Mayhem in Christmas River: A Christmas Cozy Mystery (Christmas River Cozy, Book 2) by Meg Muldoon
Authors: Meg Muldoon
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Blueberry and Mountain Cherry pies. In the background, Van was singing about redwood trees. I tried to focus on that, and not on Chrissy’s tantrum.
I’d been on enough of an emotional roller coaster in the past 48 hours. I didn’t have the energy to take on whatever she was going through too.
She let out another long sigh.
“I’m sorry,” she said, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. “I’m going through some personal stuff. I’m acting like a brat. Just ignore me.”
She grabbed some ingredients from the cupboard and started on a batch of dough.
“Anything I can help with?” I asked.
“I’m just having some problems with Carson,” she said.
I saw a flash of sadness in her eyes.
“It’s not a big deal,” she said, shrugging.
But I could tell by the tone of her voice that it was a big deal.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No, not really,” she said. “It’s just, he’s been acting weird lately. I’m worried that… that he might be stepping out on me.”
She said it quickly, like it would somehow hurt less.
“Jeez, I’m so sorry, Chrissy,” I said, placing my hand on her shoulder.
She stood stiff.
“It’s really not a big deal,” she said. “I’d rather not talk about it.”
I peered into her face. Her eyes were welling-up with tears.
She reminded me so much of myself at that age. We tried so desperately to convince the world we were tough with our piercings and dyed hair. But it was all just a distraction so nobody could see how sensitive we really were.
I really hoped Carson wasn’t cheating on her.
She didn’t need to go through any of that.
I thought back to all those nights I spent at home after I found out that Evan was cheating on me. Those nights spent mindlessly watching the TV, gorging myself on ice cream and downing wine like there was no tomorrow. Because that’s how it had felt then. Like there was no tomorrow, and if there was one, it wasn’t worth living.
Things had changed a lot for me since those days.
“I’ll be okay,” she finally said.
“If you feel like talking, my door’s always open,” I said, patting her back.
She nodded.
“I know,” she said. “Thanks.”
Just then, I heard a rapping at the front door. We weren’t open for another hour, so it was still locked.
“Is anybody in there?” I heard a muffled voice say.
I wiped my hands on my apron and went out through the dividing door to the dining room.
A large man in a gray jumpsuit with a clipboard and a tool box was outside.
“Well, look at that,” I mumbled as I opened the door.
Maybe a little air conditioning would go a long ways to help cool everybody down.
Chapter 25
I read through the Christmas River in July Play script while I waited for the last round of pies to finish up baking. A stream of sweat trickled down the side of my face.
True to what I had initially thought, the air conditioner repair men were as useless as a bag of hammers. After half an hour of tinkering around, they had informed me that the unit was busted and way past redemption. I would have to buy a new one if I wanted to survive the remainder of this heat wave.
So not only did I have the heat to contend with, I also had this torturous script to read and memorize.
Sarah had really outdone herself this year.
The more I read through it, the more I hated all the characters in it. Even Santa was unlikable. And you know that when you make a fat man who brings toys to underprivileged children unlikeable, there’s no hope for any of the other characters.
But I had to get through memorizing my lines. The play was in less than three days, and even though I was playing the part of Mrs. Claus for reasons other than wanting to show off my acting abilities, I didn’t want to do a total face plant.
“Hey Cinnamon? Can you come out here?” Chrissy’s voice echoed from the dining room.
I got up off the barstool and went through
I’d been on enough of an emotional roller coaster in the past 48 hours. I didn’t have the energy to take on whatever she was going through too.
She let out another long sigh.
“I’m sorry,” she said, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. “I’m going through some personal stuff. I’m acting like a brat. Just ignore me.”
She grabbed some ingredients from the cupboard and started on a batch of dough.
“Anything I can help with?” I asked.
“I’m just having some problems with Carson,” she said.
I saw a flash of sadness in her eyes.
“It’s not a big deal,” she said, shrugging.
But I could tell by the tone of her voice that it was a big deal.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No, not really,” she said. “It’s just, he’s been acting weird lately. I’m worried that… that he might be stepping out on me.”
She said it quickly, like it would somehow hurt less.
“Jeez, I’m so sorry, Chrissy,” I said, placing my hand on her shoulder.
She stood stiff.
“It’s really not a big deal,” she said. “I’d rather not talk about it.”
I peered into her face. Her eyes were welling-up with tears.
She reminded me so much of myself at that age. We tried so desperately to convince the world we were tough with our piercings and dyed hair. But it was all just a distraction so nobody could see how sensitive we really were.
I really hoped Carson wasn’t cheating on her.
She didn’t need to go through any of that.
I thought back to all those nights I spent at home after I found out that Evan was cheating on me. Those nights spent mindlessly watching the TV, gorging myself on ice cream and downing wine like there was no tomorrow. Because that’s how it had felt then. Like there was no tomorrow, and if there was one, it wasn’t worth living.
Things had changed a lot for me since those days.
“I’ll be okay,” she finally said.
“If you feel like talking, my door’s always open,” I said, patting her back.
She nodded.
“I know,” she said. “Thanks.”
Just then, I heard a rapping at the front door. We weren’t open for another hour, so it was still locked.
“Is anybody in there?” I heard a muffled voice say.
I wiped my hands on my apron and went out through the dividing door to the dining room.
A large man in a gray jumpsuit with a clipboard and a tool box was outside.
“Well, look at that,” I mumbled as I opened the door.
Maybe a little air conditioning would go a long ways to help cool everybody down.
Chapter 25
I read through the Christmas River in July Play script while I waited for the last round of pies to finish up baking. A stream of sweat trickled down the side of my face.
True to what I had initially thought, the air conditioner repair men were as useless as a bag of hammers. After half an hour of tinkering around, they had informed me that the unit was busted and way past redemption. I would have to buy a new one if I wanted to survive the remainder of this heat wave.
So not only did I have the heat to contend with, I also had this torturous script to read and memorize.
Sarah had really outdone herself this year.
The more I read through it, the more I hated all the characters in it. Even Santa was unlikable. And you know that when you make a fat man who brings toys to underprivileged children unlikeable, there’s no hope for any of the other characters.
But I had to get through memorizing my lines. The play was in less than three days, and even though I was playing the part of Mrs. Claus for reasons other than wanting to show off my acting abilities, I didn’t want to do a total face plant.
“Hey Cinnamon? Can you come out here?” Chrissy’s voice echoed from the dining room.
I got up off the barstool and went through
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