Bailey vigorously shook her head. “You’re absolutely right. She’s always been the queen of Christmas, so why stop now? If it gives her joy, then I’m all for it.”
Landon reached out his hand and gripped hers. “Hope it’s all right to hold your hand,” he said, his eyes questioning.
She swallowed past the lump in her throat. His hand felt good in hers. Strong. Reassuring. Solid.
“Of course,” she murmured as he began leading her across the room.
Seconds later she was standing by a burgundy-colored velvet love seat, where Hattie was perched. For all intents and purposes, the woman looked downright regal. All she was missing was a crown. Her eyes lit up as soon as she saw Bailey.
“My goodness, you look lovely, Bailey. I’ve been waiting to see you. And you haven’t disappointed me decked out in that lovely gold color.” She winked at her. “And with this handsome young man by your side, no less.”
“Hattie, it’s been way too long.” Bailey bent over and pressed a kiss on Hattie’s cheek. She was trying her best not to react to the sight of her precious friend. She’d aged quite considerably in the past few weeks, maybe even months. Her cheeks had hollowed out a little, and she looked as if she had lost a bit of weight. But her eyes still glittered with the same curiosity and vivaciousness that had always been so much a part of her personality. Despite her physical appearance, she still exuded raw dynamism and spirit.
“Come, sit down next to me, my dear. I want to pick your brain.” She glanced over at Landon. “Is my grandson treating you well?”
Landon’s brothers let out groans. Landon looked as if he wanted to cover his face and hide.
“Landon, you might want to take your girl and run,” Xavier said, “she’s about to start grilling her.”
“Pish posh,” Hattie said, waving her hand at Xavier. “Pay no mind to them. They’re trying to start some drama.”
Once Bailey sat down, Hattie reached for her hand. “Mere words cannot describe how happy I am that you and my beautiful grandson have ended up together. It’s like kismet.”
Bailey smiled at her. Seeing Hattie so over the moon made her want to cheer. The fact that she’d contributed even a little bit to making her so happy made her feel proud. “He’s a good man,” Bailey said. “It’s all very new, but I’m happy.”
“And that’s what matters most. I can honestly tell you that most of my life has been filled with joy, and I’ll be leaving this earth soon with no regrets. Everything works out the way it’s supposed to and, in the end, there’s nothing more important than being surrounded by the people we love.”
“Cheers to that,” Landon said, holding up his champagne flute and raising it in the air to the partygoers. Everyone joined in, including Hattie. Jacques quickly moved to her side when her hand trembled, causing champagne to slosh over the sides of her flute. Bailey turned to Landon and they locked eyes. There was a clear understanding between them that Hattie was in decline. There was no sugarcoating it. Tonight would probably be one of the last times that she saw some of the people in this room. It was her way of saying goodbye.
Bailey was torn between the beauty of the moment and the bittersweet nature of having to say goodbye to someone you loved. These words packed an emotional punch, and sheknew that if she was feeling this way, Landon was probably feeling it one thousand times more. She made a mental note to check in on him in a little bit and see how he was dealing with everything. More than most people, she knew that grief was a journey no one wanted to take.
Watching his grandmother interact with Bailey made Landon feel ten feet tall. The fact that Bailey had told him about the personal connection she shared with Hattie only served to heighten the moment. He could tell how much they adored each other and how Hattie had perked up in Bailey’s presence.
“You two seem great together,” Xavier said in a low voice, leaning over toward him.
“Thanks,” Landon said, feeling proud for some unknown reason. It wasn’t as if he’d done anything. Bailey was the real star of the show with her outgoing personality and charm.
Even though Landon knew it was all make-believe, it felt nice to have a partner by his side.
Bailey was really playing her part. She was acting like the perfect plus-one, hanging on to his every word and looking at him as if he’d hung the moon. He didn’t think he had ever felt this sort of rush before.
A few minutes later an attractive woman with long hair and glasses approached them. She immediately gave Bailey a hug. Bailey turned toward him. “Landon, I’d like you to meet my mother, Cheryl Daniels.”
Cheryl was a lovely woman who greeted him with a sweet smile, exuding warmth. She didn’t particularly resemble Bailey, which made him wonder if she took after her father.
“It may be hard to believe,” Cheryl told him, “but the last time I saw you, Landon, you were a little tyke.” She looked up at him. “You’ve grown a lot,” she said, sounding amazed.
“My mother used to always say that my brothers and I ate her out of house and home.” He let out a chuckle. “She’s always been a fantastic cook.”
“Daisy, right? We used to belong to the same knitting circle. We had our meetings at the coffee shop on Main Street. She was a lovely woman.”
“Thank you,” Caleb said. “She actually came back to Alaska recently for my brother’s engagement party.” Landon shook his head, still feeling in disbelief over the fact that Daisy hadn’t been back to Moose Falls in twenty years.
“That sounds really special,” Cheryl said. “I was just saying hello to your father.”
Landon craned his neck, looking around the room. “I didn’t know he was here. I guess the rooms are starting to fill up.”
“It’s awfully nice of Hattie to throw such a wonderful party. She’s always been known for being so warm and welcoming,” Cheryl gushed. “I’m gonna go over and say hello to her. She’s been surrounded by people ever since I got here, but I think I see an opening.”
