AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I hate to tell you, but being married is a lot of work. On yourself and keeping a connection with your partner. It’s easy to fall in love, but hard to maintain that love through life.” Diana laughed. “I guess that’s not entirely true. Your parents are still married, right?”
“Yes, over thirty years.”
“If I ever decide to tie the knot again, I’ll have to ask your mother’s secret.”
“I’m sure she’ll tell you. My mother loves to dole out advice like its lollipops.”
“I hope you take some of it. There are so many things I’d love to tell Declan, but I doubt he would hear them.” Diana plucked a delicate ornament with five paint brushes crossed into a star shape, with trails of paint in various shades of green swirling along the outsides and up the middle to create the idea of a tree. “This reminds me of Declan.”
“Except for the Christmas tree part.” His mother met her gaze and Holly shrugged. “Declan isn’t big on the holidays.”
“Yes, I know. It breaks my heart because he used to always be in the kitchen with me, helping with the holiday treat containers we’d make for our neighbors and friends. His favorite song was ‘Run Run Rudolph’ and he used to slide around the kitchen in his socks trying to run as fast as he could.”
“It is hard to imagine Declan doing any of that. I call him an old soul.”
“Well, yes, he’s always been that way. Serious. Creative. The football team helped him branch out a little socially, but he didn’t really enjoy the sport.”
“Declan’s not a sports guy?” Holly asked, soaking up every piece of information.
“Oh no. He’d rather be in his art studio with a brush in his hand than outside playing.”
“He painted me a landscape of my parents’ tree farm. It’s hanging up on my wall at home. Do you want to see it now? Declan might still be there and I’m dying to close up shop and check out my display in person.”
“That would be lovely, but I don’t want to ambush Declan. Our relationship is…complicated.”
Holly resisted the urge to ask her anything else. Holly already felt like she was pumping her for information. “Maybe another time while you’re in town. Are you going to the Parade of Lights tonight?”
“No. Liam, Declan’s dad, and I have reservations at the Lodge tonight for dinner, and he’s rented one of their rooms. I haven’t been since our ten-year anniversary years ago, but I’m looking forward to it.”
“We went a few times for my mom’s birthday and it was delicious. I hope you have a wonderful time.”
“I’m sure I will.” She handed Holly the other ornament carefully. “I think just the two ornaments for now. I’ll be back for a longer look sometime when you’re not trying to get home.”
“It’s no trouble. I enjoyed talking to you.”
“Same, dear.”
Holly finished ringing her up and wrapped the other ornament, putting this one in a brown gift bag with pine trees on the side. She held out both bags to her and said, “Merry Christmas, Diana. Have a great dinner.”
“Thank you, enjoy the parade.”
Once Diana was out the door, Holly locked it and closed up the register, rushing through her nightly duties. The sun was slowly setting below the trees, and Holly planned to beat the darkness home. She needed to call Merry and see if she could get a ride back to the parade, because once she got home she wasn’t getting her car out of there again before ten.
Holly went out the back of the shop and set the alarm, putting in her code on the keypad, securing the back door. She reached her driver’s side and tapped in a message to Declan.
OMW
Declan gave her another thumbs up, and she scowled at the screen. The guy really had one emoji move.
Holly passed a few cars on her short drive from the shop to her house, but when the town had large events like this, most people used all-terrain vehicles to get close and walked the rest of the way. It saved space trying to find parking.
Holly dialed Merry, listening to the phone ring and on the third, an out of breath Merry answered, “Hello!”
“Hey, what are you doing? You’re huffing and puffing over there like you ran a mile.”
“I’m getting the last-minute touches on the float before we haul it into town.”
“Can you pick me up on the way? I can’t get out of here once the people start showing up.”
