Page 6 of A Fall to Remember

But now everything felt overbearing, like the layer of granite clouds was squeezing the very air from her chest and blanketing her body in an unshakable doom.

She hadn’t always been this way.

She used to be fun.

She used to love her job, travel, and all the perks that came with it.

And then her world had come crashing down. Her parents’ divorce. Her dad bankrupted the family, leaving her mom alone and with nothing. Their life savings gone. Her childhood home was in danger of being repossessed. Her sister’s college tuition was looming. The creditors were calling nonstop.

Now it was up to her.

If she couldn’t come up with enough money soon, her mom would be homeless, and her sister would have to drop out of school and get a job just to afford rent and groceries.

She refused to take her foot off the gas. She’d been slowly climbing the ranks at Voyager, and she had no intention of stopping now. She was just a few steps away from being named the youngest president in company history. She wanted that promotion, and she needed the pay raise that came with it. Then she had her sights set on eventually running the company and maybe even starting her own.

And now she was stuck going to Half Moon Bay, some tiny coastal town in Northern California, because her bosses had eaten up Jim’s latest pitch like it was Halloween candy. He was a sweet guy. Under different circumstances, Shelby might have enjoyed working with him. No, that wasn’t fair. She did enjoy working with him. But they were at polar opposite points in their career. Jim was in his early fifties. He claimed that he was content in his current role and not looking for a promotion. Well, at least that’s what he kept saying, but Shelby wasn’t as convinced. He was a long way from retirement, and who didn’t want more seniority? Shelby couldn’t help shake the feeling that he was making a secret ploy behind her back to get the promotion himself.

She scowled as she reached for her hot cocoa and spiced glaze donut, a splurge on her way into the office this morning. She needed sustenance in the form of sugar today.

Shelby had grand visions for her trajectory. First, and most importantly, land the promotion that came with a significant pay raise and bonus next week. She’d already interviewed for the new role and was one of two final candidates. Nadine Hendricks, the head of brand strategy, wanted to use her next assignment as testing grounds, her words, not Shelby’s. Nadine called it a working interview. She wanted hard numbers and stats and a unique campaign designed to draw in a slightly older demographic than most of Shelby’s other influencer partners. No problem. She could do that. She had to do that.

After she secured the promotion, her goal was to make VP. Then leverage that to run the company or negotiate a CEO position elsewhere. She’d been building strong relationships with their advertising partners. It was not out of the realm of possibility that by the time she turned thirty, she’d be running a major corporation.

But for the moment, she had to focus on step one. Get the gig. That would take care of her financial worries.

Wipe out her student debt.

Allow her mom to keep the house.

Put the ugliness of her dad’s mistakes behind her for good.

She blew out a long breath and rested her chin in her hands, staring at the storm clouds outside. When everything in the broader world that she couldn’t control felt like it was closing in and suffocating her, she could tap into the most recent trick her therapist had suggested—focus small. Control what you can control.

“Stretch out your arm with me, Shelby,” her therapist had suggested last week in her calming office with its pretty pale green walls, potted plants, and soft lighting. “I want you to consider everything within your arm’s reach. That’s your sphere of influence. That’s what you can control.”

Shelby had been taking her therapist’s advice almost literally. There was one person within her arm’s reach—Jim Cole. She could control how much leverage he had on this assignment, and if it were up to her, that would be very little. They had very different visions for Miranda Brown’s campaign. Jim was sold on showcasing Miranda as accident-prone with the perfect touch of comic charm, which he was convinced would resonate with their target audience. Shelby disagreed. Her goal was to present a polished, professional version of their new influencer and highlight the stunning coast of Half Moon Bay. The picturesque town was incredibly photogenic. She’d scoured the internet and was already mesmerized by the golden glow of autumnal sunlight shimmering on the aqua waters and the charming shops downtown. No, they didn’t need to resort to gimmicks. This trip could cement her future at Voyager Travel, and she wasn’t going to let Jim get in her way.

