“Recently, there’s been a man in Emerald Hollow who suffered memory loss in the woods. When we were researching what had happened to him… we started to wonder if something similar could have happened to…”
Ash knew she wasn’t sure if she should say the wordsyour wife.
“To Mom,” he said just as Michael’s features widened with shock.
“Why on earth would you think that?”
“We can’t really explain it, Dad, but as we were talking about it, I remembered the postcard you mentioned. How you thought it was in mom’s handwriting, but the name wasn’t familiar. If she had lost her memories, maybe there was a time where she still felt some connection to us and sent the postcard. Almost as if by…” Ash couldn’t use the word that described the situation most accurately.
“That’s as implausible as anything I’ve ever heard, Ash. If that were true, how’d she wind up in Finland? Wouldn’t she just turn up a town or two over?”
Ash cast his eyes to Holly, who said, “I know it sounds impossible. But sometimes there are things we can’t explain. This may turn out to be nothing, but I think… I think Ash and I should go to Finland. If he wants to, that is.” She turned her gaze toward him, those bright-green eyes searching his.
Ash squeezed her hand then nodded. “I’m in.”
Chapter Sixty-Six
SOFIA
“Finland? I rarely see you leave Emerald Hollow for a vacation, and now you’re heading across the world?” Sofia asked, incredulous. Despite her surprise at the abruptness of the announcement, she was happy for them. Ash never took vacations, and he deserved a break. Still, she couldn’t help thinking that their timing wasn’t the best. Isaiah had left a little over a week ago, and with Ash and Holly going, too, part of her felt like she was being left behind.
“It should be a quick trip. We think Ash may have some roots there, and it’s one of my favorite places, so why not now?” Holly had her arms wrapped around Ash’s waist from the side and was leaning into him.
Sofia’s heart squeezed at how happy they looked. She tried not to think about how Isaiah’s arms had felt around her.
“Well, you two have an amazing time. And bring me back some chocolate.”
Holly laughed. “We will. I’m going to go load the car.”
As Holly left the room, Ash turned back to Sofia.
“Are you sure you’re okay with our leaving right now? I know that it might not be the best timing…”
That he’d read her mind made her feel instantly better. “Of course I am. You deserve this. But I was serious about the chocolate. There will be consequences if I don’t get to try some Finnish chocolate.”
Ash grinned and gave her a quick hug. “Thanks for holding down the fort and watching Comet. See you in a few days.”
Sofia watched through the restaurant window as they drove away, headed to the airport a few hours from Emerald Hollow. She had a suspicion there was something about the trip—and the spontaneity of it—that they weren’t telling her. But she didn’t have the mental capacity to dwell on that.
Between relaunching the WanderLost collection, trying not to think of Isaiah, and keeping up with her suddenly thriving garden, Sofia was busier than ever. And while Ash and Holly were off to Finland, she had the Emerald House to run.
Sofia was cleaningup the kitchen after the morning breakfast rush when she found a Tupperware container in the cabinet. It was full of Holly’s cake pop creations. Sofia knew what they were on first sight because they were identical to the ones Holly had made at her home the previous year for the ugly sweater Christmas party.What did she call them?The festive name came back to her.Jingle pops.
Sofia realized Holly must have made them then forgotten about them in their rush to head to Finland. They would be bad by the time Holly returned to Emerald Hollow. Sofia took one out of the container and ate it in two quick bites. She had fond memories of the ugly-sweater party and suddenly pictured herself there later that year with Isaiah.
Instead of the thought causing a deep sadness like she’d expected, Sofia felt surprisingly relaxed, like she could conquer anything.
She ate another jingle pop, the feeling of relaxation increasing.
St. Patrick’s Day was coming up the next week, and an idea came to her like a butterfly landing softly on a flower.
Sofia passedthe jingle pops out to the other employees of the Emerald House who were on shift. She’d had four of the cake pop treats already, and she had decided they were the best things she’d ever tasted.
The rest of the workday flew by in a whimsical rush, Sofia feeling like Cinderella as the birds helped her get dressed in the morning. All her regular tasks of serving and cleaning were delightful and easy that day, and all the employees were working in sync. She’d been nervous about being in charge while Ash was gone, but now she wondered why she’d ever worried.
When she mentioned the plan that had formed in her mind for St. Patrick’s Day, each of the other employees agreed fervently. Sofia’s shift ended at three, and she met with a few of the other employees in the café. They spent the next few hours creating colorful posters, preparing riddles, and crafting displays, even breaking into Holly’s décor-supply closet.
By the time everyone was ready to go home, they had a huge load of supplies ready in the storage room and a large pile of colorful printed flyers.
