Page 1 of Snowflakes and Sparks

Chapter One

“Do you think there’s such a thing as too much fake snow?” I took a step back to get a proper look at the window display I had just put the finishing touches on.

Even though Christmas was still weeks away, the holiday season was in full swing and Got It Covered was bustling with shoppers every day. It was my job to make sure the entire bookstore looked like a true-to-life winter wonderland. I might have gone a bit overboard with the snow can, though. The big shiny baubles, gingerbread men and candy canes were all covered in a mist of sparkling white. Then again, Los Angeles hardly stood a chance of experiencing a white Christmas, so Got It Covered was the perfect place for people to get a taste of that holiday magic.

“Suzie, there’s no such thing as too much fake snow. This looks gorgeous,” my colleague Dean said, motioning to the window display.

“You’re not just saying that because we’re friends, are you? If it looks like crap, you’re obliged to tell me.”

Dean put a hand on his hip. “I swear it looks good. Now stop doubting your fake snow abilities.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“As always,” he said with a smile. “But you did forget to put this snow globe in the window display.”

He reached into the box at our feet and tried to hand me a snow globe. Inside the globe was a miniature version of Got It Covered, flanked by two smiling reindeer.

I shook my head and threw him an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I don’t handle snow globes.”

He frowned, turning the item around in his hands. “Why not?”

“They break way too easily,” I said with a shrug, even though that wasn’t the real reason why I didn’t want to come within a ten-mile radius of a snow globe.

“Okay, I’ll do it then. But I do think it’s weird that you’re afraid of touching the thing.” Dean turned around and put the snow globe on the shelf in the window display.

“I don’t want to make any mistakes or jeopardize my job by breaking stuff. You know how much I love working here.”

He stepped back into the store. “No one’s going to fire you for breaking a snow globe, hon. What you need is some perspective. Live a little. Go on a date. You spend all your time in this bookstore. And even though I admire your work ethic, I think you’re setting yourself up for a life without love.”

“That’s not true. I go on dates,” I said, capping the can of fake snow.

Dean furrowed his brows. “Oh yeah? When’s the last time you went on one?”

“March, I think?”

“Girl, it’s December.”

“I know. Can you believe it’s the end of the year already?” I asked, trying to steer the conversation away from my nonexistent love life. “I feel like summer has only just ended. I haven’t even lost the holiday weight from last Christmas.”

Of course, I hadn’t even tried to lose the few extra pounds that sat snug on my hips. Giving up chocolate chip cookies was a sacrifice I wasn’t ready to make.

“Maybe we’re getting old. I read somewhere that the older you get, the faster time goes.”

I gave Dean a gentle push. “Speak for yourself, grandpa. We’re twenty-eight. As in, not old. Besides, it means that I’ve already had the privilege of celebrating Christmas twenty-eight times. That’s not too shabby,” I said, even though there was one Christmas in particular I’d rather have erased from my memory. Unfortunately, the medical field wasn’t advanced enough yet to make my wishes come true.

“Sure, if you have the possibility of spending the holidays alone, then yes, Christmas is great,” Dean said as I handed him a box of leftover decorations. “Which reminds me, I still have to put my employee’s discount to good use and stock up on a pile of books.”

I locked the window display and stepped back into the store. “You do know that no one is forcing you to use that discount, right?”

Dean sighed. “You clearly haven’t met my family. If you’d ever had the horrible privilege of spending the holidays with them, you’d be stocking up on books as well. And tequila. I swear it’s the only way to tune out their ridiculous conversations.”

I felt a pang of disappointment wash over me as I thought about my own plans for the holidays. My sister was about to give birth and my parents had decided to visit her instead of the other way around, as she couldn’t fly anymore at this stage of her pregnancy. They did ask me to come along, but I couldn’t possibly skip the busiest weeks of the year when I was this close to being promoted to store manager. We could always have a belated Christmas party once the holiday madness had passed and my sister had adjusted to life with a baby.

The cheerful tune of my work phone distracted me from my musings.

“Suzie speaking.”

“Hey Suzie, it’s Kate. Could you please drop by my office after you’re finished with the window display? I’d like to discuss an interesting opportunity with you.”

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