The Inn at Holiday Bay Books 7 - 9 Read online

  “I’m so happy to meet you.” I smiled at the petite woman sitting on the stool at the counter.

  “I’m so happy to meet you as well. Georgia has told me so much about everyone who lives at the inn.”

  I glanced at Georgia, who was scooping cookies from a cookie sheet onto a cooling rack.

  “I want to say right up front that I love, love, love this inn.” Mylie continued as she looked around the room. “It’s just so quaint and cozy, yet with all the upgrades you’ve done to the place, it also feels modern and fresh.”

  “Thank you so much. We’ve worked hard to create the perfect blend of old fashion and modern, and I can honestly say that we love it as well.” I really adored the way the woman seemed to brighten the room. “I understand you’re here in Holiday Bay on a unique mission.” I sat down on a stool next to Mylie. The woman was adorable. I didn’t think she would have any problem attracting suitors and wondered why she felt she needed to try so hard. With her exceptional looks and bubbly personality, I would think she would have found her perfect guy long ago.

  “I am here on a mission.” Her bright blue eyes shone with enthusiasm. “I know my undertaking is going to seem silly to some, but I don’t care. My psychic told me that if I wanted to meet my one true love, I should spend Christmas in Holiday Bay. At first, I was skeptical, but then, after giving the idea a lot of thought, I realized I had nothing to lose, so I called and spoke to Georgia, and she informed me that she had a cancellation and could accommodate my needs. I hesitated for a moment when faced with the cost of the trip. I tend to be a practical sort most of the time, and it seemed that Christmas in Holiday Bay would be a bit of an extravagance. But in the end, I decided to put all my eggs in one basket and go for it.”

  “So, your plan is to find a man?” I asked.

  “A husband. And not just any husband, the perfect husband.”

  “And if you don’t meet the man of your dreams?”

  She shrugged. “Even if I don’t meet my one true love, I will have spent two weeks in this gorgeous inn.”

  I couldn’t help but grin. “Sounds like a solid approach to the whole thing.”

  “While historically, I’ve been a practical sort who has never really taken a lot of chances, my life has changed recently, and I really want to learn to be a risk-taker,” she admitted. “I’ve realized lately that life is short. I read a book that said that if there is something you want, you need to take control and make the dream happen.”

  I didn’t disagree, but I’d had enough life experiences to know that reaching out and taking control wasn’t always as easy as self-help books made it sound. “So, you don’t have family that will be missing you?” I wondered.

  She shook her head. “My parents were killed in a plane crash when I was sixteen. I was an only child, so I didn’t have siblings to lean on, but I did have a grandmother who dropped everything to be there for me. She got sick when I was still in college, so I dropped out to care for her. Caring for her has been a full-time job for almost ten years. In fact, in many ways taking care of Grandma became my whole life, so when she passed, I had to figure out what to do with myself. After a lot of soul searching, I realized that what I really wanted was to be a mother. I realize there are ways to go about having a child without having a man in your life, but I’d really love to build a family with a special individual with whom I share a passion. I’ve dated some, and I even joined a few of those dating sites on the internet, but I quickly decided that blind dates and internet dating weren’t for me.”

  “I would agree with that,” I said. “I’ve never been on a blind date, nor have I ever joined a dating site, but the whole idea of trying to engage in meaningful conversation with a total stranger is exhausting.”

  “Exactly.” Mylie nodded. “I found myself at a crossroads, so I looked up an old friend who had helped me sort out my emotions in the past. She’s the one who introduced me to the psychic. At first, I was somewhat skeptical, but then I figured what the heck, and here I am.”

  “Well, Georgia and I are pulling for you,” I said. “If you need anything from us, you just let us know.”

  “I will. And thanks. I can use all the support I can get.”

  “So, do you have a certain type of guy in mind?” Georgia asked as she took the last cookie sheet from the oven.

  Her gaze narrowed. “I’ve actually given this some thought. While my personal goal is to loosen up a bit and be more of a risk-taker, when it comes to a husband and a father for my children, I am looking for someone who is serious and settled. I really want a large family, and I feel like time is running out for me to have that, so I don’t want to waste time dating some guy who just wants to have fun and has no plans to settle down. My grandmother left me a significant inheritance, so even if I decide to stay home and raise my children rather than entering the workforce, I don’t need to find a man who makes a lot of money. Having said that, I’m not looking to support a slacker either, so I’m hoping to find someone with a commitment to family, but who also has a steady job and plans for the future.”

  I was about to comment, but she took a breath and then continued, so I held my tongue and let her finish her thought.

  “It is important to me that I find someone who has a good sense of humor, and the man I give my heart to absolutely must love dogs. I have three, and they are my family. Any guy who isn’t as crazy about my four-legged children as I am, really can’t have a place in my life.” Mylie paused. “I appreciate men who are well-groomed and physically fit, but I don’t care a lot about looks. I’m really more interested in what is on the inside. He must be kind. He must want at least three children, although I would be open to more. And he must want to start a family right away.”

  “Wow,” I said, after she sat back on her stool, seemingly indicating that she was done. “It sounds like you have someone pretty specific in mind.”

