Page 32 of A Bright Winter Season

“Huh.” Alexis stared into space for a few moments, beginning to grin. “Yeah, that sounds like a great plan. We can trust Cedric to be discreet and not tell Jacob that we asked. I’m going to call him.”

“Do you have his number?”

“No, but you do. He’s in the pub’s contact booklet and I know you entered all those numbers into your personal phone because you’re you.” Alexis grabbed Julia’s phone out of her hands and verified her hunch in the next moment. “See? There he is!”

“Wait, wait, wait. Does Jacob talk to Cedric all that much, though? Just because Cedric is his mentor doesn’t mean he’s talked to him lately.”

“I’m sure he has. Jacob has to get all of his materials from Turner’s Hardware. He probably sees Cedric more often than he sees his own mother! Should I call him?”

Julia’s lips parted, but before she could say anything, Alexis was dialing the number. Julia groaned and buried her face in the couch cushions.

“You’re calling with my phone,” Julia complained.

“I doubt he has your number saved, I’ll tell him it’s me?—

“Hello?”

“Oh, hey, Mr. Turner!” As soon as she heard the gruff voice of the old man on the other line, Alexis felt as though she was suddenly back in high school. “Do you have a minute?”

“I suppose. Who is this?”

Alexis bit her lip. It was clear from Cedric’s tone of voice that she’d just woken him up. In her excitement, she’d completely forgotten how late it was. “Uh, don’t worry about that. I just have a really quick question for you. Is Jacob Dorsey single?”

There was a very long pause, so long that Alexis wondered if Cedric had hung up on her or maybe fallen back asleep on the phone.

“I don’t know that it’s any of your business,” Cedric said slowly, “but yes, he is single.”

Alexis snatched Julia’s hand and squeezed it tightly in excitement.

“What about that girl he was dating from another town? That really sophisticated-looking one?”

“No, they broke up a few months ago.” There was a short pause, and then Cedric said, “Who is this?”

“Just a local busybody. I need more things to gossip about. Thank you for your time. Goodnight!” Alexis hung up the phone in a hurry, and she and Julia burst into a fit of giggles.

“He’s single?” Julia gasped out a moment later when she’d finally caught her breath.

“Yes!” Alexis hugged her sister, thrilled. “He’s been single for a few months. I’m so excited! This is Hazel’s chance!”

Julia covered her mouth with her hands, but Alexis could tell her sister was smiling.

“So Jacob has been single this whole time,” Julia murmured. “I guess it’s for the best that Hazel didn’t know. This way she was able to take the time to invest in herself instead of in her crush on Jacob. She’s got a healthier perspective on him and on herself now. I think she’s more ready for a relationship than she was earlier this year.”

“And now—” Alexis gestured dramatically. “Now there’s nothing standing in her way!”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Vivian clicked the cap back onto the red pen she’d been using, and tucked it carefully into the pen holder on the desk in the office. She smiled, noticing that Julia had color-coded the pen holder, placing the red pens in one compartment, the black pens in another, and pencils in another. She liked using the same office that her daughter used. Not only was Julia great at organizing it and keeping it tidy, but it also felt companionable to be sharing the space with Julia.

She turned back to the paperwork she’d been filling out, this time using a black pen. She was finishing up some work that needed to be done before the Christmas event, and it felt good to check items off her to-do list.

Things are coming together,she thought cheerfully.I can’t wait until we’re all ready for this party. It’s going to be wonderful.

“Am I interrupting anything?”

She looked up hurriedly, feeling tense even before the saw the speaker. She’d recognized the voice immediately.

“Can I help you, Judd?” she asked crisply. She didn’t know how he’d gotten through the kitchen. Maybe he’d come insidethrough the back door. “I usually don’t meet with customers in the office unless they have an appointment.”

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