Page 11 of Sweet Yuletide (Indigo Bay Christmas Romances #4)
“The wishes are the biggest part of the tradition and why folks return each year.” Caroline handed over the change before leaning over the counter and lowering her voice to say, “Christmas wishes are stronger than birthday ones.”
Michael snorted.
Sheridan elbowed him. “I hadn’t heard that.”
“Marley never mentioned it,” he chimed in.
“Well, she might not have known that since she dumped Von, so they were apart last Christmas.” Caroline shrugged. “At least they’re back together and getting married this summer.”
Not knowing what to say, Sheridan nodded.
That seemed enough for Caroline, who motioned to the area with tables. “Take a seat. Someone will bring out your food.”
They found an empty table and sat.
Michael laughed. “Marley told me some people hated her for breaking Von’s heart, but I assumed she was kidding.”
“Caroline must be fond of Von. She seems the motherly type.”
He nodded. “And Marley did a number on him, so I understand. He’s a good guy.”
“He sounds like it, to travel across the country to have Christmas somewhere else.”
“Von and Hope are tight. It’s a twin thing.”
“How does your family feel about being apart?”
“This is the first year the Patterson clan isn’t celebrating Christmas together. Usually, we have extended family gatherings from Christmas Eve until New Year’s Eve, but everyone decided to visit their in-laws instead.”
“I guess we’re meant to be here.”
Another barista, a teenager with his hair pulled back in a man bun, placed their coffee cups and food on the table. “If you need anything else, please let us know.”
Sheridan’s mouth watered. The pie was just what she needed.
“I knew you would order that.”
“I’m going to savor each bite.” She scooped up a forkful and then stopped, holding it in mid-air. “You don’t have in-laws, so why are you in Indigo Bay and not with your parents?”
“This is the perfect time for me to make plans for the new year.” He added a pat of butter to his cinnamon roll. “I also didn’t want to be surrounded by my mom’s family in North Carolina. It would be too crowded and noisy.”
Sheridan swallowed her pie. “It’s funny. We’re living parallel lives.”
“It must be fate.” He raised his mug in the air. “Here’s to being homeless, jobless, and clueless about what comes next.”
She tapped her coffee against his. “You make that sound almost fun and not so overwhelming.”
“Hey, we’re staying in a great beach cottage, in a quaint town, and it’s Christmastime. What’s not fun?”
“The holidays part.”
Wide-eyed, he set his cup on the table. “You don’t like Christmas?”
“I wouldn’t say that.” She ate another bite of pie.
His food remained untouched. “What would you say, then?”
“I don’t like it this year.”
He shook his head. “Nope.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re not skipping Christmas.”
She didn’t understand how he knew that was what she wanted to do. Not that it mattered. “I am.”
“No.” He leaned forward. “Your father took your job and your apartment. Don’t let him take Christmas from you, too.”
As her jaw dropped, Michael’s words swirled in her head. Talk about a lightbulb moment. “I never thought about it that way, but you’re right.”
“I usually am.” With a satisfied grin, he ate a bite of his cinnamon roll.
Sal had taken so much from Sheridan. Did she want to give him Christmas, too? “Not that it matters now, since I’m on the opposite side of the country from my mom.”
“Hey, what about me?”
“You?”
“We can celebrate Christmas together.”
She stiffened. “We’re staying out of each other’s way.”
He grinned. “We did last night, but that hasn’t worked so well today.”
“True.” That didn’t mean he wasn’t offering out of pity for her. Her insides twisted. “But we don’t have to change anything.”
“No, except I’m enjoying getting to know you.” He sounded sincere. “It would be fun to spend more time together.”
Fun . That appeared to be one of his favorite words. She used to enjoy having fun. Maybe she was allowing Sal to take even more from her. Still, she hesitated. “Yesterday, you were adamant about wanting to be alone.”
“Today, I’m changing my mind.” He set his fork on the plate. “We don’t have to make a big deal out of Christmas. We’re both unemployed, so no presents, but we can go to the ornament-hanging thing on the twenty-fourth and get a tree for the house. Von left out ornaments for me. What do you say?”
Anticipation made her shift in her chair. For the first time in weeks, the dark cloud over her parted, giving her a glimpse of clear skies. “That does sound fun.”
“We can see what stuff Von has and get a tree tomorrow.”
She took a closer look at the decorations in the coffee shop. Even a few items made a big difference. “Caroline probably knows where to buy a tree.”
“We’ll ask her on our way out.”
A contentment Sheridan hadn’t experienced in weeks settled over her. Embracing Christmas instead of ignoring it might be what she needed right now. And she had one person to thank—Michael. She’d never believed in fate, but maybe she and Michael were meant to share the cottage together.