“That was an accident!” Cassidy held up her hands in mock surrender.
“Uh-huh. Suuure,” Zoe said, drawing the word out. “You just slipped and fell on his dick.”
“That’s not what happened! We were… I was… The ice?—”
She went to protest more, but Zoe stopped her.
“This is all beside the point. There’s something I think you should know. I’m just debating if I’m the one who should tell you…”
Cassidy slapped her palms on the counter. “What the heck? You can’t say something like that. Now you have to tell me. I need to know what I’m getting into here.”
“I know. I know.” Zoe’s tone softened. “The thing is… you’re not the only one who’s had heartbreak at Christmas. Liam has, too, and it’s torn him up. He hasn’t been the same since the accident.”
Cassidy’s expression turned from intrigue to somber in a second. “Accident?”
“I think it was four years ago now,” Zoe said, doing some mental math. “His girlfriend, Avery, was coming to spend Christmas with him. They were in college together, and Liam had finished exams early and come back to town. She stayed behind a few more days. Anyway, she was on her way to Maple Falls when her car hit black ice. She didn’t make it.”
Cassidy closed her eyes. So that was it, that was Liam’s story. She’d known there was something, but this… this was just so heart-wrenching. She knew the ache of grief all too well. It got better, but it never really went away. Some days, it hit you out of nowhere and knocked you flat. Those were the bad days. But with time—and love—it grew quieter, easier to carry. She was thankful for that.
“Now I feel awful for calling him a grinch.” Heat rose to her cheeks.
“Yeah,” Zoe said, “the rest of the year, Liam’s as bright and sunny as anyone. Life of the party. Always up for a good time. But come December?” She shook her head. “It just guts him.”
“Trauma can do that.” Cassidy frowned. It made sense now, didn’t it? “God, he probably finds me completely annoying.”
She motioned to her outfit: red corduroy overalls and a white-and-red striped tee. She looked like a human candy cane. And honestly, this was one of her tamer looks.
“Girl, no. Please. You are adorable. Not your fault he has Christmas PTSD.”
“I know. I know.” Still, she wondered if maybe—just around Liam—she should tone it down a little. She sighed. “I did think there was something deeper going on. I knew it couldn’t just be that he was cranky about his hamstring.”
“Oh, I’m sure he hates that too. We both ran cross-country in high school. He lives for running. He’s the king of the Jingle Bell 5k. Not being able to do it this year is killing him. Trust me.”
Cassidy nodded. “For the record, this is not where I thought this conversation was going,” she said. “I figured you were about to tell me he had three baby mamas in the tri-city area.”
“What?” Zoe snorted. “No!”
“I’m just saying. He’s got that player energy. Tall, dark, and broody with a tortured soul, chiseled jaw, and dimples even the devil would be jealous of. Who knows how many Little Liams are out there?”
“Oh my God. You have to say that to his face. And I have to be there to watch.”
Cassidy grinned. “Noted.”
She drummed her fingers on the counter, her mind spinning, thinking of Liam and how she could help. “I wish there was something I could do. I know he can’t do the 5k, and he’dprobably hate anything too Christmassy, but… what if we did something outdoors?”
Zoe perked up. “I like where this is going.”
“I don’t know, what if we did a snow hike tomorrow? Nothing too crazy, just get a group together for a winter nature walk in the morning. You know the area. You were just out foraging. Maybe you could help plan the route? Then afterwards, snacks and cocoa, maybe a board game or two at my place? No holiday stuff. Just good company.”
Zoe beamed. “I think that’s a brilliant idea. He’d totally go for it.”
“You really think so?”
“Positive.”
“Alright then. I’ll run across the street in a little bit and float it by him, see what he thinks.”
“Great. I’ll call around and see who else wants to join. What time tomorrow? Ten o’clock?”
