A Christmas in Connecticut Read online

  Emmy was on Claire’s phone screen, looking flush in the face as she fanned herself with a magazine.

  “Emm, why do you look like you’re in a sauna?” Claire asked.

  “It’s frigg’n ninety degrees out today, but you know my dad, after December first he refuses to turn on the a/c for any reason until after March. I swear Claire, I’m this close to finding my own place.” Emmy held her fingers up, her index finger on her thumb.

  Claire had heard this several times over the years. Emmy would get frustrated with her family and threaten to move out, but never did. Claire used to be confused by this, but after losing her parents, she no longer questioned Emmy’s attachment to her parents and Nona. Things change in an instant, and you can never get them back again.

  “I’m sorry…is it going to cool down soon?”

  “Nope. We’re in the middle of a heat wave…it’s supposed to last several more days. I’m wearing shorts and sun dresses…in December. Claire, this is the part where you tell me how freezing you are there in Connecticut.”

  “It’s cold…but no snow yet. I sure hope it snows before I leave.”

  “Is this normal for them not to have snow yet? I mean, Christmas is only a couple of days away?” Emmy’s brows knitted down as she pulled her hair up into a bun off her neck, continuing to fan herself intermittently.

  “No, it’s not normal. Jack said they always have snow by now. But…,” Claire’s face broke into a smile, “it’s supposed to snow for Christmas.”

  “That would be beautiful…I have my fingers crossed for you. How’d the turkey brine go…it was easy, right?”

  “It seemed okay, actually; I think I got it right. I know I’m no good at any of this, but I’m kind of enjoying myself. And, I feel like I’m really helping them.” Claire smiled softly.

  “I told you…without me around you’ve been forced to do these things and you can do it.”

  “I guess you’re right. I can do it.” Claire felt slightly triumphant. It was true that as long as Emmy was around, she’d shied away from attempting to make anything. Why would she when her friend was a virtual Martha Stewart?

  “How’s it going with Jack?” Emmy stopped fanning and gave Claire a serious look. “Have you told him yet?”

  Claire let out a visible sigh. “No,” she said quietly. “At this point, I figured I’ll just wait until after Christmas. No need to spoil the mood at this point.

  “You’re probably right. How’s the popcorn garland going?”

  “Pretty good…I’m even adding fresh cranberries to it…I’m nearly finished, and it looks fantastic.” She smiled. “Oh shit…I forgot to tell you…remember how Beth wanted a Yule log cake for Christmas Eve to go with their lobster dinner?”

  “Yeah,” Emmy said slowly.

  “I forgot to order one in time at the bakery and now they can’t take my order…they’re too backed up.”

  “And…”

  “And now I’m going to attempt one myself—” Claire said sheepishly.

  “Yikes Claire…that’s going to be a challenge. Are you sure you want to take that on?”

  “I am. I think I can do it. I’ve been watching YouTube videos, and I feel confident…our blog on making one was also helpful.”

  “Okay…call me if you run into difficulties. The trick is to not over bake the cake…if you do, it’ll crack when you try to roll it. Are you going to use chocolate or vanilla frosting?”

  “Jack and I decided on chocolate.”

  Emmy raised one eyebrow. “Okay…the chocolate is probably more forgiving. Good luck.”

  “Thanks. How’s Nona?”

  “She’s good, the increase in her medicine has helped with the dizzy spells. She was feeling good enough to help me bake her biscotti recipe yesterday, even though it was brutal running the oven…they were totally worth it…and we had fun together.”

  “Oh my god, I love those.”

  “I know you do…good luck with the cake.”

  “Thanks…love you.”

  “Love you back.”

  After hanging up, Claire pulled up the Yule log blog one more time.

  A Christmas Showstopper

  I don’t know about you, but I love watching the British Baking Show. The final bake of each episode is a grand finale where the bakers create a showstopper. These are wow inducing bakes where the bakers have pulled out all the stops with their creations. That’s what a Yule log cake is, a showstopper worthy of your holiday celebration.

