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Wandering down Main Street, I stomped passed several stores – two of which had for sale signs posted in the windows and another had a help wanted sign. Another advertised an upcoming Christmas workshop making Grinch Trees which sounded like fun. Mentally, I added it to my calendar until I stopped outside the Meeples & Magic game store, sending my focus up the brick building to the level above where a light shone through the patio window. Was that his place? Or the darkened room beside it?
Did I dare knock or buzz, assuming I could locate the door? The lone door on the front had a closed sign hanging underneath their logo, and there was no way I was walking through a darkened alleyway to locate a back door.
Rather than do anything productive, I paced back and forth, wearing out a path through the fluffy snow in front of the store, with a baited hope Carter would come to the window, see me, come to his senses, and rush right down to talk and work things out.
He had to know I was here for him. Whatever it was, I would understand.
Nothing of the sort happened because I just wasn’t lucky like that.
Discouraged, defeated, and needing to defrost, I sulked down the street and hopped into my car, checking a couple of times to make sure he hadn’t magically appeared, called my name, and somehow I’d missed it in the process.
I needed to stop watching romantic movies – life just wasn’t like that.
In typical Cara fashion, my emotions got in the way and ruined what could’ve been a good thing. I really needed to learn to keep them from exploding out.
* * *
Two days later, after a semi-successful Pilates session in my living room, Amanda and I sat around my table, drinking bottled coconut water she claimed would help flush the fat out of my system. I wasn’t so convinced.
“Any luck on the job front?” Amanda asked after downing her bottle and ending with anahh.
“Nothing. There hasn’t been anything I’ve gotten excited about. Except…” I trailed off and left the word hanging in the air like a pinata.
Amanda aimed her stick and took aim. “Except, what?”
I twisted in my seat and wiggled my shoulders. “I don’t understand it myself, but there was this workshop in Ridge Heights where they are making Grinch trees.”
“What in tarnation are those?”
“Cedar trees wrapped in wire to bend them, so they are hanging over their pot. They are then wrapped in ribbon and have an ornament hanging from the tip.”
She screwed up her face. “Lame.”
“No way. They’re really cool. My dad used to order a couple for his shop for decorations. They’re quite neat.” I flipped through my phone until I found a couple to show Amanda.
She stared, unconvincing, while scratching the side of her lip. “Meh. They’re okay.”
“I think they’re neat.” Resigned, I set my phone down.
“What does that have to do with the job front?”
It was a wild idea, but the fact remained, aside from Carter, I hadn’t thought about much else. “I’m not sure. There was a help wanted sign in the window and—”
“And you’re going to apply? For a menial seasonal job in a small town? Cara, I’m sure you can find cedar bending activities here if that’s what you’re willing to do.”
I was ticked off by the tone of her voice. “Menial?”
“You didn’t attend four years of university to bend cedar trees. Come on.”
“I know that.”
“And you don’t live in Ridge Heights.”
“Again, something I know.” Not sure why I thought she’d be excited about the idea. It was a job, something I was semi-enthused about, which was more exhilarating than anything in recent weeks.
“What’s your fascination with that place? Still hooked on the ex-boyfriend?”
I rose and went into the kitchen, staring into the fridge until I found the carton of coffee creamer I wanted. Pouring a splash into my cup, I added in the full amount of fresh coffee and readied a straight black coffee for my friend.
