The Heart of Christmas Read online

  “She seems to be doing well. And the puppies were feeding the last time I poked my head in there.”

  “You're quite the early riser,” he said before taking a swig of his coffee.

  “I like to get up with the dawn and greet the day,” she answered. “There's always a lot to be done around here before I head in to work.”

  “I have to admit, my office in California didn't open until ten o'clock.” He felt rather sheepish admitting it. There was no point in explaining that things were done a little differently in the community he'd lived in. The LA lifestyle was a lot faster paced and sophisticated than anything he'd ever known. Truth to be told, he'd never quite gotten acclimated to the flash and the affluence. Even though he'd been nervous about coming home, once he'd seen the sign welcoming him to Celebration he'd felt a strong sense of belonging.

  “My sleep pattern changed ever since I began working at the Country Vet. I'm usually the one who goes in and opens up the office in the morning. Vicky and Tom like to have breakfast together before she heads to work.”

  “Does that still work for you?” Brady asked. “I know you're taking care of your father. I'm pretty flexible with hours, so if there's anything you need changed—.”

  “No,” she cried out, her face hinting at panic. “Things are perfect. I-I love my job, Brady. I couldn't ask for a better place to work, surrounded by animals and loving owners. And Vicky.” A hint of sadness echoed in her voice.

  His curiosity was piqued by Eden Lassiter. Was she lamenting the fact that she now had to work with him as opposed to his grandmother? Or was she simply expressing her gratitude over her position at the Country Vet? Clearly, it meant the world to her.

  He took another swig of coffee, then said, “That's good to know. It means we're getting off on the right foot with our working relationship.”

  A loud bang echoed down the hall, causing Eden to jump. The coffee in the cup she'd been holding sloshed over the sides of the rim, splashing onto her skin. She let out a wounded cry and placed her coffee cup down on the counter. Brady jumped from his chair and moved toward her, needing to see if she'd been burned by the scalding hot coffee. Eden was cradling her hand against her chest, a wounded expression etched on her face. Brady reached out and touched her skin, immediately noticing the reddened flesh. With wide eyes she recoiled from him, drawing her hand back as if he'd slapped it.

  “I'm fine,” she said. “It just stings a bit.”

  Brady frowned. When burns were left unattended they often left scars. He'd hate to see her beautiful skin marred by a burn mark. “Where's your medicine cabinet?”

  Eden nodded towards the kitchen counter. “There's a medicine kit in the bottom drawer.” Brady walked over to the counter and jerked the drawer open, withdrawing the white medal box. After riffling through the contents, he came across some aloe vera cream and cloth bandages. Turning back towards Eden he held up the items. “Can you do me a favor?” Eden nodded solemnly. “I know you said you're fine, but I'd like to put some cream on that burn and cover it up just in case. Does that sound okay?”

  “That's fine,” Eden said, her voice barely registering above a whisper.

  “Take a seat,” he said, his authoritative side taking over. Eden sat down in one of the hardback chairs and gingerly placed her hand on the table. Brady took a seat next to her, quickly examining the reddened area. He reached for her hand, feeling a rush of satisfaction when she didn't pull away. Something hovered in the air between them. A low hum of awareness he hadn't experienced with a woman in quite some time. Eden seemed aware of it too, judging by the way her expressive eyes widened and her cheeks took on a flushed appearance. As soon as he'd finished bandaging her up, he shot her a gentle smile. “There. That wasn't so bad was it?”

  “Thank you,” she said in a soft voice. “The cream is taking out the sting.”

  There was something on her face—a twinge of sadness perhaps—that made him want to reach out and clasp her hand tightly in his own. But he knew instinctively Eden wouldn't take too kindly to that type of gesture. As it was she'd initially rebuffed his attempts to examine her hand. He was grateful she'd allowed him to help her at all. Something told him she didn't allow people to get close to her very often.

  A memory tugged at him, one that went back all the way to childhood. The candy canes. Eden and her three best friends. They'd done everything together...set up lemonade stands, built forts, went horseback riding at the Diamond R Ranch. Had she still remained tight with those girls? They were actually women now, even though they’d all been kids the last time he'd seen them. Pastor Polk’s daughter had been one of them. Christine Polk. And her cousin, Bailey. And Tabitha Daily who's family owned the Diamond R Ranch. Tabitha’s older brother Linc had been in his class in elementary school. They'd gone to each other's birthday parties and been in Eagle Scout's together. Somehow over the years Brady had lost touch with all of them.

  Try as he might, he couldn't contain his curiosity. “The girls you used to pal around with when we were kids. I think you called yourself the candy canes. Are you all still friends? Do they all still live in Celebration?”

  Eden looked taken aback at first by the question, but then the beginnings of a smile began to break out across her face. The very sight of it nearly bowled him over. He wasn't sure if Eden had any idea of how a simple smile lit up her face like a thousand Christmas lights. “Yes, we're still friends. I'm surprised you remember the candy canes.”

  Some things you simply never forgot. He still had an indelible memory of chasing salamanders down by the creek with Eden. With two pigtails trailing down her back and eyes the same color as his favorite candy caramels, she'd been as sweet as pie.

