A Winterberry Christmas, Chapter 2
Will work for cookies? Daniel Hughes will...or is there more to it than that?
In case you missed it… read Chapter 1
Chapter Two: The Sleigh-Building Proposal
Emily felt a flutter of something warm in her chest. Her beautiful cookies were broken and scattered on the ground, but she was glad she’d bumped into Daniel. “You know,” she said, lifting her chin with mock seriousness. “I was going to give those to my students, but now that you’ve taken a bite, I guess you’ll have to take the whole batch.”
“Oh no, don’t make me eat all these broken cookies, mud-covered,” he pleaded, jumping on board their little act. “I’ll never forgive myself.”
She broke out into laughter.
He flashed her a grin, finishing off the gingerbread piece. “But seriously, I’m happy to help you bake some more. I just moved to Winterberry, and I’ve been looking for an excuse to get to know people in town.”
Her eyes widened with interest. “Where from?”
“New York City,” he replied. “I inherited my uncle’s carpentry business. I figured it was time for a change of pace.”
“Wait,” she said, making the last name connection. “You’re Joe’s nephew?”
He nodded, scratching his jaw. “Guilty as charged.”
“How is he?”
“Playing shuffleboard, the last I heard,” he said, winking at her. “I guess Florida agrees with him.”
She chuckled. “You’ve certainly come to the right place for a change of pace. Winterberry is as real gem, especially during Christmastime. And everyone is so friendly here. I’m sure you’ll fit right in.”
“I hope so,” he said, his smile with a goofy grin that made her stomach do a little flip. “I’m still getting my bearings, but I’m starting to feel at home already—especially now that I’ve met the local cookie expert.”
She blushed, feeling a warmth spread across her cheeks that had nothing to do with the cold. “I wouldn’t call myself an expert, but I do like to bake.”
They stood up together, gathering the remaining books and cookies. She couldn’t help but notice how his hands were strong and capable, the kind of hands that were used to working with wood and tools. He moved with a certain grace that suggested he was comfortable in his own skin, despite being new to town.
“Well, Daniel Hughes, if you're serious about lending a hand, I could always use some help with the Christmas play set. It’s next Friday and we need a new sleigh for Santa. I have a feeling you might just be the man for the job.”
His eyes lit up. “I'd be honored to help. Consider it a trade for your delicious cookies—and a quick lesson in Christmas spirit.”
She laughed. “It’s a deal. And welcome to Winterberry. I think you’re going to like it here.”
As they finished picking up the last of the scattered items, the bells of the church clock tower chimed, signaling the arrival of noonday. Snow began to fall softly again, covering the town in a fresh, white blanket.
Emily and Daniel stood there for a moment, caught in the magic of the first snow. Their eyes met, and for a brief second, everything around them seemed to pause, leaving only the two of them in the snow-covered square.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something special. The Christmas Market, the broken cookies, and their chance meeting seemed to weave together into something more than mere coincidence.
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Connection through broken cookies - love it!
What a small world! Daniel Hughes had just relocated to Winterberry from New York. He had come to inherit his uncle's carpentry outfit. A very minor mishap occurs, leading to broken cookies. But also a somewhat romantic incident or encounter with Emily who gets to know that he's Joe's nephew.
The final part of it seems to be the starting point of a romantic encounter that would change their lives forever.
We are anxiously waiting for the rest of the narrative and perhaps the age-old "Happily ever after" account that summarizes it all. Brilliantly penned down!