“Mom, I don’t even know how he feels about me. I think he cares for me, too, but he’s never said he likes me as more than a friend.”
“What if you just asked him?”
Kacey grimaced. “And what would I do if he rejected me?”
“And what if he didn’t?”
Kacey huffed and stood up. “How about we start on those Christmas cards?”
“You were always great at changing the subject.” Mom headed toward her bedroom. “I’ll get out the cards, and you make us some tea.”
Kacey headed into the kitchen, her thoughts swirling with her mother’s questions.
***
The bakery was hustling and bustling the night of the Christmas Tree Lighting Festival. Kacey rushed around delivering hot cocoa and Christmas cookies to the customers standing in the line that stretched from the counter to the door. Mom ran the register, and Dani kept a supply of cookiesand hot cocoa available. Customers sat at the tables in the dining area while enjoying their festive treats.
Out the front window, Kacey saw townspeople milling about, bundled up in coats, hats, scarves, and gloves while talking, eating Christmas cookies, drinking cocoa, and visiting the stores.
When there was a break in the line, Kacey retrieved her phone from the back pocket of her jeans and found a missed call and message Drew had left ten minutes ago. She was surprised that she hadn’t seen him, since he promised to stop by the bakery before the program started.
She stepped into the kitchen, moved to the far corner, and then played the message.
“Hey, Kace. It’s me.” His words came in a rush. “I need your help. I’m stuck in traffic, and the festival is going to start soon. Can you possibly fill in for me? Give me a call, and I’ll let you know what I need you to do. I’ll take over as soon as I get there. Thanks.”
Kacey called him back, and he answered on the second ring. “I just got your message. What’s going on?”
“I was stuck in traffic. I’m almost there, but the festival starts in ten minutes. Can you help me? I’ll tell you where everything is. It’s easy.”
“Uh, I don’t know, Drew.” Her stomach dipped. “You remember how I froze up every time we had to give presentations at school.”
“Kacey,” he began slowly, as if speaking to a child, “you can do this. I have faith in you.”
She listened while he explained where to find the CD with the kids’ music on it and whom to give it to. “I’ll try, but you need to promise me that you’ll get here as soon as you can, okay?”
“Thank you, Kace. You’re the best.”
“You’re going to owe me, Murphy,” she teased.
“I know. I’ll see you soon.”
Kacey disconnected the call and then slipped her phone back into her pocket before gathering up her coat, hat, and gloves.
“Where are you going?” Dani asked when Kacey returned to the front of the store.
Kacey zipped her coat. “Drew was stuck in traffic, and he needs me to direct the choir for him until he gets here.”
“What do you know about directing a choir?” Dani laughed.
“Nothing, and honestly, the whole idea of standing up there in front of all those people scares me to death, but Drew needs help.” Kacey rushed out of the bakery and into the community center, where she found the CD and Drew’s folder of music.
She exited the community center and wove through the noisy crowd until she came to the thirty-foot-tall artificial tree that towered at the end of the block near the town hall. The members of the children’s choir, all wearing elf hats, stood in front of the tree. A podium faced the children, and microphones stood on stands in front of them.
Riley rushed over to Kacey and grabbed her arm. “The festival is about to start! Where’s Mr.Murphy?”
“He’s on his way, and he asked me to fill in until he gets here. I’m going to take care of the music. You tell all the kids to get ready.” She searched the sea of nearby people until she found a young man standing by the electronic equipment, and made a beeline to him. “Are you Brian?”
He gave her a curious expression. “Yes.”
