The Echo Ridge Romance Collection

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

FRIDAY MORNING, CARLOS MET CECILIA at Kenworth’s thirty minutes before the store opened to finalize his work and get paid for the shelves he’d built and installed. It was December fourth and he had finished the project one day ahead of schedule. People weren’t big on remodeling this time of year so he had to make sure that the money from this job could last him into January. Part of him hoped that Cecilia might tip him for his excellent work and early timing, but his more realistic side shoved that thought out of his head as quickly as it had entered. If Cecilia’s skin were green, she could pass as the Grinch’s sister. He reminded himself to be extra nice to her anyway.

“Nice work, Carlos.” Cecilia ran her hand over the shelves and rubbed her fingertips together as if she’d picked up a bit of imaginary dust.

Carlos had polished the shelving until it gleamed under the fluorescent lights last night, and he’d just wiped them down before she came to inspect the final project. “Thanks. I enjoy working here.”

Cecilia’s lips turned up a tiny bit at the corners, the closest she ever came to smiling. “It’s very short notice but Keira and Tayton have come up with another plan to infuse holiday magic into the store.” The way she spat the words holiday magic with so much distaste reminded Carlos again of his favorite Christmas cartoon featuring the Who with a heart two sizes too small. She drummed her red fingernails against the shelves. “They want to refurbish the old soda fountain.”

“As in, get it up and running, dispensing soda and all?”

Cecilia rolled her eyes. “Yes, some nostalgic garbage that is a ridiculous waste of time. Tayton is getting the initial info on it. You’ll need to be here at nine tomorrow morning to talk it over with Keira and Tayton— he’s the new PR guy from the big city, come to save us all.”

Carlos took her caustic comments in stride, filtering through the information she was offering him. “What kind of a timeline are they looking at? I’m guessing they want it done before Christmas.”

“Yes, I think they mentioned something about having it done by the eighteenth.”

Carlos couldn’t keep his eyes from widening. “I’m a hard worker but that’s going to be a tall order depending on how much renovation they want done.”

“I agree,” Cecilia said. “There may be one or two people around here that would like the extra hours. If you’d like, I can gather some names and give them to Keira.”

Carlos hesitated. He usually worked alone, mostly because every extra dollar he earned he could put into fixing up his house. But two weeks to finish a project that he hadn’t even started? He would need some help. “I’d like some suggestions. I’ll talk to Keira.”

“Good. Have a nice day.” Cecilia handed him a gray business envelope and stalked off with her clipboard.

Carlos lifted the flap and glanced at the amount. It was what they had agreed upon, with no extras, but he was satisfied. Those dollars would help fund the bathroom remodel that he’d been putting off. And with the new project Cecilia had mentioned, he might be able to finish the bathroom before the end of the year. He tucked the envelope into his back pocket and walked across the store. He waved at Reese at the Candy Counter and stood in front of the housewares section. The old soda fountain was still there but it had been converted to a video rental counter at one time and now was central to the display area in housewares combined with an outdated snack area for teens. There were hideous looking shelves lining the back counter and much of the blue and white checkerboard tile was chipped and cracked along the edge of the counter. He gnawed on the inside of his cheek, closing his eyes for a minute to envision what the soda fountain might have looked like fifty years ago. A line of bar stools would have sat snugly under the lip of the counter, probably covered in red Naugahyde. Dangling lightbulbs would illuminate the back wall where someone served up ice cream sodas. When he opened his eyes, the modernized display crushed his daydreams. Signs covered the old mirror that was scratched and discolored along the edges. It was obvious that the soda fountain had been downsized at one point because the counter looked like it had been sawed off on one side. He shook his head. It would be an interesting meeting in the morning. Hopefully he could handle the job, because if he did, he’d be working at Kenworth’s again. That meant another chance to see Anika.

The Friday night shopping rush had the air buzzing in Kenworth’s. Anika felt like she’d been running back and forth across the department store all night. She straightened a few of the cards and ornaments on the Hope Tree. A slow burn of resentment stoked the embers of despair in the pit of her stomach. Every one of the cards on the tree represented a person who needed something. A person who had someone watching out for them. Anika didn’t have any guardian angels or fairy godmothers, no family to help her. She had long since stopped wishing or praying that anything in her life would ever turn out. Each day felt like walking along a tightrope that was slowly unraveling before her.

Anika straightened the sign on the wrought iron easel that stood next to the tree. It was printed in a flowing script with information about the Hope Tree and how customers could reach out to those in need and even offer suggestions of more names to add to the tree. The Ladies League and Echo Ridge Christmas Council would verify each person’s needs so that Kenworth’s efforts could be maximized to help more local residents this holiday.

At five minutes to nine, Cecilia showed up with a gray business envelope that Anika hoped contained enough to cover all of her expenses and keep her afloat through the holidays.

“Hello, Cecilia.” Anika didn’t waste time saying anything past hello. She’d learned the hard way what happened when someone tried to make small talk with the boss.

“Anika.” She gave her a curt nod and stepped toward the Hope Tree. “It would have been nice to have it completed earlier, but at least it’s on display now.” Cecilia’s brows looked like she’d used a Sharpie to draw them in place. They stood out in stark contrast to her otherwise pale face. With her gray hair and light features, the eyebrows were as harsh as her boss. She handed Anika the envelope. “Here’s your paycheck. In the future, I expect you to complete assignments promptly.”

“Thank you.” It was all Anika could do to keep from snatching the envelope from Cecilia’s bony fingers. “Uh, do you know if there are any other overtime opportunities?”

Cecilia sighed. “There may be another opportunity for a few extra hours. I don’t know if they’d be overtime, and it’s probably outside your skill level, but Keira and Tayton, the PR guy from New York, are working on some details.”

“Could you add my name to the list of interested applicants, please?” Anika heard the eagerness in her voice as a vision of Megan playing with a new dollhouse popped into her head.

Cecilia paused, her eyes moving over the tree and the sweater display Anika had set up. “Okay, I’ll give Keira your name and we’ll see what she says.”

After she left, Anika opened the envelope, her heart pounding. The amount was a bit less than she’d hoped— she was never very good at figuring out how much tax would be taken out. She stared at the numbers, willing them to multiply inside the little box printed on blue paper. There wouldn’t be enough for a dollhouse. It was just enough to pay for all of this month’s expenses and Megan’s hospital bill. The medical bills were on a three year plan through Ruby Mountain Hospital, but even that pinched at Anika’s budget like a wicked stepsister. She still didn’t have enough for the daycare bill, but there was room to give them twenty dollars. Over time, she would pay her bills. Her shoulders slumped. She walked slowly out to the parking lot and shuddered at the icy wind howling through the streets. At least Megan was home safe and snug in bed tonight, even if she was dreaming of a magical Christmas that would never come to pass. Anika pressed her lips together. She would find a way to make her little girl’s holiday special, even if there was no hope for Christmas.