Page 258 of The Sinner: James

“I’ll see what I can do. Maybe I can get on that plane somehow. If not, I’ll book a different flight.

“Yay…Thank you,” she says, clapping her hands before pushing out of her seat and wrapping her arms around me. “I’m so happy. Shit. I’ve missed you so much,” she adds, and her words bring tears to my eyes.

“It’ll be just like the good old times,” she says, breaking away from me.

“I’m not so sure about that.”

“Okay. It would be better, then,” she tosses at me, and I grin.

It’s hard not to love her.

“So, are we watching a movie or what?” I ask.

“Yes. Bring that plate of cookies over here,” she says as I grab the remote.

3

RAIN

We landin Denver the next day.

A car picks us up, and we head to Eve's home late afternoon.

Her parents, Rene and Donnie, welcome us with open arms.

An hour later, we sit around the kitchen table, eating and chatting. All smiling.

I haven’t seen Eve so happy in a very long time.

Her parents’ home offers a nice contrast to the frozen landscape outside.

Blown by the wind, the fresh snow has piled up on the windowsills, wrapping a thick blanket around the house.

Cozy and welcoming, their place is decorated with red, blue, green, and silver Christmas lights, the pine wreaths perfuming the air with their earthy fresh smell.

An aroma of freshly baked cookies drifts from the kitchen.

I promise to return for dinner before I call a car service and say goodbye to them.

A few minutes later, I exit their home and slip into a limousine. The driver greets me before I instruct him to take me to the hotel.

My gaze sweeps the new shops and restaurants as we cruise downtown. None of these new businesses were open a couple of years back when I lived here.

I soak them in, smiling.

Eve was spot on. This is still the perfect place to celebrate Christmas.

The town strikes a perfect balance.

It’s not too small to run out of things to do, and it’s not too big not to cross paths with people you know.

Even now, despite the cold weather, the locals take a stroll, cruising the streets while greeting each other.

It’s not surprising that many of them end up at the Sweet Lady, the best bakery in town, for a treat.

They spend hours chatting over a slice of cake and a cup of coffee before eating dinner in one of the small family-owned restaurants.

This is a great place to raise a family too.

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