  The Yule log cake, or Buche de Noel, is the traditional Christmas cake in France, Switzerland, and Belgium. It’s a white or chocolate sponge cake layered with buttercream frosting and rolled up to resemble a log which is then frosted with white or chocolate frosting and decorated in any number of ways. If you are feeling especially brave you can make mushrooms out of meringue or add holly leaves and berries…I’ve even seen woodland creatures such as rabbits or birds added…although this would only be for those of you that are the most experienced of bakers.

  Be adventurous and add a little je ne sais quoi to your Christmas by making your own Buche de Noel.

  Joyeuses Fetes and Merry Christmas!

  She felt confident she could handle this. As she closed her laptop, she heard a knock on her door.

  She pulled the front door open to find Jack standing there. “Jack, hi. I wasn’t expecting you.” She stood back, motioning for him to come in.

  “I hope you don’t mind. I haven't seen you since the turkey farm. I had hoped to be at Beth’s while you were doing the turkey brine, but I got hung up at the store. How’d it go?”

  “I think it went well. It’s in the fridge in her garage. It’ll be ready to bake Christmas morning. I’m going to make the Yule log tomorrow to bring for dinner tomorrow night.” She smiled at him.

  “Are you sure? I don’t want you to be overwhelmed…you’ve taken on a lot for us…and I can’t tell you how much it’s meant to me.” He took her by the hands and pulled her close. “I mean it Claire; we can pick up a cake at the store. I want you to have fun and not work so hard; Beth will be okay.”

  She buried her face in his chest. “I’m fine as long as I’m right here…my favorite place to be,” she relaxed in his embrace as she snuggled her head against his chest. It was her favorite place to be.

  Chapter 16

  Jack glanced over at Claire while stopped at the traffic light. They were on their way to Beth’s for their annual Christmas Eve lobster dinner. Claire was beautiful in black velvet pants and a red cashmere scoop neck sweater; her scent filled the entire truck. She looked a bit nervous as she clutched onto the cake she’d made.

  “What are you thinking about?” He’d grasped one of her hands in his as he drove.

  “Oh…I don’t know.” Claire bit her bottom lip. “I’m excited for Beth to see the garland, I think it turned out nice.” She held up a brown bag with one hand. “I guess I’m a bit nervous about the cake. I think it turned out okay…I just hope no one’s disappointed.”

  “I can guarantee you that no one will be disappointed. We’re all just grateful for your help, Claire.” He glanced over at her as he pulled up in front of Beth’s house. “I mean it. Don’t worry about a thing, it’s going to be great. Plus, we’re having lobster for dinner…how much better can it get?” He squeezed her hand. He wanted to reassure her that no one would pass judgment on anything she did. His heart swelled a bit, wanting to protect her.

  “Thank you,” she said. She leaned over and kissed him. Her lips were soft and warm on his.

  There was a tap on the passenger side window. It was Sheila with a big smile on her face as she held up a basket filled with puppies. Pippa was making her way to Beth’s porch.

  Claire immediately climbed out of the truck. “Oh my god, they’re so adorable!”

  “Right?!? Pippa did an amazing job,” Sheila gushed. “Let’s get inside before they get cold. I told Beth and Tyler I’d bring them over today.

  Jack and Claire made the
ir way into the house. Sheila had placed the basket of puppies down on the ground. Pippa didn’t seem interested at all; she looked like she was on a mom’s night out, running freely around the house. Archie, on the other hand, was standing guard next to the basket like a small sentry, occasionally bending down to sniff the three small pups.

  “Wow, they are really cute, aren’t they?” Jack had kneeled and picked up one of the small black puppies. All three were black with white chests and white toes. Their eyes were open, and their ears were unfolded. Each wore a different color satin ribbon around its neck.

  “They need lots of human interaction. So, it’s good to hold them a lot.” Sheila had grabbed a pup and handed the third one to Beth, who was sitting on the couch.

  “I was furious at Archie when this happened, Sheila,” Beth said. “But looking at these little cuties, maybe it was meant to be.” She beamed as she cuddled the little dog.

  After about thirty minutes, Sheila gathered up the puppies and headed back to her house, Pippa reluctantly in tow.

