Chapter 7
Fredrik
Iarrived at the store half an hour earlier than usual. Not because I was hoping to catch Noelle, I told myself. I’d simply woken up early and couldn’t go back to sleep, so I was following my usual routine a little ahead of schedule.
In all honesty, my usual routine didn’t make any business sense.
The bookstore wasn’t making money. I could have sold my assets and lived a quiet life for the rest of my days, taking no part in anything.
But I knew Kailee needed somewhere to hang out in the afternoon, so I showed up. I was a sucker for being needed.
On my way to work, I picked up a black coffee from Love at First Sip.
“You’re looking worse for wear,” Eileen remarked, handing me my order.
“Gee, thanks.”
“It’s the dark circles.” She waved a finger around her eye, accidentally tapping on her oversized glasses as she peered over the rim at me.
“I didn’t sleep well. Hence the coffee.” I raised the cup, hoping this bit of information was enough to satisfy her curiosity.
“What are you losing sleep over?” She leaned forward, her flowery top brushing a tray of cinnamon buns.
I was actively ignoring their tantalizing smell. If I started using butter and sugar to medicate my sour moods, Hideaway Harbor would run out in a week.
“I, um…” I tried to gather my thoughts.
I could have sworn the background noise of the café dipped by several decibels, as everyone listened in.
Hideaway’s favorite son, Ralph, set down his pie and turned around, staring at me expectantly.
He must have been between his many temp jobs and business ventures, idling at the Sip, waiting for inspiration. Or good gossip.
“Is it a girl?” Eileen whispered, her voice brimming with hope. “I heard there’s someone new in town. A pretty one. Colorful clothes.”
Of course she’d heard.
“A girl is selling Christmas ornaments. It’s a temporary job.”
“Have you found out her name? I’ve been asking—”
“She said it’s Noelle.”
Eileen gasped, and her hand flew to her mouth. “You’ve met her? Oh, darling! Tell me everything!”
She circled the register and pulled me aside, much to Ralph’s disappointment. We ended up by a giant calendar advertising the upcoming December events. My gaze snagged on “Peppermint Hot Chocolate Appreciation Day,” and I nearly groaned out loud.
Who needed all this?
“There’s nothing to tell,” I assured Eileen. “She arrived yesterday. She’ll sell some plastic crap, then leave.”
“Where is she staying?”
I swallowed. “At the back of her shop.”
“Is it that Christmas store I noticed them setting up earlier? It’s right next door to yours!”
I nodded, looking at her blankly.
“You’re neighbors!” She exclaimed. “You need to be neighborly.”
“I am.” I almost told her about our bathroom deal, but Eileen didn’t need more fuel for her fantasies. They were already out of control.
“Good,” she said, letting out a breath. “But I’ll need updates.”
“I’ll keep you updated,” I promised half-heartedly, and we returned to the cash register.
I handed her a twenty-dollar bill. “Keep the change.”
“This is way too much.”
“It’s for my coffee and your discretion.”
“Men,” she harrumphed good-naturedly. “You gave me nothing I couldn’t get from Summer. Less, actually. She said you were acting rude at the Shore Thing last night.”
I rolled my eyes. Why was she questioning me on the things she already knew? Was it a new interrogation technique?
“Noelle has a microwave under her desk,” I offered. “And her shop is full of cardboard boxes. I think she’ll need help with unpacking and setting up. Otherwise, it’ll take a week, and she’ll lose sales.”
“Noted.” Eileen tapped on her nose. “We’ll find some hands on deck.”
“I’m sure she’d appreciate it,” I said noncommittally, but I couldn’t deny it felt good.
Hideaway Harbor might have been the quintessential, nosy small town, but our people always came through.
And a small part of me wanted Noelle to see that.
Not that it mattered. She was a fleeting visitor and would soon be on her way, most likely on another cruise ship, sailing somewhere exotic.
I couldn’t sell her on this place any more than I could convince her to take a chance on a hermit like me. I wasn’t even betting on myself.
Yet I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Every time I’d woken up last night, I’d been blinking away an image of her. Noelle in that funny, fluffy coat and pink beret, with a smile so warm it could melt snow.
Maybe it was healthy for me to have a little crush. I’d felt so bereft of any joy lately that even a gentle, brewing sensation in the pit of my belly felt like a miracle. After everything, I still had life left in me.
When I approached my store, I observed it for any signs of life, but it was dark and quiet. I unlocked the door, trying to ignore the pang of disappointment.
