Page 20 of Christmas Promises

Or maybe she hated Christmas for some reason. There were all kinds of people who had felt sadness and grief around the holidays, and it was too much emotionally, so they checked out of the whole season. Hopefully she wasn’t headed there herself. The moment her world fell apart might ruin Christmas forever.

No, she could not let it make her bitter. She would make a new life for herself. Even if it took some faith to believe it possible.

Laney watched people as they strolled by the window on their way to wherever. She enjoyed the town square with the gazebo and pretty park benches. Aunt Edna had told her the tree lighting didn’t happen until later in the month. There was also a temporary skating rink that would open on December 6. Laney had spent a lot of her childhood skating. With Dahlia.

Never mind her.

She would not let Dahlia ruin her love of ice-skating. In fact, she would go the minute it opened.

Even if she had to go by herself.

Her phone dinged with a text message. She might have PTSD with how jumpy it made her. Not every text would be as bad as the ones she’d discovered on her wedding day. This one was from her mother.

Hey honey. Just checking on you. Daddy and I were thinking maybe we’d come to Sugarville Grove for a few days at Christmas. We could stay at an inn so as not to put Edna out. What do you think? It feels pretty lonely since you left.

She wrote back:I’d have to check with Edna, but I think it sounds like a great idea.

Did she?

There was something about Sugarville Grove that felt like hers, separate from her parents. Did she want them here? On one hand, she’d never spent a Christmas apart from her mother and father. She hadn’t thought much about it until now. She’d assumed she and Josh would spend part of the holiday with his family and part with hers.

Conversely, it would be wonderful to celebrate Christmas with them in such a scenic place. Ultimately, though, it was Aunt Edna’s choice about whether or not to host Christmas. Laney was only a guest.

However, she thought it was a good sign that her mother seemed willing to come for a visit. Maybe the demons from her childhood were ready to be exorcised forever.

Laney was just finishing up her lunch when she glanced up to see Nolan entering with a man who had to be one of his brothers. The resemblance was obvious in his broad shoulders and thick brown hair. Was it Max? It had been a long time since she’d seen any of them, and they’d been a lot younger then. She lifted a hand in greeting. Nolan’s face lit up at the sight of her. He hurried over, with his companion not far behind.

“Laney, hey.”

She flooded with heat. How could any man be so good-looking and seem so oblivious to it?

“Hi there.” She stood and before she knew what was happening, he’d wrapped her in a hug. Goodness, he smelled good. Like a mixture of pine and fresh linens. The strength of his torso was obvious, even though he held her for only a second. But it was long enough for her to wonder what Josh had been doing in the gym every day, because it certainly hadn’t borne the same results.

He let her go, still smiling. “Do you remember my brother Max?”

“Hi, Max.” She held out her hand, and they shook. “I thought it was you, but I wasn’t sure.”

Max’s eyes danced with mischief. “Laney Gray. Good to see you. You grew up real nice.”

“As did you, Max Hayes.”

“Thank you. Are you adjusting to small-town life?” Max asked. “Or ready to run back to civilization the first chance you get?”

“I love it here,” Laney said truthfully. “But my life’s in a bit of turmoil. I don’t know if Nolan mentioned that? I’m in a transitional period, so to speak. I’m unsure of what’s next.”

“Yeah, Nolan mentioned that. He’s been talking about you nonstop.”

Nolan nudged Max in the ribs with his elbow. “Max has a big mouth.”

“True enough. And that fiancé of yours was clearly an idiot.” Max was the troublemaker brother. That much was obvious in his cheeky grin and a loose-limbed confidence that gave her the impression he didn’t take himself or the world too seriously. She couldn’t help but like him.

“Thank you. That’s sweet of you to say.” Laney glanced at Nolan.

“It’s funny we ran into you,” Nolan said. “I was going to text you after lunch. Mom wondered if you and your aunt could come out for dinner tomorrow night after we decorate copious numbers of cookies.”

“Mom makes a ridiculous amount of cookies every year,” Max said.

“She has a cookie obsession,” Nolan said. “Undiagnosed.”