Christmas Snow Page 8

  She studied his face until he almost couldn’t bear it.

  “I’ve felt it too,” she said quietly.

  He saw the look of wariness leave her face, then before she could object, he pulled her close and kissed her softly on the lips. She fit so perfectly in his arms and the warmth of so many memories rolled over him like sunshine on a summer day. When let her go, he clasped both of her hands in his. Then he smiled, and she smiled back, her cheeks all pink from the cold. There was hope. He felt it.

  “How about a movie and dinner tomorrow evening?”

  She hesitated for a moment and his heart skipped a whole beat before she said, “Okay.”

  “I noticed the old theater in town is open, nothing new about it, but something to do besides walk in the cold.” He felt like he was rambling but didn’t care. “I’ll pick you up at six?”

  “Neither of us has a car, you know.” She grinned at him as she stepped away, dropping his hands. “I can meet you there.”

  “No, I’ll stop by and we’ll go together. I like spending time with you,” he said, reaching for her hand again as they resumed their walk.

  She nodded, still smiling with her gaze directed at her feet.

  “So, when does your flight leave?” he asked.

  “Day after tomorrow. And yours?”

  “Two days after tomorrow.” He wished they were both staying for another week. Maybe two. “You haven’t said where you’re living now.”

  “St. Louis.”

  Brett came to a halt which brought her to an abrupt standstill. He stared at her, disbelieving what he’d just heard. “St. Louis? For real?”

  She nodded, looking puzzled. “Why?”

  “I live in St. Louis too,” he said. She looked as surprised as he felt. All that time and they had lived that close to each other and never knew it.

  “I have to clarify that,” she said, holding up a hand. “I live in the St. Louis area. I’m on the east side of the river in a small town called Prairie Hills.”

  “And you chose it because there’s a gazebo in the center of town,” he teased.

  “Not really, although it’s a great plus in my opinion. You’re familiar with it?”

  He nodded still smiling at the unlikelihood they could live so close to each other and never cross paths. “I’ve been through it a few times. About a forty-minute drive from my place if the traffic isn’t bad.”

  They stopped at the end of her sidewalk where it led to the front porch. He’d always admired the big old Victorian style house with its wraparound front porch and leaded glass windows, not that he paid a lot of attention to old homes. He didn’t. But this one held a lot of memories for him during his growing up years since his best friend had lived there.

  “I suppose your dad put up the lights before they left,” he said.

  “Actually, no. My sisters did.” She smiled, looking thoughtful. “Julie and Kristen have no problem with heights or climbing all over the roof. Laura most likely stayed on the ground giving instructions. By the time I arrived, it was all done. I think they did a great job.”

  “They did.” And he meant it. When he was a kid, he and his older brother had put up all the lights while their dad directed from below. They climbed the ladder or went out of the second story windows to get everything clipped into place around the eaves. His mom decorated the front door and set out decorations on the porch. It was always a family group effort. His sister had a fear of heights and preferred baking cookies which they all looked forward to when the lights were finished.

  “So, I’ll be here tomorrow night,” he said, reaching out to take her hand again but he wouldn’t push his luck and attempt another kiss. Just holding her hand gave his heart a lift.

  She smiled at him, leaving her hand in his for a few more seconds before pulling it away.

  “I’ll be here,” she said as she went toward the house, turning to give him a slight wave.

  It was a start, he told himself, but he only had one more day to make things right and then she’d be gone. He sighed, knowing she hadn’t fully believed him or trusted him. And yet, he still had hope as he walked home with a lighter step.

  Chapter Ten

  Elise woke with a start. She hadn’t slept well until the wee hours of the morning and then finally fell into a deep sleep. For a moment she wasn’t even sure if she was back in her home in Illinois or not but sitting up she recognized her surroundings with Laura’s empty bed all made up. She checked her phone on the bedside table and groaned. Nearly nine o’clock. When was the last time she’d slept in so late? It wasn’t worth contemplating. She needed some coffee before putting any effort into thinking.

  After dressing and tidying the room, she hurried downstairs. The smell of brewing coffee caused her to stop midway down the steps and inhale. Undoubtedly there would still be leftover cinnamon rolls to go with it. Behind her, Brianna called out something about being a late riser as she brushed past Elise. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one who had slept late.

  “Morning sleepyheads,” Julie said from the table where she sipped her coffee. “Rough night?”

  “Just couldn’t fall asleep till about three in the morning,” Elise replied, slouching into a chair.

  “I was enjoying a long lazy shower.” Brianna’s cheerful smile brightened the room considerably. “Because I deserved it.” She poured two cups of coffee and gave one to Elise.

  “Thank you,” Elise said with heartfelt appreciation, then sipped the hot, steamy, bolstering liquid and sighed out loud.

  “Well? You’ve got our attention,” Laura said, staring point-blank at Elise. “Tell us what happened last night.”

  “Nothing happened. We went for a walk in the snow that’s all.” She sipped the coffee again. “Did you know they’ve got a little building near the gazebo where they sell hot chocolate? It’s very good.”

