Christmas in Bayberry

“It is right.” Aunt Penney’s gaze finally met hers with steely determination. “We’re in a mess here, and we need some help getting out of it.”

“But we have the holiday sale. It’s going to be bigger and better than ever. And I’m having posters made up for the Candlelight Dance, with Bayberry Candle Company prominently displayed as the sponsor. And I’ve been working on our online newsletter. The number of subscribers is growing. Things will be back on track in no ti

me.” Kate hoped she sounded convincing.

Aunt Penney reached for Kate’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “I hope you’re right. But if not, you should get out there and spread your wings. Maybe move away. You never know what you’ll like until you try it.”

Move away? Was she serious? “Aunt Penney, you know I would never leave you.”

“Oh, Kate. How did I get so lucky to have you in my life?” Her aunt looked at her lovingly. “But you can’t stay in Bayberry for me. You have to live your own life, wherever it may lead you.”

“But my life is right here.”

“How do you know, if you won’t even give yourself the chance to try another town or live in the city? Hang on a sec.” Aunt Penney stepped forward to speak to one of the warehouse workers. “John, I think we’re going to need another box of red tapers for the sale. And the green ones, too. Could you see that those are pulled?”

John nodded. “Will do. Do you need anything else?”

“Not right now. Thank you.”

Once the man had moved on, Kate spoke up. “Aunt Penney, we’ve talked about this before. I’m not leaving Bayberry. And that’s final. So it looks like you’re stuck with me.”

Aunt Penney arched a brow, like she did every time she didn’t agree with Kate. “And what about having your own family? And don’t say you don’t want one. I know you do.”

Kate shrugged. “When the right man comes along, he’ll love Bayberry as much as I do.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

“Then he isn’t the right man for me—”

“Hey, Penney.” Fred Nicholas walked up to them. He was a jolly man with a deep, contagious laugh. He smiled at them and his blue eyes twinkled. “Hi, Kate. I saw your flyers around town. Lots of people are excited about the upcoming sale.”

Fred was the kindest man. Because of his snowy white hair and matching beard, Kate had always thought he looked like Santa. She wasn’t the only one. All of the kids in town called him Santa and he never corrected them. How wrong could they be when his name was Mr. Nicholas?

“Thanks, Fred,” Kate said. “It’s always good to hear that people are excited about the candle company. Let’s hope the added discount this year will bring people from far and wide.”

“Don’t you worry, Kate,” Fred said with a sparkle in his eyes. “This Christmas is going to be the best ever.”

“Oh, Fred,” Aunt Penney said, “don’t be making promises you can’t keep.”

He turned to her aunt and the look in his eyes softened…as if she were the only woman in the world. “You just have to believe it’ll all work out.”

Worry churned in Kate’s empty stomach. Only she and her aunt knew the trouble the company was in. But if Mr. Wesley Adams didn’t know about the trouble before he arrived, he would soon enough.

“We don’t have long until the sale,” Aunt Penney redirected the conversation back to business. “And I need to get the setup rearranged.”

“There’s a lot to move,” Fred said. “But we’ll have things the way you want them.”

“Thank you, Fred. You’re the best.”

His smile grew brighter at her aunt’s compliments.

Fred was a lifelong resident of Bayberry and had been a fixture at the candle company for as long as Kate could remember. When something needed doing, he was the first to volunteer, whether it was the town’s Santa or driving food to the sick and the shut-ins. And he was quite fond of Penney. Everyone in Bayberry knew it. Except for Aunt Penney.

Both he and Aunt Penney were easygoing and generous of heart. And with Aunt Penney’s white hair, she’d make a perfect Mrs. Claus. Kate couldn’t help smiling at the thought. She’d mentioned once to her aunt that if she were to give Fred a chance, they’d make a really cute couple. Aunt Penney had immediately shot down the idea, exclaiming that Fred was her employee and nothing like that could ever happen. But Kate still thought her aunt was making a mistake. Kate longed for some man to look at her the way Fred looked at her aunt.

Her aunt turned to Kate. “I have to go. But don’t worry. I promise all this stuff with the company is going to work out, just maybe not like you’re imagining. Maybe it’ll work out even better.”

Aunt Penney turned and walked away, leaving Kate to digest this information. What exactly did her aunt have in mind?