[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]
Downloaded from YTS.MX
Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX
NATALIE: An entire year had passed since Derek and Holly
rekindled their childhood romance.
But her life was in New York now,
and Derek's was here in the town of Good Hope.
The plan was to wait a year
and if their feelings were just as strong,
return to the spot where they said their last goodbye.
But as the last passenger departed the train,
Derek's hopes were quickly fading...
until...
Holly! I knew you'd make it.
Wait, this isn't hello, is it?
You came back to say goodbye.
NATALIE: Holly tried to speak,
but the words wouldn't form.
No, don't...
do this. I love you.
I know you feel the same.I'm... I'm scared, Derek.
What if love isn't enough?It has to be.
Holly, please.
Will you make my candy cane wishes,
mistletoe dreams come true?
Marry me?
NATALIE: With her head and heart still in a tug of war,
Holly threw caution to the wind and followed her heart.
Yes! I'll marry you. [CHUCKLES][CHUCKLES] Yes!
NATALIE: The moment their lips met
they knew it was their destiny
to spend their lives blissfully in love.
The end.
[SIGHS] Or, as this tired writer likes to say...
finally finished. [SIGHS]
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONTINUING]
NATALIE: Hey, baby. [COOING] Hi.
Come here.
[SIGHS]
[EXHALES SHARPLY]
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONCLUDES]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[BREATHES DEEPLY]
Oh, no. I know that look.
It's that "I'm looking at last week's leftover meatloaf" look.
Interesting choice of words.Okay.
Okay, Gloria.
Are you gonna tell me what you thought of it
as my editor or as my friend?
Editor.NATALIE: Cool.
Give it to me straight.
But first, tell me what you loved.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
The title.[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]
Without even cracking the binding
it sounds like a bestseller.
Your favorite part was the title, okay.
Now tell me what you hated.
The last 30 pages.[SIGHS]
"Candy cane wishes, Mistletoe dreams?"
You are killing me.
Yes. I know that the dialogue was a little cliché
and maybe I reused certain tropes
and perhaps the ending is a little bit schmaltzy.
Oh, what am I doing? [SIGHS]
You tell me.
[SIGHS]
It's a perfect storm where crippling writer's block
meets a hard Christmas deadline.
Natalie, you are the queen of Christmas romance
for a reason. But this isn't it.
Your problem is you're stuck in a rut.
You're always holed up in this apartment.
What? I don't like going out.
Your publicist mentioned something
about an anniversary book signing in Buffalo
to commemorate your very first novel.
Yeah, no. He's begging me to commit.
It's the first story to carry my book,
but I'm not doing it.You used to love doing book signings.
Yeah, that was before I realized
that selling a million copies meant that
at least a million people have read my book.
That's a million people.
A lot of people who expect me to be
as clever and as witty as my characters.
Not to mention the press who expects me to be perfect
and I am not.GLORIA: Ryan said
there would only be a handful of fans.
No publicity outside the store itself.
Can't I just do it on Zoom?GLORIA: No!
Right now.[CAT MEOWS]
You are two cats shy of becoming a total recluse.
I'm gonna push you out of your comfort zone
until you turn this into the next Natalie Wolfe classic.
Is there coffee?
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
I just wanted to remind you all that "SHE" stands for:
She Has Everything.
Now, so far, not one of these story pitches
is worthy enough
to be on the cover of our holiday edition.
Well, what about my story?
About New York's hippest new dating app
promising you a new boo by New Year's.
Just 'cause you pitch it to me twice
doesn't make me any more excited about it, Nick.
Look, Tucker-Thomson Publishing has us in their sites.
If we do not manage
to hold our own this holiday season
and by that I mean substantially boosting subscriptions,
they are going to merge us with POV magazine
which means that half of you will be gone and the other half
will be writing fluff pieces for that monthly rag.
Fayennes want us to find a white whale?
Exactly.
Uh, sorry, what's a white whale?
It's an exclusive, an almost impossible to get scoop
that's gonna cut the knees off of all our competition.
FAYANNE: Yes, so, scour the internet, okay?
Call every publicist, every agent,
every department store, Santa, you have in your contact list.
Otherwise... [INHALES DEEPLY]
...you may find someone else in your cubicle
in the New Year. [SMACKS LIPS] Back to work, people.
Yarr.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONCLUDES]
How did I get roped into being your pet sitter?
Because you are the one pushing me out
and I wouldn't ask, but Blitzen's a little clingy
because he's used to me being home, alone.
Well, that's the root of your writer's block, honey.
What are you talking about?You sit in here all day,
writing about how to find the ideal man.
You're so busy creating make-believe Mr. Rights
you can't even find one for yourself.
I'm leaving it up to fate.
What's fate supposed to do? [SIGHS]
Slip him under the door?
You haven't been on a date in years.
You can't write any new ideas
because you don't have any new experiences to draw on.
That's part of the block.
I don't know what I'm looking for outside.
You're looking for someone to fill your list.
What list?[SCOFFS] When I was your age,
my mother sat me down and had me write down
five traits I was looking for in a partner.
Five deal breakers I couldn't live without.
So, I did what she said.
I wrote my list, tucked it away to put it out to the universe.
About a year later,
I'm stuck in an elevator with a complete stranger,
desperately trying not to have a panic attack.
He's doing everything he can do to try to calm me down.
Nothing works.
Until he starts telling me corny jokes.
I couldn't stop laughing,
I completely forgot about panicking.
Because he had a sense of humor.First thing on my list.
Followed closely by compassion. For the next four hours,
we sat there waiting to be rescued.
We talked and he quickly checked off everything else on my list.
And I married him.That's how you met Manny?
It all started with the list.[SCOFFS]
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING][GLORIA CHUCKLES]
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONCLUDES]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
So... [INHALES DEEPLY]
...do you really think we can find a cover story
big enough to save the magazine?[BREATHES DEEPLY] We've got to.
There's gotta be something in the public zeitgeist
we can put a holiday spin on, right?
Yeah.[
Hang on, you read romance novels?
Oh. [CHUCKLES] Uh, yeah. [CHUCKLES]
David turned me onto them when we first started going out.
By the time we broke up, I was addicted.
I can't read that stuff.
I'm much more interested in facts than fiction.
So, you've never read Natalie Wolfe?
[CHUCKLES] She is gonna change your life, bro.
[SCOFFS] "The New York Times declares Natalie Wolfe
the queen of Christmas romance."
Wow. Is that the equivalent of a People's Choice Award?
[CHUCKLES] Joke all you want, Nick.
But with everything going on in the world,
these books give us a safe place to escape.
And what's wrong with that?
[SOFT MUSIC PLAYING]
[KEYBOARD KEYS CLACKING]
Okay.
Okay. [SIGHS][SOFT MUSIC CONCLUDES]
I really wish I didn't have to drag you away
from everything that you're doing
just so you can come up to Buffalo to hold my hand.
Oh, your first time out in public in six years?
I'm pretty sure you're gonna
be needing an emotional support gay.
No journalists, right? Just fans?
No journalists, just loyal fans.
And you have a fallback plan, in case I have a panic attack?
Fallback plan is, we're gonna have fun on this girls trip.
What's that?
Gloria's convinced the only way to find my soulmate
is to write down the five things I'm looking for.
Sounds a little old school but I'll bite. [EXHALES HEAVILY]
Couldn't be worse than constantly being swiped left
under a sea of unanswered power likes.
What do I do when I'm done? Just put it under my pillow
and wait for the date fairy?[CHUCKLES] No.
You, uh, put it away and let the universe
run its course.Hmm.
How'd you get done so fast?I know what I want. Your turn.
[SIGHS] Ah, okay. Um...
Well, Gloria's first one was sense of humor.
Everybody finds that attractive.RYAN: Yeah, you'd think.
Not that it's done me any good
I'd trade humor for looks any day of the week.
Looks fade.
It's what's inside that matters.
Yeah, and try explaining that to a coffee date
who's asking why my profile picture is 20 pounds old.
[CHUCKLES]RYAN: Keep going.
But don't rush me if I'm putting this out into the universe
I want to get it right.[SIGHS]
NATALIE: Two. [SIGHS] Compassion?
Was that Gloria's second one, too?
Yeah.Come on. These have to be your own.
If you're not gonna commit, let the universe move on
to someone who's actually ready to find true love.
Ah, it's...[CELLPPHONE CHIMES]
That must be our car. Let's go Buffalo.
