When the opening to “Jingle Bells” sounded through the speakers, Kacey smiled. She could do this! She just needed to pretend that the entire town wasn’t watching her. And just like that, she found confidence deep inside herself.
She directed the children to sing, and their voices rang out over the speakers on either side of the tree. She smiled as they sang in unison, their little voices blending almost perfectly!
“Jingle Bells” ended, and they went straight into “Joy to the World.” Kacey smiled as they continued to serenade the crowd. When the song ended, the mayor flipped the switch, and the tree lit up in all its colorful glory. The crowd oohed and aahed as the children began to sing “Silent Night.”
When a tall figure filled her peripheral vision, she breathed a sigh of relief. Drew appeared beside her with a sheepish expression on his face.
“Thank you,” he whispered.
She nodded at him and then moved off to the side. She hugged her arms to her waist and smiled as the children finished the performance with “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and then “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
When the choir finished, the crowd clapped and whistled for them. Drew gestured at the kids, and they all took a bow as the crowd clapped and yelled louder.
Drew motioned for Kacey to come back up front, and she joined him. He turned toward her. “You did a wonderful job, Kace.”
“I don’t know about that, but thank you. When you’re done here, bring the choir in for cocoa and cookies at the bakery. It’s on the house,” she said.
“Thanks. I will.”
Kacey hustled back to the bakery, where her mother and Dani were already serving more customers cookies and cocoa.
“You did fantastic, Kacey,” Mom said as she handed a customer a receipt.
Dani nodded. “It was great.”
“Thanks. I actually overcame my stage fright. I’m going to get some cocoa and cookies ready for the choir. I’ll pay for it, Dani,” she told her sister.
Dani waved her off. “Don’t worry about it.”
Kacey had pushed a few tables together and set out cups of hot cocoa and a few plates of cookies by the time Drew led the choir members and their parents into the bakery. “Come and help yourselves, kids. You all did a fantastic job.”
The children thanked her as they each sat at the table and dug in.
Drew took Kacey’s hand and led her over to the corner, away from the children and parents. “I can’t thank you enough.”
“You’re welcome. I should actually be thanking you.”
“Why?” he asked.
“You forced me to overcome my stage fright.” She tilted her head and scrunched her eyebrows. “Where were you?”
He hesitated. “I was at a job interview. For the department head in Newton.”
“Oh.” Her breath hitched, and she tried to stop herself from frowning. “How did it go?”
He shrugged. “It’s difficult to tell.”
“Oh.”
“Aunt Kacey!” Riley called. “Look! It’s snowing.”
Kacey spun to face the window and gasped as beautiful snowflakes swirled through the air. She moved to the window and smiled at Drew. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
His eyes never left hers. “Yes, it is.”
“Aunt Kacey...” Riley sang as she tugged on Kacey’s sleeve.
Kacey looked down at her niece. “What is it?”
