Catherine Nicolai

The innkeeper thought that there was something reminiscent of a honeycomb in their shape. as she tucked them into place. In the attic, she found boxes of glass ornaments and pretty ceramic reindeer that looked like they'd been sculpted by hand. She'd been pushing the attic stairs back up into place when she heard a car door slam from the drive.

She hurried to the window in the staircase and saw a chef standing on the cobblestones, looking up at her. She waved. And Chef waved back and popped open the hatchback on their car, showing the crates of fresh food and cases of champagne they'd brought. The innkeeper smiled wide and clapped her hands like a child.

She hurried to the window in the staircase and saw a chef standing on the cobblestones, looking up at her. She waved. And Chef waved back and popped open the hatchback on their car, showing the crates of fresh food and cases of champagne they'd brought. The innkeeper smiled wide and clapped her hands like a child.

She hurried to the window in the staircase and saw a chef standing on the cobblestones, looking up at her. She waved. And Chef waved back and popped open the hatchback on their car, showing the crates of fresh food and cases of champagne they'd brought. The innkeeper smiled wide and clapped her hands like a child.

She'd liked having the place to herself for a while, to read her books and make plans for next summer. But she was ready for a bit of company, for the house to hum with life again. for the good sense of coffee cake and scones to rise up from the kitchen, and for guests to come and celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another.

She'd liked having the place to herself for a while, to read her books and make plans for next summer. But she was ready for a bit of company, for the house to hum with life again. for the good sense of coffee cake and scones to rise up from the kitchen, and for guests to come and celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another.

She'd liked having the place to herself for a while, to read her books and make plans for next summer. But she was ready for a bit of company, for the house to hum with life again. for the good sense of coffee cake and scones to rise up from the kitchen, and for guests to come and celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another.

She set her boxes of decorations down at the foot of the staircase and pulled her overcoat from the hook in the front office and went out to help Chef with the food. They embraced in the cold air and caught up as they carried the food and wine down the long hallway and into the kitchen.

She set her boxes of decorations down at the foot of the staircase and pulled her overcoat from the hook in the front office and went out to help Chef with the food. They embraced in the cold air and caught up as they carried the food and wine down the long hallway and into the kitchen.

She set her boxes of decorations down at the foot of the staircase and pulled her overcoat from the hook in the front office and went out to help Chef with the food. They embraced in the cold air and caught up as they carried the food and wine down the long hallway and into the kitchen.

Chef had been traveling, as they always did during the off-season, some of it for rest and vacation, and some to cook in other kitchens. They'd been somewhere sunny and warm, and after the holidays were headed to a ski chalet for the rest of the winter. In the boxes were jars of beautiful green olives, packets of pine nuts, bags of red onions, and sleeves of fancy crisp crackers.

Chef had been traveling, as they always did during the off-season, some of it for rest and vacation, and some to cook in other kitchens. They'd been somewhere sunny and warm, and after the holidays were headed to a ski chalet for the rest of the winter. In the boxes were jars of beautiful green olives, packets of pine nuts, bags of red onions, and sleeves of fancy crisp crackers.

Chef had been traveling, as they always did during the off-season, some of it for rest and vacation, and some to cook in other kitchens. They'd been somewhere sunny and warm, and after the holidays were headed to a ski chalet for the rest of the winter. In the boxes were jars of beautiful green olives, packets of pine nuts, bags of red onions, and sleeves of fancy crisp crackers.

The innkeeper recognized the ingredients for chef's fancy green olive pate that they served as past appetizers for their guests. There were lots of other things too They'd be making a few big meals and afternoon teas and breakfast over the week or so that the inn was full.

The innkeeper recognized the ingredients for chef's fancy green olive pate that they served as past appetizers for their guests. There were lots of other things too They'd be making a few big meals and afternoon teas and breakfast over the week or so that the inn was full.

The innkeeper recognized the ingredients for chef's fancy green olive pate that they served as past appetizers for their guests. There were lots of other things too They'd be making a few big meals and afternoon teas and breakfast over the week or so that the inn was full.

The chef would make a gingerbread inn that would sit on the entryway table and plates of their dark chocolate truffles with flakes of sea salt on top. she left Chef to their work and got back to decorating. She was dusting the reindeer and setting them in a scene on the long mantle above the fireplace when she realized music would make her work a little merrier.

The chef would make a gingerbread inn that would sit on the entryway table and plates of their dark chocolate truffles with flakes of sea salt on top. she left Chef to their work and got back to decorating. She was dusting the reindeer and setting them in a scene on the long mantle above the fireplace when she realized music would make her work a little merrier.

The chef would make a gingerbread inn that would sit on the entryway table and plates of their dark chocolate truffles with flakes of sea salt on top. she left Chef to their work and got back to decorating. She was dusting the reindeer and setting them in a scene on the long mantle above the fireplace when she realized music would make her work a little merrier.

They had a fancy sound system with speakers in all the common rooms. But she also kept a turntable on the desk by the window. And in the boxes she'd brought down were a few holiday albums in cardboard sleeves. She took one out, holding it carefully along its edges with her fingertips, and spun it to read the list of songs on each side.