[CARS HONKING][INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]
NICK: I found our scoop! Natalie Wolfe.
She's this generation's Danielle Steel.
Only, platinum.
I know who she is, Nick. But she's a recluse.
I know, I want to write about that.
But she hardly ever leaves her apartment
and she never grants interviews.
But if I could get to her, it would be our white whale.
If you could get to her, it would be our cover,
but you do understand the word "recluse?"
So she is taking a rare trip
to Buffalo tomorrow for a book signing.
I have an in at the bookstore. I fly in.
I pour on a little of that Nick Winters charm
and I use my journalistic superpowers
to get her to open up.[SIGHS]
This story needs someone who understands fiction.
Her novels are all geared towards hopeless romantics.
When it comes to matters of the heart, Nick,
you're just hopeless.
I know, but I'm not writing about her books.
I'm writing about her. She's a mystery.
A recluse who writes about strangers finding each other
and falling in love. I mean, how does that work?
[CLICKS TONGUE]
It's not a bad story.RYAN: Mm-hmm.
You'll never get it. She won't talk to you.
I mean, did you see the article
The Journal ran on her a few years ago?
"Queen of romance, Dunce of Dating" I read it.
It's a takedown piece and that is not my style.
I will get to her.
I am the most tenacious writer you have on staff.
There's a fine line between tenacious and annoying.
[SIGHS]
Look, Fan?Hmm?
You and I both know this magazine's going down
without a Christmas miracle, right?[BREATHES DEEPLY]
Fine.
Nick, you get Natalie to agree to be on our cover.
Or don't bother coming home.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONCLUDES]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER][UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]
[SIGHS]
Oh no!You okay?
You want me to see if there's a back entrance
so you can avoid the fanfare?
[UPBEAT MUSIC CONCLUDES]
No, isn't being around the fanfare
the whole point of me leaving my apartment?
Yeah.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
I'm ready to meet the public.
[CHUCKLES] You're a dork.
You know that?Yeah.
Okay, I'll head inside and make sure they're ready for ya.
[EXHALES DEEPLY]
It's nice to see it's not just women who love Natalie Wolfe.
No. I'm... Actually, I'm a journalist,
working on a story about Natalie for SHEmagazine.
But you're not a fan of her novels?
I didn't say that, I mean, I read, uh,
Bumped in Buffalolast night and, yeah, I get the appeal.
Right? [CHUCKLES] Her stories are always so compelling.
NICK: Mm-hmm.She's like
the modern-day Emily Bronteë.[CHUCKLES]
NICK: I suppose. You don't think her stories
are just a wee bit dated for the modern world?
WOMAN: Dated? How?
You have to admit that she perpetuates the myth
that a woman secretly desires to be rescued by a man.
I don't believe that to be true at all.
Yeah, neither do I.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]OMG, you're Natalie Wolfe.
[GASPS][WOMEN GASPING]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]NATALIE: See you inside.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONCLUDES]
"Dylan's gaze slid over Paige on that chilly Christmas Eve
like a veil of fire."
"Then, with one tender kiss,
they entwined their souls for eternity."
"The end."
[CROWD APPLAUD]Thank you.
Now, before, uh, Natalie starts signing books,
she would love to field some questions.
No.She would love to.
Any questions?
Okay.Uh... yes?
Natalie, I always wondered if real people
inspire your lead characters?
[BREATHES DEEPLY][SOFT MUSIC PLAYING]
[CHUCKLES]
Natalie.[MUMBLES]
Yes. I think there's always
a part of me in all of my heroines.
Only I'm, uh... maybe 12 percent as brave as Paige.
[CROWD CHUCKLES][CHUCKLES]
As for Caleb, he was based on my first high school crush.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]You mean Dylan?
Dylan. Yeah, Dylan. I said Dylan,
didn't I say Dylan?Caleb.
Dylan was based on my first high school crush, Caleb.
Oh, he sounds dreamy. Did you ever go out with him?
Almost. [CLEARS THROAT]
But uh, that is a story I might share in the next book.
So, you know, look for it.[CROWD CHUCKLES]
So has the Queen of romance
found her own happily ever-after?
Let's... Let's raise hands to ask questions.
No, I'll answer it.
I believe that happily ever-after
is more of a journey than a destination.
CROWD: Aw.[NATALIE CHUCKLES]
Great. Okay. Anybody have other questions?
WOMAN 1: Oh, here!WOMAN 2: Yeah, over here!
NATALIE: Thank you.WOMAN 3: Thank you so much.
You're welcome.
Hi. Uh, Nick Winters.
Hi.Hi.
I really didn't mean anything by my comment earlier.
My boss says that I'm hopeless and annoying.
So far I agree with the assessment.
Nick with a "K", right?NICK: Yes. [CHUCKLES]
So, I... I'm a writer with SHEmagazine
and I tried contacting your publicist for an interview
but all I seem to get is a runaround.
That's what I pay him for.[NICK CHUCKLES]
But surely your fans would love to get a peek at the life
of America's favorite romance novelist?
Been there, done that. Still licking my wounds.
Look... [INHALES DEEPLY] ...don't take this personally,
but I just don't talk to journalists.
The truth is, I'm a bit of a bore
and it's bad for business
to let the word out.Oh, I doubt that
and if you would just give me a few minutes, I...
Sorry, Nick with a "K".
Nothing you could say would change my mind.
So you'll think about it.Oh.
[CHUCKLES]
["WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS" PLAYING]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
RYAN: You were a huge hit.[NATALIE CHUCKLES]
Looked like you were having fun.Oh, so much fun.
Mission accomplished. Let's go home.
NICK: It turns out that's gonna be a little tougher
than it ought to be. [CHUCKLES]
Uh, there's a major blizzard on the way into town
and the airport's already been shut down
but, hey, it's not all good news.
With the Buffalo wing convention in town
there's not a hotel room to be had for 30 miles.
Ryan, this is Nick Winters.
The journalist from SHEmagazine who up until now,
you've successfully managed to avoid.
Oh, right. [CHUCKLES]
Always nice to put a face to an unanswered voicemail.
Yeah. [CHUCKLES]I cannot get stuck here.
I have a Christmas deadline, remember?I...
NICK: Well, as fate would have it,
I have a roomy Sedan with heated seats
and I really don't mind sharing
as I white-knuckle it over the mountain pass
to avoid that blizzard.
Well, that is very generous, Nick, but we rented our own SUV.
Well, in that case, would you mind giving me a lift
back to the city, 'cause I really don't want
to white-knuckle it over that mountain pass alone.
You really don't give up, do you?
Hey, look, Natalie.
I respect that you are a very private person.
But if you just give me a chance,
you will see that I will surprise you.
[NATALIE SIGHS]NICK: In a good way.
In a really, really, really, really, really, really good way.
You know, there's a study about first impressions
and it shows that they are way overrated.
Really?NICK: Hmm.
How overrated are they?
Way.[CHUCKLES] Wow.
All right.
If I take this card from you...NICK: Hm?
...will you walk away?
Are you kidding me? I... I will gladly
take a foot in the door over two in my mouth.
[CHUCKLES] Okay.
Now let's get over that mountain pass
before the storm hits.RYAN: Mm-hmm.
[CHEERFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
NATALIE: It's really starting to come down, isn't it?
How much further to the pass?I lost the signal on the GPS,
but using my uncanny New Yorker sense of direction,
I can almost smell the dirty water hot dogs on 47th.
Nick was right about getting on the road.
Nick? You're not... You're not seriously considering
granting him an interview?
Because People Magazine is dying to sit down
with the Queen of Christmas romance.
Right now, the Queen remains mum on the subject.
Why is that always your clever go-to line
anytime I try to do my job?'Cause it works.
I... I know you were stung by...Uh-huh.
No....by the unnamed
publication's article, but that was years ago.
Yeah.Okay. Nick's not wrong in saying
it's time to give your fans a glimpse of the real you.
I'm not sure I'm ready to give them the glimpse
of the real me.[CHUCKLES]
Do you know what Nick said?
He said my novels perpetuate the myth
that a woman secretly desires a man to rescue her.
What's wrong with that?You agree with him?
Uh, who doesn't want to be swept away by a knight one day?
[SCOFFS]RYAN: Of any size,
color, or denomination.
I just don't think of my characters
as needing to be rescued.
They're more like kindred spirits
who come together despite all obstacles.
