July's Jubilant Christmas Jumble Read online

  After a half an hour of going over things with Mr. Wissen, Jamie turned heading back to the house to change for the second time that day. She was sure that some of the crew must have been laughing at her, but all she could think of was the way it had felt to be in Carlos’s arms.

  An old beat up Ford Fiesta rumbled into the yard as Jamie returned to the front of the inn, and she couldn’t help but smile when Pablo, Anita, and a short blonde girl piled out headed for her door.

  “What’s wrong?” A breathless Carlo’s caught them at the door his eyes wide with worry. “Did something happen at school?”

  “Chill bro,” Pablo said with a cheeky grin. “We just came over to talk to Jamie about an idea Anita has.”

  Carlos looked between his siblings and Jamie bewildered. “Hello Rose,” he greeted absently.

  “Hey Carl,” the girl said. She had long ago shortened his name, and he didn’t bother to fight it.

  “Rose is why we came,” Anita said. “She was wondering if she could rent a cottage this weekend for her parents?” Anita turned to look at Jamie her dark eyes hopeful.

  “We aren’t open yet?” Jamie said opening the door and ushering everyone in. “The only cottage that is even half way done is the Fourth.”

  Rose tipped her head curiously at the reference.

  “That’s the one we painted in all red, white, and blue,” Pablo said. “It’s pretty sweet.”

  “Why can’t I rent that one?” the girl asked. “They just need to get away for a while. Me and Anita will baby sit my little brother, and let mom and dad get out and well do whatever it is they do to relax.”

  “I’m not sure we can have it ready by then,” Jamie hedged. She wasn’t ready for guests, and they already had people coming to the inn itself next week.

  “We can all help,” Anita said “It’ll be fast.”

  “Well I did tell my grandmother we’d work on it today,” Jamie said. “I’m afraid I’ve been too busy to get out there all day,” she added with a blush.

  “You ready to get to work?” Lavinia asked shuffling into the kitchen where Jamie had brought the whole crew. She was wearing an old apron over blue jeans and a baggy flannel shirt and her white hair was tucked into a red bandana.

  “You rocking that look,” Pablo said grinning at the old woman, who to his surprise high fived him.

  “How about a snack first?” Jamie asked looking at Carlos for help. “Then we can sort this out.”

  “Snacks sound good,” Pablo said grabbing a chair. “Any pie left?”

  “You know there is,” Lavinia said grinning at the boy, “but you go wash up first. You have grease under your nails.”

  Pablo bounced from his seat and along the hall to where Lavinia directed.

  Minutes later, everyone sat around the table nibbling on pie and drinking, milk, coffee or cocoa.

  “So what’s this informal meet up all about?” Lavinia finally asked as they sat around the table.

  “Me and Rose had an idea,” Anita said jumping right in. “You see she has a new baby brother, and her parents well, I think they just need a break from everything, so we thought maybe they could rent a cottage this weekend.” She looked up at her oldest brother and smiled. “Rose and I have some babysitting money saved, and we could stay home with Benny while they came out to the lake for a couple of nights.”

  Lavinia raised a brow. “There’s a lot of work to get done before anyone can stay in that cottage,” she said. “I think if you’re all willing to pitch in though and help, we could manage to give you a nice discount. It could be the inaugural run so to speak.”

  Jamie grinned at her grandmother. She knew the older woman had been touched by what the girls were trying to do.

  “Not me,” Pablo said shoving the last of his pie in his mouth. “I’m painting,” he mumbled winking at Carlos.

  “Alright, then I guess it’s settled. Girls you can come out with my grandmother and me and get started. Pablo, if we need a bit more muscle, we’ll call you, but in the mean time, you can help your brother.” She smiled up at Carlos whose eyes twinkled with delight.

  It was going to be an interesting start to the season no matter what.

