Silent Night, Star-Lit Night (Second Chance at Star Inn)(10)
“You’ve got rooms?” Jed asked. Snow from his and Mia’s shoulders and water from their snow-crusted shoes sluiced to the entry floor. He moved back to the all-purpose rug. “Actually, a spot on that couch by the fire would do just as well about now.”
She tsk-tsked his attempt to minimize the wetness. “Don’t you fret about a little snow and water; it’s a regular condition come winter in these parts. Now, rooms.” She quick-stepped back to an ornate front desk. A graduated set of shelves flanked the left side of the desk, layered with full-flowered poinsettias in bright tones of red, pink, and white. The Christmas shades matched her shirt exactly, and Jed wondered if she did that on purpose. “We do have rooms, and that’s a God-thing if ever I saw one, and in my day I’ve seen plenty.” She slipped a pair of reading glasses into place, tapped her finger to the keyboard, then brought her gaze up. “I say that with utmost confidence because the same storm that brought you to our door caused two cancellations from folks afraid to set out. And dear child . . .” She shifted her attention to Mia and her pregnant shape. “When is this baby due? Soon, I expect, and while we’ve got no hospital nearby, Megan Pritchard is an O.B. and she lives over on West Ave, so there’s help within walking distance. Just so you know.”
“And hopefully we won’t need it.” Mia extended her hand. “I’m Mia O’Loughlin, and I’m an E.R. nurse and I’ve got twelve more days, so hopefully we’ll be in Roslyn before that happens. But if not . . .”
Jed stared at her and shifted both brows up on purpose, because hadn’t he suggested they bring things for the baby along?
She ignored his over-the-top expression and smiled. “It’s good to know the doctor is close.”
“Isn’t it, though?” The effusive woman accepted Mia’s hand in a firm and friendly shake. “Names, yes! Names are good. I’m Angel Rafferty. Just ‘Angel’ will do.”
“Angel?” Jed nudged Mia’s arm with intent to remind her of their conversation about the TSO song in the car. “Great name.”
“Why, thank you.” She beamed a smile his way as they heard the sound of a far door swinging open. “That will be Lorrie, adding settings to the table for us. We’re more of a ‘B and B’ here, so we don’t normally do dinners at the inn, but Lorrie’s stuck here and there’s plenty to go around. Sending you back out for food wouldn’t be right, and nothing’s open in any case. We’d enjoy your company, if you’re hungry, that is.” Ripe, rich scents wafted into the front room.
“Famished. And in desperate need of a bathroom,” Mia told her. “Is there a restroom on this floor?”
“Oh, you dear thing, of course there is.” Angel pointed beyond them and to their left. “Turn right at the Christmas tree and pass under the mistletoe.” As Mia crossed the broad, beautifully decorated grand room, Angel brought Jed’s attention back to business. “Two rooms, you said?” She peered at him over gold-rimmed reading glasses adorned with stars at the temple corners. Stars that matched the gold, white, and blue dangling stars hanging from her ears. With a necklace of faux Christmas lights hanging around her neck, the bright-eyed woman was a walking, talking Christmas ornament.
“Yes, thank you.” He gave her his information and debit card. “Put both on here, please.”
“Certainly.” By the time Mia returned, the business was accomplished. Angel came around the desk, then studied the floor as if mystified. “You have no luggage.”
“The car balked at a massive drift on the road coming into town. We weren’t sure how far we’d have to walk, and I was more concerned with getting Mia to safety.”
“Of course you were.” Angel’s approval reinforced his decision. “But I expect there are things you could use, so I’m going to make sure each room is properly equipped.” She handed them each an old-fashioned room key.
Mia held hers up and laughed. “Here’s a novelty. A real, honest-to-goodness key.”
Angel bobbed her head as she started up the stairs. “If it’s not broke, why fix it?” It was a rhetorical question, because she moved right on to food, a welcome topic. “We’ve got beef stew and dumplings tonight with cinnamon bread pudding for dessert. I made the bread pudding for our customary afternoon ‘tea,’ but the storm messed that up. We’ll make it our dessert, instead. And there’s eggnog.”
“I love eggnog,” Mia admitted. “I haven’t had it in years.”
“It’s homemade right here in town, and you won’t find better anywhere. The Eversons sell it in glass bottles, as all dairy products should be.”
“I haven’t seen glass bottles for dairy except in antique stores,” Jed noted. The thought of homemade eggnog was wonderful, but the image of the hot meal took precedence in Jed’s head. And his empty stomach.
“I’ve never seen them,” added Mia.
“You’re in for a treat, then. Folks don’t rightly know what they’re missing till they’ve missed it, correct?”
Old-time common sense, something Jed missed when Uncle Pete stepped up to the helm of the farm supply store. His father had run both sides of the businesses with a steady, firm hand. Pete Taylor seemed to think boot camp tactics worked better, but his gruff, grumpy orders didn’t sit well with employees or customers. Every time Jed wanted to speak up, Pete’s wheelchair reminded him of the man’s sacrifice for his country and he bit his tongue. “We’ll look forward to it, Angel.”