Chapter 17
SEVENTEEN
CASSIDY
Cassidy was sketching ideas for her own Christmas light-up display between customers. She couldn’t believe how gorgeous Emily’s display had been, and that was after she’d been sabotaged twice.
She’d just had the idea of doing Twelve Days of Cocoa for her pop-up café, with a different themed cocoa every day leading up to her switch-on, alongside her signature dark spiced classic.
She was making a list of all the different flavors: cinnamon swirl, peppermint bark, French lavender, white chocolate, gingerbread spice, and raspberry truffle.
Hopefully, locals would stop by each day to see and try the new flavor.
Then for her light-up event, she was thinking of running a Cocoa & Kisses-themed photo booth.
She’d have tons of props, like oversized mugs, sparkly berets, mustaches, candy canes, Santa hats, and mistletoe.
In the window, she could make a four-foot-tall snowman out of white chocolate, and in the other, an edible Christmas village.
It would take a ton of work, but she could do it. She knew she could.
Just as she was beginning to feel the churn of anxiety, Zoe pushed open the door and walked over to the counter. “Wow, this is ambitious,” Zoe said, peeking over at her designs. “Way more than I’m doing…”
“Do you think so? Will people in Maple Falls love it?” Cassidy chewed on her pencil. “We’re up against Liam too, and he seems to be the poster child for the town. Is there anyone around here who doesn’t love him? I mean, do I even have a shot?”
Zoe laughed. “I’ll admit, it’s going to be tough to beat him. But if anyone can do it, it’s you. Who doesn’t love chocolate and Christmas? The two are practically made for each other.”
“Speaking of the competition…” Cassidy’s fingers traced the rim of her cocoa mug, her brows knitting. “I really hope the Gingerbread Jerk doesn’t strike again. I can’t believe we haven’t caught whoever it is yet.”
Zoe nodded. “I know, right? Mayor Bloomfield thinks it’s a bunch of teenagers being dumb.”
“Maybe.” Cassidy glanced out the window, watching snow swirl around the lampposts on Oak Way.
“I hope you’re right. It’s just… this competition means so much to me.
If someone trashed my display, I’d be livid, and not just because I want to win Business of the Year.
” She paused. “I really want to help the children’s hospital this Christmas. It means so much to me.”
Zoe reached over and squeezed her hand. “I know.” She lowered her voice, a teasing smile playing at her lips. “I’ll keep my eyes peeled for any gingerbread jerks lurking around.”
Cassidy cracked a small smile, but the worry in her eyes didn’t fully fade as she turned back to the window, watching the lights across the street flicker, wondering if someone out there wanted to see her fail.
“I wanted to ask you about the hospital you want to donate the prize money to. How long were you there for, when you were a kid?”
“It was a lifetime ago… Honestly, I don’t really remember,” Cassidy said with a soft shrug. “I was just a little girl. But it was when I was in the hospital after the accident, after my parents died, that I fell in love with chocolate.”
Zoe’s expression softened as she waited for her to continue.
“My grand-maman used to sneak me these little flasks of thick, velvety, spiced hot cocoa using her special family recipe. She’d pass them to me like they were medicine.
” Cassidy smiled faintly at the memory. “And in a way, they were. That cocoa… it warmed me up from the inside out. Made me feel like maybe the world wasn’t completely broken. ”
She looked down at her hands, then back at Zoe.
“That’s when I realized chocolate could be truly magical.
I was so lucky to have Grand-maman, but I remember what it’s like to spend Christmas in the hospital.
If I can do anything to make those kiddos’ Christmas a little bit merrier? Then you betcha I’m gonna do it.”
Zoe remained silent, and Cassidy wondered what she was thinking.
“Sorry, probably a total bummer topic.” Cassidy had learned that people don’t necessarily like it when you talk about becoming an orphan at Christmastime. She picked up her pen and looked back at her sketch.
“It’s not that,” Zoe said gently. “I was just thinking about how grief transforms people differently. And how… well, it might not be my place to say anything, but I saw you and Liam together last night at Emily’s light-up.”
Cassidy stopped mid-doodling. “What does that have to do with anything? We’re just friends,” she said a little too quickly.
Honestly, she didn’t know what they were. There were feelings, and some serious chemistry, but where was it all going?
“First of all,” Zoe said, holding up a finger, “I’m pretty sure you two are going to be more than friends. I can see it. Everyone can see it. And it’s not just because you were straddling him in the middle of Oak Way.”
