It's a Fabulous Life, page 13
“Yes, I’m eating,” she said. She popped more cookie in her mouth. Several crumbs fell on her fluffy blue scarf that she wiped off.
Lulu hopped up and shoved her nose in Bailey’s coat pocket.
“What are you … Oh, that’s right.” She gently extracted Lulu so she could dig out the treats from Kurt. “Here you go. From your best pal.”
“Like doggie mother, like doggie daughter,” Mom laughed.
“It’s no secret the way to both our hearts is through our stomachs.” Hadn’t Maria said something along those lines?
Her stomach lurched, and not from the sugar cookie. What had she done to make Maria all but run away? She’d been honest and shared something private and special. Apparently, it wasn’t what Maria wanted to hear.
Mom not so subtly slid the cookies out of reach. “I heard you had some help today. I stopped by Gruber’s, and he said you and Maria were out hanging signs.”
Her mother’s brown eyes twinkled with how much she wanted it to be more than just festival duties. It had been, though. The laughing together, the singing together, reliving the magic of Mistletoe Grove together …
“Having extra volunteers gets the job done faster,” Bailey said.
“Will she be helping you tomorrow?”
“I don’t know.” The way they’d left things, she honestly didn’t know if Maria would still want to help.
The house phone rang. Mom checked the display and said, “Oh shoot, I forgot to call Hannah back.” She answered, “Sorry, time got away from me. Talk to your sister while I get that address for you.”
She shoved the cordless phone into Bailey’s hands. “What address do you need?” Bailey asked, moving around the island to get another cookie.
“Brett moved over the summer,” Hannah said. “I’m trying to get my super late Christmas cards done. Just waiting on our cousin’s new address.”
“What are my canine nephews doing in this year’s card?”
“You’ll have to wait and see.”
“No hints?” Bailey pulled out a cookie, then quickly replaced the lid.
“It involves matching sweaters,” Hannah said.
It was probably the dogs and Hannah and Reuben all in the same pattern. They did the most hilarious four-legged family photos for their cards.
“Speaking of dog pictures …” Her little sister cleared her throat. “I just so happened to notice Maria hasn’t posted any new photos from the dog park. Which either means she’s too busy talking to you, or nothing interesting is going on there.”
“Or she hasn’t gone to the dog park,” Bailey pointed out.
Hannah made some kind of snorting sound. “Have you seen her?”
“Not at the park. She helped me hang some signs today.”
“Reeeaaalllyyy?”
“She’s as obsessed with Winter Wonderfest as everyone else. She wanted to be on the committee.”
“Then you’ve probably seen her more than once.” Hannah was all too perceptive.
“To work on the festival,” Bailey emphasized. Well, and to carol, and have lunch, and be trivia partners, and make ornaments, and …
“Has it been fun? Getting to know her again?”
Yes. A whole lot of fun. “I guess.”
“Are you going to ask her out?”
“Oops, Mom’s back.” Bailey took a big bite of cookie.
“Bailey,” Hannah groaned.
“Love talking to you,” she garbled with her mouth full.
“Ask that cute girl out.”
Mom actually did come back to the kitchen then with her little address book. It was almost comforting how old school she was. She reached to take the phone, then slapped Bailey’s arm. “Stay out of the cookies.”
She could hear Hannah whine “Moooomm” through the phone.
Their mother’s gaze settled on Bailey. “She did? She has? I agree. She should ask Maria Hatcher on a date.”
Bailey shoved the other half of the cookie in her mouth.
“Well, your sister is going to be in a sugar coma for a week from all the junk food she’s been eating.”
“I deserve this sugar,” Bailey mumbled.
“But after she wakes up, that would be nice.” Mom shot her a smile.
She gave Hannah Brett’s address, then said she’d see her and Reuben on Saturday. Because of course Hannah wouldn’t miss Winter Wonderfest. Bailey was the only one counting the hours until it was over.
Fifty-one.
Mom set her address book and the phone on the off-white Corian countertop. “Hannah mentioned you’ve been seeing a lot of Maria this week.”