  “Thank you,” Carlos said as everyone headed out of the house. It was already nearly four in the afternoon, and though he’d made good progress on the Christmas Cottage, he knew he had many hours to go if it was going to be ready in time. Having Pablo there to help would make a difference, but what really struck him was the kindness that Jamie and Mrs. Walton had extended to his little sister and her friend.

  “It’s a really nice idea your sister had,” Jamie said. “Besides it gives us some extra help getting the cottage ready.”

  “I know how much one of these places would rent for during the summer,” Carlos said holding her back as the group ahead chattered happily. “You didn’t have to do that.”

  “Well I did have to consider the labor,” Jamie grinned.

  “Thank you,” Carlos insisted. “Oh, and I have those color swatches up for you to look at. Just tell me which one you like when you’re ready.”

  “You’re welcome,” Jamie replied hurrying to catch up as she dragged a cart full of supplies for the cabin to the little front porch.

  Chapter 11

  The first thing that everyone did when they entered the little cabin was ooh and ahh over how pretty it had turned out. Then they all grabbed cleaning supplies and got to work.

  While the girls dusted, swept and mopped, Jamie tackled the beautifully retiled bathroom, and her grandmother started on the kitchen. Lavinia was a stickler for having things done right in a kitchen, and she knew exactly how the place should look.

  Two hours later, exhausted and slightly dizzy from the smell of pine cleaner, the women all headed back to the house.

  “I’ve got a pot of corn chowder on tonight, and you can all just stay and eat with us again,” Lavinia insisted. “I’m not having any argument about it either.”

  “Let me just call my folks,” Rose said. “I told them I was working on a project with ‘Nita.”

  After supper, Pablo offered to drive Rose and Anita home in the car he was working on for a friend while Carlos offered to help with the dishes.

  “No, you two young people go on and talk shop,” Lavinia said. “The dishwasher does the heavy lifting, and the kids already loaded most everything in it anyway.”

  “Did you have questions for me?” Jamie asked walking into the large parlor with Carlos.

  “No, but I did get a note from my friend at the lab. He said he doesn’t have all of the colors yet, but that one of the colors is green.”

  “Tell me it isn’t that horrid yellow green I’ve seen on some of the old places,” Jamie pleaded laying a hand on his arm.

  “I don’t know,” he said with a smile. “He just said green.”

  Jamie nodded. It would be what it would be. “How’s the Christmas Cottage coming?” she asked reluctant to see him leave.

  “Not bad now that you approved the color,” he admitted. “With Pablo working with me today we got a good deal done on the outside, and in the morning, I’ll work on the inside. I think it will come out a dream.”

  At the sound of the word Jamie dropped her gaze her cheeks burning as visions of Carlos kissing her chased each other through her brain.

  “Well, I’d better get home,” Carlos said. “Pablo and Anita are used to looking out for themselves, but since I knocked off early tonight I might as well head home and hang out with them.”

  “This is early for you?” Jamie asked checking her watch. “It’s almost eight o’clock.”

  Carlos shrugged. “This is life,” he said. “I work as much as I can while the weather is warm, and then schedule more inside jobs through the winter.”

  “What happened to your parents?” Jamie asked horrified at her forwardness.

  “They were killed in a car accident about ten years ago,” Carlos said. He was used to telling the story after so many ye
ars.

  “The weather was bad and they were coming home from a late Christmas Eve party,” Their car went into a river and their bodies were never recovered.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Jamie said wanting nothing more than to pull him into her arms and hug away the hurt she saw in his eyes. “It’s been just the three of you ever since?”

  Carlos shrugged, “I have some relatives further south, but mostly it’s just us. I had my job when everything happened, and the man who owned the company at the time kept me busy. When he was ready to retire, he let me buy him out in installments.”

  Jamie smiled up at the man who couldn’t be more than twenty-nine or thirty. He had taken a great deal of responsibility onto his shoulders at a young age, but based on how his brother and sister acted she thought he had done a good job.

  “I’d better go,” Carlos said wishing he could lean in and kiss Jamie goodnight. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Jamie watched Carlos walk along the path to his truck with a sad sigh. There was no denying the fact that she really, really, liked that man.

