Page 5 of Winter Love

“Is it worth starting over to be with him?” she asks.

I nod. “I’ve always felt that he was the other half of me.”

“Then starting over is nothing. That’s just something that you’ll do. And as for Lukas not wanting you? Never. I saw the way he looked at you. Like you light up the night sky for him. That kind of love never fades.”

“How did you know Papa was the one?”

“I saw him in class and all I could focus on was him. He came up to me and introduced himself. I felt it deep in my soul that he was the one. I think that when you find your soulmate, you just know. And others can see it too. I see that when I look at you and Lukas and I never understood why you broke it off.”

“I was scared.” I sniffle. “I was so afraid to leave everything I loved and move there to be with him. And then he would change his mind. What if he decided that it was grief that made him be with me and not love?”

“Mon ange, listen to your maman. Lukas loves you. That love I saw? That wasn’t false or because it was convenient. Take this weekend and see that I’m right. And if you decided to move there? Know that all of us are behind you. One hundred percent.”

I hug my maman and wipe my tears.

“Merci, Maman. Je t'aime.”

“Je t'aime, mon ange. You deserve all the happiness this world has waiting for you.”

Listening to my maman gives me more courage to face Lukas. If they saw what I felt, then it must be true. Maman always said true love shines through the darkest nights.

Chapter Three

Emmanuelle

It took me around twelve hours to drive to Wintervale from Storyville. I made sure to text my family at every stop. I finally made it to Wintervale at ten PM. I called ahead to make sure that I could get dinner at the restaurant in the resort. They said they stop taking dinner orders at eleven-thirty, so I’ll have enough time. I check in, get my room key and toss my bag in the room. I shoot a quick text telling everyone I’m here and I’ll call them tomorrow morning. Then I head down to the restaurant.

There’s a group of huge men already there, eating. They all turn and look at me when I get seated.

“Thank you,” I say to the hostess.

I try to ignore them as I sit and look at the menu. But it’s really hard with them staring at me. A shadow comes over me and I look up to see one of them standing next to me.

“Hi, we were wondering if you wanted to join us. A gorgeous woman like you shouldn’t be eating alone,” he says.

“Thank you, but no. I’m fine.”

“We promise we won’t bite. Our mamas taught us to never let a woman eat alone.” He smiles.

They’re all nodding at me and I laugh.

“Okay, thank you,” I say as I get up to follow him. I don’t usually talk to people I don’t know, but I feel like I’ll be okay.

He pulls out a chair for me and I thank him.

“What are you doing in Wintervale?” another of the guys asks.

“I’m here for a memorial.”

“Did you know the people that passed?”

“Not personally, I know the kids of two of them. What brings all of you here?”

“We’re on a road trip for this one,” he says as he slaps another guy on the back.

“We should introduce ourselves. I’m Lorenzo Mancini, these are my cousins Salvatore, Galen and Noah.”

“I’m Aodhán O’Callaghan and this is my brother Keegan.”

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