Chapter Twelve
JULIA
“Julia! Lucas! You’re back!” Cassie rushes from The Mistletoe Inn’s dining room, throwing her arms around me in a giant hug. “How was Vancouver? More importantly, how was the concert? I want to hear everything!”
“Cass, let her breathe.” Jacob chuckles from behind the desk. “At least let me get them checked in first.”
“I’ve got this. Cassie, do you mind if Julia has an iced Holly Jolly Latte? The biggest you’ve got. She’s talked about it non-stop for hours,” Lucas says, putting down his bags. He sounds grumpy, but the hint of a smile lets me know he’s joking.
Mostly.
I may have mentioned the coffee once—or ten times—during the drive back to Candy Cane Creek.
“Hours, huh?” Cassie laughs. “Let’s go into the kitchen and get you that coffee so you can tell me all about how amazing Bennett Richards looked. And sounded. And looked,” she says dreamily.
Jacob rolls his eyes. “Really, Cass. I’m right here.”
“Oh, you know I love you.” Cassie blows a kiss at Jacob. “But seriously, I need you to tell me everything.” She takes my bags from me and places them next to Lucas’s before linking her arm through mine and leading me out of the lobby. “The boys will take care of these.”
“Don’t worry about us! We’ve got this covered!” Jacob jokes.
I look over my shoulder and mouth, “Sorry,” to Lucas, only to find him laughing silently and waving me off.
“Oh, Lucas, good news. Chuck from the shop called, and your tires will be in first thing in the morning. You’ll be good to go by checkout,” Jacob says as I let Cassie lead me away.
“Wait!” I exclaim, running back to grab my tote she had placed on the ground before rejoining her. “I got you something.”
“You did?” Cassie gasps as we both lower into oversized chairs next to a fireplace.
The last fire had long since gone out, but the scent of the lingering charred wood wraps around us.
This place would be amazing in the winter with a blazing fire and snow falling outside.
I’ll have to mention it to Lucas to come back closer to Christmas.
I reach into my bag, feeling around for her gift and rifling through everything I bought last night. Maybe Lucas was right, and I didn’t need to buy so much.
Who am I kidding? I needed to buy more.
“Ah ha! Here it is! I saw this, and I thought of you.” Wrapping my hand around the cool handle, I pull out an oversized tumbler with True North etched on the side in a retro font. “I think it’s meant for water, but you could also fill it with iced coffee.”
“Oh my gosh, it’s perfect, thank you! Maybe I can finally trick Jacob into thinking I’m drinking water in addition to my coffee.” She winks.
“I mean, coffee is made from water. I don’t see the big issue.” I laugh.
“Exactly! Let me go make those iced lattes, and then you can tell me everything. Especially about Rich and Ashley.” She stands from her seat, hugging the tumbler to her chest. “I still can’t believe they sang ‘Always Be Mine’ together, and you got to see it.”
“It was magical.” I breathe, caught up, reliving the moment. “Wait, are you making them here? Should we go over to the café?”
“Oh, no. I made sure Jacob was set up with only the best when he renovated the inn. Everything I have at the café is also here. I’ll be right back.” She turns for the kitchen before looking back at me, letting out a giddy squeal, happily kicking her feet.
I love that Lucas and I experienced the True North concert together, but I can only imagine the chaos that would have ensued if it had been a double date with Cassie and Jacob.
Whoa—double date?
There was no single date. How could there be a double date?
My heart starts to beat faster as I think of the people who have mistaken us for a couple on this trip. It’s not the first time it’s happened—it’s been going on since we were teenagers—but it somehow feels different this time, even though I can’t figure out why.
I hear Jacob and Lucas laughing before thudding up the old staircase, likely bringing the bags to our rooms. I fight the urge to go and help, since more than half of the bags are mine, but I’m frozen in my spot.
“Are you okay? You look like a deer in the headlights,” Cassie says, returning to her chair and putting two iced lattes on the table between us.
“I…uh…” I’m not sure how much I want to say to Cassie.