  Chapter 12

  For the next three days after school, Pablo, Anita, Rose along with Jamie and Lavinia worked to put the Fourth of July house in order.

  Drapes were hung in the windows, cutlery and dishes added to the cupboards. The mini fridge supplied, and all the little homey touches added to the place.

  “You need something for here,” Anita said as she polished the mantle above the fire place. “Something big but not too bold.”

  “You have something in mind?” Jamie asked. In the bedroom she could hear Carlos and Pablo putting the weathered white Bridgeport bed with the tall, square paneled headboard together.

  Rose fluffed accent pillows of off white and flag patterns on the blue and red plaid sofa in front of the fireplace and Lavinia tossed a star spangled throw over a high-backed chair.

  Anita turned looking at Jamie as if trying to assess if she should continue or not.

  “Come on, out with it,” Jamie insisted. “I can tell you have an idea.”

  “O.K.” Anita said. “There’s this old rusty looking clock at the feed store down town. It would look great here.”

  “Are you going to be an artist or an interior decorator?” Jamie said with a grin.

  “Maybe both,” Anita admitted with a hint of sass. “I like seeing things come together.”

  “I’ll check it out this evening,” Jamie promised, “but for now I think we’d better finish up and get this quilt on the bed before the photographer gets here.

  “Girls, why don’t we head into town while Jamie gets that room finished, and you can show me this clock thing,” Lavinia suggested. “We’ll pick up a couple of pizzas while we’re there.”

  “I gots to run, Carlos,” Pablo said as together they hefted the thick mattress onto the bed. “I’m turning tires tonight.”

  “You got money for supper?” Carlos asked as Jamie entered the room.

  “Yeah, I’m good. See you later,” the younger man said waving and heading out to the old beater his boss had him working on in the drive.

  “Wow, this looks great,” Jamie said. “I can’t believe how fast it all came together.”

  Carlos pulled the rest of the plastic wrapping from the mattress, and Jamie grabbed the compressed pillows peeling them out of their plastic prisons.

  “I’ll make the bed then I think we’re done,” she said tossing first one pillow then the other onto the bed.

  Carlos smiled at the woman who was collecting linens from a cupboard. Moving to one side of the bed, he waited grabbing the end of the sheet as she shook it over the new mattress.

  “Anita’s really excited about this place you know,” Carlos said. “She loves decorating and designing things.”

  “It sounds like she takes after her big brother,” Jamie teased. “Didn’t you say you like to see things transformed?”

  “I think it runs in the family.”

  Carlos creased the seam of the sheet and tucked in his hospital corner then smoothed the top sheet into place grabbing a pillow case and shaking a pillow in to it.

  When Jamie pulled the quilt from the other box he smiled. “Where did you get that?” he asked admiring the intricate design. “It’s like a piece of art.”

  “A lady sent it to my grandmother,” Jamie said. “Apparently she and her husband came here one year and stayed, and it changed their life.”

  Carlos gazed across the bed at Jamie Walton and realized that she had changed his life. There was no denying the fact that he was starting to have feelings for her. He loved the way she was with his brother and sister, and her grandmother kept them all hopping.

  Together they smoothed the quilt onto the bed then placed the decorative throw pillows against the headboard.

  “Beautiful,” Jamie breathed stepping back and admiring her handy work.

  “Beautiful,” Carlos echoed watching her admire the work they had done.

  Jamie turned a warm smile on her face, but froze at the look that Carlos was giving her. He was only a few feet away as she stood at the foot of the bed and his eyes held a look of admiration that she couldn’t deny.

  She had been looking at the quilt and the way the room had come together to create a warm welcoming atmosphere, but she could tell that Carlos was only looking at her.

  Taking a step closer Carlos dropped his hands to Jamie’s arm leaning in close willing to risk everything for one taste of her lips.

