Page 14 of Christmas Kisses

Parking, I circled the truck to open the door for Jessica then grabbed our stuff from the backseat.

“Need any help with that?” Caleb asked.

“Got it. Thanks though. Jessica, this is Caleb and Melody,” I introduced them though I’d already told her who they were. “Guys, this is Jessica.”

“Hi,” Melody exclaimed, holding her hand out to my girl. “We were at your shop the other day, but it was so busy that I didn’t get to meet you. I think everyone was thrilled the place opened for the holiday. It’s so nice to meet you now.”

“It’s great to meet you, too.”

Melody grinned then glanced over at me. “Everything’s all good to go. Just flick the switch to turn off the heat and lights when you leave. We’ll take care of everything in the morning.”

“Have fun,” Caleb called as he steered her away and toward the path to their house.

I opened the door to the “pod” and ushered Jessica inside to the warm interior. She looked around, taking it all in.

“This is cool.”

“But warm,” I joked.

Though the walls and rounded ceiling were glass, giving a snow globe effect, the back had privacy film that kept anyone from the main house or other pods from seeing inside. It was also angled so the pods were out of sight from each other, too.

Quiet holiday music played overhead, and the wind whistled against the walls, but we were cozy. A plush, curved couch, covered with throws and pillows, stood at the back of the space with a small table in front of it. I set down our dinner, and Jessica took a seat on the couch. Soon, we were both settled with plates on our laps and soft drinks within reach on the little table.

Watching the waves roll lazily into the slushy shoreline, we ate in comfortable silence. Occasionally, one of us commented on the snow and how different the weather here was from Colorado and California right now.

“How was your trip?” she asked when I mentioned LA. “Anything interesting happen?”

I shook my head. “Suits and contracts. I do most of the creative stuff over video chat from here. How about at the candy store? Anything interesting there?”

She sighed heavily and frowned, looking more consternated than unhappy. “We’re still pretty busy. I kind of love it.”

“Why do you make that sound like it’s a bad thing?”

“I have a job.”

“You know, everyone loves seeing you at the shop, and I know my grandma views you as her granddaughter already. Kind of an extension of Doris. But trust me. No one expects you to be at the shop every day.”

“I know. And they definitely don’t need me there. Not much anyway. God knows, I’m okay with customer service, but I’m a disaster at any of the candy making—”

“It’s an acquired skill, just like learning the piano. Sure, some people are better at it than others, but anyone can do it.”

“I guess so. It just seems like candy making is an easier skill than playing an instrument…and I’mvery badat it. It’s still fun, though. The shop is great, and everyone is…wonderful.” She shook her head. “But the thing is, my job. That’s in Colorado.”

I tilted my head, studying her. This moment could make or break my future here in the town where I was raised, the town I loved. This was the moment where I fought Jessica’s perception of where she had to live, where she had to be. “The other night you told me all your clients are virtual. You don’t meet with anyone in person, right?”

“No, I don’t.”

“And you have an apartment, not a house, out there?”

She tensed. “Yes…”

“So…your life is somewhat portable. I mean…isn’t it?”

I couldn’t deny I had a personal stake in this. I’d known all along she planned to go back out west in a few weeks. But I didn’t want her to go. Hell, with the way my feelings for her were exploding, if she left, she might just find me showing up, like a lost puppy, on her doorstep.

Which would kind of suck. My family and friends were here. I loved the mountains, the abundance of nature around this town, and my house near the lake. But I didn’t think I could let Jessicajust walk away. Despite stumbling into each other’s life mere days ago, my thoughts drifted to her all the time.

“You make it sound so easy.”