The air smelled fresher. Felicity must have stopped by. She didn’t usually clean this thoroughly, though. The Russian classics shelf looked different. All the surfaces were clean and empty, with a pile of books stacked on my desk.
I sat down with my coffee and fired up my old laptop. With no distractions around, I might be able to focus on my bookkeeping. I could at least pretend to be a proper business owner who gave a shit.
After twenty minutes of staring at depressing numbers, with only the dregs of coffee left in my cup, I was ready to admit I needed to check on her. Just to make sure she’d survived the night.
I pulled on my jacket and gloves, then flipped the sign on the door and headed to the Christmas Wonderland.
The lights were on, and the door was unlocked. I pushed it open and froze in the doorway.
Holy shit.
Every single cardboard box had been opened. Even boxes that had been stacked against the wall were now spread across the floor, covering every available square inch. Noelle stood in the middle, dressed in a pair of green overalls, her hair up in a lopsided ponytail, holding a utility knife.
“Fredrik!” Her face lit up with a smile that ignited a warm glow in my chest.
“What are you up to?” I scanned the chaos around me.
“I wanted to see what I’m dealing with.”
“So you opened everything?”
She laughed like this was the best fun ever. “It’s like Christmas morning!”
“But… wouldn’t it make more sense to deal with one box at a time? So you could still, you know, walk?”
She looked around like she was only now noticing the utter mayhem around her.
“Ah… maybe. But I needed to see what it all was so that I could decide where it goes. What if I gave the most prominent spot for these blinking Santas, for example?” She lifted a garish Santa ornament that, indeed, blinked.
“And then I opened another box and discovered something awesomer, like these blinking Santa hats.” She dove into another box and balanced a pointy red hat on her ponytail.
The white fluff ball at the end pulsated in the entire color spectrum.
“Awesomer is not a word.”
“It is when you find a blinking Santa hat that plays music.” She squeezed the white pompom, and a tinny, digital version of “Jingle Bells” hit my ears. “It’s like those musical greeting cards, only it’s a hat.”
Was she genuinely excited about this gaudy shit or just enjoying my reaction to it? I couldn’t stand mass-produced crap, and my face probably gave it away in full volume.
Noelle silenced the hat and hopped over two boxes, landing on a small clearing in front of me.
“It’s not all that bad. There are some basic ornaments, baubles and stars and bows and lots of fairy lights.
There’s even a box of some heavy-duty lights.
You know, the ones that look like light bulbs. They’re quite nice.”
“Okay.”
I didn’t really care. But she smelled of vanilla and raspberries again, and it was making me feel funny.
Or maybe just hungry. I’d skipped breakfast, mostly because I hadn’t bothered to go shopping.
And fasting was good for the gut, right?
When I got into the zone, I could go on for hours without thinking of food.
But this morning, the cravings were hitting me hard.
“Have you eaten?” I asked. “There’s a nice bakery—”
“Making Whoopie!” she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. “I saw it earlier on my way back from that Cellular Hill, and I promised myself a coffee and a whoopie pie. But then I decided to open a couple of boxes first. To really earn it, you know? Delayed gratification.”
“I was on my way there,” I lied. “I can pick you up something.”
“I’ll come with you!” she announced. “Let me get my jacket.”
Great. Nothing fueled rumors like us getting pies together. But she was already on her way, hopping over boxes like she was playing floor is lava in reverse.
It was only ten thirty in the morning. If she’d already climbed the hill and managed to open and investigate fifty boxes, maybe she didn’t need outside help. She made me think of a hurricane. Something that moved fast, tore up trees, and inspired awe.
“Did you… use the key I gave you?” I asked when we made it outside.
“Are you asking me if I’ve gone potty?” She chuckled.
I coughed. “No, I mean, did it work? Is everything working okay?”
“Your toilet works fantastically.”
I sighed. “Great.”
She shoulder-bumped me so hard I nearly lost my footing. “I’m just messing with you. Thank you so much for the key. I went in this morning and met your sister. She came in to clean the store.” Noelle raised her eyebrow at me.
“We have a deal. She does my weekly cleaning, and I watch her kid after school. She’s fifteen and mostly sits there and reads, so it’s a pretty good deal.”
“You really don’t like cleaning, huh?”
“Or maybe I don’t care enough.”
I meant it as a lighthearted comment, but she stopped in her tracks, like running into an invisible wall. “Are you depressed?”
