Mistletoe @ Christmas Tree Lodge, page 1
CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Afterword
FREE BOOK
About the Author
Also by Jan Johnson
Copyright © 2022 by Jan Johnson
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www.jan-johnson.com
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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law
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Mistletoe@Christmas Tree Lodge
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Published 2022
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Farmhouse Publication
94436 Mustonen Rd
Astoria, Oregon 97103
janjohnson.author@gmail.com
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Printed in the United States of America
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ISBN:979-8-9863725-6-3
E-ISBN: 979-8-9863725-7-0
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This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this book are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Dedicated to
Sidney Johnson
and
Chester
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Sophie took in the large stone fireplace and cozy flames licking the logs. A mistletoe ball hung at the perfect spot, strategically placed for great photo ops. A young couple sat at a table with a puzzle and grandparents cuddled with a grandson reading The Night Before Christmas reminding Sophie of her childhood. The sweet smells of cinnamon filled the room and a table of beautifully iced sugar cookies stood invitingly on a plate.
And the lobby Christmas tree. It stood clear to the open-beamed ceiling, covered with lights, ribbons, sparkling balls. She swallowed the ache that crept to her throat. This was where Sam had proposed to her. On one knee. In front of a whole room of people. She swallowed. She had to get out of here.
She gathered her red hair and twisted it into a knot before she sat down in her car. Nothing more annoying than having your hair get entangled in the seat belt. She should just cut it. Nobody needs hair down to their waist. Then again, as much as she hated to admit, it made her stand out, and she enjoyed the frequent compliments.
She pulled out of Christmas Tree Lodge and onto the two-lane highway headed towards town. Like the snow, her thoughts were swirling—full of ideas and activities to do with the kiddos staying at the lodge for Christmas. Although she was happily employed subbing, she didn’t mind taking this job during Christmas break to create magic with more kids.
Maybe having the airline strike which canceled her trip to Europe was something to be grateful for. An opportunity. Who knew what the next week would hold?
Sophie’s fingers absent-mindedly wrapped around the sapphire pendant and slid it back and forth on its gold chain. Sam had given it to her the week before he proposed. She had thought of giving it away, but it was such a beautiful necklace. Sophie turned on the windshield wipers to catch the gentle snowflakes. Sam was now a distant memory. Mostly. Not to say she hadn’t been sweating bullets thinking of taking a job at Christmas Tree Lodge. But there was no chance Sam would be there. Right?
She asked Siri to play Christmas music and hummed along. “Now the weather outside is frightful…”
Sophie drove into the parking lot of the country store. She got out of the car, shivered and tugged her scarf tighter around her neck. The temperature was definitely dropping. Snowflakes fell on the Santa hat covering a carved bear’s head. She remembered watching a guy create one, skillfully using his chainsaw on the raw log to turn it into a fun creation. Sam had commented how he could never be that talented. Well now that he wasn’t in her life, this wasn’t going to be something she would ever find out.
The bell tinkled as she entered. She stomped her boots and flicked the snowflakes off her coat.
Now where were the art supplies? She needed glue, construction paper, glitter. What’s a project without glitter? Popsicle sticks for ornaments. And string. She loaded her cart and headed to the grocery aisle, looking for graham crackers to build gingerbread houses. Found it. Powdered sugar. Check. Candy. Lots of candy.
Her phone buzzed, and she reached into her pocket to answer.
“Oh hey, Claire. Yeah, I know. I wish we could have gone to Europe too. But remember what Grandma always says— there are no problems, only opportunities.” Sophie laughed. “Yes, I’m absolutely going to love this job. It’s going to be so much fun! Listen Sis, I’ve got to let you go. I’m at the store.” She hung up and smiled. Spending time with her sister would have been so much fun. Staying up late catching up. Watching Hallmark movies, drinking cocoa.
Well, she was going to make this fun too!
She wheeled her cart, close to overflowing, to the checkout. The clerk, who couldn’t be more than sixteen judging by the attempt to grow facial scruff, let his eyes fall on Sophie’s hair. She self-consciously ran her fingers through it. He cleared his throat and continued checking.
“Do you usually get a lot of snow this time of year?” Sophie placed some candy canes on the conveyor belt.
“Sometimes. But I just heard on the news that there’s going to be eight inches by midnight. You better get a move on. You don’t live around here, do you?” He placed the items into her shopping bag.
“No, just working at the Lodge for Christmas.” He handed her the receipt.
“Sounds fun. Don’t know if you’re interested, but there’s always a winter dance there on the twenty-fourth.” He held her gaze. “I mean, if there’s anyone you’d like to go with.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
His face turned red and he turned towards the register. “I wasn’t thinking me.” His voice was barely above a whisper.
