that could be spent on the wedding or preparing to sell the Happily Ever After dolls. As she continued to paint her train, she realized she was okay with that.
“Care for more cocoa?” A young man dressed in a red sweater vest with a green scarf around his neck offered to refill her cup.
“Sure. Thank you.”
“Your friend mellow out?”
She couldn’t help but smirk. “You noticed?”
“That he’d rather slide down Snow Frost Mountain on his butt naked than be here? Yeah, it’s pretty noticeable.”
The image of a naked Drew sliding down the slope brought out more than one giggle. “He’s really trying to adjust his attitude toward the holidays,” she fibbed and reached out her hand. “I’m Lauren.”
“James.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“Well, we’re happy you are here. It’s all the town’s been talk—” He paused. “I should get back to work. I’ll see you around.”
“Wait.” She reached for his sleeve. “What were you going to say?”
“Merry Christmas?” he asked, with a sheepish grin.
“No. You implied the town’s talking about us.” She narrowed her eyes. “Why is our being here such a big deal?”
James smiled and reached down for a paintbrush. “We grant wishes.”
“Right, Natasha told us that these toys go to disadvantaged children. That’s absolutely wonderful. Maybe next year, JDL Toys could get involved somehow. I’d love to partner with you.”
“I’m sure the big guy would like that. He’s been spending a lot of time in the city these days.”
“We’ll set up a meeting.” She reached in her purse for a business card, handing it to James.
“Great, but definitely in the spring. He goes on an extended vacation after the holidays.” James nodded to a table where a woman was waving him over. “I should probably get back to work. I’ll see you tomorrow, Lauren.”
“See you,” she chirped. “Wait, why will I see you tomorrow? What will we be doing?”
He winked. “You’ll see.”
• • •
Lauren sliced the velvety white cake with her fork and took a bite. Her eyes rolled back as her tongue soaked in the sugar. “Drew, you’ve got to try this one.” She glanced behind her at her ex, who hadn’t let up in trying to reach his brother.
His insistence that he talk to Luke was starting to get on her last nerve. If he acted like this the entire trip, it was going to be a long two weeks.
He finally came over and slid on the bar stool, eyeing the Santa cap on the bakeshop owner’s head. “Don’t you find it odd that everyone in this town has an abundance of Christmas spirit?” he asked, pointing to the hat.
“I think it’s charming.” She sliced into another cake. “Who knows? After a week or two, maybe some of it will rub off on you.”
“Doubt it. Christmas is about fighting crowds, standing in line, and spending too much money on an overpriced gift for a kid who probably didn’t deserve it.”
“Says the VP of the most successful toy company in the world.” She reached for the chocolate cake, knowing that chocolate was his favorite. Although Drew didn’t have the sweet tooth that Luke did, he never turned down a chocolate cake. She’d always made a point to make sure he had one on his birthday.
What kind of cake had he had this year in Tokyo, and who’d baked it for him? She shuddered as Olivia’s face popped into her head and mentally drop-kicked it out of her mind.
Perhaps a small bite would help Drew ease into the wedding cake selection task at hand. “How about trying this one?” She pushed her fork through the decadent slice and held it to his lips.
“I’ll pass.”
“Suit yourself.” She turned the utensil toward her and brought it up to her lips. “You have no idea what you’re missing.”
“Okay, I’ll try.” He snatched her fork, took a bite, and then sliced into the cake for another.
“Do you remember the wedding cake that we chose?” she asked.
He grinned. “Yeah, it had some exotic
“Care for more cocoa?” A young man dressed in a red sweater vest with a green scarf around his neck offered to refill her cup.
“Sure. Thank you.”
“Your friend mellow out?”
She couldn’t help but smirk. “You noticed?”
“That he’d rather slide down Snow Frost Mountain on his butt naked than be here? Yeah, it’s pretty noticeable.”
The image of a naked Drew sliding down the slope brought out more than one giggle. “He’s really trying to adjust his attitude toward the holidays,” she fibbed and reached out her hand. “I’m Lauren.”
“James.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“Well, we’re happy you are here. It’s all the town’s been talk—” He paused. “I should get back to work. I’ll see you around.”
“Wait.” She reached for his sleeve. “What were you going to say?”
“Merry Christmas?” he asked, with a sheepish grin.
“No. You implied the town’s talking about us.” She narrowed her eyes. “Why is our being here such a big deal?”
James smiled and reached down for a paintbrush. “We grant wishes.”
“Right, Natasha told us that these toys go to disadvantaged children. That’s absolutely wonderful. Maybe next year, JDL Toys could get involved somehow. I’d love to partner with you.”
“I’m sure the big guy would like that. He’s been spending a lot of time in the city these days.”
“We’ll set up a meeting.” She reached in her purse for a business card, handing it to James.
“Great, but definitely in the spring. He goes on an extended vacation after the holidays.” James nodded to a table where a woman was waving him over. “I should probably get back to work. I’ll see you tomorrow, Lauren.”
“See you,” she chirped. “Wait, why will I see you tomorrow? What will we be doing?”
He winked. “You’ll see.”
• • •
Lauren sliced the velvety white cake with her fork and took a bite. Her eyes rolled back as her tongue soaked in the sugar. “Drew, you’ve got to try this one.” She glanced behind her at her ex, who hadn’t let up in trying to reach his brother.
His insistence that he talk to Luke was starting to get on her last nerve. If he acted like this the entire trip, it was going to be a long two weeks.
He finally came over and slid on the bar stool, eyeing the Santa cap on the bakeshop owner’s head. “Don’t you find it odd that everyone in this town has an abundance of Christmas spirit?” he asked, pointing to the hat.
“I think it’s charming.” She sliced into another cake. “Who knows? After a week or two, maybe some of it will rub off on you.”
“Doubt it. Christmas is about fighting crowds, standing in line, and spending too much money on an overpriced gift for a kid who probably didn’t deserve it.”
“Says the VP of the most successful toy company in the world.” She reached for the chocolate cake, knowing that chocolate was his favorite. Although Drew didn’t have the sweet tooth that Luke did, he never turned down a chocolate cake. She’d always made a point to make sure he had one on his birthday.
What kind of cake had he had this year in Tokyo, and who’d baked it for him? She shuddered as Olivia’s face popped into her head and mentally drop-kicked it out of her mind.
Perhaps a small bite would help Drew ease into the wedding cake selection task at hand. “How about trying this one?” She pushed her fork through the decadent slice and held it to his lips.
“I’ll pass.”
“Suit yourself.” She turned the utensil toward her and brought it up to her lips. “You have no idea what you’re missing.”
“Okay, I’ll try.” He snatched her fork, took a bite, and then sliced into the cake for another.
“Do you remember the wedding cake that we chose?” she asked.
He grinned. “Yeah, it had some exotic
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