Page 4 of Sweet Christmas Wish
Sarah smiled, pushing down the niggling feeling of doubt that what happened for Lacy would never happen for her. “I hope you’re right. I really do.”
* * *
William toweled off, then ran his fingers through his shower-damp light brown hair. He’d spent all morning and afternoon hitting the slopes around Snowy Pine Ridge, and the skiing had exhilarated him and cleared his head. He’d planned to go to Sweet Thing Bakery first thing that morning to talk to Michelle, but his nerves had gotten the best of him.
There was nothing quite like fresh air and skiing to quiet one’s nerves and so he’d spent the gorgeous, frigid day out on the slopes. Now, after a quick shower at the inn, he was feeling level-headed and ready to talk to Michelle.
Whistling a little, he shrugged on his heavy winter coat and his gloves before locking his room behind him and sauntering down the inn’s front steps. The brisk air kept his spirits up as he walked the old familiar road through the main part of town. Sweet Thing’s sign hung a few blocks ahead and he basked in the familiar sights and sounds around him as he made his way to the bakery.
To his dismay, however, the little sign on the door read “Closed” as he stopped in front of Sweet Thing.
His spirits dropped and he almost turned around, but something inside him wouldn’t let him come this far only to fail. With renewed determination, he tried the door handle and found that it was unlocked.
Surely Michelle wouldn’t be upset to see an old friend,he reasoned, easing the door open.
A little bell above the door tinkled and he heard a voice from the back shout that the bakery was closed. A moment later, the door leading to the bakery’s kitchen swung open and Michelle’s younger sister, Sarah, charged into the front room.
William smiled at her, raising a hand in greeting. Sarah skidded to a halt, her usual bouncy ponytail swinging behind her as her eyes widened into huge circles. A dusting of flour smudged her cheekbone.
“Hey, Sarah,” he said, giving her a half-smile. “It’s been a long time.”
She still stared at him, her mouth hanging open a little and a dazed look in her eye. “W-William? William Parks? Is it really you?”
He couldn’t help but laugh at her stammering surprise. “In the flesh,” he responded cheerfully. “How have you been?”
“Good. Bake is good—I mean.” She flushed, her cheeks turning rosy. “Thebakeryis good. We’re all good.”
William swallowed a laugh at Sarah’s scattered answer. He had never gotten to know her well, but she’d always been a little quirky, if he remembered right. Tucking his hands into his pockets, he smiled at her again, hoping to put her at her ease. Instead, her flush deepened, going all the way to the roots of her hair.
“Er… is Michelle around? I was hoping to talk to her.”
Sarah bit her lip, her eyes dimming a little. “She’s not, actually. She doesn’t live in Snowy Pine Ridge anymore.”
William’s heart sank like a stone, disappointment leaching through him. Was his journey back to Michelle over before it had begun? “I see.”
“She’s coming home for the holidays, though,” Sarah said hastily, quick to reassure him. “She’ll be here in about two weeks.”
Relief washed over him at her words. “That’s great! I actually took a few weeks off work so I could ski, so this is great.”
“You’ll be around for two weeks?” Sarah echoed, looking dumbstruck, which he couldn’t quite figure out.
“Unless you try to run me out of town,” he joked.
“I wouldnever—” She broke off, flushing again as she realized he was joking. “Oh, I see.”
William raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment on her difficulty adjusting to his presence. He wasn’t sure why she was acting so strange, but he put it out of his mind. The only thing that mattered was that Michelle was coming back to Snowy Pine Ridge. Soon enough, he would see his high school sweetheart once again, and then… well, who knew? But maybe, just maybe, they would rekindle their old flame.
“Well, it was great to see you,” he said, turning to go.
“You too,” she stammered.
With a wave, he left, his thoughts already swirling back to Michelle Langston.
CHAPTERTHREE
“You had one job,” Sarah murmured around a mouthful of divine ooey-gooey homemade cinnamon roll. “One.” She glared fiercely at the offending cinnamon roll on her plate before licking cinnamon-sugar butter off her thumb and then pointing at the roll accusingly. “You were supposed to be my distraction, you delicious fiend. What happened to doing your part, hmm?”
Sarah took a sip of her coffee, wincing as she burned her tongue slightly and sighed.