Well, your novels certainly give us a sense of hope
that we all might find our one and only.
You really mean that?Really, really.
Trust me, there is absolutely no reason
for this damsel to get distressed.
She said, she'd think about it.
NICK: Uh, yeah. Yeah.
Well, no, not exactly, but that was the gist.
That sounds like a grade A blow off to me, Nick.
Look, you know me. I will find a way in
even if I have to turn the charm up to 11.
Well, this is gonna take more than just charm.
I mean, she was burned by a journalist like you.
I know, and we'll make that part of the story.
I... I'll tell her that I'm not looking to write
some tell-all exposé.
Well, let's try to remember we are selling magazines here.
And I'm sure we can do that if I show the world
what the true heart of their Queen of Hearts looks like.
FAYANNE: Well, good luck with that.
You'll have to talk to her first. [SIGHS]
Actually, first I have to make it past this snowstorm.
Then I have to find her, and then I have to talk to her.
[BREATHES DEEPLY]
Date, marry, kill. Go.
Oh, well, I'd date Ryan Gosling,
but not just any Ryan.
I want the Crazy Stupid Love Ryan Gosling.
That's wildly specific. Marry?
Uh, Jake Gyllenhaal. No brainer.
From? Brokeback Mountain.
It's the only Jake Gyllenhaal I'd wanna marry.
RYAN: "You can't quit me."Ryan! Watch out!
[TIRES SCREECHING]
NATALIE: I don't have a signal![GRUNTS]
Oh, I got a bar!Yeah?
Oh, wow. Maybe our luck really is changing.
NATALIE: You have a signal?No, a single.
I... I got a power like on my dating app
and he's totally my type.Dude!
I lost the signal.Ugh.
There's a tow truck. Hey!Oh, God.
NATALIE: Hi! Oh, thank you.
CALEB: You folks having some trouble?
RYAN: Yeah, something like that.
[MAGICAL MUSIC PLAYING]
Natalie?Caleb?
CALEB: Natalie!What...
I haven't seen you since...High school.
Oh, he's that Caleb?[CHUCKLES]
What are you... [GRUNTS] ...doing here?
Small world, huh?Yeah. Oh, yeah.
You look...[NATALIE CHUCKLES]
...great.NATALIE: You look even better
than I remember.
Hey, I'm Ryan Turner.
Natalie's apparently invisible publicist.
[CHUCKLES]CALEB: Hey!
Yeah, so the closest town is Cranberry Falls.
It's just a few miles over the pass.
It's clear on that side.
Why don't you two hop in the warm cab
and I'll hitch you both to safety.Okay.
NATALIE: Okay.CALEB: Okay?
Yeah.[CHUCKLES]
Wow. [CHUCKLES] Right. Thank you so much.
So kind.RYAN: Just get in the car.
CALEB: You're welcome. Can't leave you out here.
[MAGICAL MUSIC CONCLUDES]
["GOOD KING WENCESLAS" PLAYING]
MISS OLIVIA: Well, Miss Natalie.
This is truly a surprise and an honor
to have an author as famous as you,
staying here with us at the St. Nicholas Inn.
Well, the honor is mine. You're inn is incredible.
I believe you're the second famous author
to grace our doors.
Charles Dickens stayed here when the place was new.
Wow. Your literary hero.
I know, I just got a little chill.
[CHUCKLES][DOORBELL CHIMING]
[DOOR SHUTTING][MAGICAL MUSIC PLAYING]
NATALIE: Hi.Hi.
Um, I'm gonna take your SUV down to Mike's garage
and it should be fixed by tomorrow afternoon.
Thank you. You're a lifesaver.
I don't know what we would have done
if you hadn't come along. [CHUCKLES]
I guess we both got lucky.
MAN: Caleb, there are three more in the pass.
What's your ETA?Well, duty calls.
Um, maybe we can catch up
while you're in town?Yes!
That would be good.
Okay, uh, Ms. Olivia, she sets up quite the breakfast.
I could swing by around 8:00?Great. It's a date.
It's not a date. It's, uh, uh, breakfast.
CALEB: Yes.Reunion.
[CHUCKLES] Reunion. See you tomorrow.
[MAGICAL MUSIC CONCLUDES][DOORBELL CHIMING]
Hmm.[DOOR SHUTTING]
Okay. Now can we finally talk about that juicy spark
I saw between you two out on the road?
Juicy spark. First of all, you didn't see anything,
it was a snowstorm. Second of all, it wasn't a spark
it was shock at not having seen each other for years.
Okay. Well, deny it all you want but I know what I saw.
Well, I am going to get into bed and pass out.
And try to forget this day ever happened.
Fine. I'm just down the hall.Okay.
Okay.
Oh, man.
[SIGHS] Okay.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING][SIGHS]
NICK: Natalie Wolfe?
Huh? Oh, no.[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONCLUDES]
Oh.NATALIE: Wow, Nick.
What are you doing here?
Oh, well the storm was just impossible
so I had to pull off to the side of the road.[SIGHS]
How 'bout you?Uh... we got stuck in a snowbank
and had to be rescued.
Sounds like the start to a good story.
Nope, not res... Wrong choice of words.
We had to be...
Towed?NATALIE: Towed.
And it wasn't just me, it was my publicist, male,
who was the one who drove it off the road
and he had to be rescued.
Got it.NATALIE: Yeah.
Well, I'm glad you're okay.Thanks. [CHUCKLES]
Why do you have my books?
Oh, you know...
doing my research.
Um, you said, you'd think about it
so I'm just building on that faith.
Well, I hope you don't find them too dated
in the modern world.
Uh, yeah. See, about that,
I... I was...I'm tired. I'm gonna go to bed.
And did I mention, uh... I don't talk to journalists?
Okay?[KEYS JINGLING]
The door is kind of tricky with the cold.Yep.
The lock sometimes sticks.Mm-hmm. I get it.
Sure you don't need some help?Nope, don't need to be rescued.
[CHUCKLES] I got it.
[LOCK SQUEAKING][NATALIE GRUNTS]
Good night, Natalie.NATALIE: Goodbye, Nick.
[SOFT MUSIC PLAYING]
[SOFT MUSIC CONCLUDES]
MISS OLIVIA: You look quite rested.
I trust you had a good night's sleep?
[CHUCKLES] Oh, Miss Olivia I had a great one, actually.
I can't remember the last time I woke up feeling so rested.
People say that all the time.Yeah.
I think there's something special in the air here
in Cranberry Falls.NICK: Hmm.
[CHUCKLES][CHUCKLES]
[BREATHES DEEPLY]CALEB: Good morning, Miss Olivia.
Good morning.CALEB: Have you seen Natalie?
I'm meeting her for breakfast.Not yet, Caleb.
But I'm sure she'll be down shortly.
Caleb? Uh, you're a friend of Natalie's?
We went to high school together.
Why? You a friend of hers?
Well I wouldn't be a very good one
unless I invited you to sit and have a cup of coffee with me
while we wait for her. And you can tell me
how you met up again after all these years.
[CHUCKLES]
Sure. It was a wild coincidence, actually.
I found her stranded on the side of the road
as I was passing by in my tow truck.
Really? [SCOFFS] What are the chances?
I've been saying that a lot.[CHUCKLES]
And I... I bet she was shocked to see you.
We both were, actually.
You know, I have to admit, back in the day,
I had a bit of a crush on her.All right.
Do tell.
Uh, I... I'm sorry. Just naturally curious.
Romance writer, old crush, rescued from a snowbank.
I mean it sounds like something
from one of the stories she writes.
[CHUCKLES] I know, right?
I had no idea how famous she actually was.
Until I looked her up last night found out a few things.
Her social media is crazy.
Millions of followers all over the world.
New York Times bestselling author.
They don't call her the Queen of Christmas romance
for nothing.[CHUCKLES]
And I'm wondering where all that started.
Um, what was she like in high school?
Hmm. She was beautiful. She was shy.
I was a grade ahead of her. We talked a lot.
Hung out a bit.Did you ever ask her out?
You know, you do ask a lot of questions.
I don't mean to pry, it's just...
When you talk about Natalie...
you light up.[CHUCKLES]
She was special.
But I dated a lot back then.[CHUCKLES]
I was all over the place.
And then by the time college came around
and I thought it was good to settle down,
I made the mistake of marrying the first girl I fell for.
Oh.
