A smile played around Piper’s lips. “Pie in the Sky talk to be continued,” she said to Braden, standing up and shoving her notebook under her arm before heading behind the counter.
Braden’s eyes trailed after Piper. He liked seeing her upbeat and optimistic. A part of him wanted to stick around Owl Creek simply so he could be a part of the launch of Pie in the Sky. It was exciting seeing Piper’s creativity in action. Things were looking up for her and the Snowy Owl Diner. He wanted to watch it all come to fruition. Wasn’t that the role of a best friend?
Perhaps then his guilt wouldn’t be swallowing him up whole. Maybe he would find peace with the situation. And with himself.
Lately, he’d been all over the place. About his past, present and future. Piper had always been his best friend, yet he felt stirrings of something else that confused him. He couldn’t deny he felt a pull in her di
rection that seemed different from anything he’d experienced with her up to this point. Perhaps it was tied up in his guilt. Or his deep sense of remorse. Keeping secrets weighed on a person in a manner he’d never really understood until now. He knew enough to realize he could never truly be free unless he unburdened himself of everything weighing him down. If only he could summon the courage and see it through.
The strange vibe brewing between him and Piper confused him. He had a hard time wrapping his head around anything romantic going on. Piper had always been his best friend. Anything more between them was simply out of the question.
* * *
Piper hadn’t expected for Braden to be so enthusiastic about Pie in the Sky. All day she’d been upbeat just thinking about the future. Braden’s support meant the world to her. It made her believe she could really put Pie in the Sky in motion. And with the additional income, she could try to dig her way out of the financial hole she was in. Maybe she wouldn’t have to close the diner’s doors. Her heart wouldn’t be broken over failing to save it. She could actually feel proud of her efforts.
If she was being honest with herself, perhaps she’d been waiting for Braden to talk her out of moving forward with her new venture. It was a bit terrifying to put herself out there in such a grand way. What if the pie business didn’t take off? It would be embarrassing to fall on her face. What if she needed to put a lot of cash into the enterprise? She would start small and keep building on it. Baby steps. It wasn’t as if the Norths had built up their chocolate empire overnight.
Even though she didn’t have all of the answers, it sure felt good to feel hopeful. Isn’t that what Christmas was all about? Faith? The hope of something wonderful just around the corner.
“What’s that noise?” Piper asked as a loud rhythmic sound emanated from outside.
Braden had a huge smile on his face. “I think I know.”
She rushed toward the door and yanked it open. A large group of carolers, with her mother right in the center, were walking up the stairs and toward the front door. Piper stepped aside to let them by. As the carolers headed inside, they continued to sing “Silent Night.” Their charming melody rang out sweetly in the diner as customers stopped eating to listen to their Christmas carols.
Among the group was Hank, his daughter, Addie, and Sage. Piper plucked Addie from Hank’s arms and pressed a kiss on the toddler’s cheek. She stayed in Piper’s arms for a few minutes until she reached out for Sage. It made Piper happy to see her niece bonding so well with her sister-in-law. In marrying Hank, Sage had given Addie a new mother. Her own mother had died in a car accident when she was a few months old. Watching their loving family caused a feeling of envy to rise up inside her. It must be nice, she thought, to have a soft place to fall when the world crashed in around you.
In many ways Braden served that role in her life. It was the reason she was so upset about not having him around in the future. She’d gotten so accustomed to having him back in her life that it was near impossible to imagine her world without him in it. Even when things were tense between them or when they were angry at one another, their connection still persisted. Bent but not broken.
The carolers sang a medley of Christmas songs, their voices blended together in perfect harmony. At the end of the performance, all of the customers in the diner stood up and cheered. It had added a special dose of holiday cheer to the evening. It was moments like this one that made the season so uplifting and enjoyable. Singing was a gift, and tonight it had been shared with so many residents of Owl Creek. Despite all the ups and downs of the past weeks and months, Piper felt inspired.
“Thank you so much for thinking of us. Hot cocoa coming up for everyone!” Piper called out. “And we have fresh cider doughnuts on the counter for everyone to enjoy.”
All of the carolers cheered and made their way over to the counter where Braden and some other staff members were ladling hot chocolate into foam cups. Piper walked over and hugged her mother tightly. “Mama! Thank you for bringing the carolers right to my doorstep. What a wonderful gift.”
“I can’t take the credit. It was Braden’s idea,” Trudy said. “He thought you could use a big dose of holiday cheer.” Trudy grinned. “He’s going to make some woman a fine husband one day.”
“He sure will,” Piper murmured, trying to ignore the little ache that particular knowledge caused her. It was hard to even envision Braden settling down with his other half and raising a house full of children. As a kid, he had always said he never wanted to get married, but Piper had always pictured him with a family.
She wasn’t sure if she was imagining the pointed look her mother gave her. Perhaps she was just being paranoid after the tender kiss they’d shared. More than anyone, her mother knew she and Braden were simply friends.
A quick gaze around the room showed Braden talking to his grandparents who were also part of the caroling group. His head was thrown back in merriment, showcasing his congenial personality and good looks. She couldn’t even tell herself it wouldn’t hurt when Braden fell in love and paired off with someone. It would no doubt signal a vast change in their friendship. Perhaps this whole time she’d been resisting the inevitable adjustments that came with adulthood. Maybe the tension between them was nothing more than growing pains. It didn’t make it hurt any less.
“Thanks for the hot cocoa,” Hank said as he came up beside her and lifted his cup in the air. “It’s perfect after being outside in the cold.” He shivered, drawing laughter from Piper.
“Sure thing,” she said. “It’s the least I could do after the wonderful performance we were treated to. You guys are terrific. I hated to miss it, so this was really special.”
“I think so too,” Sage said, walking up and joining them. She looped her arm through Hank’s as she juggled Addie on her hip. “There’s nothing quite like an Owl Creek Christmas.”
“A bit different from Florida, huh?” Piper asked. Up until this past year, Sage had been a Floridian, so acclimating to the Alaskan way of life had been a bit daunting at first. Now, it seemed as if she had always been a member of their community.
“You have no idea,” Sage said, garnering laughter from the group.
Suddenly, Beulah strode over with Jennings at her side. “We should get back out there, carolers. It’s getting late,” she said in a raised voice. “And the temperature will be dipping to uncomfortable levels in an hour or so.”
Everyone in town knew Beulah as being a no-nonsense and direct person. She said things very decisively and left no room for argument. She’d led the carolers for as long as Piper could remember. Once Beulah made her announcement, all of the singers immediately began to head toward the door, calling out holiday wishes and blessings as they left. Piper and Braden trailed after them, waving and thanking the group for stopping by. They were standing so close in the doorway that their arms were touching. Piper resisted the impulse to loop her arm through his as she might have done before things had gotten strained between them. The lines between them were becoming blurred, and it was both surprising and terrifying. She didn’t want to do a single thing to add to the strange tension pulsing between them. Touching Braden felt a little bit off-limits.
It frustrated her to have to second-guess every move and gesture. Best friends shouldn’t have to worry about things like this. She wished she could be transported back in time to the days when everything between them had been effortless.
