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“No, you’re perfect.It’sbest if we leave now, before the snow starts to really come down.I’dhate for you to come out from the city and not even get the tour of the falls you were promised.MyJeep’sjust out front.”Shewrapped a vibrant red scarf around her neck and then stuck out her hand. “IndyGreer.I’mthe manager of the tourism office here, among other things.”
“Thanksso much for taking the time to meet with me,” saidRosalie, shaking the other woman’s hand.Shewas striking, tall and confident with dark hair and gleaming skin.
“Ofcourse!” saidIndy, rummaging through her purse and retrieving a set of keys as they walked back down the hallway. “Honestly, we’re thrilled that someone as cool and famous asCarrieClarkhas even heard of our little town.Howdid we end up on her radar?” she asked with a slightly arched brow.Sheopened the building’s front door and held it open forRosalie.
“Shesaw an ad in a magazine, did some googling, and was intrigued.Notjust by the scenery, but by the story surrounding the town.”
Theywalked carefully down the snow-covered steps, taking their time.Thesnow was still falling steadily but gently from the sky, sticking to everything it touched.Indyinhaled and then turned toRosalie, a smile lighting up her round face, emphasizing her wide mouth and high cheekbones.Snowflakesclung to her thick lashes, which framed her light green eyes.
“Don’tyou just love the smell of fresh snow?” she asked.Rosalieblinked, sniffing tentatively at the air.
“Iwasn’t aware that snow had a smell,” she said.
“Closeyour eyes and breathe in.”
Rosaliegrinned.Indywas a little offbeat, but there was also something about her thatRosalieliked.So, she closed her eyes and inhaled, deeply and slowly.Theair had a crispness to it, the cold air rushing into her lungs. “Ismell…pine,Ithink.Andsomething clean and fresh thatIcan’t identify.Like…a cold forest.”Sheopened her eyes to findIndysmiling at her.
“Nowyou know what snow smells like.”Shetipped her head to the right. “I’mjust parked over here.Anddon’t worry,I’vegot snow tires on and all-wheel drive, so we should be fine.”Shepeered up at the sky as they walked,Rosaliehaving to take two steps for every one ofIndy’swide strides just to keep up. “Wereyou planning on driving back to the city?”
Rosalienodded. “Afterour meeting, yes.”
Sheglanced up at the sky again. “I’dcheck the weather reports and 511 for road conditions before heading out.”Sheunlocked a dark blueJeep, tossing her bag into the back as she settled into the driver’s seat.Rosaliequickly scooted up into the passenger’s seat, glancing nervously at the sky.
Two
OnceRosaliehad buckled her seatbelt,Indypulled out of the parking lot and turned right ontoMain, leavingHemlockSquarebehind them.Sheadjusted the knob for the heater and then looked over atRosalie. “Wehave a great hotel in town, if you do decide to stay.It’scalled theShephardInn, run by theShephardfamily since the 1940’s.January’susually fairly quiet, soI’msure they have a room available.”
“I’llkeep that in mind,” saidRosalie, eyes fixed on the cheerily glowing storefronts. “What’sthe population ofGossamerFalls?”
“Justover 2,300 at last count.”
Theydrove slowly downMain, passing by shops and restaurants, and the coziest looking pubRosaliehad ever seen.It, like much of the town, looked like something out of a movie set, with its black lacquer façade and scrolling name in fancy gold serif.Shesat back in her seat self-consciously when she realized she was practically pressing her face to the glass of the window.Shewasn’t normally one for small towns—her favorite place onEarthwasParis, after all—but there was something about this one that appealed to her.
Shepointed at the pub through the window as they passed. “PourDecisionsis a fantastic name for a pub,” she said, andIndylaughed.
“Ifyou decide to stay, you should wander over for a drink.It’sonly about a ten-minute walk from the hotel.Ihighly recommend the spiked hot chocolate.Thebartender even toasts the marshmallows on top with one of those little torch thingies.”
