Page 12 of A Holly Jolly Mix Up (Sweet Christmas Kisses #12)

Jane

My mother gasps, her hand flying to her chest in shock. “Jane! Why on earth did you do that?”

I glance at my father who gives a subtle but approving nod.

I start to laugh but hide it with a cough then clear my throat. “Well, it makes sense if we tell the whole story.” I narrow my eyes at Andrew. I take a deep breath and give the cliff notes version of our first meeting.

“That was one meet cute, huh, you two?” Nonna smirks.

“More like meet hate,” my mom mumbles, but we all hear her.

“And when mom called about Regina selling the bookstore, I left early in the morning without a word expecting to never see each other again. Then he came in to talk to Regina about the string of robberies so here we are,” I finish with a shrug .

“What a story, Janie.” Nonna nudges my arm playfully. “It’s one for the grandkids, that’s for sure.” She winks slyly at Andrew.

“Nonna!” I exclaim, feeling my cheeks heat up.

“How sweet,” my mother chimes in. “Not the pepper spraying part, of course. But the fact that you two have found your way back to each other.”

“The robberies are a terrible thing, especially around Christmas. I hope you are working to put them behind bars…and soon,” Dad adds, seriously.

“I’m working on it,” Andrew replies with a nod.

“Are you two having fun at the tree lighting?” Dad asks us.

I was nervous about how everyone would respond.

My experience with men lately, well, hasn’t been great with calling off the wedding and all.

I’m sure they are putting their best faces on now in front of Andrew, but I’m certain they have some concerns that they’ll bring up later when he’s not around.

“Yeah, it’s great! The show was beautiful and—” My sentence is cut short as Andrew suddenly yells beside me.

“Angus, no!”

I look over to see the mischievous dog dashing toward a food stand .

Without hesitation, Andrew starts running after him. And because he’s still holding my hand, I find myself being pulled along behind him. We weave through the crowd as Angus zigzags his way among the people, oblivious to the chaos he’s causing.

“Why did we think bringing him was a good idea?” I laugh as we narrowly avoid crashing into a family and then an older couple.

“We like to keep things interesting,” Andrew manages to make out amidst his own laughter.

“Well, that’s certainly one way to put it.”

Andrew manages to scoop up Angus just as he reaches the food stand. His tail wags furiously as he attempts to wriggle out of Andrew’s arms, the scent of hot dogs from the food stand taunting him.

“Nice try, buddy,” he chuckles nervously as he ruffles Angus’s head.

I shake my head, but incredibly amused. “Just another day in the life of Jane and Andrew, eh?”

Catching our breaths and now the center of attention, we both laugh. It’s a moment that just feels right like everything’s fallen into place. With Andrew and Angus in my life, it’s sure to never be boring.

“The end,” I announce with a flourish as I close the book in my hand.

Glancing up at the sea of little faces looking at me, I smile. I’m continuing the long tradition of “Cookies and Holiday Tales” here at Timeless Tales. Regina has been doing it since I was a kid. It was something I looked forward to every week during this season.

“Miss Jane, is the story really over?” A little girl in the front row looks up at me with big brown eyes, her hand still clutching a half-eaten cookie.

“Well,” I glance over at Andrew who’s sitting in the back with Angus, both of them quietly paying attention, “some stories are just beginning.” I look back at them. “Are you ready for a fun craft?”

The kids eagerly jump up and give Angus a pat on the head before going to the craft table. Angus wags his tail happily at the attention, just as delighted as the children are to receive it.

“Angus was the star of the show,” I remark, smiling at the kids’ excitement. “He’s so good with kids.”

Andrew grins, his dimples making an appearance. “He is. But I think they loved your storytelling more. ”

I blush but try to play it cool. “I think they just like the cookies.”

“Or they were too busy looking at your sparkling candy cane headband and distracted by the twinkling Christmas necklace,” he teases, earning a playful swat on the arm from me. “Watch it, missy, I can arrest you for assaulting an officer.”

“You’re going to arrest Miss Jane?” a little girl behind me asks, with a pout on her lips.

“Never, Miss Jane is an outstanding citizen,” Andrew responds, his deep voice reassuring.

“What about those bad guys breaking the windows?” The little girl furrows her brows.

