“Because of deliciousness?” Miss Lily asks, eyebrow arched.
“Because of deliciousness,” I confirm.
“Agreed. It’s a terrible thing she’s done to us with these things. You’ll have to eat half of mine, of course.”
“I can’t. I think I’ve reached my cranberry blondie limit. For the decade.”
She purses her lips. “Hmm. You’d rather be responsible for a little old woman developing type 2 diabetes by making her eat the whole thing alone?”
“Definitely not,” Taylor says, picking up the untouched fork and dividing it in half. “Do your good deed, Levi.”
“Indeed, Levi,” Miss Lily says.
I reach for my half and settle it on a napkin in front of me. “I mean, someone’s gotta be the hero.”
“Taylor, you’ll come back and tell me what’s got you so stressed out when the line dies down,” Miss Lily says.
“It’s nothing,” she says.
Miss Lily’s eyebrow goes up again. “You, my dear, always wear a cheerful face. You’d think nothing ever went wrong for you, ever. So if I can tell something is off by looking at you, it is. And it’s not small. Come back when the crowd settles down.”
Taylor’s mouth falls slightly open as Miss Lily delivers this pronouncement. She blinks at her, then at me. I shrug. I’ve already been Lily Green-ed. I clearly can’t help.
“Okay.” Taylor nods. “Back in a bit.”
Miss Lily and I chat about her grandkids. I know Landon somewhat. We’d see each other at the community pool sometimes when he spent summers with his grandmother.
Ten minutes later, Taylor moves a chair over to join us.
“Tell me your Christmas Town woes, dear,” Miss Lily says.
Taylor gives her a wry grin. “You don’t miss a trick, do you?”
Miss Lily gives her a knowing smile. “I’ve played bridge with Glynnis Hunsaker every week for fifteen years. I know exactly what a beast this tradition is, and it has to be the problem this close to Christmas.”
Taylor sighs and tells her about the call from the reindeer guy and the hastily formed plan to save the situation.
“It sounds like an efficient solution,” Miss Lily says. “Why do you still look stressed?”
“Because I’m realizing I can’t leave my business and the whole town four days before the huge event I’ve been putting out fires for all month.”
“You’re fine, Taylor Bixby. Look.” She nods toward the coffee counter. Sara is ringing up the last customer in the backup, and Celia is already filling the order. “Are they willing to cover for you while you’re gone?”
“Yes.”
“And do you trust them to?”
“Of course. But that’s a lot of hours, and—”
“They’ll be fine,” Miss Lily says in a way that allows for no argument. “Your biggest headache is the riot you’ll have if there are no cranberry blondies for three days.”
“My mom can make them,” Sara calls. “Who do you think taught Taylor to bake?”
“Then there’s no problem,” Miss Lily says.
Taylor’s forehead is still a mess of worried furrows. “There’s all the Christmas Town stuff, and—”
“Refer them all to me,” Miss Lily says.
