Christmas in Bayberry

“I think he’s perfect now,” Aunt Penney said. “What do you think?”

“I think I was better without the extra pillow.” Wes frowned.

Kate smothered a laugh. “You look adorable. And that beard looks good on you.”

He ran a hand over it. “You really think so?”

She nodded. “I do.”

“Ho. Ho. Ho.” He patted his very round stomach. “What do you think? I’ve been practicing.”

Both women laughed. Kate was glad to see that Wes had at last found his Christmas spirit. And then his blue gaze landed on her, causing her stomach to flutter again. She felt a magnetic pull toward him. Her gaze dipped to his lips. She wondered what it’d be like to be kissed by Santa—

“You’re going to be perfect,” Aunt Penney said, as though oblivious to the vibes floating through the room. “This is going to be such a special evening.”

It already is. Kate’s gaze met Wes’s. He winked at her. Kate jerked her attention to the green elf hat that went with the rest of her costume. “Aunt Penney, I hope you’re right.”

Aunt Penney gave Kate’s arm a pat. “It will be. You’ll see.”

But would they make enough money to replace the necessary equipment? That remained to be seen. But if social media buzz was anything to go by, it was going to be their biggest turnout.

“I’ll meet you kids out there,” Aunt Penney said. “I should go greet people.”

“Go ahead,” Kate said, knowing her aunt loved the meet and greet. “We’ll be fine.”

And with that, Aunt Penney made her way to the warehouse, leaving Kate alone with Wes. She fidgeted with the elf hat, avoiding his gaze. “You seem to be in much better spirits today.”

“I do?”

“Yes, you do.” She needed to keep their conversation focused on anything but how he made her feel. She couldn’t explain it to herself, so how could she explain it to him? “After that phone call last night with your boss, you seemed to have lost your holiday spirit.”

“I was just tired. It’s been a long week.”

Kate arched a disbelieving brow at him. She had a feeling it was something more, but she didn’t have anything concrete to go on.

“Does your boss always call you after hours and expect you to still be working?” That didn’t seem right to her.

Wes shrugged. “Honestly, he’s never called me after hours before this particular account.”

“Wow.” She could tell that it worried him, but she had a different take on it. “Must mean you’re doing a good job—no, a great job.”

His eyes met hers. “You think so?”

She nodded. “Would someone at the top of management take time out for someone who wasn’t performing well?”

He paused to consider her words. And then a smile lit up his face. “Have I ever told you that I love the way you think?”

“No. But I’ll be reminding you of that tonight when the little ones are pulling on your beard or spilling their drinks on you.”

The smiled slipped from his face. “They wouldn’t.”

Kate’s smile brightened. He was so much fun to tease. “Let’s get you out there.”

And without waiting for him to agree, she led the way. This evening was going to be great. It was just what the company needed to get itself back on track—no matter what Wes said. Everyone would remember what they loved about the Bayberry Candle Company, from great-smelling candles to glassware, and everything in between. The orders would keep coming in long after the holiday was over.

The place was crowded.

As in, it was hard to move for all the adults and children crowded into the cordoned-off section of the warehouse. The din of voices and the Christmas carols on the speaker system carried throughout the warehouse, reverberating off the walls. The sale was definitely more like a great big holiday party.