“Hannah needs to focus on her Christmas cards.”
“She wants you to be happy.” Mom tilted her head. “I do too.”
“I am happy.” Bailey crouched and snuggled up to Lulu. “Look at this face. How could I ever be sad with this face?”
Lulu grinned at her like I know, right?
“You know what I mean,” Mom said.
“Of course I want to fall in love and be one of those people who sends out goofy family Christmas cards. It’ll happen when it happens with the right, adventurous woman.” Bailey kissed between Lulu’s shaggy eyebrows, then stood. “Anyway, I’m not the only single lady in this kitchen.”
Mom let out a laugh. “I’ve dated more than you have! Don’t worry about me. I’ve had a great love in my life. If it never happens again, that’s okay.”
Bailey gave her a small smile. “That’s true.” Her mom had dated a few nice guys over the years and didn’t feel the need to settle down again.
“Now, I’m not trying to be one of those mothers, but how long has it been since you’ve gone on a date? Even just meeting for coffee?”
Huh. How long had it been since that very boring dinner with a client’s niece? Four years ago? Five?
Bailey wracked her brain. “Four years, I think.”
Mom raised her brows dubiously.
Wait, no … “It was five,” she admitted. No wonder this little crush on Maria had hit so hard.
“My reliable girl,” Mom said. She rested her forearms on the island. “Taking care of everyone else. Let us take care of you.”
“Trying to fix me up with Maria—”
“—is our way of repaying all the good you’ve done for us.”
“Mom …” Bailey swallowed a sigh. “I appreciate it. I do. Just … not with Maria.”
“Why? Is it weird because she’s Dan’s sister?”
No, it was weird because she’d made it weird. And because Maria wanted her to stick around while Bailey was feeling more and more confident she didn’t have to. “We don’t want the same things,” she said.
“It’s just one date. You don’t have to spend the rest of your life with her.” Mom quirked her eyebrows. “Unless you want to.”
She was just being nice. But explaining that it wouldn’t work with Maria because Bailey might be moving away was complicated, to say the least.
“I already have the great love of my life.” She winked down at Lulu. “She’s pretty hairy, and has poor table manners, but she’s my everything.”
“You’re her mom. It’s a different kind of love.”
“Didn’t you used to say Dad loved you almost as much as that collie mix you had when you first got married?”
“He loved that dog more than any living thing.” A wistful smile tugged at Mom’s lips. “I sometimes forget how much you’re like him. I love seeing Jim live on in you.”
Bailey’s heart did that little pinch. “Me and my deep love for dogs.”
Mom shook her head. “In so many things. His heart was as big as Lanford Falls. He gave everything to help other people.”
Bailey nodded slowly. “Do you think he’d be proud of me? Keeping the business going, helping out around town?”
“Oh, honey.” Mom’s eyes glistened with tears. “I know he’s proud of you. Of both his girls, but especially what you’ve done for me and Hannah. And your Uncle Bill. A less patient person would have fired him years ago.”
Bailey breathed out a watery laugh. It warmed her to the core to hear Dad would be proud.
“But I will say …” Mom wiped beneath an eye. “He would be bugging you just as much as I do about taking time for yourself. Go on one date with a very nice woman who I’m pretty sure has had a crush on you for years.”
“What?” A hot flush crept across Bailey’s cheeks.
“Every time I’ve seen Maria over the years, it’s been the same thing. ‘How’s Bailey? What’s Bailey up to? Oh, and Hannah too, but mostly Bailey.’ I thought she was being nice because of your friendship with Dan, but in retrospect …”
“It’s not like we weren’t friendly too,” she answered weakly. “Everyone knows everyone when you grow up around here.”
Mom glanced at the clock on the oven. “You’re lucky I have to get going. Just think about it, okay? Meet her for coffee after the dog park one of these days. Maybe you and Maria do want the same things. You won’t know if you don’t try.”
Bailey mustered up a smile in response. “I can have coffee with her.”
