Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two

“Merry Christmas Eve,” Felicity said as she swept into Sleighed a week later. She was wearing a Santa hat and carrying a plate of Christmas cookies.

“Merry Christmas, everyone!” Clara echoed as she placed her signature fudge on the bar.

“Finally. We’ve been waiting for you two,” Danny said, getting up from his bar stool and using just a cane to walk behind the bar. His ankle was healing well, and he’d already been given a walking cast. He pulled out two identical presents and placed them in front of his girl’s two best friends.

Clara raised her eyebrows. “What are these?”

“Christmas presents. What else?” he asked as Marissa came up behind him and then placed two mugs of eggnog on the counter.

“They’re from both of us,” Marissa said, feeling festive and happier than might be legal. “Sort of. They were my idea, but Danny made them.”

“He made them?” Felicity picked the package up and shook it. She frowned when there was no sound or movement.

“Stop that,” Clara said. “What if you break it?”

“I’m not gonna break it.” Felicity rolled her eyes. But then she sobered and looked at Marissa. “If this is something sappy, I’m going to have to make new friends.”

Marissa threw her head back and laughed, but then she wrapped her arms around Danny and leaned into him. Ever since the Paw-mas parade, she and Danny had been inseparable. Well, as inseparable as two people could get when their schedules weren’t aligned. She’d been spending her days helping him in the gallery, and he spent most nights hanging out at the pub. Marissa finally felt settled. The roots she’d started to put down in Christmas Grove had really taken hold, and she couldn’t wait to see what came next.

Marissa had even confessed to her friends that despite her vow to never get married again, she’d been dreaming about what a real wedding to Danny might look like. She envisioned an outdoor wedding, near a small lake with the mountains as the backdrop. In her dream there was a light dusting of snow, giving the occasion a hint of magic.

She’d been so wistful when she’d spoken about it that Felicity had made a gagging noise and told her that she’d lost her to the dark side. Since then, she’d teased Marissa endlessly about being a lovesick teenager, and all Marissa had done was laugh.

“You can’t quit us,” Marissa said, grinning at her. “You love us too much.”

“That’s true,” Felicity said grumpily and took a sip of the eggnog. Then she sipped again until the drink was half gone. Once she put the mug down, she added, “Dang, that’s good. After the day I had, I needed it.”

“Was it crazy at the farm with last minute shoppers?” Marissa asked. Sometimes it was like that on Christmas Eve in Christmas Grove. Though judging by the lack of customers in the pub, she thought most of them were already tucked in at home, waiting for old Saint Nick to arrive.

“No. Not at all,” she said, shaking her head. “In fact, I was closing up early when a realtor from Placerville showed up and wanted me to show her around.”

“Show her around?” Clara asked, holding one of the Christmas cookies that was decorated like the Grinch. “Show her what?”

“The property. She thought it was for sale.”

“What?” Marissa and Clara said at the same time. Marissa cleared her throat. “What made her think that Apples and Spice and Everything Nice was for sale?”

“There’s a listing that mentions us, but it’s actually the property next door.” Felicity rubbed at her forehead. “It’s owned by my estranged aunt. The one my father cut out of his life thirty years ago.” She fingered the rim of her mug. “I tried to get in touch with her about buying it, but there’s no number, and the listing agent said she’s not interested in selling to the family.”

Marissa’s eyes went wide when she asked, “Why in the world not?”

“I have no idea. And there’s no one to ask, either.” There was frustration in her tone when she added, “I knew she and my dad had a falling out years ago, but I had no idea it was this bad. I don’t even think she knows he passed on.”

Clara covered Felicity’s hand with hers and squeezed. “I’m sorry, Felicity. That’s not exactly the kind of news one should be getting at Christmas.”

“No, it’s not. Especially since the company that wants to buy it is interested in developing condos,” she spat out. “I guess I know what I’m doing with my new year. Fighting commercial development in Christmas Grove.” She raised her mug and waited for them all to toast.

“We’ll help,” Marissa said, unable to imagine condos invading the lovely apple orchards of Christmas Grove.

“We’ll do whatever we can,” Clara added.

“I know.” Felicity smiled at them gratefully. “The farm, that land, it’s the only thing that really means anything to me, and the idea of seeing condos where my grandmother’s magical garden used to be just makes me shudder with disgust.”

“I bet it does.” Marissa knew that Felicity walked the path to her grandmother’s cabin regularly. They’d been very close right up until the very end when Felicity had been holding her hand as her grandmother took her last breath. She’d lived well into her nineties and had lived a rich life, but it was a loss that had affected Felicity deeply. It was the reason she lived in town with Clara. Living on the farm without her grandmother had just been too hard. “We won’t let it happen,” Marissa promised. “One way or another, we’ll find a way to keep it as it should be.”

“Thanks.” Felicity looked down at the package that was still on the bar. “Enough of my woes. Should we open these now?”

“Yes,” Marissa said, knowing it would cheer her up.

“Together?” Felicity asked Clara.

“Definitely.”