I stopped, too, turning to face her. “I don’t think you’re supposed to ask that.”
Color drained from her face. “Oh. Is it too personal?” She squeezed her eyes shut, grimacing. “I’m sorry. I’ve been told I do this. I’m sorry.”
“It’s no big deal,” I said, a bit thrown by her reaction. “I’ve been told I deflect to avoid hard topics. It’s probably a me issue.”
Her face relaxed. “No, it’s definitely a me issue. But thank you for saying that.”
We walked in silence as I searched the corners of my mind for something to say. “According to some studies, probiotics can be as effective, or more effective, than antidepressants.”
Great. More useless trivia.
“Are you taking probiotics for depression?” She peered at me with open curiosity, and I regretted opening my mouth at all.
“I’m saying I’ve read a lot of studies. I—”
“You collect trivia.” She gave a firm nod and resumed walking.
I had been taking probiotics, just in case, and almost felt like telling her to see what she’d say.
I’d never met anyone as guilelessly direct before.
I could tell she wasn’t trying to make me uncomfortable.
This wasn’t a power play. She simply spoke without thinking, the words bursting out of her like an uncontrollable sneeze.
Maybe I needed to throw some questions back.
To catch her off guard in the same way to see what happened.
We crossed the square, navigating around the winterized fountain with a giant Christmas tree, passing snow-laden benches and shrubs.
I could already see the line outside the bakery. So many people.
“You never told me what you were doing in the bar,” I said, slowing down before we crossed the street and got too close to the crowd. “Why did you put makeup on the cactus?”
She burst out in laughter. “I wasn’t putting makeup on it! I was dusting it!”
“Because that’s totally normal?”
We reached Main Street, and she halted there, smiling. “It made sense at the time.”
“You’re not going to tell me?”
“You didn’t tell me why you were reading in there. Not really.”
“What kind of explanation are you after? People read in various locations. It’s pretty mundane.”
She tilted her head, assessing me from head to toe. “No. What you’ve got going on here is not mundane. It’s like a… statement. Like you’re trying to say something.”
I frowned in confusion. “Like what?”
“Like… ‘I played Freaky Friday with my grandson and now I’m an old man trapped in a young man’s body.’”
“Wow. Thanks.”
She slapped her glove over her mouth, eyes wide. “I did it again,” she mumbled. “I’m out of control.” She looked up at me pleadingly. “If it helps, I’m really into the sexy elbow patch look. I think I have a thing for professors, which makes no sense because I dropped out of college.”
I stopped breathing, suddenly feeling both hot and cold.
She was into me? Or… into my jacket? I’d heard plenty of shit about my wardrobe, but no one, and I mean no one, had ever called any part of it sexy.
I didn’t go shopping for clothes, and I’d been gifted quite a few items by my grandfather, who positively lit up when I wore them.
Elora had hated every single thing. She’d refused to be seen with me until I changed into something contemporary that she’d bought.
But she wasn’t here anymore, so I was free to look as outdated as I liked.
Underneath the vintage parka, I was wearing the same 70s blazer as last night, but I’d showered and changed my shirt. It may have still had a day of wear left in it, but I didn’t want to risk smelling bad if she suddenly hugged me again.
“Please don’t make this weird,” she finally said, eyes widening in panic as I simply stared at her, my mouth hanging open.
I should have said something. I should have flirted back or embarrassed myself to even the score, or whatever normal, fun people did. Instead, I looked like a fucking fish.
“What did you study?” I finally asked. “Before you dropped out.”
“Fashion design.”
“So you know your way around elbow patches?”
I wanted to bite my tongue. Looking like a fish was better than fishing for compliments. But Noelle didn’t seem bothered.
“Yes! I love upcycling and vintage clothing, but the fashion industry is so competitive, and I realized I could never afford to do unpaid internships. And that’s how I ended up working at The Gap instead.”
“And… then on a cruise ship?”
She did an exaggerated eye roll. “The navy-blue uniforms were so cute I couldn’t resist.”
We crossed Main Street and joined the line.
The chalkboard sign advertised a three-for-one deal.
No wonder there was a crowd. After a moment, we made it to the door, and an older couple exited.
I recognized the woman. She was friends with my mom and greeted me excitedly, her eyes lingering on Noelle as her husband held the door for us to enter.
Noelle skipped inside, but I held back, inhaling the thick scent of butter, sugar, and spice.
I could feel the eyes of the whole town waiting for me inside. Was I ready for this?