Chapter
One
EVIE
The flour explosion hit Evie like a snowstorm, coating her from head to toe in a fine white powder. She blinked, momentarily stunned, as the cloud settled around her in the busy kitchen of the Frosted Sugar bakery.
"Oh, for heaven's sake," she muttered, brushing futilely at her apron. The holiday rush was in full swing, and she was already behind schedule. Evie blew a stray lock of honey-blonde hair out of her eyes and surveyed the damage.
The industrial-sized bag of flour lay split open on the floor, its contents spread in a wide arc across the previously gleaming tiles. Half-finished gingerbread men stared up at her accusingly from their trays, their half-decorated faces of eyes, sans smiles, seeming to say, "Really, Evie? Clumsy much?"
She sighed, reaching for the broom, but the gaily tinkling bell over the front door made her freeze. Customers. Of course, they'd arrive now, when she looked like she'd lost a fight with a snowman.
"I’ll be right there!" Evie called, her voice overly cheerful. She hastily wiped her face with a damp cloth and smoothedback the unruly waves that had escaped her braid, knowing she'd probably only made it worse. With a deep breath and a silent prayer that she didn't look too much like Frosty's long-lost cousin, Evie pushed through the swinging door into the front of the bakery.
Two elderly, but spritely women stood at the counter, their eyes widening as they took in Evie's flour-dusted appearance.
Of course, it had to be the two worst possible people to find her like this; Ms. Marigold Caldwell and Ms. Iris Caldwell, two of Frostvale’s notoriously well-meaning busybodies.
"Oh my," Ms. Iris tittered, her gaze roving over Evie's disheveled state. "Having a bit of trouble in the kitchen, dear?"
Evie forced a smile, acutely aware of the flour caking her eyelashes. "Just a small mishap. Nothing to worry about. What can I get for you ladies today?"
She really needed to hire more help - just as soon as she knew she could afford it.
As she took their order for a dozen snickerdoodles and a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread, Evie couldn't help but notice the way the women's eyes kept darting to each other, barely containing their glee at stumbling upon such juicy fodder for the town grapevine.
Evie wasn’t usually such a klutz. She was just preoccupied with her ex-husband’s pronouncement that he was taking their son, Ollie, away to the Bahamas for Christmas. This was her first Christmas as a single mom, and it had never occurred to her that Adrian would insist on visitation over the holidays. Especially when he’d been so preoccupied with the young, slim, go-getting mean-girl - umm, girlfriend, he’d left her for. And the Bahamas? Really? Ollie loved Christmas. He loved the small-town festivities they enjoyed every year. The lights, the Christmas market, baking cookies with her, visiting Santa, the festival, the tree-lighting ceremony, carol singing followed by hot chocolateand marshmallows, and more sticky, gooey goodness when they made smores.
The Bahamas had none of that. Especially not the upscale resort where Adrian was planning to take him, which was all cool elegance and fine dining.
She knew, she’d seen the glossy website photos. Okay, so maybe she’d stalked the place after Adrian mentioned it, but so would anyone who’d been told they couldn’t afford a holiday year after year by the same man who was now taking his bimbo - er, Brandi, there.
"I do hope you'll have everything ready for the Christmas festival," Ms. Iris said, and Evie realized with a start that her mind had wandered off on an irritated-at-Adrian tangent once again.
Evie swallowed hard, plastering on a smile that felt as stiff as the flour coating her face. "Of course, Ms. Iris. Frosted Sugar will be ready for the festival, just like always."
She rang up their order, her mind racing. The Christmas festival. She wassoooonot ready for it. It was a big event in Frostvale; people came from miles around thanks to the small business forum which Ms. Marigold commandeered. But with everything going on with Adrian and Ollie...
No. She couldn't let herself spiral. One crisis at a time.
"That'll be $12.50," Evie said, handing over the huge box of snickerdoodles and the carefully wrapped, extra-large loaf of fruit bread. "I hope you ladies enjoy."
As they turned to leave, Iris paused, her eyes twinkling with barely contained curiosity. "Oh, I heard Adrian was coming back to town. Is he staying long?"
Evie's stomach clenched. She could practically see the rumor mill grinding into action.
Not that these ladies had any love for her ex-husband. They knew, like most everyone in town, how Adrian referred toFrostvale as ‘Frostbite’ in the patronizing, I’m-too-good-for-this way he’d adopted since he’d become more successful.
These days he was too good for a lot of things… including her, apparently.
Evie's smile faltered for a moment before she caught herself. "Oh, you know Adrian," she said, aiming for a breezy tone but hearing the strain in her own voice. "Always on the move. He's just going to be here to pick up Ollie for their Christmas trip."
The words tasted bitter on her tongue. She could almost see the gears turning in Iris' head as she filed away the tidbit of information for later dissection.
"A Christmas trip? How lovely," Marigold chimed in, her eyes gleaming with barely concealed interest. "Where are they off to?"
Evie's fingers tightened on the edge of the counter, her knuckles turning white beneath the dusting of flour. "The Bahamas," she managed through gritted teeth, the word coming out clipped and sharp.