And after the split... [CHUCKLES]
[INHALES DEEPLY]
I started wondering what life would have been like
if I had made different decisions.
MAN: Caleb, there's a bull hauler
that needs a lift on two-seven.
Oh, looks like it wasn't meant to be, so...
Uh... Well, I know that she would love to see you
and she's just running a few minutes late.
So, maybe you have a message that I can pass along to her,
or your phone number?
[ALARM RINGING]
8:30! Oh, no! No! No! No!
[PANTS][CHEERFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
Please, take that to room-four.[CHEERFUL MUSIC CONCLUDES]
Good morning, Ms. Natalie.Good morning.
I'm afraid you just missed him.
Caleb?
MISS OLIVIA: No, that Nick fellow.
He says you're gonna wanna see him once you get a coffee.
He's in the drawing room.Why would I want to see Nick?
He didn't say. He left shortly after chatting with Caleb.
[SIGHS] Thank you.
Hey! You're like gum on a shoe, you know that?
Impossible to get rid of.
A little peanut butter will take that gum right off.
Oh, does that work on nosy journalists?
Not usually.
Although, this time it seems like you've come to me.
[CHUCKLES, GASPS]
I am only here to tell you to stop poking around
in my personal life.I didn't poke.
Although, I do admit that curiosity got the best of me
when I ran into a certain someone named Caleb
this morning at breakfast.[BREATHES DEEPLY]
What did you tell him?NICK: I didn't say anything.
But he could not stop talking about you.
Okay. I'll bite.
He kind of let it slip that he had a thing
for you in high school.Yeah, yeah. He didn't say that.
NICK: I swear, it's true.
He said that seeing you again caused him to start wondering
how his life would be if he'd only made different decisions.
Uh... why are you telling me this?
Since you mentioned that he was your inspiration
I just thought it was the right thing to do.
Yeah, right. What is your angle, Nick?
I really am just trying to build good faith here.
I mean, think about it. If we hadn't met in Buffalo,
and you hadn't accidentally mentioned Caleb
and the three of us hadn't accidentally ended up
in this sleepy little town,
then I wouldn't have been able to give you this.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]
NICK: His cell number's on the back.
Who knows? This might be the start
of a Christmas romance of the Queen's own.
I really like this one...NATALIE: Thank you, Nick.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONCLUDES]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER][SOFT MUSIC PLAYING]
See, I knew that there was something there.
And Nick's conversation with Caleb confirms it.
NATALIE: Yeah, see. That's what's bothering me.
If I had just kept my mouth shut in Buffalo,
none of this would be happening.
None of this? Uh... you just found out
your old crush still has a thing for you.
That should give you butterflies.[SIGHS]
RYAN: The look on your face is like you got a deadline due.
Well, there's that.
And the fact that you've got me out in public.
Sitting in a tea shop, wondering if some random journalist
is gonna put my whole life on blast again.
Okay. We both know this isn't about Nick
or you finishing your novel.
[SIGHS] What's really going on?I'm nervous about Caleb.
Back in high school, he wasn't just a crush,
he actually kind of broke my heart.
Kind of?Yep. And he may not even know that.
Maybe that's what's bugging me?Well, that was a long time ago.
I'm sure you've both changed a lot since then.
Yeah. Yeah, you're right.
[CHUCKLES] I'm acting like a silly teenager.[CHUCKLES]
I'm... I'm gonna call him. It's no big deal.
We'll have a quick catch-up and that'll be that.
RYAN: Or, you'll discover your old crush
is still the man of your dreams,
only slightly older, and a whole lot hotter.
And I'm nervous again.Just start dialing. Dial.
[SOFT MUSIC CONCLUDES]
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]
Random question, but do you believe in fate?
I think that's the thing that people like to credit
for when things work out.
But in the end we'll never really know,
so I say why worry about it?
I'll drink to that.Why do you ask?
Mm.
I was supposed to meet a guy here a half an hour ago
and I don't know if it wasn't meant to be
or if he just plain old stood me up.
Well, let's give the guy the benefit of the doubt.
And the next drink's on me.Oh, that's very nice, Sal.
NICK: Hey. Natalie.
Thank you. Hi, Nick.SAL: Nick Winters for pickup?
NICK: So, drinking alone, huh?
Nope, I'm not alone. Sal's here
NICK: Hey, Sal, how do you wish somebody good luck
on a first date?[CHUCKLES]
It's not a date, Sal.Here's your to-go.
Oh, you hear that Nick? It's time for you to go.
Third wheel rolling away.Mm-hmm.
You have fun.[CHUCKLES]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
MISS OLIVIA: Yes, Mr. Hansen. Nick told me to expect you.
So, welcome to the St. Nicholas Inn.
Your room is just up the stairs and around the corner.
LUCAS: Oh, thanks.
RYAN: I see Nick didn't waste any time calling in the cavalry.
And you must be Natalie's publicist.
Ryan, right? Lucas Hansen.
Staff photographer and a huge fan of your client's--
Look, if Nick just sent you in to butter me up,
tell him nice try.No, no, no, no. [CHUCKLES]
I'm not trying to butter you up. My passion's real.
My ex put me onto Christmas Can Wait
and I've read it like seven times. [CHUCKLES]
Go ahead. Test me.
Okay. Uh, at the end of the novel,
when Rich pulls Beth into a surprise embrace
outside the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center,
what does he whisper into her ear?[LUCAS CHUCKLES]
"I can't seem to remember a moment before you."
"Or imagine another one without you in it."
It's impressive.
And maybe you should be the one interviewing Natalie.
She doesn't mind talking to her fans.
Thanks. I'll pass that on to Nick.
And I'll dog-ear all the right pages for him to read.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONCLUDES]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Oh, sure. Everyone knows Caleb. He's something of a local hero.
He works part-time as a volunteer firefighter.
So he's a part-time firefighter.
MIMI: Mm-hmm.Full-time hero. Wow. [CHUCKLES]
Uh... how so?Oh, he started the toy drive
at the firehall for kids
and he's the one who started the festival
to attract Christmas traffic for the local businesses.
NICK: "The Dickens Festival."
MIMI: Yeah, it started as a regular Christmas market
and then he changed it to the Dickens theme.
SAL: So they wander around drinking mulled wine,
eating roasted chestnuts, celebrating the day
that Charles himself strode these very streets.
NATALIE: Really?
And Caleb came up with this and the toy drive?
For the kids.
[SOFT MUSIC PLAYING]
[INDISTINCT CATTER]
Natalie!Hey.
Sorry I'm late. I got hung up at the fire station
with our upcoming toy drive.
That's okay. Sal kept me company.
But first impressions are everything.
They are, and I was the one who overslept for breakfast,
so I guess we're even.
[SIGHS] Even it is.[CHUCKLES]
Hey, when were you gonna tell me about this festival
and the toy drive?
Uh... this morning at breakfast.
Right. [CHUCKLES]
Well, do you want to tell me what else you're famous for?
Me?Yeah.
How 'bout you?[CHUCKLES]
[CHUCKLES]
Let's get a table.
We got a whole lifetime to catch up on.
Okay.[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONCLUDES]
BEN: Caleb started the festival by canvassing local businesses
to become sponsors to the event to promote tourism.
Smart, considering the charm of the town.
Yeah, you'd think. The years have gotten leaner.
We've all had to look at creative ways
to keep the festival going
and no one works harder at that than Caleb.
So he's a "never take no for an answer" sort of guy?
[SCOFFS] Once he zeros his sights on something,
just get out of his way.
[CHUCKLES]
Like the stunt he pulled last year
to help promote sales.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
The firefighters of Cranberry Falls.
[CHUCKLES]
There's no lengths he won't go to keep our festival on track
Wow, that's, uh, bold.
Yeah. [CHUCKLES]So, how did he end up here?
Well, he moved here with his girlfriend
looking for a fresh start after his divorce.
And how long ago was that?Uh, four years ago.
He started a towing company and she started Trish's Pastry.Oh.
The relationship fizzled,
but he and Trish, they still remain close.
That's a little unusual, but...
refreshing.Yeah, yeah.
I still see them out and about.Yeah.
I mean, it's impossible not to like that guy.
Hm.[CHUCKLES]
[SOFT MUSIC PLAYING]
So, after a promising football career
got sidelined by several concussions,
I found myself... [INHALES DEEPLY]
...at a job I didn't love
in a city I didn't want to be in,
with a girl I wasn't meant to marry.