  “Must have been a boring evening. A walk in the snow, hot chocolate, can’t sleep half the night and gets up at nine o’clock.” Julie scoffed at Elise with one eyebrow raised. “And nothing happened?”

  Elise felt her cheeks heat up. “Nothing important.” Then she looked toward the counter. “Any more cinnamon rolls?

  “You always change the subject when you don’t want to talk about something.” Julie got up and brought the pan of rolls to the table then sat down again. “We are all ears.”

  Elise glanced around the table. They’d always been there for each other and she knew they meant well, but this wasn’t something she could talk about yet. She’d stayed awake half the night trying to deal with her feelings, wondering if she had any feelings left to deal with where Brett was concerned. Closing off her heart hadn’t been an easy thing, but she’d managed to do it eventually. And now, opening herself up to that kind of hurt all over again wasn’t something she wanted to revisit. Even the possibility of doing so had kept her awake most of the night.

  “I appreciate your concern,” she said, looking at each one of them. “But I have nothing to report.” She smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

  “Unconvinced,” Julie said, looking very serious.

  “Unconvinced,” Laura repeated with a wink and a smile.

  “Ummmm…?” Kristen made a face that said she was unsure about voicing an opinion.

  “Your business, not mine,” Brianna said with a flip of her hand, giving her a broad smile.

  Elise let out a quick breath. “What a relief. It sounds unanimous to me.” She grinned at all of them. “Would someone pass me a plate, please?”

  “Okay, okay, you win.” Julie pointed her fork at Elise. “Just remember we’re here if you need us.”

  “I’ve always known that,” Elise said softly. “Thank you.”

  There was only one day left before she had to leave. Her morning flight was scheduled early the next morning and thankfully it looked as though the snow had finally ended. She would say her goodbyes at the house before Kristen drove her to the airport. In the meantime, she had the whole day to get
caught up on her laundry, help in the kitchen, and chat with her sisters. She’d miss their company for sure, especially their laughter and varied personalities.

  But throughout the day she had to keep reeling in her thoughts each time they threatened to get out of control. She sensed that Brett wanted to be sincere, that he believed he was, but she couldn’t just change her mind in a day or two, and yet, it was more than a little tempting. Her heart wanted to believe him but so far she hadn’t even heard any explanation for why he’d walked away in the first place. Being remorseful was all well and good, but it wasn’t enough. On top of that, why be remorseful now? He’d made no effort to contact her for years. Was proximity the defining factor? she wondered. She was close by and he was lonely. After avoiding her for so long, convenience and guilt were the only logical reasons.

  By late afternoon she had her bags packed and in the hallway, holding back the carryon which she’d need in the morning. Then she showered and selected one of her warmest sweaters to wear with her jeans. The café was the only place open within walking distance, so she was sure that had to be his intention, not that it was her primary concern where they went. She suspected he was leading up to something but couldn't say for sure what that would be. So, why had she said yes when she could have just left everything as it was and gone home without feeling torn up emotionally? That was the question that had nagged her all night long and continued to keep her distracted. In spite of everything, there was a part of her that wished they could patch things up and possibly start over. She leaned against the edge of the window and looked out over the front porch. Realistically, she didn’t see how it could work. Too much time had passed.

  The sun had begun to set and the streetlights were already on. She knew Brett would be prompt, and that only gave her a short time to prepare herself to say what was on her heart then hold tight to her decision otherwise she’d be in turmoil for who knew how long.

  She hauled her luggage down the stairs, careful not to thump her way clear to the bottom then she stored it in the entryway near the front door. Leaving was always sad for her, but this year especially so since her parents weren’t there. Next year would be better, she told herself. In the meantime, there were bound to be other visits throughout the summer.

  “Going somewhere?” Julie said, making a sudden dramatic stop on her way to the kitchen with a shocked expression on her face. “Was it something we said?”

  “Very funny,” Elise replied.

  “Don’t look so serious,” she told Elise with a laugh. “Lighten up. It’s still vacation until you’re back at work, right? So, come on in the kitchen. We’re deciding what’s for dinner. I think pizza is getting voted down and for once I’m okay with that.”

  Elise took her coat and boots out of the closet. “I’m going out, so my vote won’t count anyway.” She draped her coat and scarf over a chair and checked the pockets for her gloves.

  “Going out?” Julie narrowed her eyes as she stared at Elise. “With Brett?”

  “Yes. With Brett. He should be here any minute.”

  Laura walked into the living room with Kristen right behind her. “Brett’s coming? For dinner? Why didn’t someone tell me!”

  “No, not for dinner,” Elise replied, feeling a bit exasperated. She had enough on her mind without playing who’s on first.

  “Oh, okay. Good. I mean he’s welcome anytime but I’d like more notice,” she said, then smiled at Elise. “I still say he’s cute.”

  “Me too,” Kristen spoke up, grinning.

  “I’m sure he’d appreciate your votes of confidence,” Elise said with a bit of sarcasm. “But I have no intention of passing it along to him.”

  “Not that it matters,” Brianna called from the dining room, “but he’s got my vote too.”

  “Okay,” Julie said with a heavy sigh. “I give in.”

