Page 8 of Cozy Little Christmas

“Hey, you,” she answered. “What’s up? How’s my favorite florist?”

Her sister ran the best flower shop in town, Evergreen & Ivy.

Holly sighed. “Don’t ask. Everyone in town suddenly remembered they need centerpieces for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I’ve had to turn away a half-dozen orders because we just don’t have the time to put them together.”

“I wish I could come help you but my day is completely packed. I’m sorry.”

“That’s not why I called, I promise. I know your schedule is crazy too, especially this time of year as you get ready for your concert.”

She loved the benefit holiday concert she had been organizing for the past five years. It combined two things she loved, music and the chance to help people.

This year would be even more special as they would not only be helping the local food bank but also fundraising to help Morgan.

When she first graduated from college with her musical therapy degree and received her board certification, she had been thrilled to find a job working for a large hospital chain in Boise.

The work had been everything she expected—rewarding, meaningful, fun.

She might have stayed there indefinitely but she found that even with the painful memories in Shelter Springs, she missed her family and friends.

When the opportunity arose a few years out of college to enter into a partnership with her mentor, who owned her own independent music therapy practice, Hannah had jumped at the chance. Ruth Turner decided to retire two years ago and Hannah had been thrilled to buy out her partner.

Now that she had settled into the business, she really needed to think about taking on a partner of her own.

Hannah turned her attention back to her sister. “You have enough going on yourself. We’ll be fine. People who don’t get the flowers they want will have to think ahead next time.”

“Right,” Holly said. “That’s actually not why I called. I need to give you a warning.”

“Oh?” With a vague sense of foreboding, she gave a quick wave to a couple of her friends who were heading into the school. “What’s up?”

Holly hesitated, which wasn’t at all like her. Finally she spoke. “I heard a rumor that Wes Kenner might be coming back to town.”

Was she so pathetically fragile that everyone who loved her felt compelled to warn her about Wes?

Yeah. Probably. At least when it came to him.

“It’s not a rumor. It’s fact. I talked to him Monday at the Shelter Inn when he was there visiting his grandfather.”

“You saw him two days ago and you haven’t bothered to tell me?”

The outrage in her sister’s voice made her smile. She decided not to mention to Holly that she had also seen him walking with his dog fifteen minutes earlier.

“I’m sorry. I haven’t had the chance. You’re busy, I’m busy. Neither of us has time to discuss something that is completely irrelevant to our lives right now.”

“Hannah. Don’t be stupid. Wes Kenner finally coming back to town after all these years isn’t irrelevant. It’s big news.”

“Why? He’s a virtual stranger. Two days ago was the first time I’ve spoken with him in twelve years.”

She also didn’t mention that she had dreamed about him two nights in a row or that she was considering driving far out of her way to avoid passing the house where he was staying.

“He broke your heart, Han,” Holly said, her voice subdued. “I’m not sure you’ve ever really gotten over the man.”

“Wes and I broke up a long time ago. I’m a different person than I was then. He means nothing to me now.”

Holly’s silence clearly conveyed her skepticism.

“He doesn’t,” Hannah insisted.

When Holly still said nothing, Hannah sighed. Her twin knew her entirely too well.