NATALIE: I'm sorry.CALEB: Don't be.
My philosophy is, "Ever tried." "Ever failed." "No matter."
"Try again." "Fail again."
"Fail better.""Fail better."
Samuel Beckett.[CALEB CHUCKLES] Yeah.
When I read that quote
I thought to myself that that's gonna be me.
And when you lose your fear of failure,
your odds of success instantly increase.
[SCOFFS] I wish I could be more like that.
After the success of my first novel,
I feel like I'm always competing against myself.
[BREATHES DEEPLY]Too busy to get married?
[INDISTINCT CHATTER][CROCKERY CLATTERING]
Uh... I'm writing all the time.
Plus, I kind of took a break from people
after this horrible article came out about me
with a bunch of stuff taken way out of context
and it hurt my brand.
[INHALES DEEPLY] And it hurt me.
I guess, I'm just getting back out into the world now.
Hmm. I'm sorry that happened to you.
Thank you.
Hey, do you remember
that you once asked me out on a date? [CHUCKLES]
Uh, yeah. It was to a dance or something.
Yeah. [CHUCKLES]
I... Those years were
a bit of a blur to me.Yeah.
I probably came off full of myself.
No. Oh, no. I would never describe you as that.
Oh. So how would you describe me?
If I was one of your characters?[CHUCKLES]
Okay.
Um... Caleb had an easygoing charm
that was like a hidden superpower to those around him.
He had a smile that instantly put everyone at ease.
Wow.[CHUCKLES]
I like the sound of that guy.Yeah. [CHUCKLES]
Keep going.No. [CHUCKLES]
It's your turn. Describe me.
[CHUCKLES] I'm not a writer.So?
Okay, I'll give it a shot.
[CLICKS TONGUE]
Here it goes. [CLEARS THROAT]
Everything about Natalie is an understatement.
From her innocent gaze to her shy smile.
She might not stop a party when she enters a room,
but if she could see herself through my eyes...
she'd know how truly special she really is.
How'd I do?
Yeah. I wouldn't change a word.
[CHUCKLES]
NICK: He is a small-town firefighter who is spearheading
the local Christmas festival and a toy drive.
Well, sounds like he's the guy who gets introduced
on page-two of every book she's ever written.
Dude, totally.
She has found herself a real-life hero
who is going to rescue her out of her funk.[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]
I'm telling you, this story is so good
it's practically writing itself.Yeah, it is.
If you can convince her to let you tell it.
[NATALIE GIGGLING, INDISTINCTLY SPEAKING]
Quick, quick, quick, come on. Come on! Bring it.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]NICK: Get the camera.
[NATALIE CHUCKLING]CALEB: I heard you were a swimmer.
I gotta be honest. This is the most fun
I've had in a very long time.
Then why don't you stick around Cranberry Falls?
I...CALEB: Just for a few days,
until the Dickens Festival.
I gotta get home.
I'm chasing a Christmas deadline.
Come on.
We just said hello.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]
Are you sure you're ready to say goodbye?
[CHUCKLES]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]Okay, this shot's for the cover.
NATALIE: Sorry.[CELLPHONE RINGING]
Yep, it's Gloria, my editor.
She's calling to sound the alarms. I...
[CELLPHONE RINGING]Just tell me you'll stay.
You make it very difficult to say no.
[CHUCKLES]
Oh.
Hi, Gloria.So?
how are we doing with our rewrites?
[CHUCKLES] Well, it's a work in progress.
But you will be happy to know that I've started my list
of must-haves in a mate.
[CHUCKLES] Oh, look at you taking my advice.
What have you got so far?Oh.
Okay. Sense of humor is one.Copycat. It's a good one.
NATALIE: Two, he has to have a kind heart.
Always helpful.
And tonight I thought, I have to be with someone
who isn't afraid to be vulnerable.
GLORIA: That is a good one for you.
So it sounds like it was good that you took the evening off.[CHUCKLES]
GLORIA: But your time off be over now.
I am back at it.
And, uh, I've decided to stay
until I nail down those last 30 pages.
I'm gonna turn this book into the next Natalie Wolfe classic.
So much for our big kiss goodnight.
Nick, come on. This is the magic moment.
The smoldering gaze in their eyes.
Their hands just gently touching.
Yeah, I suppose, but...
no kiss.[CHUCKLES]
You will never see on a cover of a romance novel
the leads kissing.
But they almost kiss.
Now that's actually more powerful
'cause it confirms to the audience
that we're invested in them getting together at the end.
Yeah.
The lines between real life and fiction begin to blur.
That might be my way in.
Oh, hey. So how was your big night out with Caleb?
Ugh![MUMBLES]
Okay. But I can see the answer written all over your face.
You don't have to tell me.
But, if you do want to tell me, I'm all ears.
You are relentless, you know that?
Look, I am trying with everything I got here
but it's really not easy with your whole
"hey, let's keep everybody at arm's length" thing
you have going on.Not everybody. Just you.
Just give me five minutes, talk to me
and if you still really don't like me,
then you never have to see me again, I promise.
Five minutes.
Tell me something, Nick.
Why does your boss call you hopeless?
Uh... [SMACKS LIPS]
Well, let's just say, uh, my once upon a time
didn't exactly end in a happily ever-after.
Oh, that's the story I want to hear.
Okay.
Well, look, if you really want to hear
the long dreaded tale of love gone awry,
you're gonna have to ply me with a little hot cocoa first.
Done.[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONCLUDES]
Well, when I was growing up,
my dad worked at this train museum in Brooklyn.
[FIRE CRACKLING]And every Christmas Eve,
the museum would host this potluck
for those less fortunate.
I would always go down there to help out...
and it was magical.
The lights, the glittering decorations,
the smiles on everybody's faces.
But the real showstopper
was this old-fashioned locomotive called The Hudson.
And it looked just like the train from the Polar Express.
And as a kid, I was convinced
that if I just wished hard enough,
at midnight on Christmas Eve, that train,
it would take me to the North Pole to meet Santa.
Aw. I love that.
Eventually, that boy became a man.
A man, who in his senior year of college
met and fell for the woman of his dreams.Oh.
And she was so smart and she was ambitious...
and for whatever reason she seemed to love me too. Uh...
So, one Christmas Eve
I invited her to share my favorite tradition.
Although, end of the night I've got a surprise.
When everybody's gone,
I invite her back to the Polar Express train.
I get down on one knee...
and I propose.And she turned you down?
If only it were that simple.
No, that is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg
that sank my heart. [INHAKES DEEPLY]
[SIGHS] No, uh, as a matter of fact...
she was having an affair.
With my best friend.Ugh. Nick, I am so sorry.
You must hate Christmas now. [SCOFFS]
That year? [CHUCKLES] Yeah.Yeah. [CHUCKLES]
But no. I love Christmas.
I really do. I love everything about it.
And I even went back the next year
to that train museum and I've been back
every year since.
And I love to see the looks on everybody's faces
when we make their Christmas Eve just a little bit brighter.
NATALIE: Tell me something, Nick.
Do you think you could tell my story with the same...
[BREATHES DEEPLY]
...honesty as you told yours just now?
We wouldn't be sitting here if I didn't.
The real question is,
are you brave enough to let me tell it?
[TRAIN BELL RINGING][INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]It's better at night.
Talk to me, Holly. What are you afraid of here?
Is it fear of the truth?
Is it fear of getting hurt again?
[SIGHS] What's missing?
What do I need you to say, Holly?
Tell me, and we can all walk away happy.
[SIGHS]
[SIGHS][KEYBOARD KEYS CLANKING]
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONCLUDES]
[CHEERFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
You're extending our stay through the Dickens Festival
and you're giving Nick an exclusive?
I take it last night's date must have been off the charts.
It's hard to describe. It wasn't that it went well
then it just felt so effortless.[CHEERFUL MUSIC CONCLUDES]
It tends to happen when you already know the guy's into you.
I guess.
Gosh, it's been so long since I've had a date
I forgot some of them could actually be fun.
Ah! I'm jealous. I want one of those.[NATALIE CHUCKLING]
Oh, uh, Natalie, this is Lucas Hansen.
The photographer for SHEmagazine
and your number one fan.
NATALIE: Oh.And I know fans.
I follow your blog every morning. [CHUCKLES]NATALIE: Oh.
Starting with your daily affirmations, of course.
Well, you actually have Ryan to thank for that.
He handles all my social media.
