Chapter1
Ginger sighed happily as she fluffed a pillow on the antique four-poster bed, taking in the cozy room with its sloped ceilings, floral wallpaper, and crackling fireplace. Her suitcase lay open on the floor, spilling clothes onto the colorful oriental rug. As she gazed out the frost-lined window at the blanket of snow covering the ground and trees, a sense of peace settled over her.
This holiday trip to Pinecone Falls, Vermont, was exactly what she needed after the stuffiness of the city, and the Cozy Holly Inn was the perfect place to stay while she was here.
A soft knock interrupted her reverie. “Ms. Sanders, did you need anything?” Ida, the innkeeper at the quaint old Victorian inn, poked her head into the room.
Ginger smiled, warmth flooding her at the woman’s thoughtfulness. “No, thank you. Everything is perfect.”
Ginger finished hanging her clothes in the antique armoire and zipped the suitcase shut. As she stood there, lost in thought, her phone buzzed on the wooden nightstand.
It was a text from Mason.Be there in 20 minutes!
Mason was not just a friend to Ginger; he was like a brother. They had grown up next door to each other and had been inseparable since they were in kindergarten. As her own family had never quite captured the essence of a warm Christmas holiday, preferring to spend the holidays in tropical islands, Mason had extended an invitation to spend Christmas in the quaint town of Pinecone Falls.
She was excited to see him. Yet, as she tucked her phone into her pocket, she felt a tiny bit nervous at the prospect of meeting his new girlfriend, Kristen, for the first time. They’d only been dating a short time, but she could tell that Mason had already fallen hard. She was happy for him and really wanted to like Kristen, but more than that, she wanted Kristen to likeher.
“I’m sure we’ll get along fine,” she said to herself as she took one last longing glance at the snow-laden landscape outside the window. She still had twenty minutes to explore the charming inn that was to be her home for the holiday. Having only caught a fleeting impression of the place while checking in, she was eager to take a closer look.
As Ginger stepped out of her room and wandered down the creaky staircase, she marveled at how the Cozy Holly Inn seemed to have stepped directly off the pages of a Christmas movie. The Victorian house brimmed with charm and warmth, and it was decorated to the hilt with garland, twinkle lights, and holiday décor. The scents of fresh pine boughs and cookies filled the air.
As she descended, her fingertips trailed along the pine garland. It was a white pine, which was unusual. Typically, one used balsam firs. She studied the needles closely, her scientist brain calculating the health of the tree. The needles were a little dry but otherwise good. Her brain forgot to pay attention to what her feet were doing as she started to automatically calculate the perfect fertilizer for the tree and…
“Oof!” Ginger stumbled as she reached the last step of the staircase, her foot getting caught in a rug at the foot of the stairs. She caught herself just in time with a theatrical spin before straightening up and patting down her disheveled hair in an attempt to regain some composure.
“Dear me!” exclaimed Ida, bustling forward from behind the check-in desk. “Are you all right, my dear?” A warm smile crossed Ida’s plump, rosy cheeks as she steadied Ginger, her eyes twinkling like stars.
“Yes. No worries,” Ginger assured the woman. “Happens all the time.”
The downside of having an ever-active mind was that she rarely looked where she was going and often bumbled around like a clumsy oaf. Her thoughts tended to run away with her, distracting her from her physical surroundings.
“Your decorations are lovely.” Ginger gestured vaguely at the garlands draped along the banister, hoping to draw attention away from her clumsiness.
“Ah, yes! Christmas is such a magical time, isn’t it?” Ida beamed, clasping her hands together. “I simply love transforming the inn into a festive wonderland! Speaking of which, would you care for some freshly baked cookies and hot chocolate? It’s a tradition around here, and we always have some on hand.”
Ginger’s stomach gave an appreciative growl at the mention of cookies, and she gratefully accepted Ida’s offer. The innkeeper bustled into the kitchen and returned to thrust a steaming mug of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream into her hands. She also had a plate piled high with cookies shaped like snowflakes and reindeer.
“Thank you,” Ginger murmured then sipped the rich, velvety cocoa, feeling the warmth spread through her body like a cozy blanket.
“Anytime, dear!” Ida replied, giving Ginger a wink. “Now, why don’t you make yourself at home in the living room? There’s a lovely group of people knitting by the fireplace. I’m sure they’d love some company.”
Knitting?Ginger mused as she wandered toward the living room, cookie crumbs tumbling onto her scarf like snowflakes. She had recently taken up the craft herself, although her skills left much to be desired. Still, it was a pleasant way to pass the time and keep her hands occupied when her thoughts threatened to spiral.
“Hello there!” called an elderly woman from the cluster of knitters, her needles clicking together like festive castanets. “I’m Myrtle. Would you care to join us?”
“Actually,” Ginger said hesitantly, “I’ve recently started knitting myself. I’m not very good, but… well, practice makes perfect, right?”
“Absolutely!” The woman laughed, patting the cushion beside her. “Come, sit with us! We’d be delighted to share our tips and expertise with you.”
“And we have extra yarn and needles.” Another woman gestured toward a large tote bag. Needles of all sizes were sticking out of the top, along with colorful skeins of yarn and something else. It was fluffy and white… and moving!
Suddenly, a ball of yarn flew out of the tote. A white cat followed it, batting at the yarn and then jumping on the unraveling strands. Everyone laughed.
“That’s Kringle, the Cozy Holly Inn resident cat,” Myrtle said.
“Hello there, Kringle.” Ginger bent down to scratch behind the cat’s ears. It purred contentedly, its large blue eyes blinking up at her slowly as if to say, “Welcome to the Cozy Holly Inn.”
“Kringle is our unofficial mascot,” Mabel explained with a chuckle. “He brings an extra layer of coziness to the place, don’t you think?”
