9. Lydia

9

LYDIA

" Y es, I'm ready," I said.

Margaret smiled even wider and snapped her fingers. One minute, I was standing in my gallery, and the next, we were by the fountain in the park. No one else was around; we were alone, suspended in time.

Margaret flourished a hand toward the fountain and sat down on the marble ledge. "It all started with a wish. You do remember what you wished for, don't you?"

My heart stopped. "Yes. I felt ridiculous. I've never given in to the superstition of wishes."

She chuckled and skimmed a finger over the water, making it shimmer with magic. I could feel the truth in it and see it with my own eyes. Magic was real.

"Well, I'm glad you gave in," she said, meeting my gaze. "I heard you that night. It's why I'm here."

"Who are you, exactly?"

Margaret stood and walked over to me, her presence warm and mystical, like I could see the magic swirling around her. "I'm one of many Christmas angels, Lydia. We don't grant wishes often, but when someone such as yourself deserves it, we like to help." She moved closer and smirked. "You wished to find someone to give your heart to and get theirs in return, right?"

Nodding, I waved a hand around the empty park. "I did, but how is all of this possible?"

Margaret snorted. "How is anything possible, Lydia? Magic exists . . . that's all I can say. You've been given a chance at a redo, and I think you did quite nicely. Max and Ben are handsome fellas. All you have to do is decide which path you want to take. It is all up to you now."

"Are you saying my dreams were real?" I asked.

Margaret smirked again. "Sending people back in time is my specialty. I knew you'd do things right. The only downfall is that it disorients people when they wake up to find their lives have changed course. However, so far, it's always been for the better. I haven't had anything go sideways on me yet."

I had time traveled. The thought was absolutely mind-blowing.

"I can't believe you sent me back in time."

Margaret smiled. "It accomplished what needed to be done. Now that you've met Max and Ben, you can figure out who gets your heart. And when you decide, your Christmas wish will have come true."

"What if I make the wrong choice?"

She shook her head. "I have faith in you, Lydia. You'll know where your heart wants to be."

It was all so surreal. I had not only altered my life but everyone else's as well.

Margaret stepped forward and gently grasped my arms. "So, don't go around thinking you're going crazy. Max and Ben are real as you learned today. I know you called your best friend a million times today to see if she knew who they were. Believe me, she does. You told her about them at the Christmas Eve parties."

And I did. It was still strange to know that all of that was real. I did a lot of things differently and said things I never would have before, especially to Jake. It made me wonder if anything had changed in his life.

Margaret squeezed my arms again. "I'm excited to see who you choose. Just know I'll be around if you need me."

A shimmering cloud of magic swirled around us, and in the next moment, I found myself back in my gallery. And sitting on the desk was a sprig of mistletoe, wrapped in a glittery silver ribbon. It was just like the one Margaret wore every time I saw her.

My fingers tingled the second I picked it up, and it shimmered as warmth spread through my body. Margaret told me in the coffee shop the other day that with mistletoe and Christmas magic, anything was possible. I was starting to believe that. She also said she believed it had helped guide her down the right paths. That was exactly what I needed.

T he day went by in a blur because all I could think about was how I had traveled in time. That wasn't something you could bring up at the dinner table with your family and friends. No one would believe me.

Once seven o'clock rolled around, I locked up the gallery and headed on my way to Hailey's house for our girls' night. She still hadn't returned any of my calls, but she did text, saying she was busy and she'd see me tonight.

When I pulled up at her cabin, I marveled at all the Christmas decorations. I hadn't been to her house since she decorated it. The whole front porch was wrapped in twinkling colored lights, and her Christmas tree was right in the center of the giant window. I saw Hailey inside, dressed in red pajama pants and a Santa Claus T-shirt, moving around the kitchen with tons of food everywhere. She didn't lie when she texted and said she had been busy.

I walked up to the door and didn't even knock because Hailey was opening it wide, holding out a green-and-red gift bag to me. "Happy girls' night!" she shouted. "I got something for you." Inside the bag was a set of pajamas that looked exactly like hers. When I looked at her, she waved a hand toward the hallway. "Yes, I expect you to put those on. Now go change."

Shaking my head, I laughed and walked past her into the house. "Did you know I've been trying to call you all day?"

I turned around to face her and she frowned playfully. "Yeah, I know, but I also knew I'd tell you everything I was doing if I talked to you. I wanted tonight to be a surprise." She shooed me off. "Now go change and then we'll chow down."

Hailey wasn't one to keep secrets, so I could see why she didn't call me. Margaret confirmed she knew about Max and Ben, just like my sister. Not to mention, my grandmother was already having card dates with Max's grandfather.

