Page 20 of A Bright Winter Season

“Well, we all appreciate you, I know that much. I remember when you fixed Mom and Dad’s refrigerator right before they were hosting a big dinner for a family reunion. Mom was so relieved.”

“Oh, man, I remember that. That was right when I was starting out. I remember being grateful that they trusted me.” Jacob laughed.

For a moment, the two men sat there smiling at each other. They’d known each other for many years, and there was an easy comradery between them.

“So,” Jacob said after a moment, his mouth curving upward a touch slyly. “How’s that new relationship of yours going? With your physical therapist?”

“With Noelle?” Dean’s eyes lit up as soon as she was mentioned. “Well, she’s not my physical therapist anymore. That’s how we met, but I switched to Chip before asking her out.”

“I heard that, I’m just teasing.”

“Oh yeah? People have been talking about us, huh?”

“Oh yeah, all the time. You’re Rosewood Beach’s cutest new couple. Besides, I work for a lot of older women who like to talk about the local romances.”

Dean laughed. “Well, I’m glad they think we’re a cute couple. I have to agree with that sentiment. She’s just about the cutest thing in the world.”

“You’ve got it bad, huh?”

Dean coughed gently, grinning. “Anyway, so about your car?—”

“Right, my car. What about my car?”

“She’s all fixed up. Or will be once Keith is done. Got the oil changed and a new head gasket in. We also replaced the shocks and fixed that dent in the muffler.”

“Fantastic. Sounds like a lot of work.”

Dean shrugged. “It wasn’t too bad. My guys had to help me out here and there—in the past, I would have been able to do all that myself no problem, but now I’ve got to try to take it easier.”

“I’m glad you’re figuring it all out. I bet it feels good to be able to continue working, even if it’s not as much as usual.”

“That’s for sure. It’s such a relief to be able to do as much as I have been doing. And Noelle’s such a cheerleader for me. Whenever I get pessimistic about how hard it is to manage my osteoarthritis, she’s so encouraging.”

“That’s great, Dean. I’m happy for you guys.” Jacob smiled, meaning the words sincerely, but he felt a bittersweet ache in his heart.

It would be amazing to not be single anymore,he thought.I would love to have someone like that to support me in my life. It would be wonderful to have a partner at my side through all of the ups and downs of life.

For a moment, he and Dean were both quiet, presumably lost in their own thoughts. Jacob’s eyes wandered around his friend’s office, and he noticed a picture of the Owens family hanging onthe wall behind Dean. It was a photograph of them on a hiking trail somewhere, and most of them were standing on the path with their arms around each other. Hazel, however, was in a nearby tree, a huge grin on her face.

Jacob couldn’t help smiling when he saw the picture. He’d always liked Hazel a great deal, even in high school. He felt as though they had a kind of special connection, and she’d always made him laugh more than other people could.

He thought about seeing her in The Lighthouse Grill the night before. It had been a while since he’d seen her, and he realized that he’d missed spending time with her. He remembered that there had been a time when he’d hoped to get her attention romantically, but he’d always pictured her wanting someone with more savoir-faire than him. Other men were more flashy and romantic, and he thought she deserved someone like that, not a regular guy like him—someone who was often dirty from working and had only worn a suit once in his life.

He felt a surge of admiration for her as he looked at the picture. He’d always been impressed by how she’d raised Samantha all on her own, and it was clear that she was always strong for her family.

She deserves the best,he thought, still smiling as he thought about her.She’s really an incredible woman. It’s too bad things never took a romantic turn for us.

He figured that ship had sailed, but he had to admit to himself that he was glad he had an excuse to see her more often. He expected she would be at the pub fairly often while he was working there replacing the air vents. He felt his heart lift at the thought. She’d always been a good friend to him, and even if there wasn’t anything romantic going on between them, he would enjoy getting to see her.

CHAPTER TEN

“Oh, that’s cute, isn’t it?”

Vivian paused in her walk through Rosewood Beach’s general store and looked at the little ceramic Christmas tree that Alexis had pointed out to her.

“It is cute.” Vivian chuckled. “I don’t go for pink Christmas trees myself, but you have more modern Christmas decorations in your house. You should get it!”

“Should I?” Alexis bit her lip. “I feel like I shouldn’t buy something for myself while we’re here shopping for the pub. And I don’t need it.”

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