AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Maybe she wouldn’t find out. The thought whispered through his mind.
Maybe he could get in and out of town and she’d never know. There was no reason why they couldn’t have a nice dinner, catch up on his life in Denver, her life here, and then say their goodbyes and call it a day. It was crazy to think they could have a do-over. Especially with him living in Denver. Now that he was back, he knew he could never move back here.
This small town was his past, and she was just a part of that.
He got in his dad’s truck and drove to his parents’ house. A few years after he moved to Denver, his dad retired and his parents moved to a newer development down by the river and opened up the coffee shop. The same one Roni and her friends were complaining about when he’d walked into her shop.
Surely, she couldn’t expect to be the only coffee shop in town.
Competition was good.
It was healthy.
And his parents loved Frankie’s. Not one to sit back and do nothing during retirement, Dad opened the business and enjoyed having something he and Mom could do together. They were having a great time running it, coming up with new coffee concoctions and flavors. His mom started baking morning pastries, but then his dad got sick.
He had needed a triple bypass. They were lucky. He made it through surgery and with a few life changes and a lot of physical therapy, he should be able to go back to living his life the way he wanted to. Jimmy had come back for the surgery and to be there to help out in any way he could. But it was going to be a long time before his dad could go back to working at the coffee shop.
Jimmy had planned to stay the month, but it might be even longer. He would not be able to avoid running into Roni. He just didn’t know what he should tell her. First, he had to figure out what he wanted. He’d do anything for his parents, and other than his artwork displayed at a local gallery, he didn’t have anything keeping him in Denver.
Though Pineville was the last place he wanted to be.
It seemed so different than he remembered, so small. Not only that, but Pineville had turned into the Christmas capital of New England. If he never heard another Christmas carol again, it would be too soon. He shook his head as he drove down one street after another where every house was lit up with bright lights and various glowing Santas and reindeer.
His phone rang. He stared down at the display. Mountain View Galleries. His chest tightened as he answered the line. “Hello.”
“Hey, Jimmy, this is Gerald. How are you?”
“Good, Gerald, thanks. How about you? How’s the gallery doing?” They’d both hoped the season would bring in more customers for them both.
“Not as good as we hoped. Traffic has increased, but they aren’t buying. Landscapes aren’t selling like they used to. I’ve been getting a lot of requests for farm animals.”
“Farm animals,” Jimmy repeated dryly.
“Yeah. Anyway, can you add some horses or cows to the paintings we already have here in the shop? Or maybe even add something for the season?”
“Ugh…” Jimmy didn’t even know how to respond to that.
“If not, I have another artist I’ve been working with and he has more work I’d like to display. His stuff is a lot more commercial and easier to sell. He has several Christmas pieces that are selling and frankly, keeping me afloat. I’m sure you understand.”
The bottom dropped from Jimmy’s stomach. “Yes, of course, I understand. It’s the season, and people are more interested in swapping out their pieces to fit their decor than owning true art these days.” The words tasted bitter in Jimmy’s throat.
“It’s a sad fact, but it’s true,” Gerald said.
“I’ve had to return to my hometown for a few weeks until after the holidays. Can you ship the pieces to my house here? I’ll see what I can do.”
“Sure, Jimmy. I really appreciate it. I hate the idea of having to cut you loose. You’re a real talent.”
“Thanks, Gerald. I understand.” Jimmy disconnected the line as he pulled in front of his parents’ house and cut the engine. He watched the snow fall onto the windshield for a long moment. Christmas was determined to completely mess up every aspect of his life.
He stared at the front of his house and the huge Christmas tree sitting in his front window and thought once more of Roni. For better or worse, she would always be associated with Christmas in his mind.
He took a deep breath, got out of the truck, and walked toward the house. It had been his mom’s idea to have the tree trimming event at the coffee shop to drum up more business. He was certain she hadn’t a clue about the Caroling Kickoff. Why would she? She didn’t go downtown much anymore. Not since moving to one of the new housing developments down by the river.
He opened the front door, hoping to ease inside and up the stairs. The last thing he wanted to talk about was his career troubles. Or his trouble with Roni. He and Roni weren’t kids any longer. They were adults. Adults who should be able to talk to one another and be honest.
But he hadn’t. Tonight, he ran away like he had as a teen, and he was ashamed of himself. He was better than that. He would go by her place after work tomorrow and tell her everything. He owed her that.
The Christmas bell hanging on the doorknob jingled as he walked in. He froze, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. What was it about bells on doors at Christmas?
