9. Ava
Although the fire was extinguished in relatively short order, the firefighters are still assessing the damage. Thankfully, everyone is safe, and all the animals have been moved to the community center for now.
I move from Christian’s side to the backseat, and Mason starts his vehicle, blasting hot air to keep us all warm. I didn’t bring my coat from the bakery, Christian’s phone call sending me out the door the second I heard the panic in his voice.
The fire chief comes over to talk to Christian.
“Any idea what caused it yet?” Christian asks, sliding out of the passenger side, and the fire chief reaches in, handing me an emergency foil blanket.
“It looks like a candle in the lobby area,” the chief announces. “But that’s only my preliminary findings. You’ll have to wait on the official report.”
“I can’t believe this!” he groans. His eyes fall on me, shivering underneath the silvery blanket. “You need to get home. I shouldn’t have dragged you into this, Ava.”
“You didn’t drag me into anything. I want to be here, but it doesn’t look like there’s much more I can do, and I have to get back to Rupert.”
“And your competition,” he reminds me.
“Right.” I step out of the backseat, and he exits the car and stands next to me.
Unexpectedly, his strong arms embrace me, and I accept his tight hug, dropping my head against his chest. I hear his heart still hammering wildly, and pity rises through me.
“It really is going to be okay, Christian,” I tell him. “I know it feels terrible now, but in the light of day, things will be brighter.”
“How?” He laughs mirthlessly. “I can’t just leave with the building like this.”
I draw out of his embrace and stare at him. “Maybe it’s a sign,” I offer, and he grimaces.
“I could have used something more subtle.”
I give him a tender smile. “Maybe subtle isn’t your thing.”
He hangs his head.
“I’ll call you tomorrow to check up on you, okay?” I reassure him. “We’ll come up with a plan to deal with all this.”
He appears surprised by my suggestion, but he doesn’t refuse my offer.
“Mason, can you drive her back to the bakery?” he calls out to his best friend, but I shake my head.
“No, I could use the fresh air to clear my head,” I insist.
“You don’t even have a jacket,” Christian growls.
“Let me drive you,” Mason says.
“All of us should go then,” I say, looking meaningfully at Christian.
Mason nods at my suggestion. “Yes. Christian, there’s no sense in you sitting around here.”
“I should—” he starts to protest, but Mason puts up a hand.
“If you’re needed, they have your number. You’re not doing anything by standing around. Just go home and wait for word, okay?”
“My tree at home still needs decorating,” I blurt out. “And that bottle of wine you brought over never got opened.”
Mason eyes his friend. “That sounds like an excellent offer,” he presses. “I’ll bring you to Ava’s car.”
Christian stares at me blankly, and I nod encouragingly.
“Come on,” I urge.
“Ava has to get prepared for her competition the day after tomorrow,” he mumbles, but there’s absolutely no conviction behind his words.
“Why don’t you let me worry about my schedule?” I suggest. “I really need to decorate my tree at home. It’s five days until Christmas. Santa will skip my place entirely if I don’t put something up.”
In the end, Christian concedes, and we end up in my vehicle, heading back to my house on Frontier Street. Christian says very little, but I catch him sneaking glances at me the whole time.
I park in the driveway and turn to him. “You’re safe. All the animals are alive and cared for. It could have been so much worse.”
He nods, reaching for the door, and I stifle a sigh. He’s still in shock, but I’ll show him he’s going to be fine. Somehow.
With a classic Christmasmovie playing in the background, I struggle to hang the beaded garland around the back of the tree. My body strains as I push myself onto the ball of my foot and yelp, almost tumbling into the tree, but Christian is there to catch me, his arm around my waist as he rights me.
“Are you sure you only had half a glass of wine?” he teases, his demeanor relaxing now that he’s got a glass of wine in himself.
I wag a finger at him in faux annoyance. “Don’t make fun of me. I had no idea how tall this tree was when you cut it down.”
I set the garland right and step off the stool, standing back to admire my handiwork at Christian’s side as I reach into the wooden crate for another piece to hang on the tree. “Thanks for helping me with this.”
He snorts humorlessly. “I know you’re just doing this to keep my mind off the fire.”
My smile fades, and I turn to him, my eyes narrowing slightly. “I’m doing this because I enjoy spending time with you, Christian. Believe it or not, I have often wondered why we didn’t make it work after high school.”
I have no idea where those words come from, but I’m not sorry I voiced what I’ve been thinking for a while.
His tall frame half turns to me. “We both left with no plans of coming back.”
“We were so young,” I sigh. “Besides, things work out the way they’re meant to. We can’t change the past.”
He cups my cheek. “You really believe that, huh?”
Shrugging, I raise my eyes and look at him. “Yes. I really do.”
“So what does this fire mean? That I’m supposed to stay or go?” he rasps.
