“Bo got grant funding to pay for food so we can treat the community to dinner,” I said.
“We’re trying to find partners with large kitchens and staff so we can divvy up who’s going to cook large volumes of each dish. It’s too much for one or two kitchens to handle, but if we all come together, we can pull it off,” Mickey added.
My attention wandered to him and the brick-red sweater he wore. He made it all sound so reasonable. With his special brand of earnestness, Mickey could get me to agree to anything.
When I pulled my attention back and looked at Adrian, a smile played on his lips before he took a drink of water.Busted drooling over the enemy.
I pulled up the menu we’d prepared and set my phone on the table in front of Adrian. “This is the menu, and the items in black are ones we’re still trying to find cooks for. We’re hoping The Striped Maple would be able to take on one or two of them.”
Adrian nodded while studying the menu. “Focusing on one dish would make it easy to manage around our normal kitchen service. I’ll confirm with Rory, but it shouldn’t be a problem. Do you have an idea of volume? Will there be any food delivery involved for people who can’t make it out?”
Mickey and I looked at each other, and I could tell we were both going down the same train of thought. We hadn’t talked about providing food to people who couldn’t make it out because of transportation, illness, or accessibility.
“We’ll check with Bo and get back to you, but delivery is a great idea. Bo is also working up some estimates for attendance, so we’ll get that to you soon,” I said.
Mickey leaned in. “This hasn’t been announced yet, but Bo gave us the green light to tell people who might sign up to cook for the event.Good Morning, USAis planning to come to the Christmas festival. Business owners who contribute to the festival will receive priority consideration for whatever the show’s crew plans for B-roll or visiting local businesses. We want to get as much exposure for the town as possible.”
Adrian’s eyes widened. “Good Morning, USA?Seriously? That’s incredible. I would’ve said yes without that, but that’s quite the bonus. Any idea what Christmas events they plan to go to?”
Mickey and I had been speculating about that as well. Taking the carriage across the covered bridge would make for great footage, but so would caroling through the historic downtown Maplewood and Maplewood City Park.
“All we know is that they plan to come to town with one of their correspondents, and the spot they film will air on Christmas morning. So all we’re able to rule out is the New Year’s Eve event.” Mickey smiled.
Adrian whistled. “That’s quite a spotlight on our little hamlet.” He passed my phone back. “Let us know next steps, and we’re happy to help.” He leaned back. “It’s interesting seeing the two of you work together. Aren’t you supposed to be sworn enemies?” He winked.
“Can’t stand the guy. Every minute we work on this project is pure torture,” I said, deadpan.
Mickey’s laughter made me swoon, and going by Adrian’s knowing smile, I wasn’t doing a good job of keeping things professional. I needed to get a better handle on my feelings before we visited more businesses in town. How was I supposed to help it? Working with Mickey was fun and easy, and the more time I got to spend with him, the more I craved.
Adrian looked between us. “Hey, before you guys go, have a round on me. It’s the least I can do for all the work you’re doing for the community.”
“Sounds good to me. You have time, Mickey?”
“Absolutely.” The corner of his mouth lifted in a sweet smile.
Adrian led us over to the bar and poured the two local beers we requested. After Adrian left, wishing us a good afternoon, we turned to scan the room.
“There’s a couch in front of the fireplace. Want to sit there?” Mickey gestured in that direction.
I literally couldn’t think of anything I wanted to do more in that moment than sit next to Mickey in front of a warm fireplace on a cool December afternoon. I took one end while Mickey sat closer to the middle. He set his drink on the table and reached his arm across the back of the couch toward me. It took all my self-restraint not to lean in and rest my head on his arm.
Being back in The Striped Maple, where it all began, was messing with my compartmentalization. I’d given myself a pep talk last night that I needed to keep things professional during our meeting today, but that all went out the window when Mickey smiled at me. I was having visceral memories from Halloween—the feel of Mickey’s body against mine, the press of his lips, the hum as he kissed me deeply, the shape of him in his jeans.
“How’d it go when you told your family aboutGood Morning, USA,yesterday?” Mickey seemed oblivious to my inner turmoil.
It took my brain a moment to make such a drastic pivot. “I pulled Mom and Dad aside while Mom was cooking and Dad had come back to pick up an order for table service. Mom screamed and Dad knocked over a cooling pie when he pulled me in for a hug. The ruckus made the three Rocktogenarians who’d stopped in for an early dinner rush to the back to check on us, and I had to come up with a lie on the spot.”
Mickey’s eyes were full of laughter. “What gem did your brain provide?”
I groaned and covered my face. “That there had been a new Mabel sighting.”
Mickey shook the couch with his heavy laughter. “Your fight, flight, or freeze response involved our local cryptid?”
All I could do was shrug. “Sage and I had gotten into a Mabel debate on Sunday night, so she was top of mind, I guess.”
I’d always had a soft spot for our local forest-dwelling mystical creature. Not everyone in town believed in her, but I did. When I was a kid, the idea of a super-tall and leafy creature living in the forests around town scared the hell out of me. But when I heard a story that she guided a lost hiker back to town, I stopped being afraid.
“Did it work?”
