Page 48 of A Winter Thaw

Michelle shook her head. “That’s… well, that’s just wild.”

Audrey reached out and grabbed Michelle’s hand. “I think the real question is, how do you feel about Theo?”

Michelle’s mouth popped open, but no words came out. Her mother’s question was the very one she’d been unable to answer until that moment. Being there with her mother and grandmother, however, made her feel supported and safe enough that her mind quieted down. At last, she could see her own emotions clearly.

“I think I do,” she said. “I keep trying to tell myself that I don’t know how I feel. Like, I know I’ve had moments of feeling attracted to him, but then I told myself that didn’t really mean anything. But I think the truth is that I’ve been trying to push away romantic feelings for him for a while now. But they just keep growing. And that kiss was amazing. I wouldn’t feel that way if I didn’t like him, I don’t think. I think the truth is that I like him an awful lot.”

“Ahh, that’s so exciting.” Elaine squeezed Michelle’s shoulder.

“I’m really happy for you, Michelle.” Audrey smiled. “Theo is a great guy.”

Michelle shook her head. “But—I mean, we’re not dating. It was a kiss, and a confession. That doesn’t mean we’re going to be together.”

“Well, it sure doesn’t mean the opposite.” Elaine laughed.

Michelle offered her mother and grandmother a weak smile. She felt as though a weight had been lifted from her, and she was glad that she’d confessed her feelings for Theo. She still felt unsure about what to do, however. Should she give it time, or tell him how she felt right away?

Michelle inhaled and then let out a long sigh.

“What’s wrong?” Audrey patted her knee.

“I just wish romance and nervousness didn’t always go hand in hand.” Michelle picked at a fuzzy on the sleeve of her sweater. “I feel at a loss about what to do. Like, should I give it some time? I don’t want to rush into anything.”

“I don’t think you would be rushing,” Elaine said gently. “You and Theo have been friends for a long time. You know he’s a good guy, and so do your mother and I. If you have feelings for him, then I think there’s not much that you need to wait for.”

“What about the fact that I feel really nervous?” Michelle grimaced.

“That’s never going to go away, I’m afraid.” Audrey smiled at her. “Taking a step out in faith toward love is always a scary business. But it’s a rewarding one.”

Michelle stared down into her wine glass, a plan forming in her mind. “Okay,” she said slowly. She looked up and smiled at her mother and grandmother. “Then I think I know what I’m going to do.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Audrey pushed open the door of Morning Brew, listening to the familiar tinkle of the bells that hung overhead. Although she and Elaine had been to many coffee shops in Boston that were charming and had fantastic coffee, there was no place like home. The familiar smells of Morning Brew lifted her spirits, and she knew immediately that she wanted to get a peppermint mocha. During most seasons of the year, she tended to choose drinks with softer flavors, such as lavender or caramel, but during the Christmas season, it seemed that she could never get enough of peppermint mochas.

She ordered her drink and then looked around the bustling café, wondering if Harper had also arrived early. Harper’s duties at the animal shelter usually kept her quite busy, so it was rare for her to arrive somewhere very early. Sure enough, a quick scan of the coffee shop told Audrey that Harper still hadn’t arrived.

Once her mocha was ready, she took it off the pickup counter and made her way to a cozy little table in a back corner. It was placed next to a whimsical Christmas tree that had been decorated with miniature books and ornaments of fantastical creatures, such as fairies, gnomes, and toads wearing various outlandish outfits. Audrey took a long, luxurious sip of her coffee, reveling in the taste.

This is like Christmas in a cup, she thought, breathing in deeply of the surrounding smells of peppermint, coffee, and evergreen. Gosh, it’s nice to be home again.

A moment later, she saw Harper step through the front door of the coffee shop. Audrey raised her hand in an eager greeting and Harper waved back.

“Hey,” Harper said as she hurried over, grinning and panting a little as if she’d walked to the coffee shop in a rush. “Sorry I’m late.”

Audrey glanced at her watch in surprise as she stood up. “I don’t think you are—I’m just early.”

“No, I’m five minutes late.” Harper laughed, giving Audrey a big hug. “But I’m glad you’ve been enjoying yourself so much you didn’t even notice. It’s so good to see you!”

“It’s so good to see you, too! You look great. How are the animals doing?”

“Oh, so good.” Harper’s eyes shone. “I really do think everyone is going to get adopted by Christmas. And then of course there will be tons of animals to pick up and bring in after the season is over, when all the people who thought they wanted a puppy for their kids change their mind.” She shook her head. “But I’ll deal with all that when it’s time for it. I’m just so excited that everyone’s going to have a wonderful Christmas, even the animals.”

“Me too. Speaking of everyone having a wonderful Christmas, why don’t you go order a drink? Then we can buckle down and talk about how we’re going to cheer up Penelope.”

“Aye, aye, Captain.” Harper took off her coat and laid it across the back of the chair opposite from Audrey’s. “Be back in a minute.”

Once Harper was back at the table and settled in with her gingerbread latte, Audrey pulled a notebook and three colored pens out of her purse.