  Her long hair fell across her face as she bobbed her head. “I guess in a way I do. One of the things I’ve learned through my reading is that you have to know what you want and you have to be willing to go after it. If sacrifice and compromise become a necessity, you deal with that as it comes, but it really is a waste of time and resources to mess around doing anything that doesn’t take you to where you ultimately want to be.”

  I thought about all those romance novels that I had read and written and wondered if being so determined and focused might actually prevent Mylie from finding her one true love. More often than not, in fiction at least, it was the unexpected stranger who was all wrong for the heroine, who ended up winning her heart. I actually considered pointing this out to Mylie but decided to hold my tongue. This was her experiment and her life. I had enough issues of my own to figure out without being pulled into someone else’s story. I glanced at Georgia, who had started a pot of coffee, I assumed she planned to serve with her taste test.

  “What were you studying when you were pulled out of college to help your grandmother?” I asked. In my mind, given her situation, if she didn’t find a man right away, returning to college might be an option, at least for the time being. Coming to Holiday Bay on the recommendation of a psychic was great fun, but I really wasn’t the type to believe in love at first sight, and I sort of doubted she’d find the man she’d described after only two weeks in the area.

  “Art history.”

  I raised a brow. “Really. That seems…”

  “Like a waste of time?” She laughed. “I totally agree, and if I am perfectly honest, I really hadn’t wanted to go to college, but I knew my parents had wanted that for me, and even though they were dead, I didn’t want to let them down, so I applied. My grades were good enough to get into a lot of really good schools, but I didn’t want to waste money on a private university, so I went to a state college and majored in something I thought would be easy. I had just entered my junior year when I quit, so I may have gotten my act together and focused on something specific if I’d been given a chance to do so. I guess we’
ll never know what would have happened if Grandma hadn’t gotten sick, but at this point in my life, I don’t think college is for me.”

  “Well, I wish you luck with your endeavor.”

  “Thank you. Georgia has been so supportive of my quest. In fact, she’s been telling me what she has learned about each of the three single men who are due to check-in.”

  “And you think one of these men might be the one true love the psychic sent you to find?” I asked.

  “I really don’t know. I suppose I’ll just meet each of them and see what happens. Riley Camden, the travel blogger who is checking in tomorrow, sounds like an interesting man, but I don’t think he’ll be the one for me. I Googled him after Georgia told me his name and read up on him a bit. It looks like he travels a lot, and I want to be settled. Still, he does appear to live a fascinating life, so it will be fun to get to know him.”

  “And the other two men?”

  Mylie rolled her lips as she considered the question. “Family is important to me, and I really like the fact that Andrew Madison is here to spend Christmas with his aunt. I guess if I had to choose right now, without having actually met any of the men, he would be the front-runner. Mark Westgate is certainly good looking, and he seems to be very successful, but like Riley, he appears to travel a lot, and seems to be married to his work.” Mylie chuckled. “Of course, there is no way I can know if I will actually hit it off with any of these men, and of course, there is no guarantee that the men will like me.”

  “It would be frustrating to find your perfect guy, only to find that he wasn’t interested,” Georgia admitted.

  “Exactly,” Mylie agreed. “I figure I’ll just keep an open mind and take things as they come. However this works out, I am determined that this Christmas will be the best one I’ve had in a very long time.”

  Nikki wandered in as Mylie completed her story. She’d mentioned when she’d been by last evening that she would be here today to do whatever needed to be done in anticipation of the full house we were expecting. Georgia introduced Nikki to Mylie, and in spite of the age difference, they seemed to hit it off right away. Georgia had been busy in the kitchen when Mylie arrived, so she’d showed her to her room, but hadn’t taken the time for the full tour. Nikki agreed to show her around.

  “Mylie seems as perky and cheerful as you predicted,” I said to Georgia after Nikki and Mylie left the room.

  “She’s had a hard life, but she seems to have such a positive attitude. And there is an almost childlike quality about her that I enjoy. I think we will all get along just fine.”

  “I think so as well. I have to admire her determination to get what she wants, but I almost wonder if her myopic view won’t get in her way.”

  “It’s hard to say,” Georgia answered. “She certainly does seem committed to her cause, and I have a feeling she is going to approach this task like a challenge to conquer. Still, I’m not sure love and the process of falling in love is something you can manage and control. In my experience, you don’t find love, it finds you. Having said that, I do wish the best for her, and I am looking forward to seeing how Mylie and her bachelors get along.”

  “I know you said that all three men are single, but do you know for a fact that they aren’t otherwise attached?” I asked.

  “Actually, I don’t know if any of the three have girlfriends or boyfriends or if they might even be engaged or living with someone. I found a way to work marital status into the conversations, but that was as much information as I could get without being obvious about my interest.”

  I shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out where each of the three stands once they check-in. I will say that Mylie is absolutely adorable. I have a feeling if these men are single and unattached, they are going to be all over her. Not literally. At least I hope not. But I’m sure if she is interested in a sleigh ride, she will have her choice of companions.”

  “Speaking of sleigh rides, I’ve confirmed our reservations on both Saturday and Sunday afternoon for any of our guests who might want to take a ride. I also have all the materials for the ornaments we plan to make. If there is interest and the weather permits, I am planning a caroling party and bonfire on the bluff. I’m going to post a schedule on the front desk.”