  And he would always remember four young girls running around town handing out candy canes in red and white elf costumes. “Hard to forget four of the prettiest girls in town.”

  She bowed her head for a moment, a flush rising to her cheeks. “We became friends in grade school. We called ourselves the candy canes because we came up with the idea of gifting candy canes for the church fundraiser. Pastor Isaiah called us the candy cane girls and it stuck. We shorted it to the candy canes.” The tinkling sound of her laughter made him grin.

  “That was the four of you who came up with the idea? I loved that tradition. It always made me feel so great when I received one. And I seem to remember giving out a few myself to a cute little tomboy with pigtails.” He smiled at Eden, letting her know none-too-subtly he was talking about her.

  “I remember,” she said in a soft voice. “Those days were so joyful and innocent. All we thought about were our Christmas wish lists and presents and stockings and candy canes.” She shook her head. “Sometimes I wish I could go back in time just so I could relive those moments. And they stopped doing the candy cane exchange after a few years. I wish they still did it.”

  “Memories are wonderful snapshots, but the good thing is you can create wonderful new Christmas memories. That’s one of the reasons I came back to Celebration. My grandparents are getting on in age and I know time won’t stand still. I want to spend this time with them so we can build memories I can cherish for the rest of my life.”

  Eden ducked her head down. She didn’t raise it up for a few moments. When she raised it back up, tears were shimmering in her eyes. “That’s wonderful, Brady. Sometimes memories are all we have to sustain us. I’ve needed the candy canes more than ever in the last few years. They’ve had my back. And I love them for it.”

  Brady frowned at her. Curiosity tugged at him. “I hesitate to ask, but did something serious happen?”

  “My grandmother died rather suddenly.” She made a choking sound. “Gran and I were involved in a robbery at a restaurant. Gran had a stroke due to the stress of being held at gunpoint. She died right there at the diner in front of me.”

  Brady knew the story sounded vaguely familiar. He’d never connected the story to Eden. Surely his mother had told him about it. He frowned, wishing the details were
n't so foggy. When the story had been relayed to him, he hadn't really thought too much about it, other than that it was terribly sad. At the time his childhood in Celebration had seemed so distant, especially since there were some memories he'd worked really hard to erase from his mind.

  “I remember hearing something, but it was just a tidbit my mother passed on to me,” he admitted. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

  Eden sighed, her petite frame seeming to heave with the effort. Her features were etched in grim lines. “Our lives turned on a dime. Everything changed. It all broke apart.”

  “It's understandable why things fell apart,” he said with an encouraging nod. “It must have been hard to wrap your head around what happened to your grandmother.”

  Surprise shone in Eden's eyes. “Exactly! It was hard to make sense of why Gran died so suddenly. And under such traumatic circumstances. I’ve asked God why ever since.” Her eyes were filled with uncertainty. “I’m not sure I’ll ever get answers.”

  “Have you and your father been able to move forward and grieve her loss?” he asked, curiosity causing him to push a little harder than he should have. Eden reminded him of a wounded deer. Although her vulnerability made him ache for her, from what he'd witnessed so far, she had a tendency to withdraw or to reject any overtures. Perhaps her grandmother’s tragic death was responsible for the air of reserve that shrouded her. If so, it was perfectly understandable. The loss of a loved one was brutal. The loss of a family member due to a violent crime had to be traumatic and agonizing.

  “We've been doing better lately, although with Christmas coming it’s gotten difficult. Christmas was Gran’s favorite time of year. I don’t know if you remember, but she always went way overboard decorating the house. She would light it up so people could spot it for miles.” Eden shook her head and laughed. “And she had all these traditions. Putting holly over the doors and making her own wreaths to put on the front door. Most of all, she had the most fabulous collection of stars for the top of the Christmas tree. And one year she bought me my very own star. I still have it somewhere. Maybe it’s up in the attic. I haven’t looked for it in a long time.”

  “I do remember how festive your house always looked,” Brady said as an image of a larger-than-life Santa Claus perched on their roof flashed into his thoughts. “Your family always had the extra Christmas cheer.”

  “We did.” She let out a sigh. “So much of it was Gran’s doing. She had so many Christmas traditions. And she injected everything she did with such love and care. I miss that so much.”

  Another loud bang echoed in the front of the house. Eden frowned. “It sounds like someone's at the door.” Brady jumped up from the table, letting out a groan as he did so. He'd totally forgotten about calling the tow service this morning. Someone from Lou's Auto Shop was supposed to swing by Eden's house and take him back into town, as well as hauling his car back to the shop.

  “I think that's the tow service,” he said. He followed Eden as she began moving towards the front of the house. Grabbing his coat and belongings, he said, “Well, I suppose the next time we'll see one another is in a few hours at the Country Vet. I'll be there as soon as I get back to the house and finish getting myself cleaned up.” He scratched the side of his face, his fingers scraping against his slight five o'clock shadow. “You'll have to show me the lay of the land.” He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “And I want to know the lowdown on all the difficult pets...and their owners.”