Her gaze dropped to the mistletoe on my sweater. "Oh, I like that; it looks magical. You'd better be careful when wearing it, though. You never know who'll try to kiss you." If she only knew where I got it from.

"I'll keep that in mind," I replied, shaking my head and laughing.

I marched down the hall to the bathroom and carefully removed the mistletoe from my sweater so I could attach it to the Santa Claus T-shirt Hailey wanted me to wear. I didn't want to lose it. It wasn't every day you were given magical mistletoe by a Christmas angel. When I opened the bathroom door, she was standing there with a giant mason jar filled with her aunt Maria's pickled shrimp in her hands.

"Surprise! Maria dropped off three jars for you today."

I grabbed the jar and held it to my chest. "Oh, my God, this is heaven. Now I get to enjoy them all month instead of just Christmas Eve."

Hailey bit her lip. "Well, not unless you have some left over. The reason she brought them by is because she's not going to be here for the Christmas Eve party. She and my uncle Dan are going to Scotland for the holidays." Hailey tapped the jar with her finger. "The jars are huge. You'll be sick of them before Christmas is even over."

"Definitely not," I said, shaking my head. "Please thank Maria for me."

Hailey grabbed my arm and pulled me into the kitchen. "I will. Now take a look at our spread."

You couldn't even see the counter because there was so much food. Mine and Hailey's favorite cheese and sausage dip was in the Crock-Pot, and tortilla chips were off to the side. Besides that, there was a vegetable and fruit tray, a platter full of mini sandwiches, BBQ meatballs, and cookies galore. There was even a corner dedicated to various bottles of wine.

She handed me a plate. "Dig in, girl. And I have National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation ready for us on the TV."

"This is amazing, Hailey. Thank you."

I filled my plate and poured some of Thistle Meadow Winery's Lucky Black red wine into a glass. It was going to be a great night. I needed time to wind down after the day I had. I wished I could tell Hailey all about what happened with Margaret and how I traveled back in time, but it was probably best I kept that to myself. It'd be a secret I'd carry for the rest of my life.

Hailey and I sat down on the couch, and she took a huge gulp of her wine. "So, why were you so adamant about talking to me today?"

I sipped some of my wine and cleared my throat. "Well . . . it just so happens that I ran into two men from my past today. Do the names Max and Ben ring a bell to you?"

She gasped and waved a hand in the air, demanding for more and almost spilling her wine. "Are you serious right now? You ran into both on the same day?" When I nodded, she squealed. "I haven't heard you say those names in forever. What happened? What are the odds of this?"

Her last comment made me chuckle. With the day I had, the odds didn't surprise me.

I scooped some dip onto a tortilla chip and ate it quickly. "I ran into Max first at the retirement home. I hadn't seen him in two years because his family had to move his grandfather out due to finances. Now he's back." I patted her hand. "And get this, I think my grandmother likes Max's grandfather. She was putting on makeup and fixing her hair today because she knew she was going to see him."

Hailey swooned and clutched her chest. "That is so sweet. Nana Amelia deserves to find love again. It might not be as epic as it was with your grandfather, but she could use the happiness."

I couldn't agree more.

Hailey waved for me to continue. "Tell me what happened with Max."

I ate another chip. "He asked me out and I convinced him to go with me to the Cocoa and Cookie Craze Festival."

She squealed again. "That's great, Lydia. Now what about Ben?"

"Ben showed up at the gallery this morning," I explained. "He's going to meet Violet and me at the Winter Bash on Saturday to discuss which of his prints we want to showcase. He's very talented."

Hailey shook her head and laughed. "You go from no guys at all to two in a single day. Which one do you like more?"

"I'm not sure," I admitted honestly. "I plan to figure that out."

I already knew I was supposed to choose one of them, but I had no clue which one it would be.

Hailey turned on the movie and after three plates of food, one being nothing but desserts, I was stuffed. We were halfway into National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation when the doorbell rang. Hailey peered over at me and I lifted my brows.

"Is Oliver expecting someone?" I asked.

She shook her head and glanced over at her phone. "Not tonight. And I don't have any texts from anyone saying they're stopping by. I have no clue who's here." Hailey picked up the remote and paused the movie. "Give me one sec."

I watched her go to the door and open it, not expecting to see the person waiting outside. My whole body thrummed with happiness the second I saw Jake's smiling face. He wasn't dressed in designer jeans, and his dark hair wasn't perfectly coifed; it was hidden under his old Appalachian State University baseball cap. He reminded me of the Jake I grew up with, who always wore T-shirts and flannel with his worn-out boots. I was glad to see his fame still hadn't changed him.

