Page 1 of Just in January

One

JANUARY

Tears prick my eyes as I watch my best friend exchange her vows with her fiancé. My heart warms seeing the two of them so into each other. The crowd lets out a collective laugh when the minister says Ben can kiss his bride and he grabs her in such a tight embrace she almost falls.

“It’s so romantic,” I whisper to the older woman sitting next to me, and she smiles politely in return.

It’s a shame I don’t know anyone here, other than the bride, Winter. And now her new husband. But I start work at Grant’s Ice Inn Bed & Breakfast on Monday, in two days. Hopefully, then I’ll get to know co-workers and people around town more.

Crystal Frond is adorable, with its little main street shops and bustling ski activities. A place I’d like to call home. But I should return to college in February, after this month is over. I don’twantto. But my father will tan my hide if I don’t go back. Or make some type of plan for income.

“You’re an adult now, and you’ll pay for yourself like an adult,” he told me when I said I was going to spend the month of January here with my best friend. So, I picked up more shifts waiting tables to get a train ticket, and here I am!

The wedding coordinator ushers us into the gorgeous wooden hall dripping with beribboned boughs of greenery. It still smells like Christmas in here. Maybe the town doesn’t have many activities, but there are a lot of people here. Not many of mine and Winter’s group, though. Most couldn’t make it because of the distance and being poor college kids. Then there’s the added stress of classes starting next week. Fortunately, I can do most of mine online.

At the edge of the dance floor, the happy couple waltzes with hearts in their eyes. Sipping my cocktail, I smile and envision what type of wedding I would want. Probably something less fancy. I don’t need it. My parents were too busy earning money to raise me, so I mainly grew up on a farm with my grandparents. Taught me a lot about hard work.

A giant, attractive older man bumps into the tall table where I’m peacefully people gazing. Some couples filter onto the floor as the DJ cranks up the tunes. He sets his drink down for a moment and loosens his tie as if irritated with it. As he downs his drink, he scratches his black beard, then slams the glass on the table before hunching over it. His shoulders are broad and his frame must be above six-foot-five. A heavy sigh departs his lips.

My eyes notice his bare ring finger, and a small hope that he’d ask me to the dance floor rises in my gut. He’s probably got someone. Or thinks I’m too young. Attempting to make small talk, I ask, “This is a lovely wedding, isn’t it?”

His brown eyes flick to me for a moment as if he didn’t realize I was even standing next to him. With a sneer on his upper lip, he grunts. The deep resonance of his voice makes all the hairs onmy body tingle. Thinking he didn’t hear me, I repeat it louder. “It’s a lovely wedding, don’t you think?”

“Look, snowflake, I just came to drink my whiskey and am hoping to slip out of here as soon as I can without making a scene. Can you just let me enjoy my drink alone?”

I’m flabbergasted. No one has ever been this rude to my face before. Gripping my glass, I snatch my purse off the table and turn on my heel. Then I swiftly spin around and face him again. “Why did you even come here if it was such a burden to you?”

His long, dark lashes lift as he gazes out on the dance floor as if seeing something that isn’t there. It’s almost inaudible above the loud bass of the music, but he murmurs, “I don’t know.”

Then he pulls his suit coat together and buttons it. Giving me his broad back, he leaves in a hurry.

My jaw hangs open.

Quickly, I scan the crowd of dancers, but Winter is still having a good time. Nobody else is leaving yet, so the grump’s departure shouldn’t be noticeable.

Feeling completely awkward, and snubbed, I shift on my heels and wander around, not knowing what to do with myself. Surreptitiously, I smell my armpits, but I’m still fresh.Maybe people here aren’t as friendly as I thought.

Just when I wonder ifIcan slip out without my best friend seeing, she spots me and beams an enraptured smile. “January!” She hurries to me and grabs me in a warm embrace. Ben stands just behind her shoulder and nods at me. We’d met the day before, and he seems like a very nice, protective man.

“I have someone I want you to meet!” Tugging me by the hand, she pulls me closer to the dance floor and my heart leaps into action, hoping it’s someone like Ben. Older, established… and someonefun. “Your blue dress looks fantastic on you, especially with your shorter hair.”

“Oh, thank you!” I tuck some of my shoulder-length waves behind my ear. It used to be as long as hers, but I cut it shorter just for this trip. New year, new me.

The bleach blond boy she tugs me to is handsome. Especially with his rows of earrings and tattoos peeking up through his dress shirt… But he’s notmytype.

“January, this is my friend Blaze. Blaze, this is my very best friend January. She’s just up here for a month. Thought maybe you could show her around town.” She gives me a wink and his grin broadens.

“Yeah, definitely. Heard you like to party.”

Shrugging, I smile. “I do love a good shindig. A soiree, perhaps.”

“Rad. We’ve got a lot going on down at the lodge. Are you free next week? We usually hang out at our place on weeknights, but there’s a rager going on next weekend.”

Ben pulls Winter toward the cake table, and she gives me a small wave while wiggling her eyebrows at me knowingly.

“Oh, that sounds fun. I’m not sure how much free time I’ll have. Going to start working at the Ice Inn.”

His smile fades. “Yikes. With Justin Grant?”

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