Page 29 of Never Let You Go

And it feels great.

“Come on, I have time to show you my salon before my first client,” Grace says.

“Sweet.” I’m going to milk every minute of my day off.

There’s a gentle breeze when we’re back on the street. As we walk past the bakery, the wind picks up and light snow blows up and around us, enveloping us and reflecting the sun. It’s so magically beautiful, I stop in my tracks, set my bags in the snow, and pull my phone out, taking a selfie video while I twirl around, my eyes closed. “It’s… it’s like I’m in a snow globe!”

My mouth is open in awe, but not for long. A snowball hits my teeth lightly, shocking me back to reality. Grace is bent at the waist laughing. “Did you just…?”

She wipes the tears from her eyes and pulls my arm. “Let’s go.”

“Can I just drop my bags?”

“Nope. Chris might drag you to work if you go in there. Plus, I’m just a block away. Over there is Lazy’s.” She points across The Green, to a pub that seems closed right now. “Justin, the owner, opens around noon, most days. Depends. It’s a fun place. Actually, do you have plans for tonight?”

Apart from feeling awkward if I’m having dinner with Christopher and Skye? “Nope. No plans.”

“Alright then. Let’s meet there around five, five-thirty. You’ll love it. And this is me!” She stops in front of a two-story brick house with white columns. Wreaths hang on each of the windows, and a large Christmas swag adorns the stained-glass front door. Lights gently flicker on the window boxes filled with pinecones and greenery.

We take our boots off and Grace flicks the recessed lighting on, then lights scented candles. A subtle cedar and spice fragrance warms the atmosphere. Soon, accents of acoustic guitar flow softly from hidden speakers.

The wooden floors creak under my feet as I make my way through the airy space. Blond leather armchairs strewn with cashmere throws are scattered throughout. Side tables laden with magazines are an invitation to just sit and relax. “I’d come here just for the wait,” I tell Grace, running my hand over the soft velvet of a wingback chair. It’s set next to a simple pine buffet transformed into a coffee and tea station, complete with a Keurig machine, a kettle, and an assortment of organic loose-leaf teas. On a shelf above, a hodgepodge of artisan-made mugs in earth tones are next to a neat pile of red flannel tea towels.

I pull my phone out and take photos of the many details that make me want to just spend the day there getting pampered. I spot her social media handles on a discreet sign, and my instincts kick in.

“Should we remove those for you before you start work?” Grace asks, pointing at my nails.

I look at the gel manicure I had done two weeks ago. Before Rita passed away. Since then, my life has been turned upside down.

“I haven’t thought about that. Should I?” I answer while posting and tagging the brands she uses.

She shrugs. “You’re the baker.”

“Ugh—not. I guess I should? Yeah. Tells you how unprepared I am.”

“So, this apprenticeship wasn’t… really planned?” she says as we sit at the nail station, and she soaks my fingers.

Not by me. “Yeah, no.” I sigh. The soft music and warm scents are getting to me, making my eyelids heavy. I yawn.

“That mountain air making you tired already?” she teases.

“I’ve had a rough week.”

She tilts her head, ready to listen, but not prying.

“My grandmother died a week ago.” Coldness settles at the pit of my stomach. “She was the only family I had.”

She pauses her scraping of my nails. “Oh… I had no idea. I’m so sorry.”

“We weren’t that close, but still. It’s just me, now.” I don’t miss Rita. I miss having a family, any family. Someone to call my own, however messed up they might be. “And now, my job is turning from being a marketing geek to becoming a baker.”

Her eyebrows shoot up. “That’s a lot! Like I said, don’t let Chris overwork you. He does that to people. You need to focus on yourself. Get grounded again.” She’s almost done with my nails. “Tell you what. I’m working on becoming a massage therapist—”

“Oh, that’s exciting!”

“—so I’ll use you as a guinea pig. How’s that?”

“Fantastic. And I can help with your social media, if you need it.”

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