Page 19 of Architect's Christmas Nanny

“What’s wrong?” Jillian asked.

“Sorry,” Lucy said. “I’m not usually one to gossip. It’s just that the lady in the window there, Amanda, she hada thing for that guyallthrough high school, but he was dating another girl. And now, to see them together… Well, it’s sort of a Christmas miracle, isn’t it?”

Jillian looked to see who Lucy was talking about and suddenly it felt like her heart was going to stop beating.

Brad was sitting at a little table in the front window. And he was leaning in, listening to whatever the pretty blonde lady was whispering to him as if it were the most interesting thing he had ever heard.

Somehow, Jillian managed to tear her eyes away and force a smile.

“That’s really sweet,” she said to Lucy, who smiled and nodded approvingly.

“Sometimes a little patience pays off,” Lucy said, heading for the dairy aisle again. “It did for me. I married the guy I crushed on forever.”

“That’s really wonderful,” Jillian said, meaning it, even as her own heart broke. “When the time is right, it’s right.”

“That’s what I used to tell myself about Ashton,” Lucy said dreamily. “But I didn’t really believe it. The universe has a way of delivering miracles though.”

Her gaze slid back to the café tables, but Jillian kept her own eyes forward.

She would find a way to be happy for Brad. He deserved to find love, even if it wasn’t with her. She wanted that for him, and for Josie too.

But she didn’t exactly want to watch it happening.

Ten minutes later,Jillian was relieved but still heavy with sadness as she escaped the store without Brad spotting her, and headed down the sidewalk in the direction ofJolly Beans, the little café by the train station at the corner of Park and Ambler.

How am I supposed to go hang out with his mom and her friends? What if they’re talking about this too?

But she thought about the advice she would give to Josie if she ever found herself in this situation one day. And she knew the advice would be to stop licking her wounds and focus on others. Annabelle and her friends would probably have plenty of stories to share with a fresh audience, and that would be a welcome distraction from her pain.

She pushed open the door to the café, sending the little bells on top of it jingling, and inhaling the rich, welcome scent of fresh coffee and something delicious baking.

Annabelle was at a nice big table in the window of the café. She and her friends all seemed to have notebooks and legal pads out, as if they were trying to solve a mystery or something.

“Hello, dear,” Annabelle called out as Jillian approached. “Have a seat. We already ordered for you.”

“Oh,” Jillian said, taking the open chair next to Annabelle. “Wow, thank you.”

“We’re all having gingerbread lattes and a slice of Pete’s famous cranberry bread,” the lady on her other side said firmly. “There’s nothing better on the menu, and those are only around for the holidays.”

“It sounds amazing,” Jillian said.

“I told you,” Annabelle said to her friends. “She’s a keeper. Jillian, meet Betty Ann, Shirley, and Ginny.”

“Nice to meet you all,” Jillian said, trying to commit their names to memory.

“Annabelle says you’re a book lover,” the lady beside her said.

“Yes, Betty Ann,” Jillian said. “I do love books.”

“And you don’t know anything about antiques?” Betty Ann asked.

“No,” Jillian said, shaking her head and wondering what in the world was going on.

“You’re right then, Annabelle,” Betty Ann said. “She’s all yours, if she’s willing.”

“We’re planning the Winter Wonderland celebration,” Annabelle explained. “It happens the week between Christmas and New Year’s, and everyone loves it. It’s the perfect way to avoid the post-Christmas blues.”

“That sounds really nice,” Jillian said. “But I’m surprised you can find the time, with Emma’s wedding coming up so soon.”

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