Page 8 of When in December

When I did, I swore I heard them squelch.

Today is going to be a great day.

Even if my radio was also going in and out and?—

Why wouldn’t there be traffic?

I slammed on the brakes. Blinking, I watched as a car swerved in front of me before the next exit.

Deep breaths. Deep breaths.

Great day.

By the time I pulled in front of the address my phone assured me for the second time was on the left, my hands were shaking. The drive would get better as I drove it more. I just wasn’t used to being behind the wheel for so long.

I nudged the car into park and twisted the key until the engine stuttered to a stop. My body slumped over the wheel, and I sighed in relief.

Made it.

Turning my head to look at the window, I held back a gasp. The pictures had not done the place justice.

The home I expected definitely wasn’t a warehouse, like my mother had insinuated. It wasn’t even a shack on the outside, considering I’d only seen interior pictures. What I was working on could only be described as the world’s coziest-looking cabin I’d ever seen.

Damp snow traveled up the exterior, sticking between the sharp edges of stone like icy vines. The porch was refinished, along with a metal roof, layered with dark brown gutters that dripped down into rain pots already coated in a shiny patina, which must’ve made it sound like wind chimes in the summer.

Everything was almost idyllic. Every thought I could’ve ever had to make the house stand out, as well as look at home among the thick shade of pine trees had to be considered.

This cabin was the perfect, cozy retreat in a storm.

I betHome Haven Magazinecould even quote me on that.

I gathered up my things, and my phone beeped from where I had it in the cupholder. When I looked at the screen, a notification popped up from my affirmation app.

I can do difficult things.

I smiled. I could do difficult things. Starting with my first big solo project today.

I fought a whistle as I made my way toward the side door that should lead to the mudroom. This way, I didn’t track snow through the house.

Those cheesy holiday film producers who dragged me into watching at least half a dozen movies about a girl finding love in a small town would be so jealous right now.

Here we go.

Today was day one of thirty—give or take. The client hadn’t specified when exactly they’d be traveling to fully occupy the house for the holidays quite yet. She was a high-earning lawyer with a family who was very busy. That was why it was my job to make sure the final renovations and everything for the holidays—from decor to planning the meal day—went according to plan so they could simply enjoy.

Home design wasn’t only something you lived in every day after all, and Home Haven saw to that as well. In some cases,it was all about the experience. You needed to properly set the stage for all the memories to happen.

It was what I was going to make happen.

Everything would be better from this moment on. The moment I walked through this door mattered. Not only for me and my promotion, but for them too. I made sure I remembered that, no matter what project I was working on.

Lifting my hand, I knocked.

No one came to answer. Eyebrows pinched, I knocked again.

The client was supposed to be here to meet me to confirm the design plans in person. Maybe I wasn’t as late as I’d thought I was.

Maybe she was just someone who ran even later than I was today. Wouldn’t that be amazing?

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