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“I only came in for candles, actually.” Valerie pointed to the shelf behind her, where Clark’s limited supply of them sat. “But none of these scents are what I’m looking for. Do you know of anywhere else in town that sells them?”
Clark knew of a few places, all of which had entire sections devoted to candles, room sprays, and all kinds of things that could help freshen up a space. But he found that he didn’t want to name any of them. He couldn’t put his finger on why, but Clark really wanted her as a customer. Or maybe he just wanted to see her again. Whatever the reason, he was as shocked as everyone else when he opened his mouth and said, “We can order some for you!”
Valerie’s face lit up, an immediate reward for his words.
“Really?” she asked, her eyebrows disappearing as they raised higher into her bangs.
“Absolutely. We have a catalog up by the counter, I can point some out to you.”
Clark pointed in the direction of the check-out counter, and deliberately did not glance at Derek. He could feel his friend staring at him in confusion as Clark and Valerie turned down the aisle and walked away from him. He heard Derek begin murmuring to the dogs that were still panting at his side, but as they got farther and farther away, Clark was unable to make out what he was saying.
When he made it to the counter, he walked behind it and then bent to retrieve one of his catalogs.
“What kind of scent do you want?” he asked, plopping it on the counter and beginning to thumb through the pages.
“Something sweet,” Valerie sighed, as if the thought alone was enough to make her start to relax. “Everything you have on the shelf seems to be some kind of nature scent. Sandalwood, lemongrass, mahogany, that kind of stuff. Don’t get me wrong, they smell great. But I’m looking for something that when it’s lit it makes you think of your grandma’s kitchen while she’s baking your favorite dessert, you know?”
“So you want something cozy?” Clark asked, finally finding the first page that the candles were listed on.
“Exactly.” She nodded excitedly.
He turned the catalog toward her, pointing toward the paper. “They start here and go on for a few pages. They have the name of the candle listed in bold and then the description of what scents are actually mixed together right underneath it.”
Valerie murmured her appreciation as she began to look everything over, muttering things to herself like, “Ooh, blackberry cobbler,” or “Apple streusel, yum,” as she went. In the middle of it, she glanced up at him, her eyes bright.
“How long do they usually take to come in?” she asked.
“Usually, they take about two to three weeks, depending on the item and the warehouse,” Clark answered. But when her face immediately began to fall, he quickly amended, “But I can do a rush order as soon as you let me know which ones you want. Typically, that means they’d be here in five to seven days.”
“Oh, you can do that?” she asked, the grin returning to her lovely lips.
Clark nodded, a lie slipping off his tongue easily. “Sure can. I do it all the time.”
“Okay, then.” She turned her attention back to the catalog and began pointing at the ones she wanted.
She read off their names and he typed them into the computer at the desk, filling out the ordering form as he went along. Not once did he mention that ordering them in as an express shipment would cost him more than what was listed on the page. He didn’t need to, not when he had already decided not to charge her for any of the shipping.
“And I think that about does it,” Valerie said after naming the final candle in her order of nine. “It might be overkill. But I like having options.”
“You don’t have to explain yourself to me,” he responded, giving her what he hoped was a soft smile.
“Well, then I’ll just say thank you.”
She grinned back at him, and it was a sight that sent his heart hammering so loudly that he thought for sure she’d be able to hear it as he pressed submit on the order.
“I’ll let you know when they come in, but it should only be a few days. Where in town are you staying?”
“The Warm and Bright Hotel,” she answered, and Clark nodded.
“I’ll call there when they come in. I know Evelyn well. Actually, I know the entire staff pretty well. So they’ll make sure you get the message.”
He wanted to ask her a question, maybe even a hundred of them. Curiosity surrounding how a movie star found herself in Snowy Pine Ridge wanting to buy candles threatened to overwhelm him, but he diligently fought it off. Clark hadn’t forgotten how nervous she had seemed when Derek had begun talking about Lacy being a fan. And he didn’t want to be another name on what he could only assume was a long list of people who didn’t respect her privacy. Because for the most part, when people found themselves in this town, it wasn’t because they wanted to be noticed. It was because they wanted a retreat.
“That sounds lovely.” She flashed him another award-winning smile before giving him a small wave as she turned toward the door. Right before she pushed it open, she threw a quick glance over her shoulder as she added, “Thanks again.”
Clark nodded as she pushed open the large glass door. A blast of winter air swept into the building, making goose bumps erupt over his skin before it snapped closed. He stayed rooted to the spot, watching out the windows at the front of the shop as she wrapped her coat even more tightly around her and began walking down the street in the direction of the hotel she’d mentioned staying at.
A few, silent moments went by, filled only with the panting noises of content huskies. Clark barely even noticed that the huffing noises of their breaths grew louder as Derek approached, the dogs following after him loyally. He didn’t look up as his friend came to stand beside him, still staring out the window long after Valerie had disappeared from view. Finally, Clark was interrupted from his vigil by the sound of Derek clearing his throat. He jerked slightly, turning to look at the other man.
