Page 8 of A Fall to Remember

“Good. Do what you need to do, and I’ll stay out of your way.” Jim set his satchel on one of the dining tables. He seemed perfectly at home already. This sort of thing was probably second nature to him, but it was all brand-new to her.

“Okay. Great.” Miranda tried not to clench her jaw too tightly as she moved behind the counter to start a fresh pot of coffee. Easier said than done. How was she supposed to act normally with a camera aimed at her face? She was also struggling to take him seriously with the coffee-stained shirt.

“You’ve owned the store for a while now,” Jim said as he rested the camera on top of the case to get a shot of Miranda scooping ground beans from the ceramic canister. “Has it always been this charming? I was picturing a grocery store, but this is so much more.”

“Yeah, the bones of the shop have been the same since my parents first bought it in the early 1960s,” Miranda replied, unsure whether she should look directly at the camera or keep her focus on the coffee. She decided on the coffee. Every time she met Jim’s gaze, she felt like the floor was moving beneath her feet.

“And when did you take over?” Jim asked. His eyes held a natural warmth and curiosity. He gave her his full attention, like talking about the Green Grocer was the most compelling thing to him.

“My brother and I always worked at the store when we were young. It’s as much a part of me as anything.” She filled the coffee maker with water. “We both started taking on bigger roles as they got older, and then they decided they were ready to retire, so we bought them out. They live in a retirement village not far from here, and my brother moved to Florida, so now it’s me.”

“And your kids, right?” Jim moved to the opposite side of the deli case and clicked off more pictures.

Miranda felt like he was her personal paparazzi. She brushed a strand of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail from her eye and adjusted the brew settings. “My son, Pete, and my niece, Elise, both help. Pete works remotely for a tech company, so he’s in the store on weekends and handles much of the backend work for our inventory and checkout systems. Elise is working at the store full-time these days. She’s taken over our social media and events, which is wonderful because that’s not my skill set. I think you’ve been in contact with her?”

Jim paused his impromptu photo shoot. “She’s fantastic. She definitely has your back. I’ve worked in the travel industry for my entire career, and I’ve rarely had reps from our top advertisers negotiate as hard as Elise. Very impressive.”

Miranda smiled. Some of the tension was starting to fade away. Jim was easy to talk to, and anyone who was impressed with her niece was a green flag in her book.

“I have to admit that I’m your biggest fan,” Jim continued, giving her a sidelong glance. “When I saw your Catalina Island video, I was gobsmacked. I mean, you can’t deny that the universe had bigger plans to bring us together. First, the airport run-in, then your video appeared in my inbox, like divine intervention. I’d already been working on a pitch to bring in someone like you, and then boom!” He flexed both hands next to his forehead as if to say mind blown. “You are a natural. Pure gold.”

Heat rushed up Miranda’s neck. She could feel her cheeks starting to turn red. Also, who said “gobsmacked”? “I don’t feel like a natural.” Miranda removed parchment paper from some of the deli trays. “I’m still a little unsure about all of this.” She swept her hand toward his camera.

“I get it. I do.” Jim nodded. His kind eyes crinkled as he put the camera away with a knowing smile. “That’s why you’re so good. You’re not trying. You’re not faking it. You’re authentic. People are craving authenticity and real connection these days. That’s what we want from you. That’s why you’re going to be the next Voyager Travel star, Miranda Brown. Mark my words. We’re going to make you a household name.”

“Uh, I’m not sure I want to be a household name.” Miranda winced as she shook her head. Was it too late to backout?

“No, no, in a good way. I promise. I’ll take the best care of you.” His voice was soft and tender, like he meant every word of it. “Think of me as your partner and friend. We’re going to do this together. I’ll be with you every step of the way for anything you need, okay?”

“Okay.” Miranda forced a grin. She didn’t know whether she was in over her head. But there was one part of this undertaking that didn’t sound so bad at the moment, and that was spending more time with Jim. This gorgeous, kind, funny man had stumbled into her shop wearing the shirt that she’d ruined last week. It was confusing, strange, and exciting all at once.

She shook her head, ignoring the buzzy feeling filling her chest. She wasn’t used to feeling this flustered. Surely it was just the absurdity of the situation. Jim might think she was a natural, but she didn’t agree. She had a lot to learn and no time to second-guess whether this was a bad idea.

7

SHELBY

Shelby woke up to sunlight on her face. Real sunlight. The buttery, warm kind that made her feel like she was wrapped in a cozy blanket or lying on a beach with sand between her toes.

The beach. That’s right.

She tossed off the covers and sat up in the strange bed.

She wasn’t in Seattle, that was for sure. There was no steady drip of rain on her rooftop or wind rattling her window. She dragged herself out of bed and pulled the curtains all the way open to reveal the vast Pacific Ocean, drenched in nothing but blue. Was the sky always that shade of periwinkle? The aquamarine water seemed to meet the sky, blending together into one shimmering show of color.

Wow, okay, so checkmark for gorgeous. I’ll give Jim that much.

She checked the time.

Shoot.

She’d slept in.

It was almost ten.

She was supposed to meet Jim and Miranda—now.

Shelby riffled through her suitcase. She had packed for the beach, leaving her heavy sweaters, turtlenecks, and rainboots behind. She opted for a pair of flare jeans, a loose-fitting black V-neck sweater, and black ankle boots. She dusted her freckled cheeks with blush, added some eyeshadow, mascara, and lip gloss. Her naturally red, curly hair was easy to style. She gave it a little spritz of her curl tamer and scrunched it until it sprang back into place. Not bad for a quick turnaround.