Dena counted the number of construction paper bells, stars and Santas she’d cut out, then confirmed she had enough for the list. Her mother sat across from her at the B and B dining room table, carefully punching a hole in the top of each of what would be paper ornaments.

“I feel awful,” her mother confessed. “I totally forgot about the giving tree we put up at work. I can’t believe I let that slip through the cracks.”

Leigh had called in a panic, asking for help to get the giving tree ornaments pulled together. With Reggie already involved with the wedding and handling the charity knitting project, Dena had been happy to help. She was on duty at the front desk at the B and B from after school until six, but with no one checking in or out, she wasn’t expecting to be that busy. She’d put out a sign, asking anyone who came in to ring the bell to let her know they were there.

“Mom, it’s fine. You help out with the business, and you’re planning a wedding. It’s not a surprise you momentarily forgot something. This is easy. We’ll have all the ornaments done in a couple of hours.”

The process was simple enough. The front of the paper ornament would have the child’s first name, last initial and age. On the back was a list of three possible presents. Employees at the auto repair shop and the tire store could take as many ornaments as they wanted, then bring in the unwrapped gift and the ornament. A week before Christmas, everything would be taken over to Spokane and delivered to the children.

“I still feel like the worst human alive,” her mother murmured. “I forgot the giving tree.”

“For a second. It’s getting done now.” Dena smiled at her. “There’s an open bottle of wine on the counter in the kitchen. Why don’t you go pour yourself a glass?”

“You’re suggesting I drown my shame in liquor?”

“That seems extreme, but if it helps, then yes.”

Her mother rose and went in search of the promised wine. Dena measured out a length of yarn, then made sure it was long enough to allow the ornament to hang from a tree branch. Once she’d confirmed it was correct, she used it as a template to cut the other forty-nine pieces.

“Hello.”

She jumped, then looked up and saw Micah standing by the table. As always, her first thought was the man was dreamy. Her second was that she hadn’t seen him in a couple of days, and during that time, she’d missed him a ridiculous amount. Her third realization was that she was grinning like a fool. She forced her mouth into a more normal smile.

“Hi,” she said, feeling shy and happy at the same time.

“I’ve been holed up in my room, trying to write.”