The Christmas Cottage(2)

She was not decorating.

She wasn’t going home to visit her parents.

She’d refused Lynn’s invitation to have Christmas with her and her family.

Lynn, always looking out for her, had said spending the holidays in a place Holly had never been, without all the haunting memories, might be the best thing for her. It hadn’t taken much to convince her that Lynn was right.

Lynn sure had been right about one thing. The stress and gloom that had been hanging over her all month had lifted as she drove down to Mississippi. She’d listened to an audio book on the drive. When was the last time sh’d listened to or read a book? It had been so long. She’d just tried to keep busy. Very busy. Always doing something, chasing away the memories. But as she’d driven down the highway, she’d felt herself relax for the first time in she didn’t know how long.

Well, until she’d pulled into Christmas Town and then onto The Christmas Cottage. She wondered if she could just unplug those Christmas lights. That was a thought. Of course the Animal Clinic was on Main Street with its frighteningly over-decorated storefronts. She’d just ignore them on her way to and from work.

A dog barked outside the cottage and she stopped for a moment, frozen in time. No. Just a hint of a memory that she pushed firmly to the side before it could develop fully.

Then she heard the barking again. This time she knew it was real barking. Right outside.

“Louie! Come back here.”

A voice called outside the cottage. Holly opened the door and was greeted by the most gorgeous Australian shepherd she’d ever seen. He jumped up on her in greeting, almost making her tumble back inside. She caught herself on the door frame. “Down, boy.” The dog obediently sat at her feet. She noticed he had a full tail instead of the docked tail of most Aussies. It thumped against the porch flooring.

“Louie, Dad’s going to kill me. Come back.”

Holly heard a voice from around the corner. Just then a boy came barreling around the house and up to the porch.

“Louie.” The boy took a big gulp of air. “Bad dog.” The boy paused a moment to bend over and catch his breath. The dog got up and licked the boy’s face.

“I’m sorry, lady. I’m supposed to train him not to jump up on people. Or run away. He’s supposed to come when I call. Which he usually does, but he saw a squirrel and ran off.” His explanation came out in a rush of words.

“It’s fine.” It almost was. “His name is Louie?”

“Yep. Louie, sit.”

The dog immediately sat.

“Nice.” She was impressed.

“He’s really good when he wants to be.” The porch light gleamed off the boy’s brown curly hair. His jeans had a rip in the knee. His baseball cap was slipping off the side of his head with locks of curly hair poking out wildly in all directions.

“Louie, down.” Louie plopped down on the front porch. “See, he has lots of tricks.”

“So your dog is Louie, what’s your name?”

“I’m Josh. I live next door. Dad takes care of this house. It was my aunt’s house. She moved away for work. We sometimes rent it out.”

“Nice to meet you Josh. I’m Holly.”

“Nice to meet you. My dad won’t let me call you Holly. I can call you Miss Holly though.” The boy tugged at his baseball cap righting it back on his head, tilted back at a jaunty angle.

“Miss Holly it is then.”

“Joshua.” A deep voice called from the side yard.

“Over here, Dad.”

A tall man came striding around the corner of the house and stopped short. “I’m sorry. Didn’t know you were here yet. Hope Josh hasn’t been bothering you.”

“Not at all. Just getting to meet him and Louie.”

The man sighed, walked over to Louie, bent down, and ruffled the fur on his head. “You’re such a bad dog, Louie.” His voice held warmth and affection and Louie’s tail thumped against the boards on the porch.

“I’m Steve Bergeron. Live next door.”

“I told her we watch the house for Aunt Lucy and rent it out sometimes,” Josh explained.

“Lucy, my sister. Doesn’t live here anymore but doesn’t want to sell the house.” Steve smiled at her.

“Nice to meet you, Steve. I’m Holly Thompson, but you know that since I recognize your name from our emails about the rental.”

Steve nodded. “Doc Benson usually arranges for his temporary vets to stay here, not that he takes time off very often.” The tall man lounged against a beam supporting the front porch. Louie sat obediently at his feet, his tail swishing back and forth.

“I start tomorrow. He’s going to show me the ropes, then hopefully I can hold down the fort for his vacation.”