Oh, wow. [CHUCKLES] You must really love what you do then.
Some of this stuff you come up with is like this beacon of hope
to the recent members of the lonely hearts club.
Really? I must have overshot.
[CHUCKLES][CHUCKLES] Uh...
Well, uh, I'm off to Buffalo.
Nick's got me getting some establishing shots
for where it all began for you.
To create this sort of once-upon-a-time theme.
RYAN: It's a clever idea.
Why do I get the feeling it was yours?
I can neither confirm nor deny that.[CHUCKLES]
But, if you're not too busy, I'd love some company.
Oh, uh...Yeah, go.
I can handle the interview on my own.
Well, it appears my day has suddenly opened up.
Awesome. Just parked outside.RYAN: Sure.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]
This is huge.
Nick, our ad sales doubled with the news
that Natalie Wolfe is on our cover.
So, how did you manage to crown the Queen of Christmas?
Well, I stopped trying to get a story,
told one of my own.
Well, this could be a real game changer for the magazine
and for you.I know. Classic no pressure.
Now, I just have to get it right.
Then get it right, Nick.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONCLUDES]
BEN: Lagging ticket sales spooked two of our top sponsors
and they've decided to pull out of this year's festival.
Chief, pre-sales never determine our final tally.
Let's just scale back the venue.
We only have half the vendors that we had last year.
Wait, you're not thinking about cancelling the festival?
The only way the festival survives
is if we stir up interest.
Then let's contact the news outlets in Buffalo.
Newspapers, radio.I've tried.
They're not interested.
To them, Cranberry Falls is small potatoes.[SIGHS]
I got an idea.
Of course, you do. [CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
So, if you could go back in time
and give your 16-year-old self just one piece of advice,
what would it be?I would tell her
to stop overthinking.
NICK: Huh.Yeah, and be more confident.
Thank you. Be more confident, um...
Don't worry so much about what other people think.
You know?
Find a work-life balance.
Oh, and stop procrastinating. That's huge with me, even now.
[SIGHS]
It's a lot of advice for your 16-year-old self.Mm-hmm.
She needed a lot of help. [CHUCKLES]Oh, I see.
The truth is though, no matter what I told myself...
I probably wouldn't listen.[CHUCKLES]
And see that's exactly what I thought you'd say.
Oh right, because you did
your research. Right.NICK: Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.Okay, Mr. Research.
What was the one thing about me
that you found the most surprising?
Hm. [SMACKS LIPS]
That you've never actually admitted to being in love
and yet have delivered
a seemingly endless treasure trove of love stories.
You think I'm lying about who I am?
Not at all, no. From what I can tell,
deception is the trait you loathe most in a person.
Trust for me is everything.
Hm.
[SOFT MUSIC PLAYING]
NICK: You create a world we wish exists,
just not necessarily a reflection
of the world we live in.
[PAPER RUSTLES]
Yeah.[CELLPHONE CHIMING]
NATALIE: Sorry.
Caleb, isn't it?
Telling you how much fun he had last night.
Can't wait to see you again.All good guesses.
[CHUCKLES]He wants to show me around
the firehouse this afternoon.
You go. Um... you've been
more than generous with your time.Yeah? Okay.
[SIGHS]
The problem is, what I really should be doing
is getting back upstairs to my computer
so that I can do the sit and stare for hours.
Uh-oh, words not coming, huh?
Oh, no, they're coming. They're just not any good.
[CHUCKLES][CHUCKLES]
I've got writer's block.
Ah, a problem I know all too well.
[INHALES DEEPLY]
Uh... hey, if...
if you want, I could show you a tried and true method
that's guaranteed to chase the creative blues away.
Oh?Yeah. If you want.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]Okay, my turn.
Uh... "You pierce my soul." "I am half agony, half hope."
"I have loved none but you."
LUCAS: [CHUCKLES] You're trying to trick me.
That's not one of Natalie's books.
That's Jane Austin's Persuasion.[CHUCKLES]
I love that book.Oh, me too.
My David hated it for some reason.
Ah, you're really killing the spirit of the game,
bring your ex into it, again.Oh, no. I'm sorry.
I'm turning into one of those losers
that can't stop talking about their ex.
How long's it been?Six months now.
Hm.Time to move on, right?
Oh, I really don't think
you should be asking me for dating advice.What?
I can't imagine a guy who can quote
all my favorite parts of Jane Austin would be single
for any length of time.
Uh... Well, then you're not imagining hard enough.
I've been on so many bad coffee dates,
my dating profile should read,
"Save us the trouble and just swipe left."
You know, I think dating apps actually do more harm than good.
Yeah.
But to answer your question
about when to dip a toe back in the dating pool...
[INHALES DEEPLY] ...you'll know when you feel the spark.
[CHUCKLES]
I think that writer's block is your subconscious
just telling you to shake up your routine
and try something new.New is being out in public.
New is coming to this town and none of it is helping.
I'm pretty sure that your routine is sitting in front
of a computer and just making things up.
Okay. That's over-simplifying...Hey, hey, look. We all do it.
For instance, I ask questions for a living.
Yeah, I noticed that.
I ask questions and then people give me answers
and then I sit in front of a computer
and I spill it all out
and I hope it comes together in some semi-cogent way.
Whereas I ask and answer all the questions,
plus come up with the characters,
the settings and the arcs.Yes. Exactly.
Quite literally everything.
And then, you make everything up from all of that information
inside of your head.Yeah.
I have to come up with new questions all the time.Exactly.
So, maybe you just need someone new to ask you questions...[SIGHS]
...so you can focus on some answers.
Okay. Fine. Have at it.
[INHALES DEEPLY] What's your story about?
It is a story about two former high school sweethearts,
Holly and Derek, who years later meet up by chance
and start to fall in love.Okay, and what happened
when they first broke up?
Well, they are from a small town and so she goes away to college
and he stays and blah, blah, blah.
NICK: Stop it right there.
Your answer lies in the "blah, blah, blah."
What happened when they were teenagers?
Somebody broke somebody's heart, right?Yes.
So, inevitably, that is going to inform
how they get back together.
That is exactly where my block is.
[TRAIN HONKING]
You're not gonna believe this.
My ending takes place at a train station.
Trust the process.[CHUCKLES]
Should we go try something new?Absolutely. Come.
CONDUCTOR: All aboard!
[SIGHS][TRAIN BELL RINGING]
This is even better than I imagined it in my book.
Okay. I want you to stop thinking
about the work right now and just imagine
what it would be like to be on this platform
with your high school sweetheart.
And all those old feelings start to resurface.
I see what you're doing
and my book is not about Caleb and me.
That is just a point of reference.
What would you do?
What would I do?
[BREATHES DEEPLY] I would...
have to let go of a lot of hurt and...
learn to trust again.
And where does that hurt come from?
Caleb was my first crush,
and I'm not even sure he knew. [CHUCKLES]
So he broke your heart.My teenage heart.
NICK: And what broke it?
[NATALIE CHUCKLES]
My junior year...
Caleb asked me to go to the Christmas dance.
I was thrilled.
My mother went out and got a new dress
and I did my hair
and I stood by the front door, waiting for him to come get me.
And he never showed up?
He ended up taking someone else.
Ouch. [CHUCKLES][CHUCKLES] Yeah.
Two days later, when I finally got the courage
to ask him what happened...
he said, he didn't remember asking
and he may not have.
I'm not even sure anymore, but he was very apologetic
and he asked what he could do to make it up to me,
blah, blah, blah.Now, you see
where the "blah, blah, blah" comes from.
He was very, very sorry and I did my best to let it go.
It takes a lot of strength to do that.
I don't know about that. It didn't feel strong.
It just felt like I was trying to preserve the friendship.
He was such a good guy.NICK: No, no, no.
Don't you dare deflect that.
That takes real strength. That is your strength.
Thank you.
[CHUCKLES] Okay.
That in mind, back to the book.Okay.
Take that strength in.NATALIE: Mm-hmm.
And hand it to Holly.[BREATHES DEEPLY]
[EXHALES DEEPLY]
NATALIE: An entire year had passed
since Derek and Holly rekindled their childhood romance.
The plan was to wait a year
and if their feelings were just as strong,
return to the spot where they said their last goodbye.
Derek![TRAIN BELL RINGING]
Holly. I knew you'd make it.
Wait, this isn't hello, is it?
I'm here to apologize.
Something I should have done a long time ago.
