Page 2 of The Best Christmas Choir Ever

Julian Guerrero was Glendale’s activities director. It must have been eight years since they’d last seen each other, and though Charlie wasn’t thrilled about digging into her past—one that belonged to the version that still had Tom—she figured it might be nice for Gram to have a familiar face around for this transition. From what Charlie remembered, Gram had always liked Julian. He’d been polite and sweet, and sure, Charlie recalled being a little bit infatuated for those seemingly endless weeks. But summer had come to a close, and the fling had eventually fallen off.

Gram strolled through the front doors, dragging Charlie into the lobby. She was pretty spry for someone who was still healing a nasty bruise to her hip.

A string of glittery, hand-cut snowflakes hung along the reception desk. A woman greeted them. She had a name tag pinned to her jacket—Erin—and the softest voice. It was like she spent her days speaking to toddlers instead of people who were hard of hearing.

Most people remembered names or faces, but Charlie remembered voices. She noticed inflections and tone, accents and vibrato. The voice was like a fingerprint, and Charlie absorbed this one, committing it to memory.

“Erin,” Gram said. “Good to see you again.”

Erin grinned. “I hope the move is going well.”

“Excellent. I went with the company you suggested. Pat and his team have been wonderful so far.”

“Minus the wake-up call,” Charlie muttered.

Gram nudged her forward. “This is my granddaughter, Charlene.”

Charlie rolled her eyes. Charlene was so formal. Charlene belonged on a stage in a sparkly gown with a mic in her hand. Whereas Charlie rocked holey jeans despite the temperatures outside and salt-stained boots and an old knitted hat Gram had stuffed on her head this morning. She mustered a smile. “Please, call me Charlie.”

“Nice to meet you,” Erin said.

“I was actually hoping to give Charlie a bit of a tour,” Gram said. “Just while the movers do their thing.”

“Sure thing. I’d be happy to take you around if you like?” Erin waved her arm down the hall, leading them through the building.

The space was old but well-kept, boasting more of that Christmasy decor, though Charlie appreciated the way most of the staff stopped to welcome Gram. As the tour continued, she was greeted by a series of delicious smells, reminding her that she’d only managed to cram a piece of toast in her mouth while the movers were unloading their packing equipment. Her stomach growled as they came upon a large dining room.

“You can certainly opt to have your meals brought to your suite,” Erin said. “But most residents enjoy coming downstairs. It gives them a chance to mingle.”

Gram raised her eyebrows teasingly, and Charlie smirked. Knowing Gram, she’d be on husband number four by the new year. “Go easy on the mingling.”

Gram fixed her hair in the reflection of the door. “Gotta play the game while I still can.”

“Pretty sure by my age you’d already been divorced twice,” Charlie pointed out. “I think you’ve used up your game.”

Gram liked to tease, but for most of Charlie’s life, at least as far back as she could remember, Gram had been happily single, living in her big house next to the Hudson River. Charlie and Tom had visited almost every summer as kids. She could still remember the sound of Gram’s piano filling the living room as she and Tom gave midnight performances dressed in old costume jewelry. It was their favorite place in the world.

Had been their favorite place.

Her chest tightened uncomfortably at the memory. She shoved it away.

Next, Erin swept them past an outdoor patio that was currently covered in snow. Charlie could see the vision, imagining ivy and greenery climbing trellises in the summer. There were pots at every entrance, which Charlie assumed were usually filled with flowers. Now they were filled with tall birch sticks and evergreen garlands and tiny red berries. Someone had even made a miniature snowman on one of the tables. It looked back at Charlie with a crooked smile.

Erin moved them along to the elevator and up to a common room on the third floor. “We keep this room stocked with books and games. We’ve got some remarkable chess players in the community if you’d like me to introduce you.”

Gram hummed thoughtfully.

Chess? In all honesty, Charlie had been uncertain when it was decided that Gram would be moving into a retirement home. You’re far too young, she’d thought. Far too adventurous. But she also hadn’t bothered to visit these past couple of years, and if she squinted, she could make out the limp in Gram’s gait, the new laugh lines by her eyes and the snowy patches in her gray hair. Maybe chess wasn’t so bad. With Charlie off avoiding things and her parents traveling more and Tom… Well, there were fewer people around. And Gram needed people.

“You’ll certainly never be bored,” Erin was saying. “Our activities director is excellent.”

Charlie perked up at the mention of Julian.

“He’s always organizing programming and trips to local events. Speaking of,” Erin said, approaching a door, “this is his office. We’ll see if he’s in and say hello.”

She went to knock, but the door flew open at the same time, revealing a man. They both jumped, Erin giving a little yelp while the man scattered a stack of papers across the hall.

Charlie’s gaze locked on him as recognition bloomed in her mind. The Julian on the website had been the one she’d remembered. Youthful, smile brimming with mischief. This Julian was…different. She swallowed hard, feeling a long dormant thrill surge through her, warming the tips of her ears and the back of her neck and the space beneath her breastbone. Well, he’d certainly grown up, hadn’t he?