Even on a Tuesday morning, she could hear carolers across the street. A chestnut vendor had opened up next to the coffee shop. The small ice-skating rink at the end of town was filled with students who were out of school. How had she ever left this? Oh, the city held its own charm, but nothing would ever be as magical as Christmas in Aubrey Heights. Or so she thought until the door opened and a man walked into the store.
“Jason?”
He pulled the stocking hat from his head and wiped his boots on the mat. “For a small town, you’re hard to find.”
She couldn’t believe she was standing there looking at him. It was Tuesday. Tuesday near his lunchtime. Tuesday, when she knew there had been a meeting scheduled with Gloria Vandenberg at noon.
“What are you doing here?”
He smiled, and she wondered if he could see the bead of sweat she felt on her brow. “I came looking for you.”
“Why?”
Jason chuckled. “You sure do ask a lot of questions. Do you have anything in the store I can ship to my mother in two weeks? I have a few things for her, but she likes when I overindulge.”
When he tipped his head as if he were making sure she was awake, she realized she hadn’t answered him. She stood there dumbfounded that he was even at the store.
“You came six hours to buy your mother something for Christmas?”
“Had to rent a car, too. I don’t own a car.”
Still, she stared at him in disbelief. “There was a meeting today. At noon.”
Jason turned his wrist to look at his watch. “Looks like I missed it.”