do?” Tina asked. She had been very helpful in the kitchen, getting things ready. Julie and Tina had made their own batch of sugar cookies even though people were going to be bringing plenty to decorate. The fire department was going to be overwhelmed with sweet treats by the end of the day.
“If you could put the tablecloth on the extra table. Since we’re going to be decorating, I’d like to avoid having sprinkles all over the hardwood floors.”
Even though it was the holidays, they didn’t have anyone staying at the inn right now. Most people were with family, so they had cut off reservations until after the first of the year. It meant less money, but Julie was happy to have the place to themselves to enjoy the holidays as a family. Taking care of other people who were staying there took up a lot of time and energy, and right now she just wanted to focus on her family.
“No problem. Do you want the red tablecloth?”
Julie nodded. “Yes. And if you don’t mind lighting a couple of those gingerbread candles in the foyer? They smell so good.”
Tina nodded. “Will do. Just let me know if you need anything else.”
Tina had been a big help with the Christmas festival and the preparations for the cookie party. She enjoyed having an extra helper, although she felt kind of bad asking her to do things since she technically was a guest.
“I’m here!” She heard her mother say as she walked through the front door. SuAnn looked at Tina, said nothing and kept walking. She didn’t understand what problem her mother had with Tina, but she hoped she could behave herself today.
“Please tell me you brought the pound cakes?”
SuAnn rolled her eyes. “Of course I did. I even drizzled some red and green icing over the top of them. I’m sure the firefighters will love them. They often come into the bakery.”
“I’m sure they will. Thanks. You can just put them over there on the counter.”
Julie was running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Lots of people were going to be arriving any time now, and the house was going to be brimming with people talking, Christmas music playing and busy little hands making the cookies.
When her daughters had been young, this was one of her favorite memories. She hoped it would go off without a hitch and would become a new tradition for Dylan. He definitely needed traditions in his life. Traditions gave him roots.
“When is everybody going to be here?” Dylan asked, feverish with anticipation.
“Should be anytime now. I hope you have exercised your fingers and you’re ready to decorate hundreds of cookies,” she said, fixing the hair on top of his head.
“I’m ready!” he said, running off into the living room. He spent most of his time sitting beside the Christmas tree, trying to keep himself from shaking the presents that Julie had already placed under it. Most of his things hadn’t been wrapped yet and were hidden up in the attic, but he didn’t need to know that.
Dawson, trying to be sly, had her put pennies in several of the gifts just so that when he shook them, he had no idea what was inside. It was a cruel little trick that Dawson said they had done in his family for years.
“Anybody home?” Janine said as she came through the front door with William following behind her. Shortly after, Colleen and Tucker walked into the kitchen.
“Where do you want us to put these cookies?” Colleen asked.
“On the counter, please.”
Over the next few minutes, everybody arrived, stacks of cookies in all different colored plastic containers lined the kitchen counters. Dawson put out all the different colored sprinkles, chocolate chips, and everything else he had bought for decorations.
Janine had bought pre-made sugar cookies from the grocery store, probably knowing her limits as a cook. She was the only person Julie thought could burn water.
Colleen had made different cookie shapes, including candy canes and gingerbread men. They looked a little brown around the edges, but Julie wasn’t about to tell her that.
When Dixie arrived, she had an arm full of fruit cakes, and Carrie was carrying a bowl of sugar cookies she had made. Harry wasn’t there, opting to stay out of the frenzy.
Julie noticed her mother standing off to the side, not saying much. That wasn’t normal for SuAnn, and she wondered where Nick was. She had assumed that he would come.