“I concur.” I touch my head to Missy’s. “I guess you both have a perfect track record.”
“Aw.” Holly breaks out into a spontaneous applause. “How about I take Noel and let Savy play with her a bit?” She takes our baby right out of Missy’s arms. “I think at this point in my life I like being an aunt to Noel. Tom and I already have our hands full.”
Joy leans in and pinches my cheeks. “You’re welcome.” She gives a little wink before they both slip into the crowd.
“Well, how do you like that?” Missy stares out at the tree, stunned. “My own mother pulled one over on me.”
“And I’m glad about it, too.”
She bumps her shoulder to mine. “Me, too.”
I lean toward the window and wince. “What’s that sound I hear? Is that sleigh bells?”
Missy laughs and swats me. “That was last night. I’m pretty sure the man in the red suit is sawing logs by now. Rumor has it, he hibernates for the rest of the winter.”
“I’m betting that’s what you wish you could do after that rush you had that begun around Thanksgiving and ended last night.”
“The bakery.” She nods, looking ever so sad when she says it.
“And on that note, I think we should head out front to see if Santa left us anything.” I take her by the hand as we thread through the crowd.
“Graham Holiday, what are you up to?” She bubbles with laughter all the way to the front porch, down the stairs, and under the giant pine my parents have adorned with a million little twinkle lights.
I pull a small red box from my left pocket and hand it to Missy.
“Graham?” She tips her head to the side. “What’s this?”
“Traditionally the giver doesn’t reveal the gift. It’s up to the receiver to open it.”
“Okay, smart aleck.” She breaks out into an ear-to-ear grin as she quickly tears at the paper and opens the tiny box. “A key.” She looks up, momentarily confused. “Is this a key to your penthouse in New York?” Her voice hangs heavy in the air as if it were a tragedy in the making.
“No. I promise you, what this opens is as far away from New York as I’d want to be.”
“Well, you don’t have a house. Did I just get my very own key to the factory?”
“Strike two. But I do believe there is a note inside with the address.”
She peels the tiny paper from the bottom of the box and inspects it. “2218 Main Street?” she whispers as she scans the ground as if searching for answers. “Graham, that’s the address of the bakery.” Her mouth opens wide as she gasps for her next breath. “Graham, what does this mean?”
“It means you don’t have to worry about Mr. Jarrett raising the rent on you. I bought the building. Everyone has a price. Thankfully, Mr. Jarrett’s wasn’t all that high. It’s true. After I left the tree lot, I went back to the community center and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. And in doing so, I closed my very first deal in Gingerbread.”
“Oh my goodness, Graham!” she squeals as she wraps her arms around me for a moment before pulling back. “What do you mean, your first deal in Gingerbread?”
“I mean, the first of many. I’m not leaving, Sprig. You’d better get used to me because I’m not going anywhere.”
“Oh, Graham.” She grips me once again, this time with far more force. She pulls back, and her eyes dance with a playful glimmer. “I guess this makes you my new landlord.” Her teeth graze over her bottom lip. “I guess I’d better ply you with all the sweet treats you can eat so I don’t have another unexpected rent hike.”
I shake my head. “I’m not your landlord, Missy. I’m giving you the building.”
“What?”
I reach into my right pocket and drop to one knee. “In fact, I’d like to give you something else.”
Her hands cover her mouth in an instant as tears begin streaming from her eyes.
“My grandmother left me one more thing. Her wedding ring. And tonight, I’d love to gift it to you. Mistletoe Winters, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
“YES!” she cries out with a primal scream.
