Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
EMILY
“Wow, this looks incredible,” I murmured as my breath sent a cloud of white fog into the late-afternoon sky.
The stalls Roz and Ronnie had set up yesterday outside the barn were now full of vendors selling hot donuts, mulled wine and giant pretzels.
George and Hannah were there, standing behind a tantalizing array of baked goods.
Would it be too much to order an entire pecan pie for myself?
Perhaps I could convince Dana to share some with me.
I’d been taken aback when she’d suggested we meet this afternoon.
I would have thought she’d have avoided the Christmas market at all costs.
Not only that, but I wasn’t sure spending more time with Dana so soon after yesterday’s decorating session was a good idea.
The more time I spent with her, the more I kept thinking about kissing her.
On the plus side, perhaps some continued exposure to Christmas would help remind Dana of all the wonderful parts of the festive season again.
“Emily!”
I turned to find Dana walking toward me. I broke into a wide smile.
No turning back now.
She looked good. Brown boots, navy pants, a red-and-navy plaid jacket, and a navy beanie tugged over her head.
I fought the urge to wrap my arms around her. Is that what I would do with a friend if I was meeting up with them? Possibly? But we weren’t at that level of friendship yet—at least I didn’t think so. I’d never really analyzed the stages of friendship before.
“Do you want a drink or anything to eat?” Dana asked. “We could try the hot chocolates here, see how it compares to the one at the ice rink?”
“Yes, please! And I’d love to check out George and Hannah’s stall too.”
At their stall, Dana knelt to pat their gorgeous golden retriever, Max, talking to him in such a warm, affectionate manner that I couldn’t help smiling. We purchased a bag of George’s gingerbread cookies to go with our steaming cups of hot chocolate.
The barn had transformed since yesterday, and the vendors and visitors perusing their wares brought even more color and energy to the space.
Dana bit the head off a gingerbread person and moaned. “These are just as amazing as I remembered.” She caught me staring at her and shrugged. “I like to make an exception to my anti-Christmas stance for George’s gingerbread cookies. You should try them.”
I took a small gingerbread star from the bag and bit down on a corner. Ginger, cinnamon, cloves and rich molasses filled my mouth. Damn, no wonder Dana was moaning over them. They tasted like Christmas in a cookie.
As we walked up to the next stall, the tension I’d been holding in my shoulders since the flower delivery earlier in the week began to release.
Fuck Phillip. I wouldn’t let him ruin this for me too.
But the fact that he’d gone to the effort of tracking me down on the farm was more than disturbing.
And did he know I’d spoken to Rebecca? I hadn’t even told her anything.
After his threat and my conversation with Brittany, I was even less inclined to.
My chest tightened. Don’t think about it.
I would enjoy tonight and our last week of filming. Once I was home in Brooklyn, I would have the time and mental bandwidth to sit down and work out what I was going to do about him. For all I knew, this might be the last thing I ever filmed. I didn’t want that dickhead to overshadow it.
I shifted my focus back to Dana. With her hands in her pockets and her arms relaxed, this was the most at ease I’d seen her in a Christmas setting.
“Do you need to buy Christmas presents for anyone?” I asked.
“I’m doing secret Santa with my friends, so I’ll keep my eye out for something under $30.” Dana grimaced. “I’m not very good at shopping for presents.”
Had she already bought presents for her family, or did they not exchange gifts? Perhaps their relationship really was strained. My chest ached at the thought.
“Well, good thing you’ve got me then. I excel at buying presents.” I grinned.
“Oh really?” Dana chuckled.
We approached a sparkling display of snow globes and delicate hand-painted glass Christmas ornaments.
“Oh, I should get one of these for my parents,” I said, picking up a glass ornament painted with green holly sprigs and red berries.
“For your sad tree that no one else wants?” One side of Dana’s mouth curved up.
I laughed, my chest warming. She remembered our family tradition.
“Yes, exactly. Just because the tree might be a little sad doesn’t mean the decorations need to be.”
Grasping the ornament, I gazed over the snow globes. My eyes lit up at one with ‘Welcome to Sapphire Springs’ painted on it.
