Saturday, December 6th
Later that night, Cassidy’s brother, Julian, wouldn’t stop calling her. She was curled up in her flannel pajamas on her couch with a bowl of creamy chicken and dumplings when she finally answered on the third ring.
“Is everything okay?” she asked, tucking a fleece blanket around her while Muff jumped up and made herself cozy behind her knees.
“Everything’s fine here. It’s you we’re worried about.” In the background, she heard Miles call out a cheerful, “Hi!”
“Why? I told you everything is fine,” Cassidy said—and this time, she meant it.
“Sure, that’s what you said, but I wasn’t convinced.”
“I was just nervous. But my week took a turn for the better. I’ve spent time with some friends, met dozens of new customers… I’ve really started to feel like part of the community.”
“Well, that’s a relief. It’s nothing like New York or Paris, is it?”
“It’s not. But that’s a good thing. The people are so kind, the shop and cocoa café pop-up are thriving… and there’s a guy…”
She closed her eyes and sighed, wondering why she felt the need to tell her brother about Liam. But she did. Growing up, they’d only had each other and Grand-maman. They’d looked out for each other. Things had shifted a bit after Julian started dating Miles and then got married. But he was still her best friend.
“A guy, huh? Is he cute?”
“Hey now!” Miles called in the background.
“He’s basically a sexy lumberjack… well, a farmer really. Broad shoulders, beard, rough hands,” Cassidy said, just to give her brother a hard time.
“Shut the frick up. Maybe we will come to Maple Falls,” Julian said with a laugh.
“Sorry to say, but I’m pretty sure he’s just into girls, but you never know…” she teased. “Anyway, we’re just friends. I’m trying to focus on the shop, and you know I made that ‘no men until the new year’ vow. But Liam did help me on Tuesday when I had an allergic reaction.”
The men both sucked in a breath.
“I was trying to help set up the town Christmas tree, and I totally forgot how much Norway spruces make me itch.” She downplayed the reaction, not wanting to worry them any further.
“How do you forget that?” Miles asked.
“Because this man makes me scatterbrained! I don’t know how to describe it. But here’s the thing, he kinda hates Christmas.”
Another gasp. “Hates Christmas?” Julian said. “Oh honey, you can’t date a grinch.”
“I guess he’s not a full-on grinch. Not year-round, anyway. It’s just… his girlfriend died at Christmas a few years ago. And it’s really messed him up.”
The line went quiet for a moment.
“Well, that’s just horrible,” Julian said gently.
“Poor guy,” Miles added.
Cassidy thought back to how she’d toned down her holiday outfit earlier. She just hadn’t wanted to push Christmas on someone who clearly struggled with the season.
“I don’t know… maybe I am a bit over-the-top with all the Christmas stuff.”
“You shut your mouth,” Julian said. “You better not change who you are just because this man has unresolved issues.”
Julian sounded an awful lot like Zoe.
“Listen to your brother,” Miles chimed in. “Don’t let his walls make you think you have to shrink yourself. You’ve already played that game.”
Cassidy sighed, tugging at the corner of her blanket. “I know I shouldn’t. I know who I am, and I like that person. Or now I do, anyway. But… I guess part of me just wanted to help him. Make it easier. Even though I know I can’t.”
