AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Once inside, Jackson removed his jacket and boots in an almost robotic manner. It was as if his mind was wrestling with his thoughts. The embers from the fireplace cast him in a glow. The smell from the burning wood would usually soothe Amanda, but it only accentuated her loneliness tonight.
Jackson spoke, breaking the silence that had trailed them into the cabin. "I don't know what they will think of me now. I should have listened to you about the lights." An uncertain tremor replaced his confident tone. The people he spoke of, the folks in Aspen Cove, had, until this mishap, been welcoming. The prospect of losing their acceptance was visibly eating at him. “I messed up," he admitted, the words seeming to leave an awful taste in his mouth as he spat them out. "Finally, I belonged somewhere ... with them, with you. And now, I've ruined everything by ruining Christmas and Thanksgiving by association."
Amanda, filled with empathy, crossed the room to him. She held his cold hands in hers, trying to warm them, to reassure him. "Jackson," she began, her voice full of tenderness, "you're not the Grinch who stole Christmas. The residents of Aspen Cove donated those lights, and one strand was bad. It was a collective effort, so the responsibility is shared too. This isn’t on you. Your heart was in the right place."
She truly believed in the community spirit. If anyone could understand a mistake born from good intentions, it would be them. She hoped her words would kindle the same belief in Jackson, however, she knew that her warning about the lights would be all he remembered.
Despite Amanda's reassurances, Jackson's guilt remained like a heavy shadow across his face. He met her eyes with an expression mingling thankfulness and sorrow. "I appreciate what you're trying to do," he whispered. "But I just ... I need some time to think. I need to figure out what I’m going to do."
He kissed her forehead before retreating to his room, with Gunner following close behind. The echo of the door closing reverberated through the cabin. Alone in the silence, she recognized that Jackson's guilt prevented him from seeing the compassion and understanding the people would have for him.
She realized then that words, however comforting, wouldn't alleviate Jackson's guilt. Action was required. As she sat by the dying fire, she was consumed by thoughts of how she could help him realize that he wasn't responsible and that they could restore the holiday spirit. If she didn’t, there was a chance that she’d lose him.
The first blush of morning found Amanda pulling on her coat, ready to venture into town. When she peeked inside his door, Jackson was still asleep, his face drawn into a tight mask that showed the unrest plaguing him. She wanted to be there for him, but the conversation last night had made one thing clear: words, normally her superpower, were not enough. She had to demonstrate the kindness and compassion that she wanted the people of Aspen Cove to show.
Closing the door, she stepped into the cold morning air and took a moment to look at the perfect tree standing tall in her yard. Under the first light of morning, it held a mystic aura, its branches heavy with snow, gleaming with a sprinkling of frost.
* * *
The town was comingto life as she reached Main Street. Looking over her shoulder toward the town square, she could see the charred remains of the second-prettiest tree ever.
She glanced around and saw that the pharmacy light was on, meaning Doc had to be up. She hoped he was ready for her. Known for his wit and wisdom, she walked inside, hoping to get some advice, but she found Agatha at the register.
“Welcome in. Are you looking for something in particular?”
Amanda nodded. “I need advice.”
Agatha smiled. “If it’s love advice, I’m probably your girl. You'll have to speak to Doc if it’s how to get rid of a rash in your nether regions.”
“No rash. It’s about a man but not a love problem.”
Agatha knitted her brows together. “When the topic is a man, it typically pertains to love.”
She hadn’t considered love, yet that was the undeniable truth. She certainly had a problem. She was in love with Jackson Knight, and if he left Aspen Cove, he’d take his love with him, and she’d be left with a broken heart. “You’re right, I love him, but our love isn’t the problem. It’s the whole tree-lighting debacle, and I need some advice.”
Agatha shook her head. “I know nothing about trees.”
Before Amanda could say it wasn’t about the tree, Agatha walked over to the stairs and called for Doc to come down. After several minutes, aclump, clumpsound announced Doc Parker's arrival. When he reached the bottom step, he pointed to the office down the hall.
She walked in front of him, not knowing where to go, but she found only one door open and walked inside.
Doc took his stethoscope from the counter and wrapped it around the back of his neck.
“What ails you today?” He nodded to the exam table.
Rather than argue, she climbed up. “It’s not medical. I need advice on how to cheer up Jackson.”
Doc rolled his eyes. “You two having a spat already?”
“No, it’s not us. You were there last night and saw what happened.”
Doc chuckled. “Best town bonfire since Riley set fire to the Guild Creative Center and Samantha’s agent burned her house to the ground.”
Amanda’s eyes went wide. “What?”
“Yep, you newcomers bring a lot of excitement.”
“I haven’t burned anything down.”