That was, if Maria still wanted to spend time with her. Coffee after the dog park was more of a casual hanging out thing than a date thing, anyway. Much less pressure.
She wrapped her mother in a tight hug. “Thanks for telling me you like seeing Dad reflected in me. I don’t always know if that makes you happy or sad.”
“So happy,” Mom said without hesitation. She pulled back and touched Bailey’s cheek. “To see him in your smile, in your big heart, brings me more joy than I could ever put into words.”
They shared a smile. “Have fun at book club,” Bailey said.
“Get some rest tonight. And eat a good dinner.”
“I will.” A veggie supreme pizza would be chock full of vegetables.
She told Lulu to go get her leash. Then she waved goodbye to her mom and headed for the front door. The bright foyer light highlighted the small wall of family pictures. Mom and Dad’s totally eighties wedding photo. That unfortunate family portrait when both she and Hannah had braces and bad bangs. Their last family picnic down by Lanford Creek.
It really was nice to think Dad was smiling down with pride. But it was also kind of … frustrating. He’d been her biggest cheerleader, always telling her to think big, to reach for the moon. Would he be okay with her doing that now? Or would he be disappointed if she left Lanford Falls behind? It was hard to say what their adult relationship might’ve been like.
Lulu dragged her leash over. Bailey picked it up and clicked it on her pup’s collar.
A wave of irritation pulsed through her body. Why should she feel guilty? She’d done everything that had been asked of her and then some. Dad would understand. He’d known Bailey had dreams that were bigger than this town. Sure, he’d sometimes told her to slow down and not forget to enjoy the here and now. That didn’t mean he hadn’t been supportive.
Well, she still had those dreams. And she wasn’t going to hide them anymore. If Maria wanted to hang out with her, Bailey needed to be upfront about her goals. Besides, Maria was helping stoke that fire to do more. To go after what she wanted.
Bailey stepped outside with Lulu and walked across the driveway. She looked down the sidewalk, half hoping to see Maria’s off-white hat and evergreen coat bobbing toward them in the dark.
Ugh. For all these big dreams and bold thoughts, she really just wanted to get a pizza and hang out with Maria and their dogs.
Maria’s brown doe eyes flitted through her mind. The way she laughed with her entire being. Sunshine on an overcast winter day.
A smile pulled at one corner of her mouth. Being with Maria was fun. Her lightness and optimism made Bailey feel lighter and more optimistic. She needed to be honest about that too, but with herself.
She did like Maria. And Maria knew the deal, so they could hang out without it being weird.
Lulu stopped to sniff some pee-mail in the snow. Hmm. They hadn’t been to the dog park since Monday. It’d be nice for Lulu to see her canine pals, particularly Rosie. That would be a good start to what was going to be a very busy day tomorrow.
Maria’s adorable grin and contagious laughter were an even better way to start the day.
* * *
The morning sun lit up the sky over James George Park. Lulu jumped and whined at the gate to be let in. Bailey hadn’t been able to manage two coffee cups and the leash, so she’d erred on the side of not spilling hot liquid all over Lulu and relied on her good off-leash training.
“I’m working on it,” she told her overzealous dog. She carefully cradled the cups to unlatch the gate. Lulu nosed it open and ran straight to where Rosie was romping with a black Lab-husky mix. Rosie’s tail flailed with excitement.
Bailey scanned the humans for Maria. She stood near the picnic table, arms crossed, staring at Bailey curiously. Eager anticipation danced through Bailey, and her grin stretched a lot wider than it usually did so early in the day.
“Good morning,” she said as she walked toward Maria.
“I wasn’t expecting to see you,” Maria said, her breath visible in the cold.
“Lulu missed her friends.” Bailey held the extra cup out to her. “I brought you a coffee.”
Maria eyed the cup warily. “How do you know what I’d like?”
“Kurt. He thinks you’re a peppermint latte kind of person.”