6

MIRANDA

Miranda loved the quiet mornings at the Green Grocer, before she opened the corner shop for the day. She savored her coffee as she went through her routine, feeling an eager buzz of anticipation. Today was the day—the team from Voyager Travel was arriving.

Pinch me, please.

She shook her head and tried to focus, starting at the coffee and deli counter, then turning on the twinkly amber and gold lights hanging from the exposed-beam ceiling. The display cases were filled to the brim with a bevy of fall treats—marzipans shaped like ears of corn, pumpkins, sunflowers, and leaves, jewel-toned chocolates filled with maple cream and caramel, and frosted oversized gingerbread cookies. She always stocked up for Fall Harvest Fest weekend, but she’d gone all out. In fact, maybe she’d gone overboard.

But, no, the throngs of fall tourists had already begun filling up the local rental cottages and beach bungalows. Miranda could spot them right away. Main Street was suddenly brimming with cowboy hats, boots, and overalls. Families in matching plaid and flannel from head to toe, posing in front of the pumpkin arch. Groups of women in town for a friends getaway. They tended to dress in varying shades of brown with knee-high boots and colorful blanket scarves. And happy couples, who wandered along the tree-lined sidewalks, strolling together and stopping at the family-owned shops, galleries, and restaurants for some shopping or a bite to eat in between the festivities.

She thought again about her own love life, or lack thereof. Until recently, she hadn’t had time to even consider that she might be missing out. When she discovered she was pregnant with Pete after a one-night stand, her entire life was turned upside down. Suddenly, she was hit with endless responsibilities—a newborn, running the grocery store, family dynamics, and so much more. Not that she regretted her unexpected life path. Quite the opposite. Pete was the best thing that had ever happened to her, and she was deeply grateful for her community and friends in Half Moon Bay.

She’d gone on a few dates every now and then, but let’s face it, the small seaside town wasn’t exactly booming with eligible bachelors. Elise had been begging her to set up an online dating profile. Miranda had resisted. Elise was probably deflecting anyway. She’d gone through a serious breakup right after college and found her way home to Half Moon Bay. Miranda was over the moon to have Elise back, but like with Pete, she just hoped her niece wasn’t hiding out. Elise liked to joke that it was perfect because she could always be Miranda’s plus one. “Don’t worry, Aunt Mimi, now that I’m home, I’ll always be your movie date.” Miranda loved the company—binge-watching Gilmore Girls and Bridgerton with snacks and wine. She also wanted her son and beloved niece, to find their own happiness, whether it was here or somewhere far away.

But maybe Elise was right. Maybe it was time to take a bigger risk and put herself out there.

She brushed off the wistful thoughts as she straightened the floral display and set out Fall Harvest Fest brochures for people to grab at the checkout counter. Miranda planned year-round for this weekend. She added all the extra touches to make the Green Grocer feel like someplace special. It was to her, and she wanted everyone who stepped through the cranberry-red front door to be transported back to a slower place and time. She’d ordered an assortment of imported cheeses and meats, which were wrapped in butcher paper and tied with twine. Apple tarts, maple-pecan scones, and pumpkin-cream cheese muffins were arranged on vintage cake stands atop the glass counter. Instead of simply selling spiced nuts and candy in their original packaging, she had transferred them into miniature canning jars and clear cellophane bags adorned with shiny bronze and peach ribbons and handwritten gift tags.

The small dining area was decked out with more fall décor—pumpkins, gourds, and stunning sunflower centerpieces on each of the tables. And the rest of the grocery section was a sensory delight with locally produced jams, jellies, chutneys, and salsa, glossy loaves of bread from the bakery three doors down, and a gift section with treasures and trinkets for kids and adults. Elise had outdone herself with the seasonal floral display. She’d carved miniature pumpkins and filled them with succulents, dried herbs, and flowers, and arranged bright bunches of dahlias, hydrangeas, berries, and branches in sweet vases and mason jars.