And that’s where the terror stepped in. Who was she to create a line of dog food? Let alone design all these cute dog treats and expect someone to plunk their hard-earned cash to buy them.
Sure, her parents were famous, but they weren’t here to back her up. She was an orphan. Alone in this venture.
Not even Ethan, who had the idea to sell the doggie treats in The Christmas Shop, was here to talk her–or her meat-flavored cookies–up.
She stood outside The Christmas Shop, shifting her weight from side to side. The feeling from the other night, the one where she felt like everybody at the Christmas pageant was staring at her, glued her knees so they wouldn’t bend. Even as every insecurity in her soul floated up like the Ghost of Christmas future shaking his bony finger in her direction, a part of her wanted to push out of the confines of her lonely life and reach for something more.
“Can I get the door for you?” asked a woman with wild red hair, black-rimmed glasses, and an Army shirt.
Valerie blinked to get her eyes to focus on her face. “You aren’t wearing a coat,” she exclaimed at the woman whose bare arms were ivory colored and not at all covered in goosebumps. They should have been. It was thirty-six degrees today.
She laughed. “It’s okay. I have mittens.” She held up her hands to show off two beautifully knit mittens with the letter K set inside an oval on the backs. “I’m Lux. Are you going inside?”
Her introduction was lost in the weight of the question. It was like she knew there was more to walking through that door than buying a new stocking.
“I don’t know,” Valerie replied honestly. “Do you think I should?”
Lux’s eyes lingered on the bag hooked over Valerie’s arm. “I hate flying. It makes me sick almost every time. But I love my job. Sometimes, I have to fly to do that job. It’s scary. But I board that sleigh–er, plane because I don’t want my fear to stop me from doing what I was put on this earth to do.”
Valerie glanced down at the bag now too. “I don’t know that I was put on earth to make doggie biscuits.”
Lux narrowed her eyes. She grabbed the old-fashioned door handle with her beautifully made mitten and opened it. A blast of cinnamon-scented air whooshed out around them. “The only way to prove a hypothesis is to test it.”
Valerie’s feet moved her into the shop before her mind fully agreed with Lux. By the time she was fully enveloped in the warmth, she was on board with Lux’s decision-making process and ready to jump in to test this theory of hers.
The excitement over all the possibilities was back, and she smiled as she unwrapped her scarf from around her neck. She breathed in deeply, letting the full effect of the store fill her. Michael Buble’sSanta Clause in Comin’ To Townplayed on the speakers, and his beautiful baritone immediately calmed her shaking hands. She turned to thank Lux for encouraging her, but the woman hadn’t come into the store. Valerie leaned to the right to look out the window but didn’t see her anywhere on the street. Oh well, it was a small town, and she was sure to run into her again soon.
Charlotte was behind the counter, wrapping a gift and chatting with a customer. They talked as if they were familiar with one another. The customer had long brown hair and to-die-for-perfect skin. It took monthly appointments with an esthetician for Valerie to get skin that even toned. Speaking of which, she should make an appointment–it had been a while since she’d been pampered. There was a spa a few streets over that had descrete signage and would keep her beauty secrets secret.
Adjusting the knee-length, tasseled wrap she wore over a long-sleeved white teeshirt, Valerie did her best not to appear impatient as she waited. Her wrap was striped in muted greens, pinks, tans, and browns, making her feel amazing. Her cream-colored feather earrings with tiny gold beads clicked as she swung her head to take in the store. There were three customers, all busy browsing and happy.
Taking courage, she headed for the counter. Charlotte put a bow on the gift and glanced up, seeing her coming. She brightened in the way women do when they see a friend. “Valerie, come here!” She motioned for Valerie to hurry. “You have to meet my sister-in-law, Lauren.”
The other woman turned, and her soft brown eyes warmed familiarly. Valerie sucked in a breath. “You’re Ethan’s sister!” Valerie blabbered without filtering. “And Collin’s aunt,” she continued to put the pieces of the family puzzle together, her brain caught up in Ethan despite her efforts to block him from her mind. The man had a complicated life, and she didn’t want to jump into the middle of it.
Lauren laughed, her bubble-gum pink lips spreading into a smile that lit her whole face. “Tell me he’s behaving himself.”
Valerie relaxed immediately. Lauren was honest, down-to-earth, and kind. Everything about her said that she was an open heart. It wasn’t hard to recognize people like that because Valerie had seen many others who were the opposite. Lauren was like her nephew that way.
“Well, he did drag me under the Christmas tree,” Valerie teased.
Lauren’s hands flew to her cheeks. “Ethan?!Ethandragged you under the Christmas tree? That’s so…”
Valerie’s eyes widened in shock. “No! No. Not Ethan. Collin.”
Lauren dropped her hands. “Oh my gosh! I thought–” she waved her hands in front of her. “Never mind what I thought.”
Behind the counter, Charlotte cackled at the misunderstanding. “I heard Ethan turned your lights on, though,” she teased Valerie.
Valerie’s ears warmed. “No–again, that wasn’t Ethan. That was the power company.”
Lauren scowled good-naturedly at Charlotte. “You’re stirring the pot this morning. Who put pepper in your cocoa?”
Charlotte dried her eyes. “I couldn’t help it. You were so scandalized.” She waged her finger back and forth between them. “Both of you.”
Lauren draped her arm around Valerie’s shoulders. “Birds of a feather and all that.” She turned and looked at Valerie. “You’re my new bestie. I’m dropping this joker.” She hooked a thumb at Charlotte.
Charlotte smirked back at her.
