The new bells jangled as the door to Reese’s shop opened. Shelby entered, brushing bits of snow from her shoulders.
Reese shut off the drill and handed it to Griffen. “Hey, Shelby.”
Shelby stopped in her tracks. “Oh my goodness, it’s finished!”
Reese perused the space, trying to see it with fresh eyes. It looked just as she’d imagined. The wide wooden floorboards were spotless, and the plumbing and heat were functional. Tomorrow she’d do a good cleaning, and soon the shop would be packed with merchandise and, hopefully, customers.
“Just about,” Griffen said, heading toward the cooler for a water break. “We’re still waiting on the new countertop, and we need to get it wired for Internet.”
Reese’s eyes followed him longingly. It was already the last week in January. Eighteen more days. She could hear the ticking clock and was helpless to stop it.
“I love the new canopy and the sign you made, Griffen. I don’t know how you found the time.”
“Anything for my best girl.”
How many times had he called her that? Now the old pet name was nothing but a punch in the gut.
Shelby gave her a sympathetic smile, then ran her gloved hand along the smooth wooden shelving. “It’s all coming together. Your shop is ready, the media are booked, and the bride has arrived.”
Kate Owens was quickly winning over the town. She was as sweet as she was beautiful. The Smitten Gazette had run a nice feature on her three days earlier.
“I can’t believe it’s two and a half weeks away.”
“Me neither. Hey, the reason I’m here—I just spoke with Nat, and we thought we might call an impromptu meeting of the girls since we missed last week.”
“We’re about finished for the day, I guess. Besides, I need to get out of these fumes.” She looked at Griffen, half tempted to invite him along.
“Go on. I want to get that last shelf up. I’ll lock up when I’m done.”
So much for that idea.
“Great. Thanks, Griff.”
Shelby texted Natalie while Reese slipped into her coat and grabbed her purse. As they headed outside, sadness bloomed deep inside Reese. All this time together, all the subterfuge and public displays of affection, and where was she? Square one.
Shelby pocketed her phone. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
Reese emerged from her self-pity long enough to look around. Flurries fell, coating the village with a fresh white blanket. Lights twinkled from shop windows, glowing softly on the snow.
“It is beautiful.” The village was silent, except for the snow crunching under their feet. Smitten was so empty. Hardly a body in sight, and it was nearing the weekend. Where were the lovers? Shouldn’t things be picking up at least a little? A thread of worry inched through her.
Her eyes fell on the wreath gracing Sweet Surrender’s entrance, and guilt pricked at the door of her heart. She should have more faith. Why was it so hard to just believe?
If only real faith were as easy as hanging a wreath. Hadn’t she hung hers? And yet the doubt remained. She woke in the middle of the night sometimes, fear clawing at her throat.
What if it didn’t work? What if she lost everything she’d saved? What if, despite all their efforts, the town died, and a year from now Smitten was nothing but a ghost town? What if she lost not only her shop but Griffen too? The ticking clock grew louder each day. At such times, what could she do but pray? It was out of her hands now. She couldn’t make tourists come, and she couldn’t make Griffen love her.
Give me faith, Jesus. Help my unbelief.
When they reached the coffee shop, Reese held the door for Shelby. They entered the warm, cozy shop and shucked their winter gear in the corner. Julia and Natalie greeted them as they sank into the cushy leather.
She hated to be a wet blanket, but that’s how she felt tonight. Not even the sweet smell of freshly baked cookies lifted her spirits. She reached for the cup of comfort Natalie set at her fingertips. “Thanks, Nat.”
Natalie took one look at her face, and her brown eyes softened. “You look tired. Are you okay?” She looked at Shelby for a clue, but Shelby just lifted her delicate shoulders.
Reese hated to admit her lack of faith, even to her best friends. Why pull them down? Instead she focused on her other worry. On the love of her life who would slip out of town, out of her grip, in a matter of days.
“It’s Griffen.”
“Things not going well?” Natalie asked.
Reese shook her head.
“I thought for sure after that day when we sat in here with Sawyer, he was coming around. I mean, for crying out loud, he ate chocolate off your lips.”
Julia’s brows jumped. “What?”
“Do tell,” Shelby said.
“It was . . .” Natalie fanned her face. “Wow.”
A gurgle escaped Reese’s throat. “And yet, when we’re alone, nothing. It was all for show. Turns out Griffen is quite the actor. The love of my life is helping me get another man’s attention, and he seems to be more than happy to do so.”