  “Sounds perfect. You might want to post a menu, as well. I know you have some special meals planned for the next two weeks, and knowing in advance what you plan to serve may make the difference in whether our guests go out or stay in.”

  “I do have special meals planned, although I want to attend the pageant on Saturday, so I am serving a lighter meal that evening. History has shown that guests often go out on Saturdays anyway, so I guess I should make something with a flexible number of servings. By the way, I meant to ask if Colt and the kids got off okay.”

  I nodded. “They were all so excited. I found myself wishing I was going along, but it’s important for me to be here.”

  “I could have handled things,” Georgia reminded me.

  “I know. It’s just that…”

  “You aren’t sure you’re ready to move your relationship with Colt into the family vacation phase.”

  “Exactly. We really aren’t even in the intimate dinner phase at this point.”

  Georgia laughed. “You don’t need to convince me. I get it. I’ve been moving glacially slow with Tanner. I have enjoyed the fact that we’ve moved into a more intimate phase in our relationship, but I know he’d like to get married someday, and I am not ready for that.”

  “I’m sure he is willing to wait.”

  Georgia shrugged. “Maybe, but I wonder if I’m not cheating him out of the future he could and maybe should have while he is waiting around for me.”

  I frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

  She blew out a breath. “I wonder about children. Does he want them? Do I? If he does and I don’t, should I set him free now before either of us gets in too deep?”

  “Has he brought up children?” I asked.

  “No.”

  “So, you don’t actually know where he stands on the issue?”

  She folded her arms across her chest. “No, I guess I don’t.”

  “Don’t you think you should talk to him and see what he is thinking before you engage in thoughts of setting him free? I mean, you are just getting started. He might be asking himself all these same questions.”

  Georgia lifted a corner of her mouth. “You’re right. I’m not only getting ahead of myself, but I’m creating a problem where one doesn’t currently exist. I’ve noticed that ever since my husband blew up my life, I tend to do that at times. It’s almost like every time I get happy, I find myself waiting for the other shoe to drop, so I have this tendency to want to head it off.”

  “I get it. I do. But Tanner is a great guy. I really do think it would be best to take a step back and just let things develop naturally. If the opportunity to have the talk comes up, then go for it, but in the meantime, enjoy having this wonderful man in your life.”

  She smiled. “I will. And thanks.”

  “So, what sort of cookie do we have today?” I asked in an attempt to segue on to a lighter topic.

  “White chocolate chip with cranberries and almonds.”

  “They look and smell delicious.”

  “I think they turned out well. The coffee is just about ready. You can be the first to taste them.”

  Nikki and Mylie had just returned to the kitchen as Georgia transferred the cookies onto a plate, so she invited them to stay and try them as well.

  “You’ll never guess what Mylie found,” Nikki said, grinning from ear to ear, as she took a cookie and scooted onto a chair.

  “What did Mylie find?” I asked as I took four Christmas mugs down from the rack.

  “A note in the nutcracker,” Nikki answered.

  I paused and looked at Mylie. “A note?”

  She held up a piece of paper. “When we stopped off in the parlor, and Nikki showed me the nutcracker your friend had delivere
d, I noticed that the strap that hangs down from the hat and covers the mouth looked ajar. I decided to straighten it. I was trying to get the strap to hang straight and was having a hard time, which caused me to notice that the mouth beneath the strap looked odd.”

  “Odd how?” I asked.

  She narrowed her gaze. “I’m not sure. I just looked at the nutcracker, and I had an awareness that the mouth seemed off. Nikki found the lever to open it, and I found this stuffed inside.”

  I poured the coffee into the mugs and then transferred them to the kitchen table. “Why would anyone put a note in the mouth of a nutcracker?” I asked.

  “Actually, I have heard about this,” Nikki responded. “My friend, Jeri, told me a story that was told to her by her grandmother involving a nutcracker. It seems there used to be a custom in the area where she grew up, where the kids would write a letter to Santa which would then be left in the mouth of the nutcracker where elves would retrieve it and deliver it directly to the North Pole.”

  “I’ve never heard of that, but it is a delightful story,” I said. “What does the note say?”

  “As Nikki indicated, it’s a letter to Santa,” Mylie informed me. “It’s rather charming and sad all at the same time.”

  I held out my hand, and Mylie handed me the note. I began to read aloud.

  Dear Santa, I don’t need toys or clothes for Christmas this year. I just want to do fun stuff with my parents. I want to go on a sleigh ride, build a snowman, decorate the tree, drink hot cocoa, and put our socks out for you to fill. I want to go into town and look at the windows. I want to build a fire and roast marshmallows. I want to bake cookies, go ice skating, and, most of all, I want Mom and Dad to get along. Merry Christmas, Pamela

  I looked up. “Wow.”

  “I wonder what happened,” Georgia said.

  “What do you mean?” I replied.

  “Given the fact that the note was left in the nutcracker and the elves never picked it up and took it to the North Pole, I have to assume that Santa didn’t get the letter and Pamela didn’t get her wish.”