  “Hey Jack, give me a hand with this garland.” Claire had removed the popcorn and cranberry strand carefully from its bag.

  “Sure.”

  They began to wind it carefully around the tree. Jack bent closer to it and gave it a sniff. “Is this buttered popcorn?” His eyebrows dipped as he looked at her.

  “Well…yeah…it adds to the Christmas scent,” she replied nonchalantly, continuing to drape it on the tree.

  “Right, the Christmassy scent of Frankincense and Pop Secret.”

  “Hey…all they had at the market was the movie theater with butter,” she snorted.

  Jack laughed to himself. Now that he had a good idea what the real deal was, he found Claire even more adorable. He just wished she would trust him enough to tell him the truth. Hopefully she would soon.

  After winding the garland around the tree, they stood back and admired it.

  “Claire, it really looks terrific,” Jack said. “I’m proud of you.” He kissed the top of her head, his hands on her shoulders.

  “Thanks…it was really nothing…surprisingly easy, actually.”

  “I love it! And it smells amazing, Claire,” Beth said as she walked into the room, her hands clasped together. “It really completes the tree, thank you so much.”

  “My pleasure.” Claire beamed. “I’m going to put the cake in the refrigerator.” She walked off happily.

  “Did she use buttered popcorn?” Beth whispered to Jack after Claire had left the room; she leaned in, sniffing the garland.

  “She said movie theater was the only kind at the store,” Jack replied.

  “She used microwave popcorn?” Beth smiled. “Oh my gosh, the fact that she’s trying so hard really warms my heart. She still has said nothing to you?” Beth stood back, one hand on her stomach.

  “Nope. Not a word. So, let’s just go easy on her. I’m sure she’ll say something soon.”

  “I can honestly say that’s the first time I’ve had lobster on Christmas Eve,” Claire said, after finishing the sumptuous meal.

  “That’s a New England holiday for you,” Tyler said as he got up and began to clear the table.

  “Here, I’ll help you,” Jack said, getting up and gathering plates. “Beth, you know to stay off your feet; Claire, I want you to take it easy too, you’ve already done so much.” Jack bent down and kissed her on the cheek. He helped Tyler take everything into the kitchen. He was a bit distracted at the moment. He’d noticed Claire on her phone twice. She’d left the room and had been speaking in quiet, hushed tones. Secretive, really. Could she be talking to her old boyfriend? Jack had an uneasy feeling in his stomach. He tried to set it aside as he washed dishes.

  After he and Tyler got the kitchen somewhat cleaned, Jack put on a pot of coffee and removed the Yule log from the refrigerator. Claire had come in and was rooting around in the fridge, finally pulling out a can of whipped cream.

  “The finishing touch,” she said as she held the red can in one hand.

  Before Jack had figured out what was going on, he might have said something about making freshly whipped cream, but now he knew better. He watched as Claire removed the foil from the cake.

  “You need to go to the dining room, so I can surprise you with it.” Claire shooed him out of the kitchen.

  Jack took his seat at the table. He was worried about the cake, but Claire seemed happy and confident. Beth and Tyler had already downgraded their expectations, so no one would be shocked.

  Claire waltzed into the room, setting down the platter with the cake at the center of the table. “Merry Christmas,” she said. Her face was beaming as she looked expectantly at everyone.

  The cake was technically in the shape of a log, but Jack immediately regretted pushing for chocolate frosting. The cake looked more like something Archie would leave on the neighbor’s lawn than a Buche de Noel. But when Jack saw the pride in Claire’s face, his heart swelled.

  “It’s beautiful, Claire,” he said as he smiled back at her. Even if the cake wasn’t the picture perfect one on her blog, it was something that she’d made with her own hands for them and that made it the best cake Jack had ever seen.

  Once everyone had a slice of cake and a cup of coffee, Jack took his first bite. It was surprisingly good, really good. The exterior might be somewhat of a disaster, but the cake was moist, rich, and delicious.

