Page 36 of Once Upon a Winter
Jessica seemed like she might be considering it, although maybe she was just being polite.
Laura started to steal a glance at Cooper, but she couldn’t bear the thought of what she might see, so she focused on Jessica. “So, you’d think if it were just, you know, a typical magical… snow globe…”Now you’re sounding completely unhinged.“It would just drop a guy down my chimney. That would be the literal interpretation, right?”
Apparently, seeing that Laura was struggling, Cooper came to the rescue with his version. “Then Laura’s roof started leaking, and she called me to fix it.”
For the first time, Jessica looked as though she understood, and she turned to Laura. “That must be when you stopped in the shop, asking for a handyman.”
Laura felt oddly relieved. Something she’d said had made sense. “Yes! Exactly! So then Cooper arrived on my doorstep to fix my roof and the damage the leak caused.”
Jessica seemed to be waiting for something. Laura looked at Cooper as though he had the answer. Following Laura’s lead, Jessica turned to him too.
Cooper’s mouth opened, but nothing came out until he rolled his eyes and said, “She thinks I’m the guy she asked to be dropped down the chimney.”
“Thehotguy?” Jessica corrected with twinkling eyes.
Cooper narrowed his eyes at her then moved on. “Since then, there have been a series of coincidences that may or may not be related to the snow globe. Either way, it’s causing some friction between us.”
Thoroughly embarrassed, Laura was beginning to wonder whether she should’ve just kept the darn thing, then Cooper said something she hadn’t expected.
Jessica raised an eyebrow. “Friction?”
Without flinching, Cooper said, “Yes, Jessica, friction. I like Laura, and I think she likes me. But neither of us will be able to discover our true feelings unless we get rid of that snow globe. Then we’ll know for certain that our feelings are real and not some snow globe love potion.” He winced, glanced at Laura, and looked straight at Jessica. “We can’t go on like this.”
Laura’s heart stopped for a moment. She hadn’t realized how close they were to… not being close. Cooper’s version of events sounded absurd. Worse yet, he was clearly over the snow globe and nearly over her.
Meanwhile, something in Jessica’s eyes made her appear on the verge of a smile. “Okay.”
“Okay? That’s it?” asked Laura.
“Of course,” Jessica said nonchalantly. “However, I must caution you. These snow globes have a way of—”
That got Cooper’s attention. “These? There are others?”
Jessica tilted her head matter-of-factly. “Oh. Didn’t I tell you?”
Laura almost shouted but restrained herself and let out a more modulated, “No! I think I would’ve remembered something like that!”
Jessica said, “Oh. Well, there’s a lovely man who makes these. He lives in the backwoods of Maine and makes one every year in his workshop.”
With a snarky look, Cooper said, “His name wouldn’t be Santa, would it?”
Jessica smiled patiently. “No, it’s Steve.”
Laura gave him a sideways nudge with her boot. If he didn’t lose the attitude, Jessica might change her mind.
Jessica said, “He’s a bit of a recluse. He comes in once a year, just before Thanksgiving, and drops off a snow globe to sell on consignment. I wouldn’t worry about the return. I don’t think he does it for the money. I mean, what did you pay, ninety dollars? One of those per year isn’t nearly enough to live on, is it?”
Laura felt guilty. “Look, I don’t need the money. If you would just take it back and maybe sell it to somebody else, everybody wins.”
“Well, that would spare me the awkwardness of explaining to Steve. He’s such a dear man. I’d hate to hurt his feelings.”
The whole situation was making Laura increasingly uncomfortable. “You mean he’s never had one returned before?” She found that hard to believe.
Jessica shook her head slowly. “Nope. Never.”
As if sensing that Laura was weakening, Cooper said, “Well, there’s always a first time, and this has to be it.”
Jessica picked up the snow globe. “I’ll just put this back on the shelf.” She passed halfway by and turned back to Laura. “I should warn you…”