Sophie raised an eyebrow and ducked out, her arms bulging with bags.
Was she interested in repeating what happened three years ago?
Memories of Sam’s arms wrapped around her, her head on his chest, moving slowly to the rhythm of Santa Baby, breathing in the scent of his aftershave, listening to the beat of his heart... STOP! She could not let herself go there.
Sophie loaded up all her purchases and started the car, cranking up the defrost and rubbing her hands together, waiting for the heater to kick in. She should have started out earlier. It was only four, but the sun was just slipping behind Mt. Hood.
The snow covered the roads now, and she was glad to have taken her dad’s advice and put on snow tires. She set the heater on seventy-five and let it blow.
One week of activities. This was going to be fun. She’d focus on what she did best.
Not knowing if she’d be hired for a permanent position at the school, she applied for her dream job—teaching in an international school. She kept her fingers crossed that this would come to fruition. She might even say a few prayers in between.
The Lodge came into view. Thousands of white lights twinkled, accentuated by the falling snow. Strings of icicle lights bordered the rafters, and a coral held twelve live reindeer.
Sophie parked in the drive through and popped the trunk. This would take a few trips to unload.
“Daddy! You need to help that lady.”
She smiled. It was nice to have someone offer to help. A tall shadow rose over her.
“Here, let me help you with those.” That deep voice, though. She swept her hair behind her shoulder with the back of her hand and handed a bag to outstretched arms.
“Daddy, I can get that!” Sophie reached for another bag and held it out. She drew in a sharp breath as she caught those too familiar hazel eyes.
Sam.
He’s here? And with a kid?
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What the heck is Sophie doing here? There was a chance the size of a gnat that she would be here. And yet, here she was.
“Um. Where would you like me to take these?” Sophie exhaled loudly and placed her hand on her hip. “In the lobby.” She waved her hand like she was shooing flies. “And I’ll get the rest myself, thank you very much.”
Sam Fischer’s lips turned up in a slight smile—still adorable when she was mad. And her fiery red-headed self hadn’t changed.
He stepped into the lobby with the bags. Was her heart beating as rapidly as his? Did she remember their first date for coffee and walk along the river? Or their kayak ride? What about their first kiss? Her lips were so soft next to his. He shook the memories out of his head. He hadn’t deserved her.
He stroked his beard. He was pretty sure he was the last person she wanted to see after what he’d done. But it had been three years. She had to have moved on. Sam set the bag down on the lobby coffee table and his eyes fell on the tree.
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By the wine-colored wing tipped chair.
&
The one she had sat on when he proposed.
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With everyone watching.
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He shook his head.
“Daddy, come on.” Darby tugged on his arm. “It’s snowing. Can we go play in it?” Sam looked outside. The flakes were clumping together as they drifted through the amber lights of the carport. This little girl was a good distraction. He was not ready to see Sophie. She obviously thought he was an absolute jerk. As well she should.
“It’s getting dark, sweetheart. And you’re not dressed for it.”
“I can get dressed. It won’t take very long. Come on.” Who could resist those big blue puppy dog eyes? She tugged on his arm till he followed her up the stairs to their room.
Sam sat on the edge of the bed while Darby yanked out her pink snow pants and gloves.
“Want help?”
“I can do it my own self.” She sat on the floor and put one leg in and then the other. Her foot got stuck on the elastic cuff. She squinched up her face like she was determined to win a competition. Sam reached out to help her, but she managed to get her foot through.
“Good job, Darby Doo.” He tugged her knit hat on and patted her on the head.
Now the trick would be to get downstairs without having to pass Sophie. And what were all those bags for, anyway?
Fifteen minutes had been long enough to get the snow bug out of Darby. She shivered as she ran towards the front door. A girl dressed as an elf met them with towels to clean off their boots.
“Looks like you two had fun. Did you like the snow?” She toweled off the remaining flakes on Darby’s jacket.
“I love it.” Her teeth chattered. “But it’s so cold!” She hugged herself.
“You look like a girl who could use some hot chocolate. There’s a table next to the fireplace with cookies and drinks. That is, if it’s okay with your dad.” She smiled up at him.
“Yes, of course.” Darby ran to the table.
“Just one cookie, Doodle. Take your pick.” Sam filled a cup with cocoa from a carafe. He squirted whipped cream from the can and handed it to Darby. “Sit down here so you don’t spill.”
She took a bite out of a gingerbread man and carefully set her cup on the table. Sam looked at the activity board. There were daily activities for kids of all ages. He’d sign her up and maybe go with the adults on the planned cross-country ski trip. He could use some adult time.