A street sat in the middle of the globe. On either side, the pavement was dotted with perfectly made tiny cast-iron lamps and bare trees. Quaint buildings lined the pavement. My eyes widened. “Oh my god! Look, it’s Builders Arms and the General Store! And Novel Gossip too.”
I turned the snow globe over to look at the price. Ouch. It was expensive, which wasn’t surprising given how incredibly detailed it was. It would be a lovely memento of my time in Sapphire Springs.
It was hard to believe I’d been here nearly two weeks.
Filming finished on Wednesday, and then I would be catching the train back to Brooklyn on Thursday morning for Thanksgiving.
I glanced at Dana, who was inspecting a snow globe of an ice-skating rink.
My shoulders slumped. I would miss her. Maybe I could come back to visit.
Would that be weird? Perhaps it was better not to see her again, go cold turkey—a very fitting approach to adopt just in time for Thanksgiving.
I shook the snow globe and watched as snow fell down on Sapphire Springs. It was just like the whole thing with Phillip. I didn’t need to work it out now. I could just live in the moment and enjoy my last few days in Sapphire Springs.
I reluctantly placed the snow globe back on the table and handed the store owner the more affordable ornament along with my credit card. I hadn’t received my paycheck from HolLove yet.
“This could be a good idea for the secret Santa,” I said, lifting up a beautiful oak cheese board at the next stall, which had an array of handcrafted wooden objects on display. “And it’s $29.99. Who doesn’t like cheese?”
Dana chuckled. “Well, as it happens, Roz went through a stage of being fervently anti-cheese, but thankfully she’s over that now.”
I handed the cheeseboard to Dana. “Oh? I’m sensing there’s a funny story here.”
“When she first started at the farm, she had a run-in with a cow. It put her off dairy for a while.”
I laughed. “Oh my god. The perils of being a farmer. I’m glad she’s fully recovered now. Cheese is the best.”
Dana examined the cheeseboard and nodded. “I think all my friends would love this.” She handed the cheeseboard to the stall owner with a sigh of relief. “I’m so glad that’s done. Thank you. It’s been hanging over my head.”
We continued to browse the stalls, sipping our hot chocolate as we went.
“Are you still meeting with Ashley and the photographer after this?” Dana asked.
“Yep, out front at four.” I looked at my watch. There was still plenty of time.
“Do you talk to the media much?” Dana took another sip from her hot chocolate.
This was an odd line of questioning. “Not anymore. For Clique, I did a press junket. And I had a few interviews for Harrowgate.” Then there was Rebecca.
I gripped the half-empty cup of hot chocolate. By delaying my decision, how much harm was that causing others?
A stall selling condiments caught my eye and I darted over to it. “Oh, this would be perfect for Dad,” I said, inspecting a set of four locally made hot sauces in a wooden box. “Despite working in the restaurant business for forty-plus years, he’s still a massive foodie and he loves hot sauce.”
I picked up a few interesting-sounding spice mixtures at the same stall, then a pair of fleece-lined slippers for Mom at a stall selling cozy winter attire.
“Do you have anyone else you need to buy gifts for?” Dana asked as we continued our tour of the market.
I glanced down at my watch. Fifteen minutes until I was meant to meet the photographer.
“Just my sister. But if you’re getting sick of shopping, I can do it another time.”
“No, I’m happy to keep going,” Dana said.
She did look happy. Her shoulders were still relaxed and there were no worry lines on her face.
Perhaps the Christmas exposure therapy was helping?
We wandered past stalls selling Christmas decorations, pottery, and jewelry. I stopped at a table laden with scented candles in apothecary-style brown glass jars.
“Lucia loves candles.” I picked up a candle and sniffed it. It smelled like bourbon and woodsmoke. Nice, but not Lucia’s style.
“Does your sister live in Brooklyn too?” Dana sniffed a candle called Cotton Candy and grimaced.
I held back a chuckle and shook my head. “No, she lives in LA, but she’ll be back home for Thanksgiving and again for Christmas.”
“Are you close?” Dana put the candle down and picked up another.
I smiled. “Yes, she’s one of my closest friends. We usually talk to each other at least a few times a week.”
I should call her again, see if she felt more like talking this time.
“Oh, that’s so nice,” Dana said.
“Do you have any siblings?” I asked tentatively.
Dana’s smile vanished. “A brother. But we’re not close anymore.”
