Knowing she was stuck, Wendy reluctantly agreed.
“Thanks!” Jackson’s whole face lit up.
“See you at five.” She tried to hide her annoyance at being shanghaied by the two of them as she waved and drove away. On one hand, it was sort of sweet. But on the other hand, it was only going to make it harder when she eventually told Jackson that Oliver had to find a new home. But maybe Caleb wanted a dog.
It took her about an hour to finish up the kitchen cabinets, and as she stepped back to take in the whole thing, she couldn’t help but smile. Sure, it might not be for everyone, but she felt it was turning into a very pretty kitchen. Even the old white laminate countertop looked better next to the freshly painted cabinets. And with some careful staging with the Fiestaware dishes and a few charming beach items, it would be absolutely perfect.
As she cleaned herself up, Wendy felt more hopeful than she’d been in a long time. Things were getting done and lining up—maybe after the past few years of heartache and disappointment, she and Jackson were finally about to get ahead in life. Maybe even by Christmas. It felt like God was finally smiling down upon them—like there was a light at the end of their long, dark tunnel. Sure, maybe the glow wasn’t shining here in Seaside ... but it was out there somewhere.
eleven
WENDY DUG AROUNDin the pile of clothes that she still hadn’t hung back in her closet after painting her bedroom. She wanted something festive and fun to wear to tonight’s celebration, but knowing it was getting pretty chilly out, she decided to go for warmth. Remembering the old sweater she’d salvaged from a pile of clothes in the storage room, she decided to give it a try. She suspected the fisherman knit cardigan had been Poppa’s since it looked too big for her petite grandmother. Slipping it on, she immediately loved the oversized garment, which had softened with age. And it actually looked rather stylish with her best jeans and favorite pair of dark brown boots. To dress it up, she added a red plaid scarf around her neck, as well as some silver earrings. Nothing fancy, but suitable, she felt, for Seaside. And instead of her usual no-nonsense ponytail, she brushed out her long dark hair and let it hang loose.
She was about to leave when she remembered her promise to Jackson regarding Oliver. She’d found a bag of old red and blue bandanas, which she planned to recycle into curtains and accents in Jackson’s room, and decided to utilize one now. Oliver didn’t even mind as she tied a red one around his neck, then hooked up his new red leash. “Aren’t you a pretty boy?” she said as he leaped up into the back of the car. She continued to talk to him as she drove to town. “You’ll probably be the life of the party,” she said as she let him out. “Well, as long as you mind your manners. If you don’t, I’ll bring you straight back to the car.”
But Oliver didn’t look the least concerned as she led him down Main Street. He walked right next to her as if he’d been trained. And with his jaunty red bandana and tail held high, Wendy couldn’t help but smile as they got closer to the city square where people were gathered for the tree-lighting ceremony.
“You brought him!” Jackson exclaimed as he and Caleb joined her. “And you even dressed him up.” He hugged her then took the leash. “Thanks, Mom!”
“Nice-looking dog you got there.” Caleb grinned at her. “And you’re not so bad either.”
“Thanks ... I think.” A warm rush ran through her at his offhanded compliment.
“Come on.” He grabbed her hand. “I’ve got a place saved over there. You can see everything.” He led her, Jackson, and Oliver to a concrete retaining wall where a tartan blanket was spread out. “Have a seat.” He handed her a paper cup. “Hot cocoa to warm your hands and your tummy.”
“Thanks.”
“I’m going back for another cookie,” Jackson told Wendy. “You guys want some? They have ginger cookies, Mom.”
“That sounds great!”
“I’ll take one too,” Caleb said.
With cocoa in hand, Wendy sat on the blanket, then turned to Caleb. “Thanks for telling us about this. It’s really fun.”
“Small-town life can grow on you.” He sat next to her. “There was a time when I thought I needed the big city, but it didn’t take too long before I figured out there was no place like home.”
She smiled. “So you clicked your heels together?”
“Something like that.” He nodded to the stage where musicians were starting to play “Deck the Halls.” “That’s the Seaside High band. Not very big, but the band director is pretty talented. He gets the best out of these kids.”
“They sound good.”
“The dance team will do a number and then, after some speeches and hoopla, Santa will show up and push the magical button that will light up the tree.” He pointed to the tall evergreen next to the stage.
“How exciting!” she said with mock enthusiasm.
“Shortly after that happens, I have to make a sprint back to my store and get ready to turn on my Christmas lights. Santa will introduce the Sugar Plum Fairy, and when that dance is over, Santa will push another magic button and the whole town will light up at exactly 5:30. Or thereabouts. Not everyone’s watches are perfectly synchronized.”
“Amazing.” She grinned.
“Yes, it’s all rather magical.” He took a sip of cocoa. “Same thing every year, but the crowd loves it. After everything is all lit up, we sing carols and eat cookies for a while. And that’s it.” He glanced up at the sky. “Sometimes it’s freezing cold or snowing and we don’t last too long. But tonight’s not so bad.” He touched her sweater sleeve. “Hope that’s as warm as it looks.”
“It is.” She explained how she found it. “I think it was my grandpa’s.”
“Well, it looks great on you.”
Jackson was coming back with Oliver as well as Taylor and a smaller girl in tow. As Jackson doled out their cookies, Taylor introduced them to her little sister, Tessa. “Mom dropped us off before she went to work,” she explained. “I told her that maybe we could get a ride home with Jackson.” Her smile was a mixture of hope and mischief.
