Chapter 1
Sneak Peak
Winter Romance
Kim
“Crap,” I muttered, bending down to pick up the display of Christmas baskets I had just made. I wiped my eyes, trying not to let the tears start flowing.
No, not over the scattered green and red ribbon or the bunches of berries I had. Instead, those tears were from the man I just saw pass my booth.
The man who was my friend.
The man who had my heart from ages back and refused to let it go.
The man that would never see me as anything more than a friend.
“You okay?”
I snapped my head up, sniffling as dad walked over, bending down to help me pick up all the items.
“I’m fine, Dad. Just missing, Mom. You know how she loved working at this booth. And it’s the holidays. I know it’s been a few years already, but I still miss her.”
“Sweetheart, you don’t have to explain it to me. I miss your mom every day. She would have loved these baskets. And the wreaths you did. You have a good eye for color and detail.”
“Thanks. I think they’re beautiful.”
He sighed, a sound I knew all too well.
“You could have made it big,” he muttered, making me roll my eyes.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my dad. He was my whole world.
But he often expressed how he felt I could do so much better than what this smalltown life offered me.
What he refused to understand, though, was that I loved this smalltown life.
I’ve seen the big cities, and I’ll be honest, they scared the crap out of me.
I had no desire to spread my wings and get out of here. Not like he wanted me to do.
Even after my breakup from Frankie.
I could have left, could have found someplace else, but I didn’t want to. This town was my life; I was still happy here.
And even if Frankie didn’t want me like that, he was still one of my best friends.
And this had all been expressed with the man before me. But he didn’t want to understand. Or at least refused to understand.
“I saw Frankie pass. Did he stop?” my dad asked, looking for something that I wouldn’t give him.
“He didn’t. He did wave, but he was rushing off to work on something. I’m sure he’ll stop by later though.”
“Shouldn’t bother,” my dad muttered. I stood up, planted my hands on my hips, and glared at him.
“He’s my friend, Dad. I can still talk to him, you know. Goodness, don’t always have to be a pain. Why don’t you go on home? Things are almost done here, and I’ll swing by to check on you.”
“You make me sound like an old fart who can’t take care of himself, sweetheart.”
“I know you can. I also know you’re a lonely man who prefers to stay at home than to talk to anyone. Now, go before I drag Peggy Sue over to talk to you.”
He shivered as he shook his head, his expression sharing just what he thought of that.
“That’s what I thought. Now, please do what I ask.”
“Last time I checked, I was the parent,” he grumbled as he shuffled off. I shook my head at him, knowing he would mutter all the way home. But I didn’t mind, so long as he got there.
“He’s always causing fusses, isn’t he? Same old Hank.”
“That he is, Frankie.” I turned around, smiling at the man who appeared behind me. “Did you get everything done?”
“I did. I guess one of the shelves in one of the booths collapsed, and it brought down three others. So, I had to go inspect and then fix.”
“You’re so good with your hands.” I blushed when he grinned, my thoughts going to areas that it shouldn’t.
Not that him and I haven’t done anything, after all, he was my first love straight out of high school.
He was a year older than me and had told me on prom night that he hadn’t done anything with anyone else.
Let’s just say it was a prom night for the books.
“It’s what I built my business on, so I’m hoping I’d be okay.”
I nodded, because I knew about his business. He was a great carpenter, having sold tons of pieces online. No one knew about it, though. In fact, he sold to some of the stores here, they just didn’t know who they bought from.
Frankie was a sound businessman with a heart of gold and hands to match. It was hard to say this, but I couldn’t understand why he never tried dating after he broke up with me. I didn’t get it. But anytime I’d ask, he shot the question down and changed the subject, so I just stopped.
“Are you almost done here?” he asked, looking around at the baskets that I was trying to fix again.
“Almost. I knocked these over and now need to redo them. Want to help?”
“Oh no lady, you’re the one with the eye for things like that. I’m just the muscle behind the lifting or building. But you have the creativity to know what looks good together.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere, Frankie.”
“It’s worth a try,” he said, sitting down on the stool next to mine. “So, do you maybe want to go grab a bite at Mary’s after you’re done? We can grab something for Hank while we’re there too.”
I glanced over at him, smiling as we locked gazes.
Frankie was such a great friend. Sure, it gutted me when he broke it off but I’m glad that he at least was still wanting to be friends.
Sure, after he called us off, I left town, visited my aunt in the city, spent a year there and said no more. It wasn’t for me, much to the annoyance of my dad.
I loved the quietness of the town, though.
And though they were annoying, I loved the town gossip.
And when I came back, hoping for a change with Frankie, he gently said we couldn’t, but he’d be lost if we couldn’t remain friends.
That was three years ago.
Neither of us dated. For me, I was holding out hope that something would change. I still didn’t quite understand what happened all those years ago.
“I think that’s a great idea. Dad will love that; he’ll love that you even thought of it.”
“Not sure about that,” he muttered, making me frown.
“I’m sorry, what?” though I heard him loud and clear.
“Oh, nothing. Just said your dad always loves Mary’s.”
I tilted my head slightly, knowing that’s not what he said. But I couldn’t figure out why he would question it given that my dad loved Frankie.
My dad was always asking Frankie for help or getting his advice about stuff. In fact, I almost saw my dad look at Frankie like he was some kind of long-lost son or something.
Although, looking back, my dad wasn’t as disappointed as I would have thought when I told him that Frankie and I were done.
“Oh, Kim, perfect timing! You’re not closed yet, right?”
“Hi Mrs. Weatherbe. No, not closed. Did you need something?”
“I was supposed to be leaving town to visit my children for Christmas, so I didn’t put up a lot of decorations.
But I just got off the phone and they’re coming in to see me.
All of them! I’m going to have a full house for Christmas.
Do you think you can do some wreaths and baskets, and a few other items in a week? ”
“Of course, I’ll have my best friend help me.”
I glanced over at Frankie who only rolled his eyes.
This next week was going to be busy, and I was dragging him along to help.
Maybe it would help spark something again.