  “Claire, this cake is amazing,” said Beth as she leaned back in her chair, savoring the bite. “I mean, it’s excellent…such a rich chocolaty flavor and so moist. Yum.” Beth dug in for another large bite.

  “Thank you,” Claire’s smile beamed from ear to ear as she enjoyed her creation.

  They chatted about football and the expected snow that was supposed to blanket the area overnight before saying good night to Beth and Tyler. They climbed into Jack’s truck and headed to Claire’s.

  “Can I come in and kiss you under the mistletoe?” Jack said after pulling up in front of the cottage. He leaned over and pulled her into his arms, burying his nose in her hair.

  “What if I don’t have any mistletoe?” she whispered, as he kissed her neck.

  “We’ll pretend that you do,” he replied, moving from her jaw to her lips.

  She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. “Sounds good,” she whispered.

  He came around her side of the truck and helped her out. They walked to the cottage hand in hand. Jack was trying not to think about the clandestine phone calls and the secret he was waiting for her to reveal to him. She’d trust him soon…right?

  Claire opened her eyes. Jack was still asleep next to her. They’d made love after getting home last night, and once again, it had been wonderful. Claire loved how he made her feel. He had a way of making her feel protected. And the mind-blowing orgasms he gave her didn’t hurt. But she worried how he would react once she told him she wasn’t really who he thought she was. She’d made a commitment to herself to tell him tonight once they left Beth’s. She didn’t see any need to bring it up before then, doing so could ruin the day and she didn’t want that to happen.

  Jack opened his eyes and looked at her. “Merry Christmas,” he said, reaching for her.

  “Merry Christmas, Jack.” Claire slid over so that her naked body was close against his. She rested her head on his chest. This was the special place that, without fail, sent a surge of warmth and happiness through her body. Nothing bad could happen as long as she was in his arms, breathing in his scent.

  “Don’t you want to see the snow?”

  “Snow?” She bolted upright and looked through the window. Everything as far as she could see, was blanketed in a velvety white. “Oh my god, it’s so beautiful,” she said as she sprung from the bed and slipped on a pair of jeans. “Let’s go outside.”

  “Right now?” Jack sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Can’t we get coffee first?”

  “Let’s just go outside for a minute. It’s been so long since I’ve been i
n the snow, and I’ve never had a white Christmas before.” She pulled him by one arm, dragging him from the bed.

  They both dressed warmly before going out into the backyard. The snow was beautiful. It clung to every surface. Tree branches were outlined in white, bushes were blanketed, even the little birdhouse had a layer of snow on its roof.

  Claire felt like a little girl. But suddenly she felt overcome with emotion.

  “Hey.” Jack put his arm around her and pulled her close. “Are you okay?”

  Claire bit her lip and nodded her head. “I just miss my parents,” she said before the tears fell.

  “It’s okay,” he said as he clung tightly to her. “It’s okay.”

  Claire hoped it would be okay.

  Chapter 17

  Claire studied her reflection in the bathroom mirror as she dried her hair. She hoped the day went well. She mentally went over her checklist. As soon as they got to Beth’s, she needed to get the turkey in the oven. She’d committed Emmy’s directions to memory. She felt confident, but nervous at the same time. She also needed to make a salad…that was in her wheelhouse, no problems there. Hank had been a cook in the army and was bringing his “famous” potatoes. She had worried over making gravy, but luckily Jack had volunteered for that. She’d made a mousse the same day she’d made the Yule log. It was currently chilling in the refrigerator. Check, check, and check.

  The only hurdle left after the day was over was to come clean to Jack. She was becoming more and more attached to him every day. Going back to Los Angeles was going to be difficult; Claire hadn’t spent any time thinking about solutions because there may not be a relationship after Jack learned the truth. She took a deep breath in as she finished drying her hair.

  She quickly applied some makeup before getting dressed. For clothing, she’d opted for a grey cashmere sweater dress, tights, and boots. As she was putting on her earrings Jack poked his head in. “We better get going if we’re going to get that turkey cooked.” He paused for a minute. “You look fantastic.” He came over to her and took her in his arms, kissing her lightly, making Claire desire more. But there was a turkey to cook.