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“Which is the other thing it helps with,” she added. “Getting people in the door to drop off donations, even if they weren’t planning to buy anything, helps us. They’ll get the coupon and grab their drink. Maybe they’ll walk by Mr. Sanderson’s bookstore on the way out and see just the right gift for their Uncle Frank, or they’ll decide to wander down the lane toward Hats Off only to discover that the new shipment of Green Bay Packers hats has arrived.”

“Uncle Frank, huh?” he teased. “Okay, I see where you’re going with this. The question is, why would you pay for it rather than the mall?”

“Consider it my contribution. Sure, I could just donate food or money to the food shelf, but doing it this way benefits the mall, the community, and the customer.”

“The perfect trifecta for any mall GM,” Kian said, nodding.

“But not like that.” Joy held up a finger.

“Like what?”

“Devious,” she answered immediately.

“Joy, I’m not sure you have a devious bone in your body. Even your attempt to be nice to me so I’d leave town was weak, at best. I saw through it the moment you showed up at the house.”

Her huff filled the room, and he had to bite back a smile. She thought she was so cunning, but really she was just sweet Joy, who everyone loved and respected. He should have learned more about her in school. Been her friend. Hell, he should have done a lot of things differently, but that was his biggest regret. If he could take back the bullying he’d done to her, he’d accept his lumps for all the other stupid crap he’d done. Too bad time doesn’t work that way.

“My critical thinking skills are improving because I realized you’re doing it because you understand psychology and human nature. Your approach will make the drive extremely successful. Just sticking a box out there with no buy-in from the public would be unsuccessful.”

This time, when Joy smiled, it was a bit devious and cunning, but it was a hell of a lot better than the grimace or frown she usually wore around him, so he’d take it all day long.

“As long as we’re clear on that. The last thing I want is for you to tell people I’m doing it as a publicity stunt.”

“Whoa,” Kian said, holding up his hands. “Believe it or not, that mall is important to me, and the last thing I’d ever do is sabotage what you’re doing there. I’ve stood behind you, figuratively speaking, for the past six months without question, and I’ll continue to do so.”

“I’ve been dealing with August for the past six months,” Joy pointed out.

“Now, who isn’t using their critical thinking skills?” Kian asked, bumping her shoulder again.

“Fair,” she said with a snicker. “If we’re in agreement, I’ll get to work tomorrow to spread the word so we can have the box there for Saturday night. I’ll ask around to see if any store employees want extra hours. They can man the coupons and keep an eye on the box in case it needs emptying. The mall can cover their wages from its Christmas budget. We always have a surplus.”

“Wait. You have a Christmas budget?”

Blinking, Joy stared at him for several minutes before another grin spread across her face. “Sweet, innocent baby child. You do have a lot to learn about Snowcap Ridge Outlet Mall.”

This woman. She might be the death of him, but for the first time in his life, Kian enjoyed being challenged. In his world, what he says goes, but not here. Not at Snowcap Ridge Outlet Mall. That was all Joy Brady’s territory, and he’d do well to remember it. By Christmas Eve, when all was said and done, they’d be partners, and he couldn’t be more excited.

16

#Hedidwhat?

Santa Supper had been the most fun Joy had had in years, sad as that was to admit. It helped that she’d cleared the air about Lorelei and Lorelei’s role in her education. Kian even had the good sense to look sheepish when he realized the full extent of the situation. Joy always wondered why Lorelei agreed that they’d keep everything a secret, and she was starting to wonder if Kian was the reason.

The thought of Kian brought back the memory of kissing him outside the mall on Wednesday night. What had she been thinking? The worst part was that she wanted to kiss him again tonight. The only thing that stopped her was being in Lorelei’s office. Was it blasphemous to kiss him in the same place where Joy had ranted about Kian multiple times? Joy always wondered why Lorelei allowed it, but after reading the letter Lorelei had left, Joy had decided she’d wanted her to let it out and then let it go. Apparently, it worked so well that she was now kissing the man!

Shaking it off, Joy unlocked her private entrance and walked inside. She should go straight to the office and wait for closing time, but Freya had sent so much food home that she’d have to take it upstairs to the fridge first. There was no way she was letting all that good ‘roast beast’ go to waste. That was always Lorelei’s favorite line at the start of every Santa Supper. “It’s time to carve the roast beast.” Damn, she missed that woman.

Her long discussion with Kian came back to her, and she wondered whether Lorelei would be proud. Sure, he thought her ‘be nice to Kian’ was a ruse, and it was, but that didn’t mean it had to end. Let him settle in and get comfortable, but the moment he realized he wasn’t needed here or grew bored in Snowcap Ridge, he’d hightail it out of town again. Joy could bide her time.

Once she hung her coat at the base of the stairs, a habit she’d started after forgetting it in the apartment too many times and having to go back up to get it, she picked up the food bag and turned. Freya knew how to balance the bag so it wouldn’t swing too wildly as she hung it on the handle of her crutch while climbing the stairs. Ready to take the first step, she stopped short in surprise.

“What on earth?”

A chair lift waited at the bottom of the stairs. The kind you’d install at Grandma's house when her knees are bad or when Grandpa has his hip replaced.

“How did this get here?” she asked the empty room, as though it could answer. Spotting an envelope on the chair labeled with her name, she grabbed it, sat down, and pulled out the note card.

Joy,