According to Mom every girl at Cascade High wants to grow up to be me. “Glad I can inspire someone,” I mutter.
I just hope none of them ask about my personal life. I’m not exactly taking vacays to Tahiti and dating celebrities, something I always envisioned successful writers doing. But we can’t all be Danielle Steel.
“And we have the cookie exchange on Friday, the Davieses’ Christmas party next week...”
Where there will be mistletoe.Don’t think about it!
“And tonight Gwendolyn is coming over for dinner. She’s looking forward to seeing you.”
I’ll bet. More like looking forward to looking down her perfect, pert nose at me and finding a way to make me feel like a loser.
I am smart, I am strong, and I can conquer any situation. I can certainly conquer sitting across the kitchen table from Gwendolyn Payne.
I half want to tell Mom what a horrible creature Gwendolyn is, but I keep my mouth shut. I mean, sheisSam’s girlfriend.
“Gram and Grandpa will be joining us. Gram’s already at the house, baking the gumdrop cookies.”
“My favorite.” Gram’s motto is “Cookies say love.” It’s a great motto.
“Lasagna for dinner,” adds Dad.
“We figured we could lure you back with your favorites,” Mom says, and I know she’s talking about more than Christmas.
But I can’t leave New York. It’s where I have a whole new life. A safe life. I know some people think big cities are dangerous, but let me tell you, small towns can be just as deadly when sharks from your past are swimming in the water.
As we head north on the freeway, the cities like Seattle and Lynwood fall away. Soon we come to farms and pasture, and thenwe bear east and we’re heading toward the Cascades. Foothills, mountains, and the famous Seattle rain turning to snow. Trees are shrugging on a shawl of lacy white.
We come to the town of Cascade and it could be a movie set, with the snowy trees and the houses with colored lights strung along their rooflines, waiting for dark and their time to show off. And, in the background, the Cascade River.
Like a lot of the houses in town, ours is a Craftsman with a long front porch. Blue with white trim. Seeing it brings back memories of family movie nights complete with popcorn and root beer, of baking cookies with my mom and grandma, of sitting in that swing on the front porch with a bag of chips and a book. Of watching Carwyn from behind the pages as he and Sam shot hoops.
Surprisingly enough, Carwyn never left Cascade. He’s now the principal at the high school. And I bet he looks as gorgeous as he did the last time I saw him, which was from a distance. For one crazy moment I imagine running into him downtown—not here at the house, that’s too boring. No, I’m out by myself, having a cup of coffee that someone else has made and looking elegant in a sleek, red winter coat (I don’t own one), looking like a modern-day Audrey Hepburn.
Not thatthatwill ever happen. I’ll never be as elegant as Audrey. And I probably won’t have one minute to myself, not with all the things Mom has planned for me. But still... in my imagination it’s a quiet, perfect moment. He does a double take and says,Hailey, is that you? You look amazing.
“Here we are,” says Dad as we slide into the driveway. The streets are still icy, I can tell, but Dad’s thrown rock salt around like birdseed, so we make it into the house without anybody going down. I’m going to have to bag wearing my cute shooties and dig out my trusty old winter boots if I want to stay upright around here. Notvery glam, though. I’ll at least wear my good stuff when I’m out trying to look impressive. For sure when I go to the high school to talk to the kids.
But here at home... I’m suddenly ready for jammie bottoms, slippers, and a sweater.
The minute I walk into the house, the aroma of baking cookies skips over to meet me. What is it about the smell of something baking that says home?
Not so welcoming is the sight of mistletoe hanging in the front hall. Really, Mom? Naturally, with Sam’s new love there must be mistletoe. I’m sure staying away from it, though.
“We’re here,” Mom calls, and a moment later my grandma is in the hallway, short and round, wearing a red sweater to match her red-rimmed glasses, coming toward me with arms outstretched.
“Look at you, all New York and elegant,” she says. “You look fabulous, chickie-boo.”
Ah yes, family always sees through the eyes of love. “Thanks,” I say.
“Give me your coat,” Mom says.
“I’ll take your bags to your room,” Dad says.
“Come have a cookie and some peppermint tea,” Gram says.
For a moment I do feel a little like Danielle Steel, like someone important. Yep, it’s nice to be loved.
Of course, once Sam comes over after work—he works with Dad in the business—he does his brotherly duty and pops my fat head.
