Page 7 of A Pen Pal for Christmas

“New to town?” he asked as he watched me prep his drink.

I poured a splash of cream into the shaker and gave it a brisk shake. “That obvious?”

“Just a guess,” he said with a casual shrug, his grin easy but watchful. “You’ve got that fresh start kind of vibe.”

“First week,” I said, keeping it vague. “What about you? Passing through?”

“Sure am. But I might linger for bit. Heard Snow Hill’s a good place to… get away.”

Didn’t I know it. Plenty of people came to Snow Hill with vague notions of peace and quiet—or to soak up the Christmas magic the town practically trademarked. And once they got here, they fell in love.

“You heard right,” I confirmed. “Why Snow Hill?”

He paused, tilting his head from side to side. “I’m used to the concrete jungle, so I thought this might be a good change of scenery.”

Another thing we had in common.

“Well, enjoy it. And enjoy this.” Sliding the frosted glass across the counter, I offered him a wink. “But be careful, it packs a punch like a reindeer kick.”

He chuckled as my cheesiness and lifted the glass in my direction. “Well, cheers to my new favorite bartender. What’s your name, by the way?”

“Sofia,” I said, my tone light but polite.

“Derrick. Good to meet you, Sofia.”

“You too.”

He watched me over the rim of his glass as he took a sip of his drink, then his brows lifted in surprise. “Whoa. That’s Christmas in a glass. Glad I put my fate in your capable hands.”

I flashed him a quick grin, equal parts amused and unimpressed. Navigating conversations over the bar was a game I played well. “Well, my hands make a mean cocktail, but don’t push your luck.”

He openly laughed now, leaning back on his stool. “Noted.”

I turned to check on a group of customers across the bar, instinctively gauging their drinks and deciding they had another ten minutes before needing refills. My mind cataloged everything in the room, from the muffled conversation near the dartboard to the laughter ringing out near the corner booth. Friday night was picking up, and it felt good to be back in my element.

Just then, the door swung open, admitting a gust of crisp winter air and three familiar faces. Grace, Robin, and Holly entered, their cheeks flushed from the cold, waving enthusiastically.

"There's our girl!" Holly called out, pulling off her coat to reveal an ugly Christmas sweater that probably cost more than I’d earn in tips tonight. But, hey, the girl was famous. She could afford to splurge on her Christmas-cheer obsession.

"Ah, it’s so good to see you!” I said, a wave of gratitude rolling over me as they settled at the bar.

Robin's eyes crinkled with affection. "As soon as Joan told us you were starting work here tonight, we had to come see you.But I’m sorry I didn’t stop by the inn to see you this morning. The mayor’s office gets crazy this time of year, which means I’m running around like a chicken without a head doing everything he needs before he even knows he needs it. Plus, Abby’s last week of school before break starts on Monday, and that means it’s spirit week, so I’ve been looking for the items she’ll need to wear, or else she’ll never speak to me again.”

“I’m sorry, too,” Holly chimed in before I could reply. “We were filming a new episode that’s turning out be a lot more complicated than we expected, and I kept getting caught every time I tried to sneak away.”

Holly was a movie star turned baking show star, and they filmed her show right here in Snow Hill. Considering the town was actually a mecca for Christmas movies to be filmed—and that was how Holly had met and fell in love with Nick at the Inn—it didn’t surprise me that the star was able to create her dream career and life within the city limits.

“I guess I’m the best friend to Sofia of the group,” Grace said smugly, shimmying her shoulders. “I’ve already seen her twice since she’s been in town.”

Holly and Robin looked at each other and then at Grace before all three of them laughed, and I couldn’t have been happier to have these girls in my corner. Last year, I’d immediately bonded with Grace and claimed her as my Snow Hill bestie, and now that Grace was married to Tommy, we were sisters.

I laughed. "Well, I’m glad you’re all here now. First round's on the house—meaning me, since I don’t know how comping works around here yet."

As I prepared their drinks, I marveled at how effortlessly these women had become my support system. In Philadelphia, I’d always felt like I was performing, even with friends. There, I’d always been on—matching their energy, laughing at the rightjokes, being the version of myself they expected. But here? Here, I could just be Sofia. And somehow, that seemed to be enough for them.

"You know," I said, my voice softer now, "I don't think I've properly thanked you all for making me feel so welcome here."

Holly reached across the bar to squeeze my hand. "That's what friends are for.”

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