Maria’s eyebrows quirked. “Kurt is right,” she said, and took the offered cup. She sipped kind of loudly, which was very cute, then gave an approving hum.
“I had breakfast,” Bailey told her. “You can check that off your committee list.”
“Okay.”
A distinct air of caution surrounded normally open Maria. Or was it nerves? She seemed distracted. The dogs were merrily racing around, so it wasn’t about them.
“Is everything all right?” Bailey asked. Crap, had she ruined things between them?
“Yeah. Yes.” Maria lightly shook her head. “Sorry, I’m preoccupied. I got word last night the board of trustees wants me to do my presentation today. They’re all around for Winter Wonderfest and want to have an informal chat.”
“That’s a good thing. Informal means you don’t have to do a big presentation.”
“I wanted to do a big presentation,” Maria said. “Instead, I had to scramble together my notes from my job interview. It sounds like they’re on board with the idea, which is nice, but I wasn’t anticipating doing it so soon.”
“You’ll do great.” Bailey clunked her to-go cup to Maria’s. “You’ve given it a lot of thought, and your passion for the project will shine through.”
“I think it will, but still …” She cupped her coffee in both mittened hands. “I won’t be able to help with the festival today. I have family plans tonight, but could cancel those if there’s work to be done.”
“No problem. Jane and Pete and Tom are available, and the whole park district. And since this sucker is a well-oiled machine, tonight is for rest before the big day.”
Maria nodded glumly. Was she more disappointed about having to do the presentation, or not being able to help with the Wonderfest?
“Focus on what you need to do,” Bailey said, stepping back as two golden retrievers cruised by carrying a long stick. “Then we’ll both have something to celebrate. You rocking your presentation, and me being one day closer to …” Being done with this damn festival. “That legendary Gruber hot cocoa.”
A small smile touched Maria’s lips.
“Today’s a lot of chaos and moving parts as vendors try to set up early. Some of them sell stuff, which is fine. It just gets confusing with non-locals thinking things are happening today when nothing is technically happening.”
“So you’re saying it’s a good thing I won’t be around.”
“You won’t miss anything.” Bailey moved closer. “But I’ll miss having an impromptu concert with you.”
Actually, I’ll miss you.
“No one’s stopping you from a solo career,” Maria laughed.
Relief snaked through her bloodstream at seeing Maria relax. “I haven’t sung like that in years,” Bailey said. “I definitely need a partner.”
“Are you sure? You’re not too big-thinking to carol with a small town girl?” Maria deliberately stared out at their dogs.
Ah, she was still upset about that. “What I said last night doesn’t negate the fact that I like spending time with you,” Bailey said. Her heartbeat drummed as she added, “I do like you, and want to get to know you better.”
Maria’s dark eyes darted up to meet her gaze. “I like you too. That’s why …” A rueful grin played about her mouth. “Okay, I’m a little embarrassed by how I reacted last night. It just triggered something in me.”
“It did?” Bailey turned to fully face her.
“Yeah.” Maria swayed a bit. “When you said you didn’t want to live here, it reminded me of the times Nancy and I argued about moving to Lanford Falls someday.”
Nothing like reminding a woman of her ex.
“I mean, I get it. There’s not as much to do here, and everyone’s in everyone’s business. And my mother texts me more now than she ever did, though it’s usually about Rosie. But this has always felt like home. It’s full of art and artists and literature. And there are people who care about me as much as I care for them.”
Bailey nodded in understanding. That had always been one of the good things about the Falls. Particularly how everyone rallied around her family after Dad died.
Maria glanced at her. “So yes, Bailey George. I get why you don’t want to be here. But I want to be here. And I’d like to have you in my life for as long as you are here.”
Their timing was so terrible. If Maria had moved back a year ago, maybe things would’ve been different. But …
“I’m here now,” Bailey said. She raised her cup. “And I can hook you up with free food and coffee.”
“That’s literally the reason I want to hang out with you,” Maria teased.
She was so adorable. The kind of woman worth settling down for, if one was the settling-down-in-Lanford-Falls type.