"Jake!" Hailey shouted with excitement. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. "What are you doing here?"

He let her go and his gaze shifted back and forth from me to her. "I decided to come home."

Hailey grabbed his arms. "What do you mean? For good?"

His smile broadened and he nodded. "Yep. For good. Blowing Rock is my home, and it always has been. I can't imagine settling down anywhere else."

Hearing him say that awakened feelings inside me I didn't know existed. I jumped up from the couch and hurried over to hug him. Elated couldn't even begin to describe how I felt. "Jake, that's fantastic."

His arms wrapped tightly around my waist, and it caught me off guard; it was as if he didn't want to let me go.

"Are you going to buy a house?" Hailey asked.

Jake released me slowly and nodded at her. "Janet over at Ridgeview Realty sent me some homes to look at. I was thinking of driving by them tomorrow." His attention shifted back to me. "Do you want to go with me? I could really use your opinion."

Hailey elbowed me in the side. "Oh yes, that'd be perfect. You're good at picking out houses." She waved her hand around the room. "You helped me decide on this one."

Jake lifted his brows at me. "Can I count on you? It'll be fun. We can catch up on everything."

I had missed him, and I had no doubt we'd have a great day. Spending time with him had always been an adventure. Sometimes, it was easier talking to him than anyone else.

"If Violet comes into work, I'd be happy to," I said. "She's been sick the past few days, so I've been running the gallery alone."

Jake nodded. "Okay. I can always help you man the store if you need me to."

Hailey and I looked at each other and burst out laughing. "That could either be the best thing ever," Hailey claimed.

"Or the worst," I added.

Jake crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you mean?"

I patted his shoulder. "You're a celebrity now, Jake. You'll draw many people to the gallery, but they'll most likely crowd the place instead of buying things."

Hailey patted his other shoulder. "Which means you'll be in the way. Sorry, big brother. We can't use your help."

He held up his arms in defeat. "I was only trying to help."

"Anyway," I continued, "I'll let you know tomorrow morning if I can go."

Jake nodded. "Sounds good. I'll pick you up from the gallery if you can."

Hailey waved for him to go into the kitchen. "Now that you're here ruining our girls' night, you might as well eat some food. I have a ton."

Jake chuckled and hooked a thumb toward the door. "I can leave if you want." He glanced down at our matching pajamas. "I mean, if it's because I'm not dressed for the occasion, I'm sure Oliver has something I can borrow."

Hailey rolled her eyes. "Ha-ha. You know my husband wouldn't be caught dead wearing Santa Claus pajamas." She pushed him into the kitchen. "Are you staying at Mom and Dad's until you find a house?"

Jake picked up a carrot from the vegetable tray and took a bite. "Well," he said, grinning sweetly at her, "I was hoping I could crash in your guest bedroom."

Hailey sucked in a breath through her teeth. "That's not going to work. Our guest bedroom is packed with overflow supplies from the store." She quickly looked over at me. "What about the bedroom above your garage? Could Jake stay in there?"

"Of course," I agreed, meeting Jake's gaze. "That is, if you don't mind sleeping in a canopy bed with stuffed animals everywhere." My sister and I would sleep in that room when we stayed with my grandparents. When I bought the house, I didn't want to change it.

Jake smirked. "Sounds perfect to me."

"All right, then. I'll put some fresh sheets in there for you."

Hailey peered over at the oven clock, then to me. It was closing in on ten o'clock. "It's getting a little late, Lydia. You two should probably go. I know you have to get that room ready."

"You sure?" I asked. "It's our girls' night."

She snorted. "I'm sure we'll have plenty more. Now go. I'm sorry you have to deal with my brother."

Jake winked at me, and I rolled my eyes. "I'll be fine. He's the one who has to sleep in a girly bedroom."

Jake grabbed a handful of chips and chuckled. "Doesn't bother me." He nodded toward the door. "I'll be at your house in a few. I need to make a quick stop on the way."

He marched over to the door and waved at Hailey, his grin sly as if there was a secret he was privy to that I wasn't. "See you later, sis."

I glanced over at Hailey. "Is there something going on I don't know about?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Just good luck is all I can say. Don't be surprised if you wake up in the morning to see him in his underwear in your kitchen."

My mouth dropped and I turned to watch him through the door as he got in his little silver sports car. If he did walk around my kitchen in his underwear, something told me it wouldn't be that bad.