Jingle Wars (Hollyridge, #1)

by Veronica Eden

He said Grams, so that would make her Mrs. Mayberry. She’s a beautiful older woman with laugh lines and her eyes crinkle at the corners with her smile. Everything about her immediately makes me want to hug her. “Well, um.” I hook my thumb in a vague direction that is anywhere but here. “I’m just gonna. Yeah. I need to go.” “Make sure you drink something warm after you get yourself cleaned up. Don’t let your bath water get too hot, or you’ll burn fresh out of the cold. You have to go slowly to warm back up,” Mrs. Mayberry says, taking in my state, lingering on my soggy UGG boots. “And after that, double up on your socks, wrap up in a blanket, and plant your bottom in front of the fireplace, you hear now?” “I—” An unexpected lump forms in my throat. No one’s ever looked out for me like that before. This is unfamiliar and a wave of dormant emotions slam into me. “Yes, ma’am. Thank you.” Before the tears stinging my eyes and clogging my throat are noticeable, I hurry off. As I leave, her comment to Finn reaches my ears. “It’s nice to see you both getting along.” “That’s not what I’d call it...” Finn mutters.