Look, back when I left for college,
we said that we would try
to keep a long distance thing going
but then the calls became fewer and the emails drifted off
and then you sent that text saying,
"maybe it's time for us to talk."
And you never called me back.I couldn't do it.
I thought it was because I was scared,
but now I know the truth.
And that's that I chose not to call you back because...
I wasn't ready to let you go.
Holly...
what are you saying?Don't you see, Derek?
I have never stopped loving you.
And now fate has given us this second chance
and this time, I am not running away.
I am standing right here and I am telling you...
[BREATHES DEEPLY] ...that I am not letting you go.
Nick, you did it! I... I have my ending!
Oh, my Gosh, thank you, thank you, thank you![CHUCKLES]
[NATALIE CHUCKLES]You're welcome, you're welcome.
Okay. Well, I guess, I gotta go to the firehouse.
All right, go.
Thank you! [GIGGLES][CHUCKLES]
[SOFT MUSIC CONCLUDES]
You must be so excited for the Dickens Festival.
I know I can't wait. [CHUCKLES]Actually, we just found out
that some of our sponsoring businesses have backed out
and there's a chance that we'll have to cancel the festival
unless we pull a rabbit out of our hat.
Oh, no. I'm sorry. How can I help?
Maybe I can make a donation?
That's very generous, Natalie. I can't ask you for money.
What we need is public awareness.
People don't know about us.
We're like New York state's best kept secret.
I get it. Why try to save the festival
if no one shows up to support it.
Mm-hmm.
[GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING][INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Maybe I can help.
I don't want to put you out, but you certainly do have
a fanbase that could turn this around in a hurry.
I can't make any promises,
but let's see if my publicist
can get the, uh, snowball rolling.
Thank you! You're the best.[CHUCKLES]
[GENTLE MUSIC CONCLUDES]
This is a pretty big favor for Caleb to ask.
Given that you barely know one another.
He didn't ask, I offered.
Well, if you really want to make a splash
and take a giant leap out of your comfort zone,
you'd speak directly to your followers.
You mean like a live feed of me, on camera to millions?
To millions of your hardcore fans who love you.
Yeah, no.Just forget it.
I'll wave your magic wand like I always do.
I'll get this festival trending like a Christmas Kardashian.No.
[WHIMSICAL MUSIC PLAYING]I'll do it.
It's time for me to step out of the shadows.
Really?NATALIE: Mm-hmm.
Wow, so you must really like this guy.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[WHIMSICAL MUSIC CONCLUDES][GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING]
This time, I'm not running away.
I'm standing here, telling you...
that I'm not letting you go.
[KEYBOARD KEYS CLANKING]
Hey guys, if you're looking for true Christmas spirit,
check out the Dickens Festival here in Cranberry Falls.
You'll be magically transported into one of those
quaint Christmas towns I'm always writing about
and you'll be helping to make...
[TELEPHONE RINGING]NATALIE: ...so many deserving children's holiday
a lot more special.[CHUCKLES]
How did you get Natalie to do this?
It was her idea. I mean, we had to do something.
I'm just glad we didn't have to cancel the festival.
When Buffalo news caught wind of her post,
they ran a story and the phones immediately began to ring.
Well, I guess my festival isn't small potatoes anymore.
[CHUCLKES][CHUCLKES]
Holly throws Derek a breathless gaze
and as he leans in to plant a tender kiss on her lips,
soft Christmas snow begins to fall all around them.
[CHUCKLES] The...
[KEYBOARD KEYS CLANKING]...end.
[BREATHES DEELPLY]
[WHISPERS] No. Okay...
[KEYBOARD KEYS CLANKING]
There you go, Gloria.
[CELLPHONE CHIMING]
[CHUCKLES]
Hi! [CHUCKLES][CHUCKLES]
Hi.NATALIE: Hi.
Thank you.
You put the Dickens Festival and Cranberry Falls on the map.
We're at full capacity.Wow, that was fast.
I want you to know, you made
a whole lot of people's Christmases
a whole lot brighter.
Not to mention mine. [CHUCKLES][CHUCKLES]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]Hey, uh...
what do you like better in terms of description?[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]
Lingering or wistful?
Nick, look.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]
CALEB: You totally surprised me.
I really don't know how to thank you
or what to say...[NATALIE CHUCKLES]
CALEB: ...other than the other night...
I forgot to give you this.
Hey, uh, let's...
let's give them their privacy.
Really?Yeah. We don't need the kiss.
[GENTLE MUSIC CONCLUDES]
Thanks to you I am a complete wreck. [CHUCKLES]
Yay! Yay! [CHUCKLES]
Now that is a Natalie Wolfe ending.
I don't know where you got these 30 pages from,
but it's like it came straight from your heart.
You know Gloria, it's this place.
There is something about this place. [CHUCKLES]
I love it.
I think it's the best thing you've ever written.
Really?
FAYANNE: It's authentic. It's heartfelt.
You really touched me. And from your prose,
it seems like Natalie managed to touch you, too.
Oh, yeah.
Well, I mean, if you were here you'd have a hard time
not getting carried off in the moment.
[CHUCKLES] And I love the way you feathered
the whole theme of the Dickens Festival
into the story. It's just brilliant.
[CHUCKLES] Welcome to Cranberry Falls.
Where real life and fiction begin to blur.
FAYANNE: Well, your article's already sent to copy.
Lucas is sending shots of the festival tonight.
We'll embed them as soon as possible
and hit the newsstands first thing tomorrow morning.
Good. [CHUCKLES, BREATHES DEEPLY]
[CHEERFUL MUSIC PLAYING][INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Oh.
Hey. You must be Trish.[CHUCKLES]
And you must be the writer from SHEmagazine.
Mm-hmm.Caleb told me about you.
So, Dickens Festival.Hmm.
I understand you and Caleb used to be an item.
Yeah. Who told you that?Ben, down at the firehouse.
Well, to be honest, Ben doesn't know
that Caleb and I still have an on-again, off-again thing going.
Oh.
TRISH: Let's just say my Caleb has a hard time
resisting temptation.
Which shouldn't have come as such a shock
since I was the girl he cheated on his wife with.
[CHEERFUL MUSIC CONCLUDES][OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
[CHUCKLES]Yeah.
MISS OLIVIA: Oh, no.
I am not letting you sneak out of here without a look first.
Okay.
Very nice. But you're missing something.
Your hat. Follow me.
And while I'm searching...
maybe you'll explain to me the million mile away gaze
you have in your eyes.
Oh, uh... [CHUCKLES]
It's that obvious, huh?[CHUCKLES]
I guess, I'm a little worried that someone might be falling
for a guy who's not exactly all he's cracked up to be.
Someone you've come to care about?
[GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING][CHUCKLES]
You know, I seem to have broken the cardinal rule of journalism
by getting emotionally involved with my subject.
And how did that happen?
This place. Uh...
Their chance meeting. Uh... I guess I couldn't help myself.
I just don't want to see her get hurt.
That really isn't in your power, is it, Nick?
Found it.
[BREATHES DEEPLY]What do I do?
Maybe it's time you trust that thing inside your chest
that started beating again.
[SIGHS]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]
LUCAS: Oh, no. [CHUCKLES]
Now what are you supposed to be, an undertaker?[RYAN CHUCKLES]
Uh, the ghost of Christmas future.
I mean, I asked for the Miss Havisham costume
but they only had it in extra petite.[CHUCKLES]
But, you'll be happy to know because of you
my New Year's resolution is me deleting my dating app.
Oh, wow. [CHUCKLES]
Well, in that case,
what are you doing Christmas Eve?
'Cause I would love to take you out to dinner.
Maybe. If you agree to stop whining about your ex.
Done. I will never mention him again.
Well, then, of course, I'll have dinner with you.
Now that we have so much more to talk about.[LUCAS CHUCKLES]
Shall we?LUCAS: Absolutely.
[SIGHS]
[GENTLE MUSIC CONCLUDES]
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]
Don't tell me, spirits.[CHUCKLES]
What are you here to show me the shadows of?
Christmas past?Maybe.
What do you think?You look great.
Of the festival?
Oh. [CHUCKLES] It's, uh... it's perfect. It's perfect.
I can't believe you brought this whole festival to life.
Thanks. It's far from perfect
but you certainly helped make it more than it could have been.
Caleb, we're ready for you.
