Christmas in Bayberry

The look of frustration filled her face. “But I made it 40% off the entire order.”

He nodded. The sale would draw in people, but it wasn’t going to produce the profits needed to turn around the company. He wanted to tell her otherwise. He wanted to tell her that she had a really strong marketing plan, but as accurate as her numbers were on all of the accounting documents he’d reviewed, her accounting skills were not as strong. Sympathy welled up in him.

This wasn’t his problem, he reminded himself. He wasn’t hired to save the company. It was his job to develop an opinion based on facts. But his growing feeling for Kate was making it difficult to maintain an impartial attitude.

“What else isn’t working?” Kate turned and started walking again, but slower this time.

“Do you mean as far as marketing?”

She nodded, but didn’t speak.

He really didn’t want to ruin the evening that she’d been so excited about. “We can talk about it another time.”

“No. I need to know now. If there’s something I can do to help the company, I’d like to know as soon as possible. I want to change things. Improve things. I want to know that I did everything I could to help my aunt.”

“How about tonight?”

“What about it?”

“How much did the company contribute?”

She shrugged. “Not much. The battery-operated candles and the hot cocoa. And we paid for the tree.”

“Why should your company fund it?”

“Because we’ve always funded it. It’s tradition.” She kicked a pebble in the plowed road and sent it skidding off into a snowbank. “Besides, it wasn’t that much.”

“But every little bit counts.”

“Things are worse than I’d imagined if you’re worrying about cocoa and candles.”

He didn’t say anything. He knew this was a tender spot for Kate and he wished she’d never brought up the subject. She’d actually gotten him excited about the tree lighting.

As they approached the crowded square, Kate was quiet. From what he could tell, that was a rare occurrence for her. She was no doubt considering what he’d told her. And he felt guilty for stealing away her Christmas spirit. He wanted to rewind time and make her smile again.

“Hey, look at that tree.” He pointed to the stately pine, which had to be at least fifty feet tall. “It’s huge.”

Kate nodded. “It’s bigger than last years. They hauled it in from the Spencer Tree Farm.”

“They must have used a tractor trailer to haul a tree that size. Could you imagine decorating a tree that tall?”

“I…I have. In the past. Last year, I was in charge, but I wasn’t on the tree-decorating committee this year.”

It was hard to imagine that there was something about this town that Kate wasn’t involved in. “I bet the tree was a knockout last year.”

She still looked glum. “Are you trying to cheer me up?”

“I don’t know. Is it working?”

And then there was a glimmer of a smile on her face. “No. But I appreciate your effort.”

“You have to know that I don’t want anything bad to happen to the company, don’t you?”

She studied him for a moment. “You really mean that, don’t you?”

He nodded. “I do.”

Kate inhaled deeply and then blew out her breath. “Enough about business. It’s time to enjoy the holiday. And I have something for you.”