Sweet Satisfaction

It had been a long day. The calls were non-stop about the flotilla. There was a problem with the permits with the Coast Guard and he had to intervene for several of the vessels. It didn’t help that now Mellie Miller wanted to add a performance to the event since strep throat had kept her away from the tree lighting. The rental company said the stage wasn’t available, and the kid who ran the sound system was gone for Christmas break. It didn’t look like Mellie was going to have her chance this year .

Evan placed the beer on the table and approached the front door. He opened it and instantly forgot all the reasons he had been frustrated. Cami was standing on his porch, holding a cast iron pot. A light gray cashmere scarf was tucked around her neck .

“Hi. This is kind of last minute, but I thought you might need dinner?” She held up the heavy dish .

“Let me get that for you .”

“No,” she shrieked. “It’s hot.” She batted him away with a pot holder .

Evan opened the door, ushering her inside. “What did you make?” he asked. He wanted t

o follow that up, with a question about why she was here on his doorstep when it was dark .

“I found Aunt Sophie’s homemade mac and cheese recipe. And it’s way too much for me to eat and it’s so good as soon as it comes out of the oven. And I thought you might be too busy to cook, so why not stop by? But Maybe I shouldn’t have. Did I interrupt? Do you have company ?”

“Cami, stop. I’d love some.” It was cute how she rattled things off when she was nervous. There was a sliver of panic on her face. He hadn’t even thought about dinner yet. The food smelled delicious .

He stepped aside and she hurried to the kitchen. She placed the pot on the counter over a second set of pot holders. She glanced around. “Where’s your Christmas tree ?”

“I don’t have one .”

“The mayor of Harpers Point doesn’t have a Christmas tree?” She sounded as astonished as she looked. He couldn’t tell how much of it was genuine .

He exhaled. “No he doesn’t.” He grabbed a couple of bowls and handed them to her. He scrounged through the drawers for sets of silverware .

“Wait until the Post finds out about this,” she teased. “You really are the town scandal .”

“Hopefully, they won’t send an investigative journalist to my house.” He scooped a heaping spoonful into a bowl for Cami and one for him .

“Well you need a tree.” She perched a hand on her hip. “And some lights outside. It’s practically dismal .”

“Do you have a tree?” he asked .

She nodded emphatically. “I put it up before I even unpacked. All Aunt Sophie’s antique decorations are out too. I found my favorite Santa of hers .”

“Of course they are. That’s great.” There was a quick pit of jealousy, when he wondered how tiny Cami hauled a tree upstairs to her apartment, but he had to put that aside quickly .

She looked at him, and he could tell something was going on. She had a plan. “I think we should go get a tree for you tonight.” She clasped her hands together .

“What? I was about to watch the football game. It’s the playoffs.” He still had an untouched beer to drink. But the house was suddenly warmer. There was a new energy swirling under his roof, and he didn’t need a town proclamation to tell him to pay attention to what was happening between him and Cami .

“Eat,” she ordered, waving a fork in the air. “And then we’re headed to the Crawford Tree Farm. They are open until eight .”

“I’m not going to be able to talk you out of this, am I ?”

She shook her head. “No. You need a Christmas tree. And all your decorations. We’re not going to leave anything out. Every box you have .”

Evan laughed. “I think that’s because you forgot about the Santa and Mrs. Claus my mother used to put on the lawn .”

“Oh the one where they were each riding a reindeer? I always thought they were cute .”

“Cute? It was the tackiest display on the street .”

She grinned. “The most memorable. I think Santa and Mrs. Claus might want to ride again .”

He shook his head. He didn’t know how she did that—how she could bring up their childhood like it was the picture of childhood bliss. Nostalgia washed over him when he was with Cami .

“Fine. We can get a tree. But I’m going to at least watch the first quarter while we eat this masterpiece .”