My heart sinks at the question. “Only you can answer that, Christian. I would never try to answer that for you.”
His lips brush against mine, and my pulse races as I eagerly return his embrace, my eyes closing as our mouths meet. When we part, I lock gazes with him. “Whatever you decide to do, I’m here for you,” I tell him. “And if you go to San Francisco, we can stay in touch.”
He smiles at me. “I’m here for you, too, Ava. How can I help you with your competition?”
I step back and wave a hand dismissively. “Never mind that right now,” I say quickly. “We still have a tree to decorate, in case you haven’t noticed.”
“Ava…”
“Don’t try to talk your way out of it,” I tease, shifting the conversation away from me. “Get to work.”
On Friday morning,I warn Carlie of a busy day ahead.
“I know!” she exclaims with glee. “I saw your posts on social media! We have dozens of responses already! I shared it with everyone, Ava.”
She stares at me with such adoration, it embarrasses me. “Good. I hope everyone spreads the word. Spruce Crossing Animal Hospital needs all the help it can get after the fire. They’re going to have to rebuild.”
We roll up our sleeves and start baking twice as fast as usual. By the time the doors open, the phones are ringing off the hook with orders and questions about the fundraiser I thought up the night of the fire. A steady stream of customers work their way through the doors of Sweet Treats, eager to take part in the full donation day that will go to the animal hospital.
Someone pounds on the back door as I roll out the dough for more donuts. I wipe my fingers on my apron and push the door open, startled to see Christian in the alleyway.
“What are you doing?” he sputters.
“Me? What are you doing?” I chuckle, letting him into the kitchen. “Since when do you come through the back door?”
“You’re supposed to be competing today,” he reminds me.
A smile spreads across my face. “I accepted early defeat,” I reply lightly, returning to my donuts. “I have what it takes to succeed in this business, and I don’t need a panel of judges to give me that sort of validation. Sometimes, people get stuck in their ways in small towns, but change can be good. Maybe one day Spruce Crossing will see I’m a good change, and if not, I’ll take my skills elsewhere.” I speak with more conviction than I feel.
He captures my hands in his, shaking his head. “You are something else. Do you know that, Ava Norwood?”
“Thank you.” I blush and look down. “Besides, there is something else that needs my full, undivided attention—something that is much more important.”
“I heard about your fundraiser,” he growls. “You don’t need to do this, Ava.”
“I want to. Spruce Crossing is my home, and a part of my home has quite a bit of fire damage. It’s the least I can do?—”
“I’m staying.”
The words die on my lips as I stare at him. “What?”
“I decided the night of the fire that you were right. It was a sign. I’m supposed to be here, in Spruce Crossing—with you. You don’t need to give all your profits to the clinic.”
I shake my head vehemently. “Whether or not you stay, I would have run this fundraiser.”
He steps closer. “And what about us?” he asks.
I stop speaking and look at him. “Us?” I echo. “What about us?”
“What does the future hold for us?”
I smile at him as I make circles of the dough, patting them into plump pastries. “I’m not sure what you’re asking me, Dr. Hargrove,” I tease.
“I think you know,” he replies seriously. “Are you ready to take the next step with me, Ava?”
I grin. “Are you asking me to prom?”
“I wish I could,” he sighs. “But will you settle for dinner at Wild Sage? A real date?”
I bob my head. “Yes. I would love that,” I reply honestly as Carlie bursts into the kitchen.
She balks, embarrassed to see Christian. “Oh! Sorry, Dr. Hargrove, I didn’t know you were in here.”
“He snuck in the back door,” I explain. “You okay out there? I’ll be right out.”
“I’m fine, but…” Her peachy complexion flushes brightly as she smiles a toothy grin at me. “I might have done something wrong.”
Shoving the donuts into the oven, I laugh. “I’ve yet to see you do anything wrong, Carlie. What happened?”
“You know all those orders we lost over the last couple of weeks?” she hemmed, staring down at her shoes.
“I can’t help but remember them,” I sigh. “What about them?”
“Half of them have called back today and want to rebook. So I rebooked them and about another half dozen more.”
I gawk at her in disbelief. “What?!”
“I know! It’s a lot. I can cancel?—”
“Don’t you dare!” I cry, throwing my arms around her. “No! We’ll figure it out. We can bring in our weekend staff to work some extra hours. Thank you, Carlie!” She flushes again and rushes out to tend to the crowd out front as I look at Christian in shock. “They rebooked!”
“Of course they did,” he agrees. “The good people of Spruce Crossing can admit when they make a mistake.”
“I won’t have to shut down the bakery!” I yelp, tears of happiness burning in my eyes.
“You always find a way, don’t you?” Christian says proudly. “I’m so happy for you, Ava.”
I grin and glimpse a photo of me and Mom over one oven in the kitchen.
See, Mom? I didn’t fail. Your bakery is still up and running just fine.