  “Well, I haven’t.” Elise tugged on her boots and pulled on her coat. “And voting isn’t an option, sorry.” She stared at them a little longer to let that sink in.

  The doorbell rang and they all jumped.

  Chapter Eleven

  Brett greeted her with a wide smile as the expensive masculine fragrance wafted toward her. His intentions were transparently obvious, but she had to give him credit for the forewarning, although she said nothing. He hadn't called it a date, but dinner and a movie couldn't be anything else even it was just an old theater and a little café.

  “All set?” he asked.

  “Yes. I believe so.” She pulled on both gloves and secured her stocking cap then closed the door, leaving four gawking sisters behind.

  “It’s a beautiful night,” he said as they went down the steps. “Lots of stars tonight. Probably going to get pretty cold.”

  She made a quick search of the sky and agreed. The scent from a burning fireplace floated through the night air since most of the large homes had fireplaces although only a few ever used them, and only on special occasions like Christmas. She had always enjoyed the hominess of the smell probably because their family was one of the few who had used theirs.

  “I’m not sure what movie is playing,” he said as they walked along the street. “I suppose if it isn’t something we want to see we can skip it and just hang out at the café for a while.”

  She nodded. “Okay.” Truthfully, she wouldn’t be able to concentrate on a movie anyway, so the café sounded fine to her. It was rather public and therefore the perfect place for avoiding serious conversations and that was fine with her too.

  “What time does your flight leave?” he asked.

  “Early. Kristen is taking me.” They walked in silence for a few moments. “How about you?”

  “Yep. Early. Day after tomorrow.”

  He seemed comfortable with the silence that fell between them, but the longer it went on, the more convinced she was that the evening was a mistake. They had lost what they'd once had and there wasn't time to regain it with only a few hours until she left. Ending it quickly was the only way to handle this situation, but she'd put that off until they returned to her house. There was something necessary about forging ahead until they could get through this difficult moment. She hoped it would give finality to their relationship, at last. She'd been down this road once, thinking it was final. Evidently, he wanted to believe it was possible to rekindle what they'd had. She wasn't at all convinced of that.

  As they approached the theater they stared at the overheard marquis which proclaimed the title of a 1930’s Christmas movie.

  “This isn't what I had in mind,” Brett said, staring up at the sign then giving her an apologetic look. “I thought it might be more recent.” He glanced at the façade again. “I'd say it's very likely this old black and white movie was brand new when it first played here.”

  “I'm sure this theater has been around long before our grandparents were kids," she said. "I'd bet it had silent movies, but they have been through a lot of changes and have managed to stay in business. Nostalgia is on their side, so the old movies are probably a win-win, at least that’s the plan most likely. And it is a Christmas movie.”

  “Their marketing could use some work,” he said, looking skeptical.

  “And a bit of an update wouldn’t hurt,” she added, noting some light bulbs were burnt out.

  “Before we decide to buy it and change everything, what do you say we skip the movie and just go to the café?”

  Elise laughed, “I wasn’t going to buy it. I thought you were. For old times sake, you know, on a whim.”

  “Nope. Looks like a losing proposition to me.” He took her gloved hand and held it, giving a gentle tug in the direction of the café.

  She let him keep her hand, feeling the warmth of it and remembering other Christmases when they’d taken long walks in the snow. He’d always been a terrible tease and she’d always given it right back. But she didn’t feel comfortable enough to go that far at the moment.

  Inside the small café, the air was filled with the scent of baking
cookies and freshly brewed coffee. The walls, as well as every other available space, was covered with decorations. The place nearly overflowed with holiday cheer. Elise removed her hat, giving her hair a little shake since it had flattened to her head then she hung her coat on a peg next to Brett’s. Without any debate, they agreed on a table beside the front window even though the view was little more than a row of Christmas lights along the storefronts.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever been here,” he said, looking around. “It’s smaller than I expected. Wasn’t this the old pharmacy? Or at least part of it?”

  “It was but that was a long time ago and since then there were a few other stores here.”

  “Still has wooden floors, I see. Lends an attractive old fashioned look.”

  She stared at him unable to hold back a smile. “Are you planning to buy this place too? Or just market it?”

  He shook his head lightly then put up his hand. “Sorry. I’m not into that kind of marketing. Really, I’m not. Neither do I want to buy it. Just nervously observing my surroundings.” He sat back in his chair then studied her for a long few minutes. “You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever known,” he said softly.

  She felt her cheeks heat up. “I’m waiting for the punch line.”

  “Your nose is cute.” The twinkle in his eyes and the grin he was trying to hold back wasn’t lost on her, but she did her best to ignore what he was doing.

  “You’ve already said that. And it’s not a good punch line.” She knew her cheeks had turned a bright red and wanted to put her cool hands against them. “If you’re trying to embarrass me you’re doing a good job of it.”

  He smiled then leaned closer and whispered, “You’re blushing.”

  She leaned toward him and whispered back, “You’re flirting.”

  He sat up straighter with a broad smile. “I guess I haven’t lost it after all. You had me worried for a minute, or two.”