“I’malways game for anything that involves a little torch thingy,” she said, her gaze still trained on the snow falling from the soft gray sky.Theycontinued downMain, passing by a small, old-fashioned looking grocery store, a gas station, and signage for the train station.Indyturned right ontoFoundryBridgeRoad, her tires sliding slightly in the accumulating snow.
“Isit…are we…are we crazy for going out to see the falls right now?” askedRosalieonce her stomach had settled back down where it belonged, even thoughIndydidn’t seem the slightest bit fazed by the slippery roads.
Sheshrugged. “Imean, maybe a little.Butyou came up from the city, and this is important.We’retalking aboutCarriefreakingClarkpossibly coming to our town, after all.I’munder strict instructions to do everything in my power to make this happen.”Sheexhaled, blowing a lock of errant hair out of her face. “It’sjust a little snow.It’llbe fine.I’mnot putting your life in danger.Ipromise.”Butshe eased off the gas a little as they wound their way out of the town and toward theHudsonHighlands.Snow-covered pine trees loomed ahead, looking like a fairy tale forest.TheHudsonRiverchurned to their left—the river almost never froze over completely—but the water was sluggish and slow.Rosalieshivered and snuggled into her coat.
“Howmuch do you know about the legend?” askedIndy, two hands on the wheel, her eyes glued to the windshield and the snowy road ahead.
“Notmuch,” answeredRosaliehonestly.Magicand fairy tales weren’t really her thing, so she’d avoided digging into the town’s allegedly magical history. “Carrieread the story after hearing about the town, and she mentioned something about the falls and true love, which is totally up her alley.”Carrie’salley, notRosalie’s.Definitelynot.
“Carrie.Ha!It’sso surreal to hear you talk about one of the most famous women in the world so casually.Honestly, a part of me can’t quite wrap my head around the idea that she might actually be coming to our town.God,Ihave so many questionsIwant to ask you, but in the name of professionalism and focusing on not sliding off the road,Iwon’t.”Sheglanced over atRosalie. “Today, anyway.”
Rosaliesmiled, but truth be told, sometimes she got a little sick of answering questions aboutCarrieClark.Sure, it was interesting that she worked forCarrie, butRosalieoften found her job title eclipsed everything else about herself.Itfelt hollow, sometimes.
Indyblew the same lock of sleek, dark hair out of her eyes again, and then continued. “So, the legend is based on a famous short story published in the 1890s.Itwas written by a woman namedMaryElizabethAxton, and it’s about aCivilWarwidow who visits the falls—just likeMaryElizabethherself did—in an effort to escape her grief and get her feet back under her…”Atthis,Indytrailed off for a moment and then cleared her throat. “A-anyway, she visited the falls under the light of the full moon and felt as though her tears were being kissed away by angels.Shefelt soothed, hopeful, even.Shefelt as though the angels were grieving with her, and this healing energy opened her heart to the possibility of a new love.”Shepaused again, andRosaliehad the feeling there was more she wasn’t saying.
Shesnorted softly after a moment. “Anew love.Right.Anyway, in the story, the widow meets a handsome doctor, and they’re engaged before the next full moon.”Shesaid the last part all in a rush, almost like ripping off a verbalBand-Aid. “Thelegend surrounding the town grew from that story, and we transitioned from an industry town—there used to be a foundry on the edge of the bay, hence the nameFoundryBridgeRoad—to a tourist destination.Peoplestarted coming to visit the falls, believing that if they were kissed by the mist under the light of the full moon, their true love would be revealed to them before the next full moon.Thelegend and its magic spread, and now we’re one of the top tourist destinations in the state.”
Justthen, they slid to a stop beside a small guardhouse with a snow-dusted placard that welcomed them toGossamerFalls.Indypowered down her window, and a flurry of snowflakes gusted inside.Theman inside the guardhouse slid open his window.
“Thehell you doing out here,Indy?It’ssupposed to keep snowing all afternoon.Roadsare gonna get worse,” he said with an assured nod.