I glanced at Dana. Had they had a falling out, or just drifted apart over the years? If either happened to me and Lucia, I would be devastated. Whatever the reason, it was clear from her tone that Dana didn’t want to talk about it.
I picked up another candle. It smelled like Christmas, with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger and molasses—not unlike the gingerbread cookies we’d been nibbling on.
“She’ll adore this one.” I waved the candle under Dana’s nose.
“Christmassy,” Dana said, with the tone of someone who was not a candle person.
Another scent caught my eye. Christmas Tree Farm. Okay, I had to smell that one.
I brought it to my face and inhaled. The scent of fir, mixed with woody undertones, transported me amongst the Christmas trees with Dana. “This one smells incredible as well,” I exclaimed, handing it to Dana. “And it’s called Christmas Tree Farm. How could I resist?”
Dana nodded. “That actually does smell like a fir. I don’t mind that one.”
I suspected that was the highest praise a candle could get from Dana.
It would be a nice reminder of my time in Sapphire Springs. I glanced at the price list. They weren’t anywhere near as pricey as the snow globes. And they offered a discount if you bought two or more… Screw it.
“I’ll have these two, thanks.” I handed the candles to the woman with a smile.
“Thanks so much for the company,” I said as we walked toward the exit. “I just want to point out that you haven’t complained once about the Christmas music or decorations. Is this a sign you’re feeling a little more inclined to Christmas?”
I winced after the words were out of my mouth. Had that been insensitive, given there was clearly some trauma behind her dislike of Christmas?
“Just because I haven’t complained doesn’t mean I haven’t been suffering in silence,” Dana replied, the corner of her mouth twitching.
I laughed, exhaling.
“But really, I’m fine,” Dana said. “In fact, I’m having a surprisingly pleasant time. Must be the company.”
Dana’s gaze caught mine and my heart jumped. Was Dana flirting with me? My cheeks heated. Probably just being friendly.
I took a welcome breath of cool air as we stepped outside into the late-afternoon light and stopped at the spot just outside the barn door where I’d agreed to meet the photographer.
I looked at Dana and my heart squeezed. We had no plans to see each other again.
“Hey, do you ever visit New York? I’d love to stay friends.”
Dana swapped the bag with the cheeseboard to her other hand. “I don’t get down there often, but I’ll definitely reach out if I’m in town. Any chance you’ll be coming back to Sapphire Springs?”
“I’d love to return for a weekend to hang out with you all and also show Lucia at some point. I think she’ll adore Sapphire Springs.”
“Well, I’d be very happy to help show her around.” Dana’s cheeks were flushed. It was probably the cold air.
How soon was too soon to schedule the visit? I didn’t want to come on too strong. But the thought of not seeing Dana again…
“Hey,” I said, standing taller, “we’re having a party to celebrate the end of filming on Wednesday night. Given your role as Grumpy Waitress and your scriptwriting assistance, I think it’s only fair you should attend. That is, if you’d like to?”
Dana could be my purely platonic plus-one. I looked at Dana as my stomach fizzed. Purely platonic.
Dana bit her lip, not saying anything.
I rushed on. “I’ll see if we can get invites for everyone else.
I mean, Roz and Olivia should definitely be there given it’s their farm and George and Hannah let us film at Novel Gossip.
I’ll tell Charles that Blake provided important medical care when I hurt myself and I’m sure he’ll be happy for her and Jenny to attend too. ”
Dana began to nod slowly. “Yeah... Yeah, that’d be nice.” And then she grinned.
We were standing so close to each other, I could see the golden-brown flecks in her eyes and her long dark lashes that framed them perfectly.
If I leaned forward and kissed her, would she kiss me back?
Adrenaline pumped through my veins at the thought. Don’t be ridiculous. We’re just friends.
But we were still standing there, looking at each other. Did she feel a crackle of electricity between us too?
“Emily!”
I jumped, and turned to see Ashley accompanied by a woman carrying a large camera.
Heat burned my face. Shit. Had they just witnessed me ogling at Dana, leaning in too close?
Ashley introduced the photographer without batting an eyelash and my face returned to its usual temperature.
It appeared I hadn’t outed myself to the media after all.
Thank god. I had enough going on without adding that to the mix.