Christmas in Bayberry

“Wes?” Aunt Penney’s brows rose.

“Yes, Wes.” Why did talking about Wes make her so uncomfortable? They were friends, nothing more. “What did you think I was going to do? Let him sit alone in the office for lunch while you’re out?”

“That’s true. The poor guy would be bored.” Her aunt studied her for a moment. “Is that the only reason?”

“That I asked him to lunch?”

She knew what her aunt was asking. She wanted to know if Kate was interested in Wes. But she wasn’t. She’d already dated someone who couldn’t be happy in a small town. And she knew she wouldn’t be happy living anywhere else.

Aunt Penney nodded. “After all, he’s your age, really cute, and single. I checked with his mother—”

“Aunt Penney, you didn’t!” Heat rushed to her cheeks.

“Of course, I did. You can’t remain single forever.”

Kate raised her eyebrows. “You never married. Maybe I’ll be like you.”

Aunt Penney’s smile morphed into a frown, but she didn’t say anything.

“We’re friends,” Kate insisted. “Nothing more.” It was time to turn the tables on her aunt. “But don’t you think it’s time you told me exactly why Wes is in Bayberry?”

Her aunt moved toward the kitchen, just off the living room. Fred sat on the couch and kept his nose buried in the local newspaper, acting as though he didn’t hear a word. Smart man. But Kate knew he was listening. He didn’t take part in the gossip mill that extended from one end of town to the other, but the man always knew more than he let on.

“Have you had lunch?” Aunt Penney asked.

“Yes, Joe made us subs.”

“Oh, that’s good. Can I get you a drink?” Aunt Penney opened the fridge as though to check and see what there was to offer.

“No, thank you. Aunt Penney, please talk to me. I really need to know what’s going on.”

Aunt Penney closed the fridge and turned to her. “Now isn’t the time to get into it.”

Kate sighed. This wasn’t like her aunt. They had few secrets between them. “Aunt Penney, please. If it’s about the company, I should know. I’m part of the family.”

There was the sound of crinkling paper as Fred folded his newspaper. “Penney, you really should tell her. She has a right to know.”

Kate’s mouth gaped. He knew? And she didn’t? She turned back to her aunt with an accusing look. What was going on? And why was her aunt keeping things from her?

The kitchen island stood between them. It was suddenly as if there were a divide between them. Kate didn’t like the feeling. After her parents died, her aunt had become her family. It took Kate time to let the citizens of Bayberry in too, but her aunt was her rock—her anchor.

It was Aunt Penney who’d always been there through the good and bad. Through the tears of joy and the tears of sadness. She’d thought they could talk to each other about anything, but now she was wondering what had happened to that easy rapport.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Aunt Penney said. “I’ve just been trying to give you a good Christmas before I had to share the news with you.”

“What news?”

Aunt Penney sighed. “That’s the thing, I don’t really know. Wes is here to evaluate the business and let me know if it can be salvaged—”

“Of course, it can be.”

“Kate, I know that’s what you want to believe, but you know as well as I do that without money to replace our old machines, we can’t keep up with the orders. And the bank turned us down for another loan—”

“We’ll try another bank. As many as it takes.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“We’ll get through this.” Kate would be optimistic for both of them. “I’ve been working on our social media and the big sale this weekend—”