Sam loved the role of dad. But he could use a break now and then. It had been a crazy ride. The phone call that his brother Henry and sister-in-law, Tara, had been in a car accident. Rushing to the hospital only to find Tara had died. A few final hours with his brother, where Henry asked Sam to promise to parent two-year-old Darby.
“All done? Throw your napkin and cup away. Let’s get you into bed. Got some fun things for you to do tomorrow.”
They reached the room where he drew a warm bath, pulled out her fuzzy fleece Christmas jammies with the polar bears, and brushed through her straight blonde hair.
“Read to me.” She jumped up onto the bed and gave Sam a copy of The Kissing Hand. She snuggled her own stuffed Chester raccoon on her lap.
‘“Now,” Mrs. Raccoon told Chester, “Whenever you feel lonely and need a little loving from home, just press your hand to your cheek and think,”’
Here Darby chimed in. “Daddy loves you.” She put her hand on her cheek and snuggled closer to Sam.
Sam swallowed the lump in his throat. ‘“And that kiss will jump to your face and fill you with toasty warm thoughts.”’ How had he been the one to receive such a gift?
He kissed the top of her head. “Okay Doodle, time for bed.” He tucked her in, kissing her on each dimple just like Daddy H had. “Sweet dreams. God bless you, baby girl.”
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Sophie grabbed a wheeled luggage rack and threw the bags on. She didn’t owe that creep anything, especially not a conversation. Unless, of course, he was finally ready to give her the reason for him leaving and never coming back. She deserved that much.
Suddenly hot, she unwound her scarf and threw it on top of the bags. Why in the world did this have to be the one week she would run into that man. It was bad enough that he had broken their engagement with a text. A text! Who even does that? And obviously he was married with a kid.
She shoved the luggage rack a little harder than needed, managing to catch her scarf in the wheels. Sophie huffed an exasperated breath and untangled it. She moved into the activity room and began emptying her supples, arranging them by each day’s activity. Thank goodness this was a large resort. She shouldn’t have any trouble avoiding him. Or his full beard. Or mesmerizing eyes. One glance was all it took to remember what loving him had been like.
Letting these thoughts worm their way in was not okay. The man was married. And he obviously hadn’t wanted her in his life. Just as well. If he was willing to walk away from a two-year relationship, then he wasn’t the man she thought he was in the first place. She didn’t need him. She was doing just fine.
Sophie pulled out her colored markers and drew a festive border around the white board. She colored in the berries on the holly leaves and stood back to admire her work. She would do what she did best—throw herself into her work with kids. She would just ignore the fact that he was here. No sense getting her tinsel in a tangle.
She wrote the days of the week and the lists of activities. Tomorrow they would build snowmen. She looked out the window where white flakes continued to fall. There should be plenty of snow by then.
She arranged piles of plastic carrots, large buttons, scarves, mittens and. . . She put her hand on her chin. Some sticks for arms would be nice. She could look for those early the next morning. She looked at her bag of ribbons. She should take those too. Maybe the kids could think of something creative to do with them. Who knew? Kids always came up with interesting things. She checked the time. Better turn in. Hopefully tomorrow she’d be so wrapped up in the fun of kids that she’d forget all about him.
Sophie slid the key card into the door of her room just as her phone chimed.
“Hey! Claire. You are just the person I need to talk to.” She slid her bag off her shoulder and onto the dresser.
“What’s going on? Everything okay?”
“I wish. It was great, until…” Sophie kicked off her ankle boots, sending one flying across the room.
“Until what? What’s going on?” Sophie sat down against the pillows on her bed. “Three guesses as to who is here.”
Silence. “You there?”
“Yeah, I’m thinking.”
“I was unloading my car with all the activity supplies and who should offer to help me. Sam!”’
“Shut up.”
“Yes. Can you believe it? Here our trip to Europe is ruined by the strike and now my whole Christmas week is going to be ruined.” Sophie wound a strand of hair around her finger so tight the tip was turning purple.
“Woah now. It’s gonna be okay. Take a breath.”
“I’m not taking a breath. He has a kid! A little girl! The jerk’s married!”
“Oh my gosh. Sophie. I don’t even know what to say. What’s his wife like?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t see her.”
“Did you talk to him? Did he apologize?”
“Are you kidding? He started to help me unload the car. I just told him to put the bag down in the lobby. I wasn’t going to give him the time of day.”
“How did he look?”
“Tall. Bushy beard. Handsome. Come on Claire. Don’t make me do this.” Sophie put her hand on her forehead.