“That was an accident!” Cassidy held up her hands in mock surrender.
“Uh-huh. Suuure,” Zoe said, drawing the word out. “You just slipped and fell on his dick.”
“That’s not what happened! We were… I was… The ice—”
She went to protest more, but Zoe stopped her.
“This is all beside the point. There’s something I think you should know. I’m just debating if I’m the one who should tell you…”
Cassidy slapped her palms on the counter. “What the heck? You can’t say something like that. Now you have to tell me. I need to know what I’m getting into here.”
“I know. I know.” Zoe’s tone softened. “The thing is… you’re not the only one who’s had heartbreak at Christmas. Liam has, too, and it’s torn him up. He hasn’t been the same since the accident.”
Cassidy’s expression turned from intrigue to somber in a second. “Accident?”
“I think it was four years ago now,” Zoe said, doing some mental math.
“His girlfriend, Avery, was coming to spend Christmas with him. They were in college together, and Liam had finished exams early and come back to town. She stayed behind a few more days. Anyway, she was on her way to Maple Falls when her car hit black ice. She didn’t make it. ”
Cassidy closed her eyes. So that was it, that was Liam’s story.
She’d known there was something, but this…
this was just so heart-wrenching. She knew the ache of grief all too well.
It got better, but it never really went away.
Some days, it hit you out of nowhere and knocked you flat.
Those were the bad days. But with time—and love—it grew quieter, easier to carry. She was thankful for that.
“Now I feel awful for calling him a grinch.” Heat rose to her cheeks.
“Yeah,” Zoe said, “the rest of the year, Liam’s as bright and sunny as anyone. Life of the party. Always up for a good time. But come December?” She shook her head. “It just guts him.”
“Trauma can do that.” Cassidy frowned. It made sense now, didn’t it? “God, he probably finds me completely annoying.”
She motioned to her outfit: red corduroy overalls and a white-and-red striped tee. She looked like a human candy cane. And honestly, this was one of her tamer looks.
“Girl, no. Please. You are adorable. Not your fault he has Christmas PTSD.”
“I know. I know.” Still, she wondered if maybe—just around Liam—she should tone it down a little. She sighed. “I did think there was something deeper going on. I knew it couldn’t just be that he was cranky about his hamstring.”
“Oh, I’m sure he hates that too. We both ran cross-country in high school. He lives for running. He’s the king of the Jingle Bell 5k. Not being able to do it this year is killing him. Trust me.”
Cassidy nodded. “For the record, this is not where I thought this conversation was going,” she said. “I figured you were about to tell me he had three baby mamas in the tri-city area.”
“What?” Zoe snorted. “No!”
“I’m just saying. He’s got that player energy. Tall, dark, and broody with a tortured soul, chiseled jaw, and dimples even the devil would be jealous of. Who knows how many Little Liams are out there?”
“Oh my God. You have to say that to his face. And I have to be there to watch.”
Cassidy grinned. “Noted.”
She drummed her fingers on the counter, her mind spinning, thinking of Liam and how she could help. “I wish there was something I could do. I know he can’t do the 5k, and he’d probably hate anything too Christmassy, but… what if we did something outdoors?”
Zoe perked up. “I like where this is going.”
“I don’t know, what if we did a snow hike tomorrow?
Nothing too crazy, just get a group together for a winter nature walk in the morning.
You know the area. You were just out foraging.
Maybe you could help plan the route? Then afterwards, snacks and cocoa, maybe a board game or two at my place? No holiday stuff. Just good company.”
Zoe beamed. “I think that’s a brilliant idea. He’d totally go for it.”
“You really think so?”
“Positive.”
“Alright then. I’ll run across the street in a little bit and float it by him, see what he thinks.”
“Great. I’ll call around and see who else wants to join. What time tomorrow? Ten o’clock?”
“Ten o’clock is perfect,” Cassidy agreed.
“I’ll plan out the route and let you know.”
“Perfect.” Cassidy knew Zoe regularly hiked the area. If anyone could plan the best route, it would be her.
Truthfully, Cassidy was more of an indoor girl—puzzles, baking, watching holiday movies on repeat—but she wanted to give something back to Liam.
Yes, she was wildly attracted to him. And sure, he’d been kind to her at the tree lighting festival.
But it was more than that. She wanted to show him he didn’t have to be alone in the shadows.
And maybe, just maybe… see if she could help him let the light in.