Page 17 of Chasing Cheer
She pushed away the intense vibrating coming from her watch as she strode, step by unsteady step, to the tree, still gripping Ash tightly. They reached the tree, and Holly tagged it with her hand for good measure then realized Ash had fallen over when she released him. She scanned him anxiously but smiled when she saw him laughing.
“Was that really your first time potato-sack racing?” He laughed, agilely getting back to his feet. “You’re a natural.”
“Did we win?” Holly looked around. The other couples had reached the tree, but Luis was shouting again.
“And this year’s winners of the harvest potato are our own Asher Hayes and his partner, Holly!”
“Sorry,” Ash whispered as the announcer strode toward them, holding a knitted potato man. “I realized as I was signing us up that I don’t know your last name.”
He lent Holly his hand as she stepped out of the potato sack, and her watch heated up again. Together, they took the trophy from the announcer as the crowd clapped, and the other participants gathered their potato sacks to return to the pile for next year’s festival. Comet dashed excitedly in circles around them.
“Well done,” Sofia said, coming up beside them. “I told you she’d make a better partner than me.”
Ash shook his head ruefully. “Who knew Holly was a potato-sack master?”
Holly handed him the harvest potato. “Here. Display it in the Emerald House with pride.”
“Are you sure? If you want it—”
“Are we gonna have to work out some kind of joint custody arrangement?” Sofia asked. “Just take the potato, Ash. It’ll look nice up there on the counter when people check in. You’ll have bragging rights until next year.” She elbowed Ash in the side.
“Maybe you’ll win next year too,” Holly offered.
“Only if you’re my partner,” Ash said with a wink, and a loaded pause followed as he and Holly stared at each other.
“Aaall righty, then,” Sofia said, taking a large step backward. “I’m gonna go get some kettle corn.”
* * *
“So,what’s next? Do you want to join us for midnight apple picking tonight?” Ash asked, still riding the high of their unexpected win, as he and Holly sat down at a picnic table in the clearing for dinner with Sofia. They had just finished checking on the wine booth, and Ash had been assured that the sangria was selling well.
A band called The Tempting Pumpkins had set up at the far side of the clearing, and families were spreading blankets on the ground in front of them. The air was beginning to cool, and parents put hats onto their children’s heads.
“Oh, well, actually…” Holly cleared her throat and looked at a place just past Ash’s right shoulder. “I have to be getting home tonight. There are some things I need to take care of.”
Ash’s stomach dropped. “You have a flight out tonight? Are you driving back to Medford? It’s already starting to get dark.” He glanced up at the sky, where the sun was beginning to set dazzlingly behind the evergreen trees. The Tempting Pumpkins began playing, a lively violin quickly joined by the other instruments. He shouldn’t have been surprised she was leaving so soon, but he was unexpectedly disappointed.
Holly pursed her lips. “Um, yes. I have a flight tonight. But I have transportation all arranged.”
Ash frowned, wondering if she had made the flight plans suddenly, but Sofia spoke before he could say anything.
“Holly, I know this was just a detour while you were in Oregon for business, but I’ve really enjoyed spending time with you these past few days. Is there a chance you’ll be coming back to this part of the world any time soon?” Sofia’s caramel-streaked curls were blowing around her face in the breeze.
Ash had nearly forgotten Sofia was there, and he wondered if Sofia had been making herself scarce intentionally. “You were thinking about attending the Christmas faire, right? We’re going all out for Hallmark. We could use a new perspective with the decorating from someone who knows what they’re doing. People have been coming up to me all day, asking who decked out the clearing. You’re starting to get a reputation around here.” The words spewed out of Ash, and he barely had time to question his motivations.Am I asking because I genuinely need help with the festival or because the thought of not seeing her again is creating an odd sensation in my chest?
Unlike Ash, the words didn’t flow out of Holly immediately. She seemed to contemplate something, and when she finally spoke, her gaze met Ash’s again. “Well, I can’t let that reputation go to waste.”
Sofia’s face lit up, and warmth that had nothing to do with Hallmark filled Ash’s chest. Maybe by Christmas, he could turn the town into a place someone like Holly would want to stay.
ChapterFourteen
The trip to the North Pole went by quickly as Holly reflected on her time in Emerald Hollow. Decorating the clearing had been surprisingly enjoyable. She was accustomed to spending each cycle traveling around, trying to find as much Cheer as she could, and dodging negative emotions like the plague. It felt strange to be able to stay in one place for a time, not obsessing about her Cheer quota.
Spending an entire morning focusing on beautifying the clearing was what Holly imagined taking a relaxing vacation would feel like or maybe learning a new hobby. She had been given the opportunity to flex an underused muscle, and it felt good.
But at the same time, Holly had never stayed anywhere for more than a few days. She wondered if she had spent too long in Emerald Hollow. Though she could easily blend in for a multiday cultural festival with thousands of people, in Emerald Hollow, Holly had been starting to make connections. Ash and Sofia, obviously, but even the men in the clearing and those who had joined them later to set up their booths had stopped to chat with Holly about the fall festival.
She felt like she fit in there, which unsettled her. By gathering Cheer and avoiding things that took a toll on its levels, Holly was an outsider to the human experience. She had started to get comfortable in Emerald Hollow, and she wasn’t sure what that meant.