  Eden begin to giggle. The sheer musicality of her laugh made him want to do a little victory dance right there on her doorstep. It was the first time he'd heard her signature laugh in two decades. Not just a slight chuckle either. She'd been tickled all the way down to her funny bone about what he'd said. “I think I'll let you figure that out for yourself. Don't want to scare you away before you even have your first day on the job.”

  “Thank you for your hospitality. It was mighty gracious of you to allow me to hunker down for the night. Please tell Sheriff Lassiter I said goodbye.” Even though he was now retired, Eden's father would always be Sheriff Lassiter to him. As a child he'd always respected and admired the tough, no-nonsense lawman.

  “You're welcome, Brady,” Eden said, her flushed cheeks lending her a warm glow. “I'll see you in a little bit.”

  In a little bit. As much as it surprised him, he was excited about working at The Country Vet. Coming to Celebration hadn't been an easy decision. His love for his grandparents had been the motivating factor. There wasn't much in this world he would deny the people he loved. But, if he was being honest with himself, he'd considered working at the Country Vet as a slight punishment. Going back to a hometown his family had fled from in the shadow of scandal hadn’t appealed to him. He'd spent the better part of two decades avoiding it. Now, for the first time, he was looking forward to this new adventure and to reconnecting with old friends. And Eden. He couldn't deny he was curious to peel back some of her layers and discover who she was as a person. She intrigued him.

  As he walked towards Lou's truck, a tight feeling banded around his chest. It nudged at him, giving him an unsettled feeling. For whatever reason, he didn't feel like the same person who'd trudged through the sleet and ice last night. He wasn't certain what was going on, but he knew with a deep certainty that it had everything to do with the lovely and enigmatic Eden Lassiter.

  **

  After getting her father settled with breakfast and checking in again on Daphne and her brood, Eden made her way into town. Thankfully, last year she'd invested in a truck with four- wheel drive. Living outside of town required her to drive the ten miles or so in order to get to the Country Vet. The roads weren't too bad considering the ice storm that had wreaked havoc the day before. The warm temperature and the sun's rays had thawed the ice, making the driving conditions bearable. Eden felt very grateful since she hated white knuckle driving in hazardous conditions. Once she reached the Country Vet she parked in the side lot, appreciating the sand that had been placed over the thin sheet of ice in the lot.

  The Country Vet was a light blue, Victorian style home with white shutters and a wraparound porch. In Eden's opinion it was the best looking business in town. Vicky had purchased the home from the estate of the town's former librarian, whose family had owned the home for over fifty years. With a lot of hard work and determination, the Shepards had transformed a run down, crumbling home into an eye-catching establishment, Celebration’s only vet's office. Every time Eden walked through the doors she felt very fortunate to be able to work in such a wonderful, homey environment.

  Out of nowhere, a nervous butterfly fluttered low in her belly. She placed her hand over her belly, urging herself to calm down. What did she have to be nervous about anyway? The Country Vet was her home away from home, a wonderful place where she was truly in her element. This year Vicky had decked the place out in all kinds of Christmas decorations. It practically made Eden’s head spin. On the front door sat a large pine wreath decorated with little elves and reindeers. Every time Eden saw it she couldn’t help but smile. A small Christmas tree—fully decorated—sat in the waiting room. Once Eden plugged it in the lights would be flashing like crazy. Little angels sat on the window ledge while a smiling snowman graced the wall.

  Eden had barely opened up the office doors before one of the practice's best customers came crashing through the doors. Merry Jackson, one of Celebration’s liveliest residents, walked towards the counter with the force of a Category five hurricane. A tall woman with striking features and a flair for wearing bold colors and loads of jewelry, Merry always knew how to make an entrance.

  With tears in her eyes, Merry said in a breathless tone, “I know I don't have an appointment, Eden, but something's wrong with my baby.” Jingle was the most adorable Hedgehog she'd ever seen in her life. With big brown eyes and an endearing face, she was unforgettable. According to Merry, there was always something wrong with Jingle. Since Merry didn't have any children, Jingle was her enti
re world. “She started feeling poorly yesterday, and since the office was closed I had to wait the storm out. Thank goodness you've opened up your doors today.”

  Eden reached out and nuzzled Jingle's face, careful to avoid her sharp quills.

  Although Jingle was delightful, hedgehogs weren't the ideal pet, something Merry refused to acknowledge. Merry peered behind Eden, her expression betraying her anxiety. “Is Shep here?”

  Most folks in town called Vicky by her nickname “Shep” rather than her given name. “No, I'm sorry, Merry. Vicky's hip surgery was moved up because she's been in a lot of pain. Her grandson will be replacing her during her recovery.”

  Since Brady's presence in town was a few weeks premature, she was going to have to explain his presence to all of their clients. Most, she assumed, would be understanding about Vicky's medical situation.

  Merry's eyes widened at the news. “Grandson? Do you mean Brady?” Eden stifled a smile. Merry Jackson was somewhat of a town busybody. Although well meaning, she was known as a chatterbox. And she loved to spread stories all over town.

  “Yes, Dr. Brady Shepard now,” Eden said, making sure Merry knew he was a veterinarian.