Stranded In a Small Town Christmas by Shannon Stacey

Author:Shannon Stacey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shannon Stacey

Chapter Eleven

Natalie

* * *

The morning of the Christmas fair is always chaotic, and it seems worse this year. Maybe it’s because I stayed awake too long thinking about that kiss in the kitchen. Then I spent some time working up the nerve to go creeping through the house, only to find there was no light shining under his door.

I didn’t want to wake him, so I went back to bed and laid awake some more.

Because it’s going to be a long day and there will be a lot of junk food later, my dad makes pancakes. They’re very dense and filling, so it will be a while before any of us are hungry again.

When it’s time to go, I find Donovan in the sitting room, standing with his hands in his pockets. He’s looking at the tree and the twinkling lights are reflected in his eyes.

“Do you have one of those magazine trees?” I ask, and he startles slightly. He’d obviously been deep in thought. “You know, the ones that are twelve feet tall and perfectly symmetrical, with tasteful white glass balls?”

“I haven’t had a tree in years.” He smiles. “But if I did, I’d want it to be like this one.”

“A hot mess of mismatched ornaments, some of which are more glue than glass?”

“The story of one family’s Christmases across generations.”

He sounds wistful almost, and the urge to be nosy rises in me. I want to know more about him. I know he has a mom and stepmom. Does he know his biological father? Does he have siblings or aunts and uncles? Grandparents? Why doesn’t he have a Christmas tree if he wants one?

But I can hear my family moving around and heading closer to the front door. If we want a decent spot to see the parade, we need to go. “Everybody’s heading out. We walk, but I know Dad’s boots aren’t a perfect fit. We can take the Jeep if you want, and I’ll park at the fire station.”

“Walking sounds good. Should I unplug this while we’re gone?” I nod and he pulls the plug on the lights.

By the time he gets his boots and coat on, the rest of the family has gone ahead. We take our time, since I know my parents will find a good spot and we’ll just squeeze in with them.

“You all don’t ride on the floats?” he asks. “Isn’t that a thing people do?”

“We used to. Once Mel got old enough to watch the parade, though, my parents thought that would be more fun. Erin will be on the library’s float and Rob—my brother—will be driving the fire truck. But the school chorus will be on the Charming Inn float, and it’ll stop a few times so the kids can sing for the crowd.”

“Good advertising,” he says, sounding impressed.

We join my parents in time for the start of the parade. My dad hoists Elsie onto his shoulders so she can see, so of course Mel talks Donovan into lifting her onto his.

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