Page 21 of Snowflakes and Sparks

“So you’ve read it? And it’s not a parody newspaper?” I asked, shoving the article under her nose. She took the paper out of my hands and gently placed it back on the table without giving it so much as a glance.

“It’s not, it’s a real newspaper.”

“Huh. Okay. I do not get why everyone in this town relies on Diane’s opinions though.” The words came out harsher than I’d intended and Addy had a scared look on her face.

“I guess it’s because she’s old and knows everyone. She’s also the mayor’s mother, so no one likes to rub her the wrong way,” she added with a whisper, as if she was sharing something illegal with me.

“That does explain a lot. I’m sorry for sounding angry. I promise you that I’m a friendly person.”

“Don’t worry about it. Why don’t we focus on something other than that article? Your big idea for example?” Addison sipped her drink, leaving a trace of whipped cream on her nose.

“You’ve got something on your nose,” I said, not wanting her to make a fool of herself later on when dealing with guests.

“Oops.” She giggled and wiped the cream away with her finger.

“As you know, I’m here to manage the bookstore,” I started.

“Something I’m excited about. I prefer to buy books from a brick-and-mortar store, not from an online shop.”

“Me too. There’s something magical about picking up a real book and leafing through it before buying it, right? Anyway, the bookstore is doing well, but not as good as my boss had hoped. I want to make sure it’s going to stay open after I leave.”

“You’re leaving?”

“Yeah, I’m only here until they find a permanent manager for the store. I’m being promoted to store manager of our L.A. branch.”

“Now that’s information they should’ve included in the article,” Addy laughed.

“Absolutely. But like I said, me leaving does not have to mean the end of the store, though. It’s such a cute place.”

“And nothing could make you stay?”

I shook my head. “No way. I’m a real city girl. Don’t get me wrong, I like it here. The beautifully decorated houses, the themed events like the Snow Ball… But I miss being able to order a pizza in the middle of the night or go out and grab a vegan lunch bowl. Plus, it’s way too quiet here at night for someone who’s used to blaring horns and police sirens.”

“I can see how life in Old Pine Cove might need some adapting to when you’re used to the hustle and bustle of the city. Still, it’s nice of you to want to help keep the bookstore open.”

“Together we can give the store a boost. You see, I’ve been thinking about setting up a collaboration program between the inn and Got It Covered. You know how there’s breakfast in bed? What about books in bed?”

“Books in bed?”

“When people order a book at Got It Covered, they usually have to wait about two weeks before the book arrives. But I could make a list of fifty books that are readily available. No wait time whatsoever. Your guests could order from that list and get their books delivered to their room the next day. All at a special discounted rate of course. Who doesn’t love a good bargain, right? And the inn could benefit from it as well. I’m sure certain people would be intrigued by this unique service.”

Addy nodded. “That could work, yes. I have been trying to come up with a way to stand out from the crowd. The ski resorts up the hill are able to offer so much more than we can with our limited space and small team.”

“And that’s not all,” I said, a feeling of excitement building inside of me now that Addy seemed to like the idea. “We could also host a book fair at the inn every month, with exclusive promotions, and give everyone who buys a book a free cup of coffee or tea.”

“Those are all wonderful ideas.”

“So you’ll do it?”

“Why don’t we give it a try for a couple of months and see how it goes?”

I smiled. “Really? That would be great. I’ll have the legal department draw up a contract and send it over to you as soon as possible.”

I didn’t tell Addy that my boss technically still had to approve the idea, but I was convinced Kate would be willing to give it a try. She’d told me before that they had put a lot of money into opening the store, so it would be wise to give it our all before giving up on it.

“It’s great to have someone like you in town. Alex told me what you came up with for the Winter Walk and I love the idea. Don’t get me wrong, the previous Winter Walks were fun and all, but your vision sounds more appealing to me.”

“Alex told you?” I asked, one eyebrow raised.

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