Chapter 30—Andi

It was optimistic to expect her parents to take the news well. But Andi hadn’t expected her mother to be so angry that she booked a flight out of Cherry Creek the next morning. It was bound to be the worst Christmas Eve of her life. And she had only herself to blame.

Jackson wasn’t answering her calls—not that she could blame him. Her parents weren’t talking to her. She’d been so sure that she had this all figured out. That she knew how to get what she wanted. But this wasn’t it. All she’d done was hurt people she cared about. People she loved.

She didn’t know what else to do, so she sat down on one of the benches that circled the huge Christmas tree. She pulled out her phone to call Nat, noticing that her friend had tried to call her a few times.

Nat answered on the first ring. “Andi, where the heck have you been? Are you really with Tim?”

“What?” Andi asked. “No. He showed up and ruined everything, and I gave him back the ring and told him to leave me alone. I’ve been trying to talk to my parents, but they aren’t having it. Jackson won’t take my calls either.”

“He’s busy,” Nat said. “We all are. The fire suppression system went off for some reason and everything is ruined.”

“What?” Andi was on her feet in an instant, walking as quickly as her legs would take her toward The Cozy Cup. “I’m on my way.”

“I don’t think we can fix this just the four of us,” Nat said in a whisper. “I think Jackson is giving up.”

“He can’t. We’ve worked so hard,” Andi argued.

“I know. I heard him talking to that Demetri guy earlier, though. I don’t think there’s anything we can do.”

Andi stopped in her tracks. She could see the coffee shop from where she stood. But she could also see something else: The Book Nook. The store was clearly closed, but she knew how to get ahold of who she needed.

“Nat,” Andi said—the tiniest details of an idea were forming in her brain. “I have an idea.”

“What?" Nat asked.

“I need to call Tess. I think we can fix this. I'll be at The Book Nook.”

“Okay,” Nat said. “Should I meet you there?”

“Not right away. Stay and help with cleanup for now. I’ll call you when we have a plan.”

There was no way she was letting Jackson’s dream go down without a fight. He’d held up his end of their deal. She was going to hold up hers.

***

Andi once again found herself amazed by the speed with which news traveled in the little town. As efficient as she liked to think she was, Tess’s skills put her to shame. Within half an hour, Andi was seated at a table in the back corner of The Book Nook with Tess and half a dozen older women. They were all on their phones, recruiting their sons and nephews to come be part of the cleanup crew a few doors down.

Not long after, the front bell chimed, and everyone looked to the front door to see Allison walking in. She was hand in hand with a broad-shouldered guy with thick, jet black hair. They were both wearing sweatpants and hoodies. Andi recognized them from the basket Tess had left for her the week before.

“Sorry, I’m late,” Allison said. “We were watching a movie at Davis’s place, which is a little farther out.” A blush colored the small woman’s cheek. Despite the serious circumstances, Andi couldn’t pass up the chance to give a little eyebrow wag, which made Allison blush even more.

“You’re just in time,” Tess said. “Davis, the young fellas are headed over to The Cup to help with clean up. The ladies are staying here and getting to work on setting Jackson up for tomorrow.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” the Davis guy said, giving Tess a salute. The older woman smiled at him and shooed him off quickly—but not before he could give Allison a kiss.

“See you in a bit,” Allison said. They held hands until the distance between them was too great. She had a contented smile plastered onto her face as she watched him go and blew him a kiss through the windows.

“These lovebirds just reunited a few months ago,” Tess explained to Andi. “It’s sweet, so we let them get away with it.”

“Oh, you’re one to talk,” Tess’s husband Marcus said, walking up behind her to plant a kiss on the top of her head. Tess grinned and patted his hand with hers.

“What are you doing here?” she asked him.

“Well, I heard the young men were going to help at The Cozy Cup, so I figured I better join them,” he said, striking a pose to show his biceps. Tess swatted at him, laughing and looking completely enamored with the man.

“Oh, just go then,” she said with a giggle. “But don’t overdo it...young man,” she added.

“Never,” he said, striking one more pose as he walked toward the door. Once he was gone, Andi turned back to the group.

“Okay, so I think I have a plan,” she began. “Do all of you have a favorite holiday recipe?”

***

Not only was the plan in motion, but it was moving at a surprising pace. With so many of them diving and conquering, it only took a few hours for The Book Nook to start piling up with baked goods.

Andi planned on having to do all of the commercial baking the next morning in Jackson’s kitchen. But the recipes each of the women of Cherry Creek were baking would be given away to customers at the Christmas Eve Festival.

Not long after the women started filing out, though, Davis came back in. Andi watched as Allison’s entire face lit up at the sight of him. He wasn’t bad looking, but the look on Allison’s face wasn’t just a response to how he looked. It was like Allison bloomed when she saw the guy. It was a little bit like what Andi felt like around Jackson the last week or so.

Strangely, it was nothing like the desire she’d always had to shrink away—to become smaller and less noticeable when Tim was around. Around Jackson, she felt free. Unapologetically herself. Watching Allison, it seemed like that was how she felt around Davis. How lucky they both were.

“So, the kitchen over there is going to be out of commission for at least a few more hours,” Davis said, breaking into Andi’s thoughts.

“I kind of figured as much,” Andi said with a sigh. “If I really hurry, I can maybe get some things baked in the morning. I really want him to have the gingerbread house contest,” she said. “I think it will be a great draw for the coffee shop.”

“I agree,” Allison jumped it. “People will want to sit down in the warmth—and their kids can be occupied while they all sip a drink. It’s got great potential.”

“I know Jackson thinks it’s all over,” Andi said, “but I keep hoping if we can salvage tomorrow, maybe he’ll change his mind. Maybe—something can shift. I don’t know.”

“Well, you can still do the gingerbread houses,” Davis said. “I got you a kitchen for the night. A commercial kitchen, that is.” The large man was beaming like a small child.

“How?” Andi and Allison both gasped.

“The Williams Chocolate Company is my main client,” he said to Allison. “Remember?”

Andi looked back and forth between them.

“Yeah,” Allison said, “but, Mr. Williams is—”

“A generous man,” Davis finished for her. “Especially when I told him Jackson would love to use the company’s new chocolate sauce as the base of his Mocha Lattes. Davis grimaced. “Think he’ll go for that?”

“I’ll make him go for that,” Allison said. “The argument will serve as a good distraction while Andi gets in there and gets whatever she needs to get baking.

“I don’t know what I have left. I don’t know how I forgot that. I’m not going to be able to get more ingredients tonight,” Andi said, realizing it as she said it out loud.

Davis looked at Andi like she must be joking.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “It’s all taken care of.”

Tess walked over then, phone in her hand.

“The ladies have mobilized. Everything we need is on its way to The Williams Chocolate Company. And I take back every bad thing Marcus ever said about that man,” Tess said. “Well, half of them. He can be really difficult sometimes.”

Allison laughed at a joke Andi didn’t understand. “Tell me about it,” Allison said to Tess.

Tess looked at both of them. “Well,” she said, “are we ready for a late night?”