The pair raced to rip the Christmas paper free of the small cardboard boxes and then were careful to open the flaps at the same time.

And once they pulled the matching mugs out and held them up, both of them burst out laughing.

Felicity’s was a deep red with a silhouette of a woman leaning against a door emblazoned with the words Looking for Mr. Right Now , while Clara’s was pink with an engraved heart that read Looking for Mr. Right .

“Oh. Em. Gee. These are perfect,” Clara said with a snort. “I love mine.”

Felicity chuckled. “I love mine, too. It’ll be a warning sign for anyone I bring home. They won’t get any ideas about forever.”

They all laughed and then spent the next few hours enjoying the nog and snacking on fudge and Christmas cookies.

As the sun started to go down, Danny glanced at his phone. “Time to close up. We have somewhere to be. ”

“We do?” all three of the women said.

Then Clara said, “Oh, right. You two have somewhere to be. Felicity and I just have a date with the Christmas Movie Channel.”

“Speak for yourself,” Felicity said as Jackson walked into the pub, looking like he’d just stepped out of a Mountain Men magazine. He was wearing a flannel shirt, clean jeans that showed off his rounded backside, and had a soft red scarf around his neck. Felicity smiled at him as she added, “I have a date with an actual human, thank you very much.”

“You do?” Clara and Marissa asked at the same time.

“She does,” Jackson said, holding his hand out for her. “I promised her a snowshoeing trip under the moonlight.”

“You’re going snowshoeing?” Clara asked her, blinking in confusion.

“I snowshoe,” she said defensively. “I did grow up on a farm, remember?”

“Sure, but the last time you went on a hike you?—”

“Never mind that,” Felicity said, cutting her off. “Let’s go, Jackson. I can’t think of a better way to spend Christmas Eve.” She turned toward her friends. “Are we still on for breakfast?”

Danny nodded. “Yep. Waffles and bacon. Be there to be merry.”

She groaned. “Never say that again.”

They all laughed and watched as Felicity left on her date with Jackson. When the door shut, Clara said, “That’s my cue. You lovebirds have fun, okay? ”

“Wait.” Marissa put a hand on her arm. “Are you really going home to watch movies by yourself?”

She smiled softly. “I’m going home to enjoy a nice long bath and start a new book I got for myself. Tomorrow we’ll do Christmas up right. Now let me go before my new book boyfriend invades someone else’s bath.”

She hopped off the stool and waved as she hurried out of the pub.

“Was that a little strange?” she asked Danny.

He shook his head. “No. They know I have something special planned.”

Before they could make their escape, the door swung open and Sophie walked in. Her head was held high as she fluttered her wings, looking impressive against the holiday lights that framed the door. “Merry Christmas Eve,” she said, her eyes twinkling. “I trust your days have been much less exciting since the last time I saw you.”

“You’d be correct,” Marissa said. “Nothing heavy has tried to fall on me or run me over since the Paw-mas parade. I believe I have you to thank for that.”

“You can thank yourselves,” she said, beaming. “It’s because you and Danny stood up for yourselves and believed in each other that you broke the curse. It’s me who should be thanking you. And apologizing. It turns out that Patience did cast that curse because she wanted Danny, but the moment he ran from you the first time, she lost interest and went after someone else. She was only back here because she didn’t want me to get my wings.”

“But you did anyway. Congratulations,” Danny said. “ And thank you for explaining what was happening. Without that, I’m not sure Marissa and I would be here.”

“It was nothing,” she said, giving them a wide smile. “Okay, it was something. I’m just glad it worked out.”

Marissa cleared her throat. “I saw you and some other sugar plum fairies carrying her off. What happened to her?”

“Rehab for fairies gone bad.” Sophie shuddered. “If she graduates, they’ll let her reenter society on a trial basis. If she doesn’t, then she’ll be stuck at the fairy compound, destined to serve the powers that be.”

“That’s… bleak,” Marissa said.

“It’s what she deserves,” Sophie said. “Sugar plum fairies are supposed to bring joy, not devastation. And that is exactly why I’m here.” She smiled and sprinkled a bit of magic in the air. It swirled around and then formed a small gold locket that glowed with magic. “It’s a talisman for your home. Hang it over your front door, and your love will be protected for all your days to come.”

The locket moved until it was right in front of Marissa.

“Hold out your hand,” Sophie said.

Marissa did as she was told, and when the locket fell gently into her palm, a calmness settled over her, making her feel grounded and as if life had never been sweeter.

“Wherever you end up, as long as you’re together, this locket will watch over you. If there’s ever a time you need a little sugar plum fairy magic, just call me and I’ll hear you.” Sophie kissed them both on the cheek and then disappeared into the ether.

“That was kind,” Danny said .

“It was, but I hope we never need this,” she said, slipping the locket into her purse.

“Agreed.” He nodded and then tugged gently on her hand. “Let’s get going before it gets much colder out.”

She raised her eyebrows. “What do you have planned, Danny Frost?”

“You’ll see.”