“What’s that?” Bev asked, hovering behind me.
“Nothing.” I closed out of the email, but I feared she might have already read the highlights. “Um, my boss hired a replacement for me and wanted me to let you know.” Despite my desire to keep this quiet until I could figure out a way to talk about it with Giles, my duty to do my job was still too strong. I had to tell Bev.
She gave me a disapproving look. I gazed down at my cast, not wanting to meet her eyes.
“You sure you want to get out of here so soon?”
“Not really,” I whispered.
“Then you should probably figure something out.”
“But…” I hesitated. Bev raised her eyebrows and leaned against the desk, waiting for me to go on. “Giles and I…we aren’t anything. Not really. This whole thing between us just started.” I cringed at how unprofessional I sounded, but right now, I just needed advice from the aunt of the guy I really, really liked. “How can I stay just for him? Wouldn’t that come across as desperate?”
She sighed. “It’s not my place to tell you what to do. But what I can tell you is that the spark in Giles’s eyes was completely dead up until you came into this town. Maybe you two did just start dating, or whatever it is you kids call it these days. But you’ll never know what it could become if you don’t stick around and find out. Every forever has a beginning. What if this is yours?”
My heart swelled at the thought.
I thanked her for the advice, and she patted me on the shoulder before leaving me alone at the front desk. Pondering her words, I thought about the best way to handle the situation. One thing was for sure, leaving did not feel like a viable option.
* * *
“Alright, just a little bit further.”Giles’s arms were around my waist as I took another careful step forward.
He had insisted on blindfolding me as we exited his house. Apparently, there was some big surprise he wanted to show me.
“Giles, this is silly. I’m going to fall and break my neck.”
“I’ve got you,” he insisted, squeezing my waist. “Okay, you can take it off.”
I kept one hand on my crutches and used the other to remove the makeshift blindfold he had fashioned out of a shirt.
“Oh my god!” I squealed with delight. In front of the house was a small ornate carriage being pulled by two white horses. “This isjustlike the movies.”
“I figured you would say that.” He was grinning from ear to ear at my delight.
He grabbed the crutches from me and put them into the carriage before helping me into the seat. There was already a fleece blanket awaiting us. He tucked me in carefully before cozying up next to me and slinging his arm around my shoulders.
“Okay, Dave,” he said to the older man sitting in the driver’s seat of the carriage. “Can you take the scenic route?”
“You got it, Giles.”
“Is that the bartender from the Ridge?” I whispered.
“It’s his side hustle in the winter.” Giles winked at me.
Snow was falling softly onto the ground, and the night was lit brightly by the moon.
“This is beautiful. Thank you so much.” I kissed Giles's cheek before he turned his face and kissed me back squarely on the mouth.
“I wanted to make sure you weren’t too homesick for Thanksgiving. Plus, you should have at least a few fond memories of snow,” he teased.
“I like snow.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Because it’s treated you so well since you’ve been here?”
“It hasn’t been so bad. The storm causing the power outage worked out in my favor.”
“Mine too.” He smiled.
