Chapter One - Trudy

Trudy Williams smoothed her skirt down over her knees and tried not to notice the handsome man with the close-trimmed beard who kept sneaking glances at her from across the big table.

After all, she was a married woman. Just because her husband had passed away some years back didn’t make her feel any less married.

Sometimes, she swore Phillip had simply headed down to the hardware store, or was in the next room, whittling away at a promising piece of pine. A man so alive and full of mischief couldn’t really have gone and died on her. It just felt impossible.

“Trudy, can I bring you another mug of cider?” Mrs. Garcia asked with a smile. “Or maybe another cinnamon cookie?”

“Oh, I couldn’t eat another bite,” Trudy told her hostess gratefully. “You and your husband are amazing cooks. Mateo, too. I still can’t believe you managed to do all this on your first day in a new house.”

The Garcias had been staying at Trudy’s inn during a big snow storm on their way into town. They had set foot in their brand-new house this afternoon for the very first time. 

“We couldn’t have done it if you hadn’t lent us so many cooking things,” Mrs. Garcia replied. “And yourself. We’re so glad you could join us today. Having company makes it feel like it’s really home.”

“I know just what you mean,” Trudy said. “Though, of course, I’ve always shared my home.”

“You told us the Inn had been in your family for several generations,” Mrs. Garcia said thoughtfully. “But I never thought about it as being in a permanent state of entertaining.”

“I’m a very lucky woman,” Trudy told her honestly. “I can’t think of a single thing I’d rather do with my life than care for guests at my great-grandmother’s beloved Inn.”

Of course, Trudy had plenty of her own family in Trinity Falls. But ever since Phillip passed, she’d spent more time working at the Inn, and less time going to family gatherings. She’d been planning to spend Christmas on her own, until the Garcias invited her to their impromptu feast. And now that she was here, she found that she was glad she came. Christmas really did feel better when it was shared. 

Trudy caught movement from the corner of her eye, and without meaning to, she turned to see that the man with the cowboy hat, Professor Sullivan, was nodding in agreement with her. Of course, he wasn’t wearing his hat at the table, but that was how she thought of him - the handsome man who always tipped his cowboy hat when she passed him in town. 

“History is important,” he said, when his twinkly blue eyes locked onto hers. “To know who we are, we have to know where we’ve been.”

“My husband used to say the same,” she blurted out without meaning to.

“Wise man,” Professor Sullivan said, nodding respectfully. 

“Check,” Mateo said excitedly from his chair opposite Professor Sullivan’s.

“Not again,” Professor Sullivan cried in mock dismay from his side of the chess board. 

Mateo laughed so hard that Trudy thought he might fall out of his chair. 

“Of course it’s funny to you,” the older man teased. “You’ve been shellacking me all night.”

Trudy tried and failed to hide her smile. 

Mateo was a bright, friendly young boy, but he was also nervous about coming to a new town and going to a new school. He needed all the encouragement and confidence he could get right now. 

Professor Sullivan was here to welcome the Garcias. He was retiring from Trinity Falls Community College, and Mr. Garcia was taking his place in the Math Department. 

She had seen Professor Sullivan around town over the years, of course. But this was her first time socializing with him.

He winked at her, and she felt her cheeks heat. 

He’s just being friendly, she told herself. It’s harmless.

There was a knock at the door, and Mateo shot out of his seat to answer it. 

The poor boy had been bouncing off the walls all evening. Trudy could hardly blame him. Mateo had been in the car with his parents through the snow storm, and then spent a few days cooped up in the Inn before they got dug out. Trudy could well understand why the poor thing needed to stretch his young legs.

“It’s Grace, and Chris, and Izzy, and Molly, and… a whole bunch of other people,” Mateo cried out from the door. 

​The sound of Jingle Bells being sung by a group of people poured into the house, and everyone got up to go to the door. 

Mr. Garcia dashed out of the kitchen with his apron on and a spatula in his hand, and placed his other hand on his son’s shoulder, smiling out at the visitors on the porch.

