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Stephanie was glad to be off the hook.She really did want to look around, perhaps buy a few gifts for her family."Thanks, I will, if you don't mind?"
"Have fun."Ally hooked her arm with Tom, and they chose chairs in front of their friends.
A gust of wind brought a chill.Stephanie pulled her wool hat down to cover her ears and stuck her hands inside her ski jacket.The crowd had doubled in size in the past fifteen minutes.It was impossible to feel alone as she strolled along the paths, watching friends and neighbors converse and laugh.
Steph was checking out a vendor selling jewelry, her mother’s gift in mind, when someone bumped into her.She glanced up to see the town dentist. "David, hi.Have you been at the festival long?"
"A half hour or so.Hoped I might see you, and here you are."His eyes never left her face, and for some reason she felt like a bug under a microscope.
She shivered then laughed at herself.Why the aversion?He was a nice man.A good dentist.
"Who are you buying for?"David edged closer to examine the rows of inexpensive jewelry.He pointed to a necklace in the second row with a turquoise stone and a slim silver chain."That would be nice on you."
"I'm looking for something my mother might like.She's not really into anything fancy."Raising kids, managing their acre property, meant simple pleasures.
"Okay, if you're not going to buy it, I will.I know just the right person who'd love that kind of thing."David pointed the necklace out to the middle-aged woman minding the booth.Dressed sensibly in jeans and a bulky knee-length coat with a plaid scarf wrapped around her neck, the craftswoman withdrew the necklace for him to check out.
Perfect time to make her escape."Nice seeing you, David, but I'm going to move along.Have a few items to buy."
He glanced her way."I'll only be a minute."
"I prefer shopping alone.”She smiled to take the edge off her words, but with her newly found freedom she had to be true to her own feelings.“I can focus better."
His expression soured."Oh.Whatever.Sure."
She had only taken a few steps when she sucked in a breath.Broad back, light brown hair under a black wool hat, the profile of his face.Her heart beat faster.Jason.Had he come looking for her?Couldn't he take no for an answer?
He was in line to buy a hot chocolate and took a glance around.Their eyes met and her heart stuttered.She wanted to look away, to be free of the hold he had on her, but her feet were frozen.The magnetic pull was just as strong as it always had been and somehow, she needed to cut that cord.
The young woman behind the booth handed him the hot chocolate and he fumbled with his wallet while attempting to hold her gaze.Knowing she had an instant to flee, she ducked behind a tall couple walking hand in hand.
She peeked back and saw Jason standing on the footpath, cup in hand, searching for her.She hunched her shoulders, hoping to lose herself in the crowd.
Why was her heart doing a pitter-patter inside her chest?Another question begged to be answered: Why was Jason here instead of at home?
They came to a fork in the path; the couple went one way, and she chose the other, hurrying in case Jason found her.She slowed when she believed she'd escaped.
Breathing deeply, she chastised herself.She'd reacted to the sight of him as if he were a serial rapist and she the victim.What was wrong with her?As Jason said, why could they not be friends?Wouldn't it be more sensible than going out of her way to avoid him?
She calmed down enough to begin looking in earnest for her family’s gifts.
At one of the stalls, she found a pretty lime-green shawl for her mother and a blue one for herself.Across the path was another booth selling ties.Some were very nice; others were gaudy and awful.Perfect for what she had in mind.
She chose one with a reindeer holding the reins of the sleigh instead of Santa, and the other had a Santa stuck in the chimney.Her brothers would hate them, but they'd suck it up and wear them on Christmas day just the same.The wives were already taken care of and her dad, who'd recovered from his knee replacement a few years back, would enjoy a new outdoor grill.It would be delivered on Christmas Eve.
Jessica longed for a car, but her parents were being overly protective and thought it may be too hard for her to manage.Little did anyone know that Stephanie had a plan.A very good one.By mid summer, she'd have two more books published, tickets to Paris in her hands, and enough money to last a year.Before the great escape, she'd go home for a visit.Her car would have been checked out thoroughly, detailed inside and out, then she'd present it to her sister as a going away surprise.
For Christmas, Jessica was getting a karaoke machine because the family loved to sing and dance.
"Stephanie?"
Jason.
How had he found her?Why did he bother to try?She sucked in a deep breath then glanced up and met his dreamy blue eyes."Why are you following me?"
"I had no idea you'd be here, but when I left the bookstore, I saw the signs promoting this festival tonight.Couldn't very well miss a holiday in Harmony, could I?"
She had no answer for that."Why aren’t you working?Saving someone's life?"
