Chapter 21
21
MID JANUARY
E vie’s apartment above the café was alive with laughter and the cozy chaos of Girl’s Night. String lights twinkled overhead, casting a soft glow on the space, while bowls of popcorn, platters of nachos, and a pitcher of margaritas took up nearly every inch of the coffee table. Everyone was dressed in their favorite lounge wear—flannel pajamas, leggings, and oversized sweaters, all perfectly suited for a night of camaraderie and confessions.
Emily sat cross-legged on the plush rug, sipping her margarita as Evie dove into the latest installment of her dating misadventures.
“And then,” Evie said, gesturing dramatically, “he ordered chicken nuggets. Off the kid’s menu. At an Italian restaurant!”
Grace gasped, nearly spilling her drink. “No. He didn’t.”
“Oh, he did,” Evie replied with a grimace. “And when I told him it was weird, he launched into this whole story about how chicken nuggets are his comfort food because of some traumatic glue-eating incident in kindergarten.”
Lila, propped up on the couch with a blanket draped over her lap, shook her head in disbelief. “You know, I’ve heard of childhood sweethearts, but childhood glue-eaters? That’s a new one.”
“Needless to say,” Evie said, tossing a handful of popcorn into her mouth, “that relationship ended before dessert.”
Grace clutched her stomach, laughing so hard her cheeks turned pink. “Please tell me you left him with the bill.”
“Of course I did,” Evie said with a grin. “Lesson learned: dating someone you ate glue with as a kid isn’t nostalgic—it’s just gross.”
Emily laughed along with the others, though her thoughts kept drifting to Noah. She took another sip of her margarita, trying to focus on the conversation instead of the knot tightening in her chest.
“So, Emily,” Grace said, turning her sharp gaze toward her. “What’s going on with you and Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome?”
Emily nearly choked on her drink. “Excuse me?”
“Noah,” Grace clarified, her grin mischievous. “Broody. Handy with tools. Totally smitten with you.”
Emily groaned, heat rising to her cheeks. “He’s not smitten.”
Evie snorted. “Did you or did you not kiss him on New Year’s Eve?”
“I mean,” Emily protested weakly. “I suppose it was a kiss.”
“You suppose it was a kiss? If that’s a supposed kiss , sign me up for one of those and make it a double,” Grace declared, raising her margarita glass. “It was so steamy I had to look away for fear of being melted right there on the spot!”
The room erupted into laughter, and Emily’s smile grew so large that it barely fit on her face. Setting her glass down she said, “I don’t want to jinx anything. I really like him, though. I’m just scared to have what happened with Dereck happen again. I was upset when Dereck dumped me. But I would be devastated if Noah decided he didn’t like me anymore.”
“Em, I don’t think that’s likely to happen,” Evie answered gently. “You can see how much he cares for you in the way he looks at you.”
“Or how he always manages to show up at work,” Grace added. “Nobody needs that many supplies.”
They laughed and Emily shared a worried smile. “It’s not like that. Things with his project are wrapping up, and he’s been going back and forth to the city a lot more in the last week. He’s not made anything official. I mean, I know we are dating and that we are exclusive. But we haven’t talked about what’s next, and… I keep wondering if I’ve made more out of the New Year’s kiss than it actually was.”
Lila reached over to squeeze Emily’s hand. “Have you asked him how he feels, or what his plans are?”
“No,” Emily admitted, her chest tightening. “I guess I’m scared of the answer.”
Evie leaned back against the couch, her expression unusually serious. “You’re braver than you think, Emily. If he’s the right guy, he’ll make it clear. And if he’s not, at least you’ll know.”
Grace nodded, though her grin was already returning. “And if it doesn’t work out, you can join me in the online dating trenches. We’ll make a drinking game out of the weirdos.”
Emily laughed despite herself, though her uncertainty lingered. Before she could respond, someone from the doorway spoke up, startling Emily as she hadn’t even noticed another person had joined the party.
“I think you should go for it,” the pretty dark hair girl said, shrugging out of her coat and slipping off her shoes. “Okay, I know I don’t know the whole story. But I can see on your face how you feel. Tell him that you love him.”
The group turned toward her, their curiosity piqued.
“For those of you who don’t know,” Evie said, gesturing toward her, “this is Penelope, my childhood best friend. We grew up here in Mistletoe Hollow. Pen! I just heard you come in. How was your flight?”
Penelope Masterson, dressed in a cozy hoodie and leggings, smiled shyly. Her caramel hair was pulled into a loose bun, and her warm brown eyes reflected an easy confidence. She laughed when Evie jumped up and enveloped her in a warm hug.
Penelope waved. “I didn’t mean to kill the party vibe. I just could see how much you care about this… Noah? Was it?”
Lila grinned. “Don’t be sorry. You gave her excellent advice. Welcome back home, Pen. It’s great to see you again.”
“It’s good to see you too, Lila—and so pregnant! Congratulations! It’s nice to meet everyone else as well. Like Evie said, I just flew in from Arizona to interview with Dr. Sanchez about working in his office.”
“Nursing?” Lila asked, clearly impressed.
Penelope nodded. “Yes. Nancy is retiring soon, and Dr. Sanchez is looking for someone to take over her spot at the practice. I’m finishing school in April, so the timing works out—if I get the job.”
“You’d be perfect for it,” Evie said warmly.
Penelope’s smile softened. “Thank you. Anthony—my son—and I would love to move back. It’s just me and him, so having family nearby would mean the world to us.”
Lila’s expression turned wistful. “That sounds wonderful. I’m sure Anthony would love it here. ”
“He’s already planning out the snowball fights,” Penelope said, laughing. “He’s staying with friends in Arizona right now, but he’s counting down the days until he can visit.”
Grace leaned forward, her grin wicked. “Okay, but let’s get to the important part. Growing up here means you’ve got dirt on all the hot guys in town. Spill.”
Penelope laughed, her cheeks flushing. “Well, my older brother, Ryan, was kind of a big deal back in the day. Football star, town golden boy.”
“And?” Grace prompted. “What about his friends?”
“There was Marco,” Penelope admitted, smirking. “He was… a lot.”
“A lot?” Grace asked, her eyebrows shooting up. “I think what you meant to say was hot?”
“Extremely,” Penelope said, laughing. “But also a total flirt. He had this way of making you feel like you were the only person in the room. Which would have been wonderful if he hadn’t used it on half the girls in town. The man is dangerous.”
“Did anything ever happen between you two?” Lila asked, her curiosity piqued.
Penelope shook her head. “No way. Marco was like family. Besides, as my brother’s best friend he was strictly off limits. It was also a little annoying that half the girls in town had a crush on him.”
“Well,” Grace said, raising her glass, “if he ever shows up again, send him my way.”
The room dissolved into laughter, and Penelope relaxed into the easy camaraderie. The stories flowed freely after that—Grace’s ill-fated attempts at online dating, Lila’s search for maternity jeans that didn’t make her feel like a grandma, and Evie’s ongoing war with autocorrect on her phone.
By the time the night wound down, the coffee table was littered with empty glasses and snack crumbs, and the air was filled with the warmth of laughter and friendship. Emily helped Evie clear the dishes, her heart lighter than it had been in days.
As they worked, Penelope caught Emily’s eye. “About Noah,” she said softly. “Don’t overthink it. Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith.”
Emily nodded, Penelope’s words echoing in her mind long after the others had left. Maybe she was right. Maybe it was time to stop worrying and start taking chances.