Read Their First Noel for Free Online Page A

didn’t bother to share them with me? Where are they?”
    â€œI don’t know. On the website?”
    â€œYou didn’t print them out?”
    â€œDon’t freak out, Andy. They’re pretty much the same basic rules all these contests have. You have to keep a record of yourself making your gingerbread house by dated photos or video. No kits. No electrical lights or motors. Every part of the entry must be edible. I have the basics in my head, that’s all I need.”
    â€œBut…” His face actually went a little red at the thought of her not being a stickler for the rules.
    She laughed and stretched across the desk to put her hand on his arm. She gave the strong muscle in soft flannel a squeeze. “It’s okay. I’m not in it to win it. I just want to do my best and to honor the inn.”
    That last part got to him. She could tell by the way his pinched expression relaxed. No, not just relaxed, actually seemed to warm to the idea, or was it to her way of doing things?
    â€œHey, if you can restore the inn without blueprints or records of how it used to look, then you can help me figure out how to make a gingerbread replica of it without Styrofoam.” She looked around her at the contrast of the businesslike office and the mementos of the not always all-business business man before her. “I know you can fix this, Andy. I believe in you.”
    She let her hand slip from his arm. Instantly, her fingers felt chilled.
    His eyes met hers. Some of the former tension returned to his face. “All right. Sure. You have the rules in your head and I’ve got a new problem on my hands.”
    â€œIt’s not just in your hands, Andy.” She stepped around the side of the desk, wanting to better illustrate her point that they were a team by literally putting them both on the same side of the desk that held the plans for the inn. “Remember, I’m with you in this.”
    â€œI know.” He scowled slightly, rubbed the back of his neck then looked down at her. “Edible, huh?”
    She used her shoulder to bump against his side. “If it helps, it doesn’t have to taste good.”
    â€œI’ll take that into account.” He chuckled. “Oh, and by the way, I never said I didn’t have records of what the inn looked like throughout its history. I said the blueprints are gone, and you were right when you said the records in the office were destroyed.”
    She froze mid second bump. “What do you mean?”
    â€œThat inn has been a part of this area for a very long time. People have had weddings there, reunions, family vacations, honeymoons…”
    â€œAll occasions where people take photos!”
    â€œYep. It was like a home away from home for a lot of folks in town. They worked there. They celebrated there. The annual Christmas Eve open house meant the world to my family after my dad died. It and our faith were our only constants in a world of chaos. That’s why I have to have it ready for guests by that time this year.”
    â€œOh, Andy.” She tilted her head. He was not a man who shared that kind of information with just anyone, she could tell. Suddenly, his passion for getting the inn done and done right took on a new meaning. “You know you don’t have to do the work on the inn all by yourself. You just saw your neighbors in town pull together for the park decorations. You should—”
    â€œI should tell you about the town museum. It’s right across from the park in City Hall, fourth floor.”
    â€œNot as subtle as bursting into song, but I get it. You want to change the subject.” She moved from around the desk and crossed her arms. “I’ll play along. Tell me about the town museum.”
    â€œOh, you should really go see it for yourself.” He reached for her coat and held it open for her to slide her arms in. “They have the whole history of the area,