Page 31 of Maybe This Christmas
She pressed play.After the slight whirr of the CD spinning, a familiar song came over the speakers.
“Oh my god,Dominick the Donkey.”Without thinking, she made a donkey noise before slapping a hand over her mouth.“Sorry.I used to love this song when I was a kid.”
Caleb laughed.“This must be one of Brandon’s CDs.I’m pretty sure I remember his parents playing this song at a Christmas party when we were teenagers.”
“Wow, you’ve all known each other all that time?”
He shrugged.“Yes and no.Brandon and Sabrina were that usual story of a boy who loves a girl, the boy is a dick to said girl, then leaves for fancy Ivy League college when girl stays local.They reunited when they were renovating his family’s inn in town.”
“Of course, this town has an inn.”
He laughed.“We nearly have two.The Westmores, who bought The Peculiar Pumpkin from Brandon, are opening a book-themed hotel next year.Although they’re fighting with the town hall over whether it’ll be an inn or a hotel.It’s a whole thing.”
“The inn is called The Peculiar Pumpkin.Book-themed hotel?Oh my god, this place sounds amazing.”
“I don’t want to oversell it or anything.It’s still a small town in southwest Virginia with its own problems and a fair share of closed-minded dunderheads.God knows I ran from here as soon as I could.Now that I’m older, I can appreciate its charms.”
She turned toward the window, admiring the snowy landscape.“Do you think you’re back for good, then?”
The next song on the CD was Kelly Clarkson’sUnderneath the Tree.She hummed under her breath as Caleb inched the van over a patch of ice.
“Yeah, I think I’m back, if not for good, a while at least.”
Emma had never been the small-town gal type.Originally from Prince George’s County, Maryland, she’d spent most of her life in and around the DC metro area, aka the DMV.She’d always lived no more than a fifteen-minute drive from a metro station.She’d loved having the city at her fingertips.But now, she wasn’t so sure.It would be rather depressing to get this chance for a big change, only to return to where she’d lived her whole life.
Only now she’d be on her own.Meaning, no more fancy Capitol Hill address.She’d probably have to get a roommate again.
Ugh.
She hated to admit that part of the reason she and Davis had stuck together was because they each got something out of the relationship other than romance.She kept his life ticking along—he never had to worry about mundane things like picking up dry cleaning, organizing cupboards, or arranging maintenance on the car.
She contributed to the expenses of his condo, but he’d never made her go fifty-fifty.Mainly because he’d had the condo when they met, and he had no interest in living anywhere where they could split things evenly.
She’d been spoiled, that was for sure.
“You okay?”
She tilted her head toward him, enjoying his side profile while his eyes stayed glued to the road.
“Yeah, I was just thinking about how big city life is so different from small towns.”
He chuckled.“Believe me, I know that.I didn’t apply to any colleges within one hundred and fifty miles of Falling Leaves.I ended up going to Duke.Durham isn’t exactly a metropolis, but it’s a hell of a lot bigger than Falling Leaves.What about you?”
Their conversation drifted back and forth, each revealing little bits about their lives as they wound down the mountain.
Roughly five miles out of town, they passed an elaborate wooden sign.Falling Leaves, Five Miles Aheadwas written in a homey font against a background of Christmas trees and snowflakes.
“Given the town’s name, autumn is our most popular tourist destination.But we’re trying to increase our Christmas business with the lodge opening.They’ve added a lot of events.Since it’s a Saturday, I suspect the town will be hopping.”
As they drove into town, Emma craned her neck like a little kid on a ride, trying to take in everything.
Silver Spring Street was the main drag in town.Although it was barely ten a.m., nearly every parking spot was occupied.All the storefronts, including the hardware store, were decorated with Christmas cheer.
Each light post was decorated with garlands and fairy lights, and billowing flags welcomed visitors to town for a country Christmas.
This was something out of a storybook.How had an ad on social media led her to this perfect, life-changing place?
“You’ve gone quiet,” Caleb observed.