  “Yo, Carlos!” Pablo’s voice shattered the moment into a million shards. “I need you to jump the car, it won’t start.”

  Jamie turned trying to hide the laugh that bubbled in her chest. Carlos was about to kiss her. She had seen it in his eyes, but the moment was gone now, and instead of only disappointment, she found the humor in the moment.

  Chapter 13

  For the next few days, Jamie and her grandmother worked to put the finishing touches on the July cabin, and Anita was right the old clock, made in the shape of a star set into a circle was perfect above the mantel piece.

  “I’m just going to put some flowers on the table,” Lavinia said as the Photographer pulled into the drive. “I think it will make it romantic.”

  Jamie smiled at her grandmother and her bit of whimsy. She hoped that the little getaway starting that very night for Rose’s parents would be good for them. Everyone needed a bit of romance in their life, didn’t they?

  Thinking of romance her mind turned to Carlos who she knew was trimming in the last details of the Christmas Cottage. They had picked the perfect shade of red for the exterior that was not too light and not too bright. Once she was finished with the photographer for the July cottage, she would head over there and see if she could start decorating.

  Since the night he had almost kissed her, she had barely seen Carlos, and she wondered if perhaps he didn’t truly feel the way she did. There was no denying the attraction between them, but her feelings were growing far deeper than a casual acquaintance by the day. Jamie had a great deal of respect for Carlos, not only for his work ethic and his eye for making things beautiful, but for his dedication to his siblings, and the easy manner he had with them.

  What must it have been like for him to have his life so drastically transformed at such a young age? Thinking about the painter, she couldn’t help but want to see if there was something between them. She liked him, and she was pretty sure he liked her as well, so what was holding her back?

  “Oh, how quaint,” the photographer, a bubbly young woman, in her early twenties said sauntering into the cottage.

  “Thanks,” Jamie replied with a smile. “That’s just what we are going for. There’s nothing like an old fashioned Fourth of July cabin to relax a body.”

  The younger woman smiled, starting to unpack her equipment. “Oh my stars,” another woman said walking into the cottage. “I had heard the Old Inn was getting a new look, but I never imagined.”

  “Mom, I thought you were letting me do this o
ne on my own,” the younger woman groaned.

  “I am that doesn’t mean I’m not going to use any excuse I can to get over here and see the place.”

  Jamie bit back a laugh watching the young woman roll her eyes. “I’m going to start in the back and work my way forward,” she said with a wave of her hand.

  “I used to come here as a kid,” the older woman said addressing Jamie. “Was all of this your idea?” she asked with a wave of her hand.

  Jamie nodded. “My grandmother approved it though,” she added.

  “Mrs. Lavinia? Oh, my I haven’t seen her since I was a sullen teen pretending I hated this place. Some of my best memories growing up were from right here. I’m glad you’re giving everything a fresh look.”

  “Thank you,” Jamie said touched by the woman’s words.

  “Here they are,” Lavinia said stepping into the cottage with a blue pottery pitcher full of red and white carnations. “Jamie I think you’re needed over at Christmas by the way,” she added looking at the other woman. “Don’t I know you?” she asked placing a hand on her hip.

  ***

  “Carlos,” Jamie called as she made her way to the Christmas cottage, “Gram said you were looking for me.”

  Carlos ducked his head out of the cottage door wiping his hands on a rag and greeting her with a grin.

  “I thought you’d like to know the inside is finished,” Carlos said looking at her the way a kid might look at the window of a candy shop. “I hope you’re happy with it.”

  Jamie met the painter’s gaze and grinned. She was happy to see him, and somehow she was sure she would be happy with the way the cottage had turned out. This small building had been modified slightly from the other floor plans that had one bedroom and a hide a bed sofa for extra guest.

  Together they made their way into the building, stepping onto a polished wood floor that stretched under steeply pitched, sloped rafters that gave the cabin an open, airy feeling. But the first thing that caught Jamie’s attention was the railing of the loft that took up the back half of the living space.