Mrs. Garcia moved to join them and Trudy took her place beside her, unable to contain her smile at the sight of most of the Cassidy clan, holding their carol books and singing their hearts out with varying degrees of skill.

Professor Sullivan came and stood on her other side. The scent of his aftershave washed over her. It was clean and crisp, with a hint of pine. 

She would have moved over to give him more space, but she was already right beside Mrs. Garcia. So she let herself enjoy the singing and the smiles and tried not to worry about him standing so close.

The song finished up, and everyone clapped and cheered. 

“We’re off to the next house, but maybe you all would like to join us?” Alice Cassidy offered with a big smile. 

The matriarch of the Cassidy clan had lovely kind eyes, and her chestnut hair was up in its signature bun, showing off streaks of shimmering silver. 

Flanking her were her son, Shane, with Natalie Bell and Shane’s kids, Rumor and Wyatt, her niece, Grace with baby Izzy in her arms, and Shane’s best friend Chris, with Molly, his service dog, at the end of a pink leash. Even more friends and family members stood behind them, spilling down onto the sidewalk.

“Can we, Mom?” Mateo asked, spinning to face his parents and jumping up and down a little. “Can we, Dad? Please?”

“We still have cookies in the oven, Mateo,” his mother said. 

“Please,” Mateo asked in a defeated way.

Trudy glanced over at his parents. What a day they’d had. She was certain all they wanted was to finish cooking and cleaning the kitchen, and then just make up the beds and get a little rest.

But Mateo had spotted those other children. 

Wouldn’t it be a blessing for him to have the chance to meet a few of his schoolmates before classes began?

“Mrs. Garcia,” Trudy said, turning to her new friend. “Would it be all right if I took Mateo caroling? I would bring him home in an hour or two. I do love caroling.”

“Mom, mom, mom,” Mateo began chanting hopefully. 

Mr. Garcia nodded at his wife with a smile.

“It’s Marta, Trudy,” Mrs. Garcia said, turning back. “And that would be wonderful, if it’s truly not a bother.”

“It would be my honor, Marta,” Trudy said sincerely. 

“Yes,” Mateo cried happily. “Thank you, thank you.”

“Now, go get your big coat,” Marta called after him. “And don’t forget gloves.”

“It’s not a rush,” Alice said kindly from the porch. 

“Would you all like to come in for cookies?” Marta offered. 

But Mateo was already bolting out the door again. Trudy was glad to see that he did have on a coat, and was hastily pulling on his gloves. 

“Maybe on the way back, dear,” Alice said with a smile. “I think for now, we’ll take advantage of having our energetic new singers.”

Trudy grabbed her woolen sweater coat from the hook by the door, wishing she had thought to bring something sturdier. She hadn’t expected to end up out in the weather. 

But it would have to do. And besides, after a bit of walking, she was sure to warm up nicely. 

“I’ll come along,” Professor Sullivan said suddenly, grabbing his coat and cowboy hat from a hook by the door.
She spun around, wondering if it was too late to back out.

“Someone’s got to keep an eye on the pretty innkeeper,” he said with a friendly smile and another wink.

Trudy made a sound that was sort of like a cough and a snort mixed together, and hurried out onto the porch. 

She caught the Garcias sharing a little smile as she turned to wave good-bye and she felt as embarrassed as if she were in the eighth grade all over again. 

I’ll just ignore him, she told herself. He can’t get the wrong idea if I don’t pay him any mind.

She let the others get a bit ahead, figuring she would just install herself next to Alice once he was out of the way. 
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But when she reached the edge of the snowy porch steps, Professor Sullivan smiled up at her from where he was waiting on the front walk, and offered her his hand.

​Be sure to stop by each week for the next chapter of Trudy's Holiday Suitor! If you want to be sure you never miss a chapter, click here to sign up for my newsletter, if you haven't already!

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