Ah, yeah, and... [CHUCKLES] ...of course
the Chief is eager for me
to continue capitalizing on the 15 minutes of fame
that you brought to our little town.[CHUCKLES]
Why don't you go wander? I'll come find you.
Okay.
[SIGHS]
CAROLERS: ♪ Hark the Herald angels sing ♪
♪ Glory to the newborn king
♪ Hail, the Heav'n-born Prince of Peace ♪
♪ Hail, the Son Of Righteousness ♪
♪ Light and life To all He brings ♪
Hey.
Friends don't let friends drink mulled wine alone.
Oh, hey, I'm just sitting here
toasting Christmas Dickens style.
Cheers.
Hmm. What about you? Where's Caleb?
He's busy for a sec
but I wanted to come by and say thank you.
To say thank you for what?
For pushing me.
Well, I just hope I didn't push too hard.
I'm glad you did.
I just think that you're cautious
and that's not such a bad thing.
What's going on with you, Nick? [CHUCKLES]
You look like Ebenezer when he sees his tombstone.
LUCAS: Hey, Nick![NATALIE CHUCKLES]
Oh, uh, it looks like...
Uh, yeah, Lucas is ready to take some shots.
NATALIE: Okay.Come on.
NATALIE: Okay.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]LUCAS: Oh, that's the one. Yeah.
Perfect. Look at that.
Oh.Wow.
[CHUCKLES]Thanks, Natalie.
Uh... how about just a few with Caleb and Santa?
Yeah, sure. I don't mind.Yeah.
[SIGHS][INDISTINCT CHATTER]
He's really something, isn't he?
Sorry?Caleb.
When you're in his company
it's like the whole world suddenly vanishes, right?
That's a part of his charm.
I'm sorry, do I know you?
No. But I know you.
And why he broke up with me
three nights ago for the fifth time.[GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING]
I just want to let you know that when Caleb grows bored
of his latest conquest, he always comes back to me.
Trish?
[SIGHS] Natalie, whatever Trish said to you,
you have to know that it's been over between us
for a long time.Three days ago?
Natalie, I meant everything that I said to you.
Why should I believe you, Caleb?
You literally just tried to lie to me.
Look, I'll admit, I'm no angel but I'm not a bad guy.
No, but I'm not sure you're a good guy either.
Ryan, can we go?
Natalie.
You just used her, didn't you?
You used her for her celebrity
and you used her for her social media platform.
Just to help your festival.
You don't know me.NICK: Oh, I think I do.
And I know that you just blew the best thing
to ever come back into your life.
[BREATHES DEEPLY]
Trish! Baby, wait up!
NATALIE: Thank you.MISS OLIVIA: I hope to see you again.
[DOOR BELL RINGING]
Natalie! I'm so sorry.You knew.
That's why you were acting strange before.
Look, I had run into his ex-girlfriend and she mentioned
that she was the woman that he had had an affair with
when he was married and that they had this weird
on again, off-again thing, but I didn't know
if they were off or on.I trusted you, Nick.
Why wouldn't you just tell me that?
Especially, because the same thing happened to you.
[CHUCKLES] But I get it. Why let a thing like that
stand in the way of a good story.
Hey, um...RYAN: Yeah.
[GENTLE MUSIC CONCLUDES]
["JOY TO THE WORLD" PLAYING]
♪ Joy to the World
♪ The Lord is come ♪
♪ Let Earth receive her King ♪
So you gonna join the party
or am I gonna bring the party to you?
♪ Prepare Him room
♪ And heaven And nature sing... ♪
[GLASS CLINKS]
♪ And heaven And nature sing... ♪
Look, bud, you gotta stop kicking yourself.
You wrote what you thought was happening at that time.
Yeah. But I could have told her.
It's not your job to burst her balloon.
[SMACKS LIPS]
Also it wasn't my job to fill it with air.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
You wanted to believe what we all thought
was unfolding before our very eyes.
And Nick, all that means is that you still believe in love.
Yeah, maybe. But at Natalie's expense.
Okay. Hear me out.[SIGHS]
'Cause I think your problem is,
is that you have feelings for Natalie...
[GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING]...and you were afraid that she might interpret it
as the reason why you weren't telling her about Caleb.
[SIGHS]
No. She trusted me.
Yeah. She did.
And now you gotta go talk to her and tell her the truth.
She doesn't want to talk to me.[CHUCKLES] Since when have you
let a little thing like that hold you back?[CHUCKLES]
Go get her.
[GENTLE MUSIC CONCLUDES]
I'm touched by the invitation
but what kind of first date would it be
with me tagging along?
Well, it's gonna be a memorable one.
Aw. I love that he bought you flowers.
Oh, uh... [CHUCKLES] ...actually these aren't for me.
Nick asked me to give these to you.
♪ Round yon Virgin
♪ Mother and Child
NATALIE: "Because of you, I'll never stop believing...
Nick".
LUCAS: It wasn't about getting the story, Natalie.
Nick really cares for you. And I don't know,
being around you somehow hit his reset button.
Did you see he signed it with a red heart?
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]That's a lot for him.
You really don't see it, do you?
Do you know where he is?
I want to thank him for these and wish him a Merry Christmas.
Yeah, he's volunteering at the potluck for the less fortunate.
[SIGHS]
At the train museum.
That's his favorite part about Christmas.
I can't believe I missed it.
RYAN: Missed what?[NATALIE CHUCKLES]
The fifth thing I need in a soulmate.
One, must have a sense of humor.
You know, there's a study about first impressions
and it shows that they are way overrated.
Really?NICK: Hmm.
How overrated are they?
Way.[CHUCKLES] Wow.
Two, must be kind.
Takes a lot of strength to do that.
It just felt like I was trying to preserve the friendship.
He was such a good guy.NICK: No, no, no.
Don't you dare deflect that.
That takes real strength. That is your strength.
Three, must be vulnerable.
I invite her back to the Polar Express train,
I get down on one knee...
and I propose.And she turned you down?
If only it were that simple.
Four, must be trustworthy.
NATALIE: Do you think you could tell my story
with the same...
honesty as you told yours just now?
We wouldn't be sitting here if I didn't.
And five...
I love Christmas.
I really do. I love everything about it.
And I even went back the next year
to that train museum and I've been back
every year since. And I love to see
the looks on everybody's faces
and we make their Christmas Eve just a little bit brighter.
NATALIE: And five...
must love Christmas.
[NATALIE CHUCKLES]They seem pretty obvious to me.
Me too.[CHUCKLES]
Why?[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONCLUDES]
Oh! Because I write Christmas... [GASPS]RYAN: Yeah.
I have to go. Have so much fun tonight.
Merry Christmas! [GIGGLES] [CHEERFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
♪ I don't care, I don't care♪
♪ If I got it all And no one to share♪
♪ All the magic and mystery♪
♪ Won't be the same Without you with me♪
♪ I can see Santa fly I won't believe it if I try ♪
♪ Until you're here with me Because you make it real♪
♪ You make it real♪
♪ All the magic and mystery Won't be the same... ♪
Wow, Nick.
This is everything you said it would be.
Natalie?NATALIE: I couldn't sleep.
I figured I'd come check it out in person and...
thank you for the flowers and the card.
Yeah, you're welcome.
What did you mean in the card about believing?
[CHEERFUL MUSIC CONCLUDES]
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]
When I saw you and Caleb come together
in Cranberry Falls, it made me start to believe
that all those fairytale endings you write could be real.
It really did feel like that, didn't it?
And then when we found out that he wasn't exactly the hero
that either one of us wanted him to be,
well, I thought that would change everything but it didn't.
It didn't?Because there was you.
Me?
The real story was finding you, Natalie.
Look, ending up together in Cranberry Falls,
that happened for a reason and it wasn't because of Caleb
and it wasn't because that you needed to be rescued.
[BREATHES DEEPLY] It was me.
And me. I needed to be pushed to go out.
To open up, to question
the way I was doing things.NICK: It was me.
I needed to be reminded of what it felt like
to fall in love.
Both of us needed to be reminded of that, Nick.
I was hoping you'd say that. [CHUCKLES]
[BELL CHIMING]
It's Christmas.
Yeah.
The end.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONCLUDES]
Oh, no. Natalie, you are not putting me
in one of your books.I am totally putting this
in the book. This is gold!NICK: No!
Please, do not. No, no, no.The story of us.
And it shall be called Must Love Christmas.
Boom!
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONTINUING]
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONCLUDES]