Second Chance Holiday (Spruce Crossing Christmas Book 2)

3. Ava

As I sip my coffee and gaze out my bakery”s front window at the nearly deserted Main Street, the sight of snow dusting the quaint town evokes a nostalgic tug.

I’m torn between the choice I’ve made to return to Spruce Crossing and wanting to do what my mom did and escape. I know which one Rupert would prefer, my poor dog handling the move poorly in the unfamiliar house. The past three days, I’ve returned home to destroyed carpets and ripped-up couch pillows, his frustration mounting in his confusion.

Inevitably, the thought of my dog makes me think of Christian, and it brings an unexpected smile to my face. I hadn’t expected him to be so much like I remembered him from high school, with that dazzling smile and cute quips. The boy who stole my heart for a couple of months when I was a freshman, and he was a senior, is still in there somewhere.

I remember all that drama so well, when he went off to Washington for college, and I was heartbroken. A small part of me believed he would be my knight in shining armor back then. To his credit, he tried to stay in touch, to remain friends, but he was living his best life in college, and I was still in high school. By his second year of college, even our friendship had dwindled to nothing.

But in some ways, he’s still that popular boy who had a grin for everyone. And now he’s standing in front of me with a bouquet of wildflowers from Greenfield’s Grocery.

I blink twice as I gape at him on the other side of the snowy window, his tall, muscular form framed by the mountainous peaks behind him. Gently, he raps on the window, and I realize I’m still gawking at him. Instantly, I slide off the stool and hurry to let him through the locked front door.

“Good morning,” I breathe, swinging the door wide to let him stomp inside. Snow shakes off his boots, and flakes fall off his knit cap onto the wide shoulders of his coat.

“Good morning,” he replies. “I tried to come by yesterday afternoon, but Carlie said you were gone for the day.”

I nod. “I try to get home early and check on Rupert, but I come in earlier to make up for the lost time.”

“I won’t keep you, but I wanted to give you these,” Christian says, thrusting the bouquet forward. “I know you’re busy.”

I can’t help but titter. “What are these for?” I ask, accepting them, my heart melting at the gesture.

“Congratulations, I guess,” he suggests. “On your bakery.”

My grin falters, but I maintain it, turning to put the flowers behind the counter.

“I wish you’d said something about your mom. I had no idea she left.”

My shoulders lift to my ears in a shrug. “It’s not a big deal. She kind of just decided and put me on the spot. Either I could come from Boise and take over, or she was selling.”

Christian appears baffled at my confession. “She said that?”

“More or less.” I turn and find a jar, filling it with water to put the stems inside.

“I had no idea she was retiring,” Christian sighs.

“She didn’t plan on retiring. She’s been running this place for decades, and one day, it just became too much for her. I figured the whole town knew by now.” I pause. “And thank you for the flowers. They’re beautiful.”

“You don’t like roses, right?” he asks, and my brow knits into a vee.

“How do you know that?” My head tilts back to meet his gaze, startled.

Christian turns away, sliding onto one of the stools at the counter, overlooking the window. “It’s just something I remember you told me once.”

My jaw almost hits the floor, the memory vague and distinct in my mind. I barely know how to respond to that, but he doesn’t wait for one. He turns back toward me, his face serious.

“I know how rough it can be to take over a family business,” he adds. “If I can help, let me know. I’m only a few blocks away.”

But I already know that from bringing Rupert to his office.

I swallow the stone forming in my throat, his kindness overwhelming me, and I’m afraid I’m going to break down and cry right here in front of him. Honestly, I never expected this sort of raw emotion from Christian Hargrove. He never seemed that deep to me. Handsome, charming, funny? Yes. But caring and empathetic?

Of course, the man does work with animals. He would have to have some level of sensitivity for that.

“I really appreciate that, Christian,” I tell him honestly. “You’re the first person who hasn’t come to me looking for gossip.”

“Oh, I’m sure that’s not true,” he answers slowly. “The people in town can be a bit…”

“Nosy?” I suggest, and he laughs, shrugging.

“You lived here for eighteen years. You should know how they are. It’s a small-town thing, and your mom was something of a local celebrity, always winning those competitions and setting up her YouTube channel. The locals love her.”

He doesn’t need to remind me.

“Anyway, I just wanted to pop by and leave you my number in case you need someone to talk to, now that you’re home.”

I nod, not trusting my voice as I reach for my phone, charging next to the cash register. My heart skips as I cast Christian a sidelong look. I hand him my unlocked cell phone. He adds his number while I pretend to busy myself with arranging the flowers, willing my pulse to regulate itself. How baffling that he can have the same effect on me now as he did in high school.

“I need to get back to the clinic,” Christian sighs, sounding regretful. “A baby fox got tangled in a trap last night, and I need to check up on her. But if you want to get together later, I could come and pick you up. We could go do something…”

He trails off as I bite on my lower lip, studying the pretty petals of the flowers, the subtle aroma meeting my nose.

“I have to figure out things here, and I still have to plan for the baking competition,” I tell him. “And I need to spend some time with Rupert. I’ve been here so many hours. I go home as often as I can to take him for walks during the day, but I don’t think it’s enough.”

Christian chuckles, leaning in like he’s going to tell me a secret. “You’re never going to believe this,” he offers in a stage whisper. “But I happen to love animals.”

I laugh and meet his eyes again. “Do you want to come by later? I could cook. Rupert’s been eating the house. Literally. I think he’s mad at me, because he’s alone so often in a new place.”

Christian makes a commiserating sound. “That’s stress. New house, new city. I have some drops that will help him,” he promises. “You just add them to his water, and he’ll get better. I’ll bring them over.”

Pursing my lips, I nod, and his face breaks into a brilliant grin. “Good, then it’s settled. I’ll pop by around seven? And don’t worry about cooking. You’ve been baking enough. I’ll bring you something from Wild Sage since you haven’t tried it yet. Any dietary restrictions?”

I shake my head.

“It’s a date,” Christian says, and my cheeks flush scarlet at the words.

He doesn’t mean it! Stop making a big deal out of nothing, I scold myself as he sees himself out the front door, and Carlie wanders up the sidewalk.

“Don’t forget to text me your number,” he calls on his way out the door before saying good morning to my helper. The girl does a double take, her smile lingering at the sight of the handsome vet.

“He’s the best,” Carlie gushes, and a spark of jealousy twinges down my spine.

“Oh? You know him?” I ask, trying to keep the suspicion out of my voice.

Carlie nods vehemently. “My cat, Lucky, got hit by a car last year, and I thought she was a goner, but Dr. Hargrove saved her life. And he let me pay the bill in installments that I could afford. He’s an angel, truly.”

I feel ridiculous about my moment of jealousy, a spark of admiration toward the vet washing through me in replacement.

“How is Lucky now?” I ask, remembering how good Christian was with Rupert, the dog barely noticing his vaccinations.

“You wouldn’t even know she got hurt. Dr. Hargrove really is amazing,” Carlie replies. “We’re so fortunate to have him in Spruce Crossing. Not only is he a great vet, but he’s one of the few vets in the area who specializes in wildlife care. They bring animals in from all over the county, and even the state, to see him. It’s no wonder that recruiters are always trying to steal him away.”

My eyebrows shoot up in disbelief. “They headhunt vets?”

Carlie shrugs. “Why not? People love their animals as much as they do their kids. They’re willing to spend big bucks on their well-being. I know I would. Besides, most vets probably just focus on domesticated animals, so his wildlife experience must be something special.”

“Hm.” I gather the empty racks from behind the display cases and move toward the kitchen.

“Ava…” I glance back at the young woman, her cheeks flushing slightly. “Are you entering the competition this year?”

I nod, swallowing nervously. “That’s the plan. Why?”

She shakes her head. “No reason. I’m sure you’re going to do great.”

Although I appreciate the kind words, I can tell she’s desperately trying to hide her lack of confidence in my ability to live up to my mom’s prowess.