Summary

In Chapter 1, Mandy Lawson generally enjoyed Christmas, but she felt “off” (2) because she was officially divorced and dating another man, Matt. Mimi’s Place, the restaurant at which she worked, had been a godsend for Mandy. Cory, her ex-husband, had discouraged her from going back to work, but Mandy needed something to make her feel useful. The restaurant had formerly belonged to her grandmother. It was now owned by Mandy, her sisters Jill and Emma, and the head chef, Paul.

Meanwhile, Mandy discovered her two children had sneaked back downstairs and were lying under the Christmas tree. She remembered doing the same thing with her sisters. She made them go back to bed.

Jill, a silent partner in the restaurant, called Mandy to ask if she and her husband, Billy, could stay the holidays with her. They lived in Manhattan where they ran...