Reese dropped her head into her hands. What had she been thinking? This was torture. What was more hurtful than the man you loved handing you on a platter to another man?
She felt someone smoothing her hair. Shelby probably. She should warn her about the thick coat of dust.
“Poor baby,” Natalie murmured. “What can we do?”
“She needs a makeover,” Julia said.
“Thanks a lot,” Reese said into her hands.
“Well, that ponytail,” Julia said. “Really, it practically screams one of the guys.”
Reese lifted her head. “I’m remodeling a building.”
“Please,” Julia said. “You’ve had your hair in a ponytail for fifteen years.”
Reese pursed her lips. She wished she could deny it but, well . . .
“A makeover for the wedding,” Shelby said. “I love it.”
Natalie leaned forward, eyes twinkling, clearly ready to jump on board the Makeover Express. “She’ll need a mani and pedi and a facial, of course. I’ll do her makeup after Julia fixes her skin.”
Reese felt her cheeks. Her skin was one of her best features, or so she’d thought. “What’s wrong with my skin?”
“You have great skin. But I can make it glow.”
“What are you planning to wear for the wedding?” Natalie asked.
“Wear? I don’t know. The wedding’s over two weeks away.
I’ll probably hit the thrift store next week.”
Julia closed her eyes in a long blink. “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
“I’m only going to wear it once.”
Natalie set her hand over Reese’s, her diamond flashing under the lights. Show-off.
“It’s your best shot to make Griffen see you as a woman,” she said. “Do you really want to be wearing, well, that horrid shade you’re wearing now, for instance?”
Reese glanced down at her sweatshirt. “What’s wrong with orange?”
“That’s it,” Natalie said. “I’m taking you dress shopping— and not at the thrift store.”
“And I’m scheduling spa time the morning of the wedding.”
“You’re closed that day.”
“Not anymore. Emergency makeover time.”
“I’ll be busy at my shop—or I’m hoping to be.”
“It’ll only take a few hours, and everyone else will be getting ready for the wedding too.”
“I can fill in at the shop,” Shelby said.
“We’re going to make you so beautiful you’ll knock his socks off,” Natalie said.
Shelby clapped. “This is going to be so fun!”
Reese wasn’t sure she liked being an emergency, but her friends’ hopeful smiles were contagious.
“This calls for a celebration.” Natalie hopped up.
“Desserts on the house.”
Reese was still down about Griffen. This was no time for Natalie’s gluten-free cookies. “I think I speak for all of us when I say, ‘Brownies, please.’ ”
Natalie’s laugh carried back to them. “Don’t worry. I made a batch of cookies for my aunts, so I made some extras for us.”
Julia and Shelby began planning out Reese’s spa day and were still at it when Natalie returned with a plate of gooey cookies.
“I’m so spoiling my dinner,” Julia said.
“Me too.” Of course, when dinner was a can of bean-with-bacon soup and a banana, that wasn’t saying much.
“Guess what?” Natalie sank into the sofa and bit into a cookie. “A reporter from the Associated Press called Carson today. He’s coming to Smitten to interview him about the town next week.”
“That’s wonderful!” Shelby said. “A little prewedding advertising won’t hurt.”
“That’s what I thought.”
They talked about last-minute plans for their own businesses as they geared up for the wedding guests. Smitten’s business owners had met the week before to discuss the importance of exceptional service during the wedding weekend. When Reese checked her watch, she was surprised almost an hour had passed.
She wiped the crumbs from her lips. “Thanks for the cookies, Nat.”
“Yeah, they hit the spot,” Julia said.
“Totally worth breaking my diet for,” Shelby added.
Reese pushed back. “Think I’ll check in at the shop and see if Griffen’s still there.”
“Wait,” Natalie said. “I have an announcement.” She looked like she was about to go into liftoff sequence. “The cookies . . .” She made eye contact with each of them, stretching the moment. “They were gluten-free.” She fairly sang the last part.
Silence spanned the space. Reese swiped the inside of her mouth for an aftertaste. Nope. She hadn’t noticed a texture issue either.
“No way,” Julia said.
“Yay!” Shelby clapped. “You did it.”
Reese smiled. “Have to hand it to you, I couldn’t tell the difference. Way to go, Nat. Just in time for tourists.”
“They’ll be on the shelves first thing tomorrow morning. Just wanted to make sure they passed the taste test.”
Reese looked at the empty chocolate-smudged plate. “I’d say they passed with flying colors.”