“Yes, Miss. We’re working hard to find them,” Andrew replies confidently.

“You can wrap them up in Christmas lights,” suggests a boy, eliciting giggles from the children.

My gaze shifts to Andrew, who is watching the children with a fond expression on his face.

He truly has a heart of gold, always making me laugh and charming everyone he meets.

And every moment we spend together, I find myself falling even more deeply for him.

What I imagine true love would feel like is the way I feel with him.

It’s like being in a romantic holiday movie, except it’s my own reality .

With a resigned sigh, I break away from the enchanting scene before me. “I suppose I should get back to work,” I murmur. “And so should you, detective.

Unfortunately, the thieves struck again last night, making it the fourth or fifth shop to be targeted now. Every few days, a new store falls victim to their crimes, and the whole town is on edge about catching them.

“Yes, ma’am,” Andrew replies, already standing up and reaching for my hand. “I need to take Angus home first and then head back to the station. You be safe now.”

As our hands briefly intertwine, a jolt of longing shoots through me. “I’ll see you tonight?” I ask hopefully.

“You bet.” He nods with a warm smile. My hand slips out of his grasp, and I find myself yearning to hold onto him just a little longer.

I turn toward the cluster of children, their faces eager and restless. “Are you all ready for our craft today?” I ask, trying to infuse enthusiasm into my tone.

A few kids shout “Yeah!” while others groan in protest.

One little boy’s face falls as he asks, “Is it going to be fun, Miss Jane?”

“I think you’re going to have a blast,” I reply with a reassuring smile. “Have any of you ever made a snow globe before?”

He shakes his head, his eyes wide with curiosity .

“Well, get ready, because it’s going to look something like this.” I pick up the example craft and shake it gently so that the fake snow inside begins falling. “And the best part is, you can put anything you want inside.”

Excited now, the little boy exclaims, “Okay, let’s do it!”

“All right, everyone, sit at the table, and we’ll get started,” I announce. “Ms. Tandy will be helping with our craft today too.”

Just then, the bell above the door chimes. “Jane!” my mother’s voice calls out.

I turn to see her entering the bookstore. “Hi, Mom. I didn’t know you were coming by today.”

“I thought you might need an extra hand with being low on staff and all.” She smiles.

“Yes, with Dee on maternity leave and Erin on vacation, it’s just Tandy and I.”

“How can I help?” my mom asks eagerly, exuding her natural enthusiasm and love for children.

I consider for a moment. “Do you want to work on crafts with the kids or put these books back on the shelves?”

A wide smile spreads across her face. “You know me, always ready to be creative.”

With that settled, I direct my mother over to the crafting area where Tandy is giving the kids instructions. As I watch them interact with the children, my heart swells with pride and gratitude for having such supportive and capable women in my life.

With a stack of books in hand, I make my way through the aisles, carefully placing each one in its designated spot.

I peek over the bookcase, watching my mom and Tandy help the kids. Parents are scattered throughout the store looking at books or assisting with the craft.

I take a moment to admire the festive decorations adorning the store. The garland draped across bookshelves, twinkling lights, and colorful ornaments scattered throughout—it all adds to the holiday season, feeling even more special.

Settling behind the counter, I watch as a few kids curl up by the faux fireplace I had set up in the kids’ section. I put a small speaker near it to play crackling fire sounds and added a festive rug and pillows for maximum coziness.

A sense of wonder washes over me. This bookstore is mine, a dream turned into reality.

“That fireplace was the perfect touch,” my mother says, coming up behind me. She puts her arm around me.

“Thanks,” I reply with a smile, feeling grateful for all that she has done to support my dreams .

“I’m so proud of you, sweetheart.” Her eyes brim with unshed tears. “You’ve created something truly special here.”

I lean into her side, soaking up her praise. “Thank you, Mom.”

“And reuniting with Andrew seems to be another special thing happening,” she adds, nudging me lightly

I blush a deep pink, and before I can say anything, Mom pulls away. “Alright, I’ll get back to those kids before they glue each other to the tables.”

She gives me one last fond look before heading back towards the craft table. Looking around at all the love and happiness in my store, I can’t help but feel like the luckiest woman alive.