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Melissa hands me a small, long velvet box with a bow on it. I untie the bow and open it up to reveal a gorgeous necklace with a silver moon and a gold star charm. It’s perfect. I never thought I’d be a jewelry girl, but this necklace is now my favorite thing I own.
I lift it out of the box and grasp the two little charms between my thumb and forefinger as if they contain magic. I'm pretty sure they do. If I wasn't already crazy about Walker, this would have done it.
There’s a note folded up inside the box with my name written on the front.
Pixie,
I couldn’t sleep last night knowing you and your sister didn’t have proper winter gear. I hope I’m not overstepping. It’s crazy, but I have this need to take care of you.
He signed it with his name and number at the bottom. I can’t help but smile like a dork.
“Are you going to tell me about whoever dropped a fortune on coats and boots and a necklace?” Melissa asks with a knowing look on her face.
“Walker Evans,” I say with a smile. There’s no use hiding it from my sister. Not that I want to.
Melissa starts to say something, but then Carson starts crying. “Shoot. I want to hear everything about this Walker person, but I have to get Carson ready for his first day at daycare.”
“I can get Carson. You go on and finish getting ready for the day.”
Melissa gives me a grateful smile before heading off to the bathroom to put her makeup on. I go into Carson’s room and pick him up, rocking the crying baby back and forth. We go out to the kitchen where I get his bottle ready, thinking about Walker the whole time.
I can’t believe he got us all that stuff. And he even had it wrapped. Could this guy be any more perfect? Walker is generous, protective, sweet when he wants to be, and so,soincredibly sexy. Great. Now I’m thinking aboutanotherpackage I’d like to unwrap.
* * *
I droppedMelissa and Carson off at their respective destinations and then went home to clean our little cottage and hopefully give my sister a festive surprise when she comes home. It’s three weeks until Christmas, but we have nothing to show for it.
My goal for today is to get a Christmas tree. We don’t have the money for a big tree, but now that the three of us have warm winter clothes, there’s a bit more wiggle room in the budget. Besides, I think this is a worthy cause. Melissa is starting to smile a bit more, and I want to keep that going.
Before selecting the perfect tree, I decide to stop by the Snow Angel Diner to pick up my uniform for my first day of work, which is in just a few days. I’m not at all surprised to see none other than Mabel Thatcher. She’s giggling like a schoolgirl with a couple of older ladies at a booth right up front.
“Indie! Indie, dear, come meet my best friends and the worst gossips in town,” she calls out to me.
"Worst gossips? How dare you!" the woman across the table from her exclaims. The three women burst out into laughter once more. We make introductions and I ask them where the nearest tree farm is located. They chat about the best ones versus the cheapest ones and finally land on one that will get me a small, but quality tree for just the right price.
As I hop into our ancient Honda and pull out onto the street, my mind drifts toward Walker. It's becoming a real problem. I thought all morning about calling him, but couldn't bring myself to do it. I must have typed out a dozen texts, only to delete them all. "Thank you" doesn't seem nearly sufficient for all the trouble he went to for us – and he doesn't even know my sister or Carson. Who does that?
And then there was that kiss. Holy freaking cow. I don’t have much experience with guys, but I had no idea I was capable of feeling the way Walker made me feel. Now I want it all the time. I want more. I think...I think I want it all with him.
I’m sure it doesn’t make sense to anyone else, but I know what I know, and I feel what I feel. I’ve always been that way, for better or worse. I’m used to people dismissing my gut feelings or not taking me seriously when I say the universe talks to me.
Not Walker, though. No, Walker absorbed everything I said on our impromptu hot chocolate date. What's even more incredible is that he seemed to actually consider what I was saying. He asked thoughtful questions, even though I know his worldview is incredibly different than my own.
“Woah,” I squeak out as the car fishtails a little bit before correcting itself. I’m still not used to driving on snow and ice, but I’m determined to make it to my destination.
The car jerks to the right suddenly, making me squeeze the wheel and swerve to the left. I blow out a calming breath when the car aligns with the center of the road again, but my relief is short lived. I must have overcorrected, because the car keeps turning to the left, spinning out of control.
“Shit, shit, shit,” I mutter to myself. “Come on, karma. Do me a solid.”
The world spins around me and then comes to a jarring stop. It's over as quickly as it began. I'm shaking from head to toe, but I'm okay. Looking out of the windshield – which now has a huge crack down the middle – all I see is white. I turn to look out of the driver's side window, wincing a bit at the sore muscles in my neck.
It looks like the car landed in a snowbank on the opposite side of the road. I say a silent thanks to the universe that I didn’t hit anyone and that the accident wasn’t worse. Now that the immediate danger is over, the adrenaline pumping through my body drains, leaving me tense and trembling.
“I’m okay. I’m okay. I’m okay,” I repeat to myself over and over. The thick, heavy fear enveloping my body and mind lifts just enough for me to decide what to do next. I can’t call Melissa. Since I just wrecked our only car, she doesn’t have a way to get to me. No, calling her now would only make her worry. That’s the last thing I want.
There’s only one other person I can call, though I hesitate to bother him at work. It’s bad enough that Walker witnessed what a hot mess I was yesterday, wandering around without a coat, key, or phone. What would he think of me now? I guess it doesn’t matter. I’m out of options. I just hope he doesn’t think I’m a stupid, irresponsible kid. I don’t know if my heart could handle that coming from him.
I rummage around the car, looking for my phone. It's not on the seat or the floor. It's not under the seat or wedged into the console. It's not in the glove box or backseat, either.
