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“I don’t know.” Nora bit her lip again, chewing restlessly on it as she poured a splash of sweet organic creamer—a weekend treat—into her coffee mug and sank onto one of the plush velvet stools at her counter. “I have clients.”
“Someone would help you. You could do remote meetings if you needed to—but really, Nora, youneeda vacation. No one at your office is going to begrudge you that. How many times have you taken off in all the time you’ve worked there?”
“Three.” Nora mumbled it around the edge of her coffee cup, propping the phone up against a recipe book. A recipe book that she’d pointedly never had time to use.
“Exactly.This is practically bereavement. You’ve beendumpedby yourfiancé.”
“Gee, rub it in.” Nora took another sip. It was so much better than her usual morning coffee. She hated it black—she didn’t know why she drank it that way five days out of seven, except that it meant fewer calories, and Rob was always on her about how unhealthy even organic creamer was. But her usual coffee, even the expensive kind, always tasted so bitter. This was sweet and rich and velvety, with a hint of hazelnut. Melanie’s coffee would be even better. A real latte, the kind she never took the time to make and always felt guilty splurging on.
“Sorry.” Melanie looked briefly chagrined. “I’m just saying, it would be good for you. A whole month off, away from everything. Come on, Nora. You know I’m right.”
“I don’t know,” Nora repeated. “I love my parents and my family—but you know how I feel about Evergreen Hollow. I always felt stifled there. I haven’t talked to Caroline in years. She’s lived there her whole life, even after Margo and I took off.You know what she’s going to have to say if I just turn up out of nowhere, and after what happened with Rob…” Nora winced just thinking about the biting questions her older sister would have. “I don’t know if I want to deal with all of that right after a breakup. It feels like a lot to take on.”
Melanie paused, a sympathetic look warming her expression. “I know, Nora. Caroline has always been a lot. But you don’t have anything to lose, right? What’s the worst that could happen? And the best is that you get a vacation with family and friends.”
“Okay.” The word burst out of Nora’s lips before she could talk herself out of it again, her hands wrapping tightly around the warmth of her coffee cup. She wasn’t entirely sure what had come over her, except she felt that Melanie was absolutely right about one thing.
She needed a change. Abigchange. And going home for the holidays would certainly be that.
“I’ll talk to my boss about the time off. And I’ll book a ticket. Midweek, maybe.” Nora took another sip of her coffee, trying to disguise her nerves. Going home shouldn’t feel like such a monumental task—but she knew why it did.
“Yes!” Melanie fist-pumped the air, bouncing up and down on her yoga mat. “I mean, I’m sorry this is why you’re coming home. But I’msoexcited to see you in person again, Nor! Seriously, we’re going to have thebesttime.”
Nora forced a smile. “We will. I’m sure of it.”
“Okay! See you soon!”
The video call clicked off, and Nora set the phone down, that uneasy feeling in her stomach returning and hearkening back to the night before. She felt entirely uncertain that going home was a good idea. It seemed like a decision fraught with landmines, with possibilities of everything feeling so much worse than it already did.
But it was too late to change her mind, she knew. She couldn’t begin to imagine the disappointment on Melanie’s face if she called her back and told her it was impossible.
She was committed.
CHAPTER THREE
The small bell above whatshouldhave been the door of the Sugar Maple general store chimed as Aiden Masters walked in, lugging the newly hewn door that he’d brought along with him. The smell of cedar, cardboard boxes, warm bread, and fried food filled his nostrils as he set the door down with a heavythud, leaning it carefully against a bare space on the wall as he walked to the front counter and knocked heavily against it.
“Leon?” he called out, looking around for the owner, who appeared a moment later. Leon Woodrow hadn’t changed a bit in all the time Aiden had known him. He had iron-gray hair, from his head to his eyebrows to his bushy beard, and he almost always wore a cheerful smile on his wrinkled face.
“Aiden!” Leon grinned, clapping the younger man on the shoulder and looking over it toward the door. “Thank goodness you’ve brought it over. My wife hates the one we’ve been using as a replacement. I can already see that’s good work you’ve done, and quickly too.”
“Well, I’ve been having to stay on top of things.” Aiden raked a hand through his dark hair, feeling what might be a wood shaving catch on his fingertips. “Most of my energy’s been going to help rebuild the roof on the town center. Lord knows nothinggets done if that building isn’t functional. And with the festival coming up…”
“The whole place would go up in a puff of smoke if that festival didn’t happen,” Leon said with a grin. “That storm right after Thanksgiving really wreaked havoc. Haven’t seen one like that in a decade or more. Luckily we’ve got our own personal handyman to help clean up the mess.”
“I do my best.” Aiden returned the grin, glancing back at the door. “It shouldn’t take me long to get the hinges on and get you all squared away.”
“Hmm.” Leon rubbed a hand over his beard. “You think the event center’s going to be repaired in time for the festival? I could talk to Bethany about alternate locations if need be.”
“And watch the top of her head blow right off?” Aiden smirked. “Trust me, I’ll do everything in my power to make sure the roof is sound for the festivities. And I’ll help with whatever else is needed too.”
There was no doubt in his mind just how important it was. The festival had been a focal point of the town for as long as he’d been alive, and his parents. His grandparents too, up to a point. It had changed shape over the years, grown and gotten bigger, but the idea was always the same. It was an unabashed celebration of the holidays, with everyone in Christmas outfits, a festive costume contest, a gift drive, booths and games and food. There was something for everyone, young and old, and Aiden wasn’t immune to the nostalgia and cheer of it all. He’d miss it too, if something happened to shake up what was undoubtedly a foundation of Evergreen Hollow.
Leon shook his head. “We’re lucky to have such a talented resident carpenter.” He leaned back against the counter, arms crossed over his chest as he watched Aiden start to take out new hinges for the door, measuring where they needed to be attached. “Not every town would bounce back so quickly.”
Aiden waved a hand to brush off the compliment, unable to speak through the handful of nails he’d slipped between his lips, hammer in one hand and hinge in the other. For a long moment, the only sound in the quiet of the morning surrounding the general store was the heavythudof the hammer as he secured the hinges, moving them this way and that and adding a little WD-40 when one dared to squeak. He double-checked the measurements, then hefted the door up, waving Leon off again when the older man started to move as if to offer help.
“I grew up in Evergreen Hollow.” Aiden lined the door up, peering at it. “Always intended on coming back, even when I went to Albany to that trade school. Never had any plans to stay gone for too long.”
