Mackinac Island Christmas
By Gail Gaymer Martin
Order Now!
Chapter 1
Josie tossed her luggage on the bed and dropped to the edge of the mattress. A frown tugged her face as she pictured her friend Carol missing the ferry to the island. Carol should have arrived already, but she hadn’t, and she hadn’t called. Hopefully she would arrive late.
Or had she missed her friend’s call? She dug into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. No calls. She eyed her battery and saw it was at fifty percent. If Carol called, she should have received… Instead of speculating, she rose and headed back to the registration desk. Maybe the Inn had heard from her.
The woman smiled as she approached. “Did you forget something, or did I? I believe I gave you the Internet password, or—”
“Yes, you did. This is about my friend. She had planned to get here before me, but she’s not here. I wonder if she’d called you.”
She eyed the registration pad “Carol Abbott, right?”
Josie nodded and tried to read the log upside down. “I hope she remembered the name of the Inn. Carol can get muddled at times with her little one at the ‘terrible twos’ age.” She grinned, and so did the woman at the desk.
“There are only a few hotels and Inns open this time of year. Why don’t you call her?”
“Maybe I should, but I figured she was on the road. I’m sure she doesn’t have Blue Tooth.” She shrugged. “But I should try.”
She stepped away from the desk and settled into a chair in the small lobby while she dialed her friend’s number. She heard a click and saw that the connection didn’t go through. She doubted that she needed the password in her phone for a call, but she pulled out the card the innkeeper had written it on and entered the numbers.
That didn’t help either. She returned to the Innkeeper. “I’m not getting connection. Do you know why?”
The woman shrugged. “Sadly, sometimes the weather’s bad or the connections are bad. Go out on the porch and see if that works.”
She did as the woman suggested, and sure enough, when she did connect, she tried Carol’s number again, but it went to voice mail. She left a brief message, growing more concerned as time passed.
An accident. Was that it? Her chest tightened as her heart beat jarred her chest. An accident? She released a ragged breath. No, it couldn’t be.
She returned inside and turned to the desk. “I got through, but Carol’s not answering so I suppose I’ll wait and see what’s happening.”
“If your friend calls, I’ll let you know. I’m sure she’s okay. Delays happen sometimes, especially when children are involved.”
Josie had never married, and she suspected with her lifelong attitude about marriage she would never have a child. She grinned thinking of what the woman at the desk said. “Delays happen sometimes, especially when children are involved.” Under the circumstances, she faced that a delay was possible.
She rose and wandered to the door, stood a moment, and then stepped outside to the wide porch. The winter chill shivered down her back and limbs, and when she saw nothing, she stepped inside.
The innkeeper grinned. “You forgot how cold it is out there.”
“I did. I don’t know why I’m so concerned, but I looked forward to this time with Carol for a number of months. We’ve been good friends for so long, but she lives in the north and on the opposite side of Michigan, so we rarely get together.”
“And this was to be a special time.” She came out from behind the desk. “I’m sure she’ll arrive, and if not, you can still enjoy your time here. You know the Island is a special place. Dave and I have lived here a number of years, and we never tire of the seasons and the beauty of each.”
“I’ve never been here in winter, and I have looked forward to seeing what an old-fashioned town is like during the winter and especially Christmas.”
“It won’t disappoint you, Josie.” She extended her hand. “And by the way, I’m Rose. If you need anything, please ask. Not everything is open, but enough businesses are available to meet most people’s needs.”
“Thanks so much, Rose. Worrying isn’t getting me anywhere. I think I’ll go up and put on something warmer and take a walk. I’ll have my cell if she calls…or I should say when she calls.”
Rose chuckled. “That’s the way. Stay positive.”
Instead of wasting time, she did as Rose suggested and returned to her room, unpacked, and looked out the window at the piles of snow still evident from the past week’s snowfall. The island beckoned her to enjoy it. And anyway, she was starving. Breakfast was served at Cottage Inn, and from all Rose said, she looked forward to some of her excellent breakfasts, but lunch was on her own.
She eyed her phone again. Nothing. The lure of the Island drew her toward her jacket. She slipped it on, pulled up the hood and wrapped her neck in a scarf. Her gloves bulged from her pocket, so she was ready. Downstairs, she waved goodbye to Rose and bounded down the steps turning left to head down Astor to Main Street.
Already Christmas decorations appeared wrapped around the old fashioned lamp posts and garland wound with Christmas lights loop along the shop eaves. The Island closed at the end of October, but that didn’t discourage visitors. Many enjoyed coming to the Island with fewer tourists and at a time that seemed more like a real town from the past—Victorian homes, horse and buggies, bicycles, and forts from the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.
Her stomach growled as she admired the Mustang Lounge’s Christmas lights ahead of her and smiled with the thought of finding food. Since the lights were on, she assumed they were open. When she reached the door, lights inside greeted her, and she stepped into the warmth and the scent of food.
A waiter motioned to an empty table nearby, and she slipped off her jacket and hung it on the back of the chair before sinking into it. When the waiter handed her a menu, she perused her options and settled on a Mustang Chef Salad with ham and turkey and all the fixings. The waiter returned with a glass of water, a cup and carafe of coffee.
He eyed her, and she nodded. “Yes, regular black, and thanks. She ordered the salad, and then sipped the hot coffee as he headed away. Her gaze drifted to the old hewn wood walls and areas covered with logs, she guessed they had been cut from the Island trees. Much of the Island remained woods with dirt roads winding through to various historical locations. The only thing that ruined the moment was her concern for Carol.
A long sigh emptied her lungs, and she pulled out her phone again and hit Facebook. She scanned the messages of people she knew and most whom she didn’t but had accepted as friends. The idea made her grin. She lifted the coffee again, feeling the swirl of warmth rising from the cup and took another sip.
“Is this your jacket?”
She jumped, hearing someone behind her. When she turned, a man held up her jacket and arched his brow. “It was on the floor behind you.”
“Thanks. It’s mine.” She leaned forward as he lapped it over the seat back again. “I didn’t feel it fall, but then I was too intrigued with the history in this building.”
He moved around to her side. “It’s one of the oldest buildings on the Island. Dated to the 1780s, and I’ve heard it’s the oldest tavern in Michigan. That makes it very special, I’ve always thought.”
“The Island is very special. Obviously, I’m a tourist and though I’ve been on Mackinac Island many times, I’ve never been here in winter.” She extended her hand. “By the way, I’m Josie Ryan from Royal Oak. It’s a suburb of Detroit.”
“I know where it is. I’ve lived in Birmingham for years.” He grasped her fingers in his. “I’m Christopher Banks, but everyone calls me Chris.”
“Hi, Chris. Would you like to join me?”
“I was hoping you’d ask.” He grinned and slipped into a seat adjacent to hers. “Are you here alone?”
Her pulse jumped. “Not by choice. I’m supposed to meet a friend, but as you can see I am alone.”
“I’m sorry. Maybe he—”
“It’s a she.” Josie shook her head. “Carol’s a long-time friend who I haven’t seen in a few years, and we made these plans months ago, so I am at a loss. I keep worrying that something—”
“Lots of things can happen. She missed the ferry. She had a flat on the way, and it takes a while for someone to get to her on the freeway. It could be lots of things that—”
“I know. I keep telling myself the same thing, but it isn’t like her not to call.”
He patted her arm. “Just pray that she’s okay and then wait and see.”
“I wish I were more like you.” She managed to grin although her heart wasn’t in it.
The waiter returned. “Your salad will be ready shortly.” He refilled her coffee cup and took Chris’s order of a Crispy Chicken Club sandwich, then left.
“I’ll have to try that.” Josie smiled. “A crispy chicken club sounds yummy.”
He leaned back. “If you’re here long enough, you can try lots of things. This is one of the few places open for meals.”
She shrugged. “I like it here. So far anyway.” As she finished, her cell phone lilted its song, and she grasped it off the table and eyed the caller. “It’s her. Thank you, God.” She hit the button. “Carol, where are you?”
She closed her eyes listening to Carol’s story, grateful that she was okay but now worried about her two-year-old. “Do they know what it is?”
Amidst her friend’s quaking voice, she tried to understand what she said. “Carol, I’m so sorry but you’re at a good hospital, and I’m relieved that you weren’t in an accident or something. I’ve been worried since I got here.”
After the words were out of her mouth, she regretted it. “I’m not upset with you. Goodness, if I had been in your situation, I wouldn’t have thought of anything but my child, and I know that certain parts of the hospital restrict the use of cell phones. Please keep me informed, and I’ll—”
Carol’s next question, at this point, had no answer. “I’m not sure. I’ll probably stay a couple of days and then leave. It’s not as fun to sightsee alone.” As the words exited, she looked into Chris’s eyes. He didn’t flinch with her comment. Though she could have told Carol she wasn’t alone, it would take too much explanation, and it wasn’t important. Chris was a nice man who picked up her jacket from the floor.
“Okay, do that. I’ll be thinking of you and little Jacob. He’s such a cutie, and it’s hard to picture him that ill. Prayers that they find an answer quickly, Carol. Love you both.” She pressed the off button and set her phone on the table. “As you could hear, Carol’s two-year-old is very ill and at this point they don’t know what’s wrong.”
“I’m sorry, Josie. I’m sorry for them, and for you. I know you’re concerned but now you’ve been sort of stranded here, although—”
“Being alone isn’t really the problem. I can cut my vacation short, and I probably will, since I don’t know anyone—”
“How about this? I’m here for a while visiting my granddad. He had been very ill but is doing much better now. I decided to stay to give him a chance to heal and feel confident about being alone again. I can work from here since much of my job involves the computer.”
“That’s a bonus. I’m an English instructor at the university. I had three weeks’ vacation due because I did some extra projects when I should have been on vacation, and then we have the holidays off until New Year so it was a perfect time to come here and not feel rushed.”
“Sure is.”
“I had planned to go home for Christmas, although my parents live in Florida. They come to Michigan in the summer. So, I suppose I really have no reason to rush home, and I’d also love to be here for Christmas. As you can tell, I can be wishy washy since changing plans isn’t easy for me.”
“I think it’s that way for many of us. You knew what you wanted to do and how you’d spend your time, and now your plans have been waylaid. That means you have to make new decisions, and on that note, I’m a great Island guide. Gramps has lived here most of his life, and I spent the summers here and sometimes even came for Christmas, so I’m your man, and I charge very little.”
Her head drew back before she could stop it. “What is your—”
He tilted his head back and chuckled. “What is the charge? Zero. I love the Island and enjoy seeing everything again and again. I was teasing, but then you don’t know my sense of humor.”
He’d said that right. Her imagination had sent her to a bad place until her senses returned. “I could buy you dinner. How’s that?”
“Does that mean you accept my offer?”
Did it? The words had just flown out. “I don’t expect you to spend every moment with me. I can do many things by myself. I know they have buggy tours, and—”
“Most buggies are taxis at this time of year, but we have snowmobiles. They are the exception to the rule that there are no personal motorized vehicles on the Island. The citizens that live here year-round need a way to get to St. Ignace once the snow bridge is ready. It saves them flying over and back with groceries.”
She’d struggled not to let her embarrassment show, even though heat raced up her chest to her neck. She knew so little about the workings of the Island. “I know I’ve heard that, but it’s such a different way of life than I’m used to. I’m just a tourist.”
“Don’t say that. The Island remains as it is because of tourists…and I suppose a kind of historical pride. And that’s what makes the Island so enchanting. I think that’s what they call it.”
She nodded. “It is charming to me.”
The waiter finally appeared with both meals, and it struck her that the salad had taken as long to make as a four-course dinner, but then, what did it matter. She had nowhere to go.
“Sorry.” The waiter set her salad in front of her and then placed Chris’s sandwich in front of him. “We had a slight problem in the kitchen. Normally these meals don’t take this long.”
“It’s okay.” But it was strange. Still his expression reflected his discomfort, and she wanted to be easy on the guy. He wasn’t the cook. “I’m still hungery.”
“Thanks.” He stood back. I’ll bring you some fresh coffee and a meal discount for next time.”
She shrugged. “It’s not necessary.”
“But it is. We want you to come back.” He sent her a big smile, and so did Chris.
The man turned away, and in moments returned with the coffee and a discount card that impressed her.
Chris leaned over to view the card. “Looks like you’ll have to bring someone along with you.”
“It does look like it.” She grinned and handed it to him. “You can hang on to it.”
“But only if you promise to come back here with me.”
Thinking of the many good food choices on the menu, she didn’t have to think. “I’d be happy to.”
He took the card and slipped it into his wallet. “Let’s eat and then we can take a walk. It’s a nice day, and I don’t think it will get too cold before the sun goes down.”
“I hope not.” She lifted her fork and delved into the salad piled high with the meat and greens. For the first time since she could remember, Chris had offered her something she usually didn’t do, and that was being adventuresome. The man made her comfortable, and to her surprise, she trusted him. Now all she could do is hope that she hadn’t been fooled by his seeming kindness.
♥
Trying to be subtle, Chris studied Josie’s face. She was very pretty, and though she sounded intelligent, she had a bit of vulnerability that he didn’t understand, as if she needed her plans to keep her moving in the right direction. He hoped to give her a taste of adventure. It was something he enjoyed, those spur-of-the-moment plans that frequently offered the best times.
She delved into the salad with relish while he took a big bite of his sandwich. They’d talked and waited long enough to put an edge on their hunger.
Josie set down her fork and lifted her head. “This is delicious, but I’m getting full. Tell me about you. I know you have a grandfather here on the island, and since you’re here to give him support, I’ll make the assumption you’re a pretty nice guy.” She noticed his ring finger was bare. “I assume you’re not married.”
His head jerked upward before he could stop it. “Right. I can’t imagine that I would have asked to sit with you if I had been.” He grinned at his honesty. “Not that I had anything in mind, but I probably would have felt as if it wasn’t appropriate.” He shrugged, hoping what he said made sense to her.
“I get you. And I didn’t think the coat was a come-on. You’re a nice guy as I said.”
“Thanks. How about telling me about you?”
She raised her hand to stop him. “Hang on. All I’ve learned is you’re not married, and I really didn’t think you were since you’re not wearing a ring.”
He eyed his left hand and shook his head. “Do we all do that?”
“What?”
“Check out ring fingers?”
“I thought only women did that.”
He pressed his lips together to stop another smile. “I think men do too.”
“That’s a new piece of information.” Josie leaned back in silence.
“You’re waiting for more?”
She nodded. “I’m curious.”
“So am I.” He rested his elbows on the table and thought a moment. “Let’s see, you mentioned your parents. Mine live in Michigan. My dad still works even though he could have retired years ago, but he has no hobbies and I think my mom has encouraged him to work rather than hanging around the house like a couch potato.”
Josie grinned. “I’m glad my parents decided to move to Florida. They golf, belong to a social club in their community where they attend parties, play cards and games. Mom belongs to a book club, and Dad hangs out with the men around the TV for every sport you could name.”
He chuckled, wondering why his father didn’t seem to be a sports fan. “That sounds healthy.”
She eased back again and used two fingers to mime zipping her mouth. He got the point.
“I suppose the biggest thing about me is that I’m guardian to my brother’s daughter.”
She straightened her back, her eyes wide. “His daughter? Why? What happened?”
The lump in his throat always surprised him. Two years ago, my younger brother Gary and his wife Mindy were involved in a drunk driver accident. Thank the Lord Ellie was with my parents. Gary and Mindy both died. The driver of the other car is in prison for another year or so. It’s not enough.” Moisture rimmed her golden-brown eyes, and his chest tightened.
“I agree, Chris. Losing two people you love had to be horrible, and I multiple that by a hundred when you said they have a young child. It’s heartbreaking. I’m grateful she wasn’t with them.”
Her voice broke with the same emotion he experienced. “Ellie’s four now. A sweet little girl. She’ll be five in February. I can’t believe it.”
“Is she with you on the Island?”
Her question squeezed his heart. “No, she’s visiting her maternal grandparents. I thought she might find the Island boring since there are few kids and—”
“Boring?” Josie’s eyes widened, and her gazed captured his. “Being with you wouldn’t be boring, and the Island is so different. Horse and buggies. No cars. New places. And I’m sure more snow will fall soon.”
“It will. Actually, she’d love that. I did think about it now that I’m here. She would love to ride in the snowmobiles. She’s quite adventuresome.”
“Then why not have them bring her here, or have someone else bring her here. If you’re staying for Christmas, she’ll miss you. Don’t you think?”
As the question left her, she drew back and covered her mouth with her hand. He studied her a minute, unable to fathom what bothered her. “Is something wrong?”
“Yes, me. I’m sorry, Chris. You made the decision to send her to her grandparents, and it’s really not my business.”
He reached over and touched her hand. “But you made a good point, Josie.”
“I shouldn’t have made any point.”
“But you did, and I’m grateful. I’ve felt uneasy for the past few days when I think about her. I wished I hadn’t made that decision. I’m afraid it’s too late now though. Her grandparents won’t bring her up. I know them too well.”
She opened her mouth and closed it. Instead, she only nodded. “Maybe next time you come.”
Though his heart still weighted, he nodded. “Next time.”
He finished his sandwich while Josie pushed her salad around in the bowl and finally picked up a forkful. When she finished, she placed the fork on the bowl and took a drink of water, lifting her eyes to his with a grin. “This salad is way too big for me.”
“They’ll box it, and you can have it tomorrow.”
“I’m staying at Cottage Inn. I doubt she wants my leftovers in her refrigerator.”
“Then bring it along. I’ll put it in Gramp’s. He won’t mind, and you can have it tomorrow.”
She squinted at him as if he were out of his mind. “I don’t think—”
“That’s right. Don’t think. Just do it.” He chuckled, and she joined him. “Here’s an idea. Let’s go to Gramp’s but first I promised to pick up some fudge. That’s his only vice.”
“A vice?” Her smile grew.
“I tease him, but I still buy it for him. He’s in good health. You’ll see.”
He flagged the waiter for the bill and a box for Josie’s salad. When she’d salvaged the leftovers and put the box into the small bag that the waiter gave her, he paid the bill. While she tried to give him money, he waved her hand away and beckoned her to follow him. He’d never been quite so forward with a woman, but he liked Josie, and she needed a friend.
So did he.