Free Christmas Comes to Main Street by Olivia Miles Page A

proudly.
    â€œHmm.” Nate took the last log from her and turned slightly back to the house. “Well, good luck with it.”
    â€œWhat’s that supposed to mean?” she asked sharply. Maybe she was being sensitive, but his attitude bothered her, and she didn’t appreciate it.
    â€œI just mean that most new businesses don’t make it past the first year. You could love what you’re doing or selling, but if you don’t know how to properly manage your business or balance the budget, you could get yourself into trouble. A good product isn’t enough.”
    â€œAnd you know this because…”
    â€œBecause it’s what I do for a living,” Nate said simply. “I go in, analyze practices and procedures, and put together an action plan to keep a business going.”
    â€œPeople pay you for your opinions?” She supposed she should be happy to have gotten free advice, but she couldn’t bring herself to feel grateful. She just felt ticked. This was her business, and if she needed help, she’d ask for it.
    â€œQuite a bit, actually.” He tipped his head, his mouth slipping into a crooked grin.
    â€œWell, I’m doing just fine,” she said briskly.
    He had the nerve to look amused. “If you say so.”
    Her heart skipped a beat. Was there something he knew that she didn’t? Something beyond her glaring oversight not to offer any coffee or tea? “I do. I’ve put everything I have into that bakery, and I believe in it.”
    â€œEverything you have, huh?” He let out a low whistle.
    â€œWell, it wasn’t that much to begin with!” Kara was blinking rapidly, feeling a sudden urgency to get back to her bakery, to bake, to make hot chocolate, to add to her plans for tonight’s bazaar. Was there time to toss in a few dozen snowflake cookies, individually packaged? Her heart was racing. There would be. If she hurried. She could put them in the oven while she finished up the gingerbread houses, decorate them right before she left. Since she’d taken the apartment above the bakery with the lease, she wouldn’t need to worry about finding time to freshen up. Not that she needed to primp for anyone.
    All she needed was to make this business work. Not just for herself, but for her father… She’d spent every dime of her inheritance on this endeavor. It was the last gift he’d ever given her, and she’d wanted to make it grow, to turn it into something that could last, that would remind her of him. The thought of losing it would be like losing a bit of her dad all over again.
    She blinked back the tears that suddenly stung her eyes.
    Nate was just a jerk. He was under her skin. He knew how to rile her up. How to press every button.
    â€œI should go,” she said, and this time she managed to get off the property without falling on her bottom.
    Or falling too hard for Nate.

    The Holiday Bazaar was held in a large meeting hall in the town’s library, made almost unrecognizable by the decorations and lights and holiday music that streamed from speakers. Briar Creek’s decorating committee had really outdone themselves this year by creating a village feel in the room, with winding paths allowing a flow of people to peruse the stalls, hot chocolate stands, and popcorn vendors, and beautifully decorated Christmas trees spread throughout.
    Kara’s booth was ideally located in the center of the room, with other edible gifts. She glanced around at the competition, even though most were hobbyists, as Nate would say, women who liked to bake at home and sell their goods at school bake sales and community events. Someone sold fudge, another pies, and another beautiful ribbon candy in glistening holiday colors. But no other cookies. Or gingerbread.
    Kara eyed the room carefully, looking for her mother, who said she’d be here tonight. Sure enough, there, one aisle away, was Rosemary, talking