Christmas in Bayberry

“Then please tell me what you’re doing, because I have to be honest, I’m getting a bit worried about you. Do you know how cold it is out here?”

Before she could say anything, a woman in a puffy red coat and white knit cap came trudging up to the pickup with a large box. “Here you go. This is all we can do this year. I got them on sale.”

“That’s wonderful.” Kate set aside the thermos and jumped to her feet. “Everyone does as much as they can. You know that.”

“I know.” The woman’s face lined with worry. “It’s just with Joe out of work this month because he hurt his back, things are tight.”

“How’s he doing?” Kate took the box, which was full of fruit cup snacks, and placed it in the bed of the truck.

“He’s doing a lot better. Doc said he might be allowed to go back to work by the beginning of the year.”

“That’s great.” Kate gave the woman a hug.

When the women pulled apart, the woman’s inquisitive gaze moved to Wes. “Is he the new guy I’ve heard so much about?”

Kate smiled. “Yes, this is Wes. Wes, this is Caroline. She works as a nurse at Doc Watson’s office.”

Caroline smiled at him warmly. “It’s so nice to meet you.”

Wes stretched out his hand and shook hers. “It’s nice to meet you too.”

“You poor man. You’re freezing.” She gave his attire a quick once-over. Caroline turned back to Kate. “You need to help him find some warmer clothes. He’s going to freeze out here.”

“I’m good,” he said, but they both looked at him as if they didn’t believe him.

Caroline turned back to Kate. “I’d better be going. If you need any help between now and the big day, let me know.”

“Thanks. I will.”

After the woman moved on, Wes said. “Okay. What’s going on?”

“We’re here to collect food for the big holiday food drive. And this year, I’m in charge of coordinating it.”

That wasn’t what he’d expected. “I thought you said we were having lunch.”

“We are. It’ll be here soon. And I promise it’ll be worth the wait.”

Kate settled back on the tailgate and opened the thermos. “Care for some hot chocolate?” Without waiting for him to respond, she poured a steaming cup and handed it to him. “Take this. I think Caroline is right. You’re not dressed for this weather.”

He accepted the cup and wrapped his bare hands around it, seeking the warmth. “I have warm clothes, but they’re back in New York. It hadn’t snowed yet this year, so I didn’t think about packing my snow gear.”

“I think I have a spare pair of gloves.” She reached in one pocket and came up empty. Then she tried the other pocket and pulled out a pair of bright red gloves with Santas on the backs. She tossed them toward him. “They stretch.”

He thought about refusing the bright red gloves with Santas on the back, but he was too cold to argue. He stuffed his hands inside them. The fingers didn’

t quite fit his long digits, but they were good enough. “Thanks.”

“You could wait in the truck. Sorry, I didn’t think about your clothes. We’re going to have to take you shopping if you’re going to spend much time in Bayberry.”

“Shopping for what?” he asked.

“Some warm clothes and sensible shoes.”

“I…I can get by.”

Kate arched a brow. “We’ll go after work.”

He opened his mouth to protest but then closed it. He glanced down at his feet, finding his black shoes were now covered with snow and salt. He didn’t think there would be any saving them, no matter how much he polished them.