Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Three voice messages and four texts later, still nothing. Okay, now I was officially worried.
I shrugged my jacket on, pulled a beanie over my ears, and started for the front door.
“Anyone home? I could use some help with the groceries,” Mom called from the kitchen.
I helped her schlep a dozen bags into the house, leaving them on the island. “Is that everything?”
“Yes, thank goodness. I’ve been out all day, and I’m pretty sure I hit every town in the Four Forest area,” she reported, filling the tea kettle. “I’m so glad we have Christmas Eve off from entertaining, but we have to be at Aunt Margaret’s in two hours. Thank goodness she lives close by…it’s snowing out there!”
“Snowing,” I repeated.
“Just a few flurries, but we may have a nice blanket of snow in the morning. That’s always fun to wake up to on Christmas Day. Now tell me about your meeting. I’ve been on pins and needles. Did it go well? Did you like the agent?”
“Yeah, it was fine. He’s a nice guy.”
“Oh, that’s great news! I want to hear all about it.”
“I’ll tell you everything later. I gotta run. I haven’t been able to get a hold of Ivan and—”
“Oh, I just bumped into him when I stopped by the bakery to give Annie her gift.”
“Thanks.”
She followed me into the foyer, tugging at my coat before I reached the door. “I’m too curious to wait. Did you sign a contract?”
“No.”
Mom turned abruptly. “What? Why not? This is what you’ve worked for. This is your dream.”
I shrugged as I reached for the doorknob. “The dream changed.”
“Are you sure about this, Court?”
“I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life,” I replied adamantly.
She smiled. “Then go. I love you.”
“Love you too.” I pecked her cheek and raced out the door.
The streets were nearly deserted now. Snow drifted on a gentle breeze, glowing prettily in the holiday lights crisscrossing Main Street. Memories leaped at me from all sides as I hurried by the dry cleaner, Town Hall, and the benches in front of the fountain.
When I was little, I’d pretend to walk a tightrope on the fountain’s ledge, catching snowflakes on my tongue. When I was nine or so, my brother and I would have snowman competitions at the hill near Blossom where for some reason, the snow seemed deepest. When I was a teenager, I’d instigated the Great Snowball Fight during a freak snowstorm on winter break.
My friends and I had run wild down Main Street, lobbing icy grenades at each other and laughing our asses off while the girl I liked giggled at our hijinks. But I also remembered, looking up from behind a snowdrift and seeing the emo kid from my math class watching the action with an aloof expression. I might have waved but I hadn’t invited him to join us because…A, we hung out with different crowds and that sort of shit seemed significant at sixteen, and B, I wasn’t sure he’d even liked me.
By eighteen, Main Street was too small, the snow was annoying as fuck, and I’d wanted out of this town more than I wanted my next breath. My wish came true and that should have been the end of my story, but life was never quite so tidy ’cause here I was again.
I realized now that the things I’d wanted at eighteen were lessons along the road leading me back home. Leading me to Ivan.
The quiet kid dressed in black had become the sun and I was greedy for his warmth. I needed his light, his homespun wisdom, his beautiful face, and his…joy.
I’d left Elmwood to chase a dream into the ground, but maybe the dream had guided me home. These streets didn’t have to be bigger, the people didn’t have to be cooler, and the snow…God, the snow was so fucking beautiful.
I skidded to a halt on the sidewalk in front of the bakery and tapped my hand against the large H on the window like a hockey stick tapping the ice. The lights were on next door and I could make out a shadowy figure moving around the shop.
“Wish me luck,” I whispered to long-gone Hendersons or the universe or whoever the fuck was in charge of hopeless cases who really wanted one more chance. Just one more shot to get things right.
I took a deep breath as I stepped out of the shadows, and pushed open the door to Rise and Grind.
“Oh, shoot, I’m sorry, but we’re closed. I forgot to lock the—” Ivan looked up from the ribbon he’d been tying and smiled. “Hi. It’s you.”
“Yeah, it’s me.” I pulled my beanie off and stuffed it in my pocket, drinking in the sight of him. He wore black as usual with his green apron tied at his waist. His cheeks were rosy and the dark curls sprouting wildly from the sides of the Santa hat on his head gave him an elfish look that shouldn’t have been sexy, yet somehow was. “I’ve been calling and texting you. I was worried. Are you okay?”