It had been a long night. Miranda had made a pot of coffee and found a stash of board games to help pass the time. When they discovered that they both hated playing board games, Miranda made a second pot, an omelet and chocolate scones and they’d talked through the night about everything from books they’d read to the dreams they’d had as children.
“I was tired of coffee, so I made hot chocolate with lots of whipped cream.” Miranda handed Jake a mug and sat down next to him on the sofa in front of the fire. She blew on her drink. “How are you feeling?”
“Like an idiot.”
“Well…,” she grinned. “What were you doing out by the pond in the dark?”
He took a long pull on his drink. “This is good. I was clearing away the debris.”
For some reason she sensed he was being evasive. She took a sip of her hot cocoa as Woofy jumped up on the sofa and nestled between her and Jake. “What this room needs is a Christmas tree,” she said. I found a box of decorations when I rearranged this room so I would have room to paint.”
His head made a slight bow. “Your wish is my command, milady. I’ll chop down a proper Christmas tree for you as soon as I’ve finished my hot chocolate.” He paused. “I was thinking of something you said last night about how much you enjoyed painting the murals. Why don’t you start painting again? You’re really talented.”
Miranda held her mug in both hands and let the warmth of the hot chocolate seep through. “Thank you.” She clipped off the part where she wanted to add the word, “but”. It felt as though all her life she had used that word to keep from reaching for her dreams. “Did you ever doubt that you could support yourself with your music?”
He leaned back against the sofa. “All the time and there are dark moments when I still do. That’s not the worst of it.”
She turned to face him, remembering something he had said on the first day she’d arrived. “You said you were lonely. How is that possible? You are in a band and I’m sure you meet people every day.”
He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. “Things on the surface aren’t always what they seem. I’m the only one in the band who is single and as far as the fans are concerned…” He opened his eyes. “My life is great.”
She smiled. “I hear a ‘but.’ I’m familiar with that word.” She took a sip of her hot chocolate. “It’s stopped me from doing a lot of things in my life – pursuing a life as a painter for one. What has that word stopped you from doing?”
“It has stopped me from going after the one person in my life that matters: you. You have whipped cream on your lip.”
He brushed his thumb over her mouth, sending delightful chills racing through her. She leaned in for a kiss.
Without warning, Woofy jumped from the sofa and raced toward the entry.
“Woofy, what has gotten into you?” Miranda said, setting down her cup and jogging after him. There was a bounce in her step as she replayed Jake’s words in her thoughts. He hadn’t said he loved her and yet she felt it in the way he looked at her.
Woofy wagged his tail and faced the front door. She’d learned to trust Woofy, but she had a strange feeling that she didn’t want to open the door.
“Don’t be silly,” she said under her breath. “Your mother was the one who had premonitions, not you.”
She reached for the handle. The door burst open and Owen and a woman with salt and pepper curls and rosy cheeks that reminded Miranda of how Mrs. Claus might look, entered with an armful of groceries.
Stunned, she stepped back as though facing an invasion.
“We are here to help,” Owen announced. “And there are more of us on the way. This is my Mary. Would have been here sooner but a tree fell across the road in the storm. Darndest thing. It took a crew days to get it cleared.” He set his box down and took Mary’s from her and stacked it next to his. “Looks like you and Jake made good progress.”
Mary held out her hand to shake Miranda’s. “I’ve heard so much about you. I feel as though we were meant to be friends. Don’t be afraid to put me to work. Your aunt said Jake’s parents invited half of Seattle to the party.”
Miranda couldn’t breathe. “You talked to my aunt?
“Miranda,” Juliet, her friend and co-worker from the Animal Castle, squealed, running up the stairs with DeDe, the bakery owner, close behind. “This place is so cute,” Juliet said, spinning around in a circle.
“Your aunt said you needed a wedding cake,” Dede said. “I’ve brought all the ingredients I’ll need. Jake’s parents just drove into the parking lot.”
“Don’t forget the car full of musicians,” DeDe added. “They said the are members of Jake’s band and are here to perform and make sure he returns to Europe after his parents renew their vows.”
Miranda felt as though the floor had dropped out from under her. She reached out for the registration desk to steady her legs. “Really?” she managed.
Juliet’s voice lowered as Owen, Mary, and DeDe debated if they had brought enough food. “How are you doing? I couldn’t believe it when your aunt said that you and Jake were here alone. Has it been horrible?”
“It’s been…”
“Did I hear someone say that my parents had arrived?”
“And your band,” Miranda said through mounting anger. “When were you going to tell me that you were leaving?”
He reached out to her. “Let me explain.”
She turned away from him. “I was a fool to believe that we could start again.”
Miranda pressed her hand against her stomach and raced up to the stairs. She felt sick. She knew everyone watched her with pity in their eyes. She didn’t care. She would collect herself, take a long shower, change and when she returned downstairs, she’d be back to the person she had been before Jake dropped back into her life. She’d be detached, unemotional, and unavailable.