The tears became wracking sobs. Emma’s foot pressed on the brake, slowing her SUV until it crawled along the highway as she struggled to breathe. The snow built up on her wipers, smearing over the window while she cried her heart out.
This wasn’t supposed to hurt. She knew she’d be saying goodbye. She knew it was only temporary. But the pain…it nested deep inside her chest, spiny tendrils snaking out to impale her every nerve. Emma reached into her pocket, hunting for a tissue to wipe away her tears.
A blue piece of paper tumbled to the seat beside her. “The snowflake,” she gasped, picking it up. She slammed on the brake, her SUV skidding on the slick road. It came to a stop on the shoulder as she uncreased Skylar’s snowflake over her steering wheel.
She’d never laughed so hard when he’d scooped her up off the ground. Then when he cupped her face, brushed her hair back with his thumbs, and kissed her…
Emma traced along the edge of the snowflake with her finger.
Her shattered world felt whole in his arms.
All her life, she’d cowered when voices rose. She’d fled when the heat grew. She’d never thought she was strong enough to fight back—against abusive bosses, bullying classmates, flippant roommates…her sister. For the first time, she found someone worth fighting over.
She fully turned around on the highway, leaning into the skidding snow, and took off back in the direction of Lake Holly. Emma pressed a button on her phone. “Sis, I’m not gonna make it for Christmas.”
“What? But the interview…”
“Isn’t for me. I belong somewhere else.” She smiled wide, her heart leaping about at the potential. Oh, she’d fight like hell for him. Tell him…tell Nick the truth. That even though it was a few days, even though she walked away, she couldn’t escape how much she—
Emma screamed as the front wheel hit a patch of ice and spun out. The wheel lost all control and her SUV careened wildly into the ditch. Screaming, Emma jerked as the front end crumpled into a cement barrier and her forehead struck the steering wheel. Blood dripped onto the blue snowflake and Emma blacked out.
HE TRIED TO not look defeated as he walked back into the cafe. Skylar stood up, but when he came in alone, she too crashed back into depression. She was gone and there was nothing he could do. He didn’t even think to ask where she was headed, because deep down a part of him thought Emma wouldn’t go.
Skylar dashed over and held up her phone. “You know I have her—”
“Get to school,” Nick interrupted. “I mean, it’s getting late and you have finals.”
She ground her jaw but picked up her book bag. All he could do was hope to get back to what he’d been before Emma walked into his life. Skylar stomped to the door, but before she slipped out, she hugged him tight.
“It’ll be okay,” she said and headed out.
God, he wished he could believe that.
“Hey, is this the place of the mistletoe latte?”
Nick winced, his dour frown twisting into a snarl. But as he stared at the wide-eyed and curious face, the anger shifted to a deep ache. It swallowed him whole, dragging him into a freezing lake of endless black. He didn’t want to take his rage out on anyone, not the hapless customer needing caffeine. Not even Rachel, who’d swept in as if she owned the place.
She was the one who took the order, acting like the last five years never happened. But he couldn’t pretend. No, he wouldn’t, not when he had just as many good memories with Skylar, and the cafe, and Emma.
“Get out of here,” he said calmly to the woman counting out change.
She smiled at him. “Don’t worry. I remember how to do this.” Rachel reached for a mug, but Nick took it from her hands.
“No. This isn’t your place. You walked out, and you’re not wanted here any longer.”
“Nicky…” She placed a hand on her hip then reached for him, but Nick ignored both.
He placed the mug under the espresso machine and started the pull. “I don’t know why you’re here. I don’t care. But this is my place.”
“I helped build it. I painted it. Even if you’ve let it turn to shit,” Rachel whined.
In his mourning, he forgot about her grating tendency to turn everything back on him.Why’d he even want to marry her in the first place?
“I made it. Me, and Skylar, and…everyone in town. This isn’t your cafe, Rachel. It never was and won’t be again.” It’d have been a good time for a round of applause, but the cafe was too busy enjoying the new improved mistletoe latte. Rachel fumed, but ripped off the apron she’d stolen along with the hat, and threw both at him. Nick didn’t even bother to catch them.
“I hope you fail,” Rachel snarled as she stomped for the door. “And your donuts are flavorless.”
“You bite your tongue,” Sam shouted before he ate the last one left.