After all, I only met her a few days ago.
But at the same time, it feels like I’ve known her a lot longer, and maybe talking this out with someone I don’t know would be better.
Get an outside perspective rather than from someone who’s known Lucas and me our whole lives.
“This can’t be good,” Cassie says, settling into her chair as she picks up her iced coffee, taking a sip from her straw. “What happened?”
“I mean, nothing happened, it’s just…” I lean forward, grabbing my latte, letting the ice-cold glass ground me and my racing thoughts.
“It happened again, didn’t it?” When I don’t say anything, she continues. “And you’re still in denial about it.”
My gaze snaps to hers. “What? Me? I’m not in denial about anything.”
She chuckles. “I was you not long ago.”
“What do you mean?” I take a sip of my coffee, letting the cool peppermint and ice-cold coffee distract me from the pure panic that’s going on inside me right now.
“Jacob and I started out as best friends. I never thought anything of it for a long time. I was actually in a pretty serious relationship with someone named Eric.”
“Really?” I gulp, putting my coffee down, feeling like I may choke on it if I drink and listen at the same time.
“Yup. We were all great friends growing up, and Eric and I started dating. I thought we were going to get married and everything.”
“What happened?” I ask hesitantly.
She shrugs. “Eric had—other plans. Let’s leave that part there. It’s not important.”
“And that’s when you noticed Jacob?” I ask hesitantly, shifting in my seat, not sure I’m liking where this conversation is going.
“Well, no. At first, I actually had a bit of a thing for Rex.”
I perk up. “Who’s Rex?”
“Rex Wellington. He owns the animal shelter here in town and has the funniest dog, Tag. I’m surprised you haven’t run into him yet, actually. But it doesn’t matter either, he’s married to my best friend, Holly, now.” She waves her hand at me, taking another sip of her coffee.
“Okaaay,” I say, trying to follow along.
“My point is, I was also in a state of blindness, not seeing what was in front of me the whole time. Jacob was right there, and I never noticed until the whole town made me stop to see it. And by the whole town, I’m not even kidding. There was a week-long chat about it on Candy Gram…”
“Candy… what?” I ask, hoping that I can distract her from where she’s going with this.
“The town’s app. Like a community board, but digital. And with a chat, which is usually dominated by Edna and her wacky ideas. Or Curt and his latest business ventures. Anyways, my point is that I’d like to spare you from the public spectacle that is small-town life if I can.”
“Thank you, but there’s nothing to spare me from, Cassie. Lucas and I have been friends and always will be. Everyone’s just mistaken, that’s all.”
“You don’t really believe that, do you?” She tilts her head, looking at me as if I’m the most curious thing in the world.
Right now, I feel like I might be.
“I don’t know what you mean,” I deflect, swirling my coffee with my straw.
“Come on, Julia. That man is in love with you.”
My head snaps up; my breath stuck in my throat. I open my mouth to say something, but the words are stuck down there with my breath.
“You do know that, right?” Her eyebrow lifts. “I could see it the moment I first saw the two of you.”
“As a friend. He loves me as a friend. Nothing more.”
Cassie sighs. “You really don’t see it.”
“There’s nothing to see, Cassie. I appreciate you wanting to save me from whatever you think might be happening, but we’re only friends, and that’s all we can ever be.”
It just has to be that way.
But I don’t say that part out loud.
Her eyes dart over my head, her face dropping. Whipping around so fast I nearly spill my coffee, I see Jacob and Lucas standing in the doorway. Lucas’s face is tense, jaw ticking.
He heard.
He heard everything.
“I’m, uh, going to check on my truck,” Lucas says, refusing to meet my eye.
I should say something, but what do I say? What if Cassie’s right and he is in love with me? Could I really be that blind? If so, how have I missed it?
At the same time, the signs have always been there. Showing up with my favourite coffee on breaks, watching sappy movies with me while eating pizza, or going to community festivals that he hates so that I don’t have to go alone.
Driving for days to see True North in concert.
I close my eyes and turn back in my seat.
What have I done?