Page 15 of Brewing Up Christmas
Her words were kind, but they didn’t ease the ache in his chest. He wanted to say more, to tell her that this wasn’t just about the town or the holiday spirit anymore. It was about her—about the way she made him feel, about how he wasn’t ready to lose her. But before he could find the words, Angelina’s smile grew, and she took a step back.
“You’ll figure it out,” she said quietly, her eyes searching his for just a moment longer. “You always do.”
And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving Eli standing there, watching as she disappeared into the snow-covered streets outside.
The door swung shut behind her, and the warmth of the bar pressed in around him, but Eli felt cold. His mind was a blur of emotions—excitement for the final task, fear of what it meant, and a deep, gnawing sense of loss. He hadn’t realized how much she’d come to mean to him until the moment she walked out that door.
He stood there, motionless, as the noise of the bar slowly filtered back in. Laughter, clinking glasses, the hum of conversation—it all felt distant now, like background noise to the turmoil in his chest.
Eli took a deep breath, his fingers tightening around the towel still in his hand. The final task... one act of kindness to bring the town together. He could do that.Hewoulddo that. But as he stood there, his heart racing, one thought remained, louder than all the rest.
He wasn’t ready to let her go.
Eli stood there, staring after her, his heart pounding in his chest. This was it—the final task. But it wasn’t about Christmas lights or decorations anymore. It was about something real, something that mattered.
He just had to figure out what that was.
Nolan sidled up next to him, shaking his head with a smirk. “You’re in deep, aren’t you?”
Eli chuckled, though the sound was hollow. “Yeah. Guess I am.”
“Well, if it’s any consolation,” Nolan said, leaning against the bar, “I’ve seen crazier things happen during the holidays.”
Eli laughed softly, shaking his head. “Thanks for that.”
As the bar continued to buzz around them, Eli’s thoughts drifted to Angelina’s words, the weight of her final task settling heavily on his shoulders. He didn’t know what the act of kindness would be, but he knew one thing for sure—he wasn’t going to let her down.
Eli’s Transformation
The morning after the tree lighting, the soft light of dawn filtered through Eli’s window as he stretched in bed, a lazy grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. The town had come alive last night, and the warmth of the celebration still lingered in his chest. He couldn’t help but feel... lighter.
His stomach, however, had other ideas, growling insistently. He thought of Kayla’s baked goods from the night before—the soft cookies, the cinnamon rolls that practically melted in your mouth—and suddenly, that’s all he wanted. Pulling on his jacket, Eli decided a trip to Seaside Café was exactly what he needed.
The walk was brisk, the winter chill nipping at his face, but it was nothing a warm coffee and pastry wouldn’t fix. As he approached Seaside, the cozy glow of the café beckoned him inside. The scent of freshly baked goods and rich coffee greeted him like an old friend as he pushed open the door.
“Morning, Kayla,” Eli called as he approached the counter, his eyes scanning the display of treats.
“Hey, Eli!” Kayla chirped, her hands busy filling coffee cups. “You’re just in time—the cinnamon rolls are fresh out of the oven.”
“Perfect timing, as always,” Eli replied with a grin.
As he placed his order and turned to find a seat, his heart did a little flip. Sitting at one of the tables by the window, casually sipping her coffee, was Angelina. She looked up as if sensing his gaze, her dark eyes locking with his, and a small smile tugged at her lips.
“Twice in less than 24 hours?” Eli said, approaching her table with a playful smirk. “You stalking me now?”
Angelina chuckled, her voice light and teasing. “Maybe I just like the pastries.”
Eli pulled out the chair across from her, settling in without needing an invitation. “Can’t argue with that,” he said, his grin softening as they sat in a comfortable silence for a moment, just watching the quiet bustle of the café.
“So,” Eli said after a beat, leaning back in his chair, “about this whole turning me back thing... when can you do it?”
Angelina tilted her head, her smile small but knowing. “Whenever you want, Eli,” she said softly, her eyesscanning his face as if trying to read his thoughts. “It’s your call.”
His heart skipped slightly at her words, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on why. “Just like that, huh? I say the word, and I’m back to my old self?”
She nodded, taking a slow sip of her coffee. “Just like that.”
Eli frowned slightly, his gaze drifting to the steam rising from his coffee cup. The old version of himself would’ve jumped at the chance—no questions asked. But now... something felt different. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be human again, but over these past few weeks, with the town coming to life and the magic in the air, things had shifted inside him. He’d changed.
