Page 29 of A Bright Winter Season

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Alexis leaned back in the kitchen chair she was sitting in, watching snowflakes tumble to the ground outside, lit faintly by the light coming from the windows of the house. She was wearing cozy flannel pajamas and a fleece bathrobe, and she was warm and comfortable. Usually, getting all ready for bed made her feel sleepy, but tonight she felt energetic and wide awake, even though it was getting late.

She glanced at the clock and shook her head.

I should go to sleep,she thought.I’ve finished all my work for the day, so I should get some rest.

She bit her lip, glancing down at the empty mug in front of her. She’d just finished her

fourth cup of peppermint tea for the day, and although it had been refreshing, she still felt as though she wanted something else.

She wondered if she was just missing Grayson, who had left for his camping trip with the guys. The house felt quiet and a little lonely without him. She looked down at her stomach and patted it gently, smiling. Well, not too lonely. At least she wasn’t all by herself.

In the next moment, she looked up eagerly, having realized exactly what it was she wanted. She stood up and hurried over to the cupboard and took out a box of peanut butter cookies. Then she went over to the refrigerator and got out a jar of peanut butter.

She sat back down at the kitchen table with the cookies, the peanut butter, and a spoon, and slathered a cookie with an enormous glob of peanut butter. She took a big bite out of it, sighing as she closed her eyes.

Yup,she thought.That was it.

She continued to eat for a while, sitting at the table and staring into space. She thought about the baby, and what it would be like to add a whole new person to her life with Grayson.

Then unexpectedly, her thoughts turned to Jacob and Hazel. She smiled as she thought about the way they’d been grinning at each other at the pub the day before. She sighed, thinking to herself that they would be such a great couple. If only he didn’t have a girlfriend!

She froze as an idea came to her, and she held her peanut-butter-covered cookie in mid-air. Her mother had said that she hadn’t seen Jacob with his girlfriend for a long time, and she hadn’t either. Was he really just busy or always visiting her in her hometown, or was it something else? Had they broken up?

I need to find out if he’s single, she thought with a grin.Hazel is in a great place right now, so it would be the perfect opportunity for her to have another shot with him.

She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was a little after ten o’clock, but she felt as energetic as if it was three o’clock in the afternoon. She finished her cookie, her mind whirring with ideas. Finally, she decided that she could either sit there eating peanut butter or she could do something productive, and she decided to do something productive.

She hurried over to the coat closet and got out her coat and hat. She put them on, and then tugged on her boots at the back door. A few moments later, she was driving her car down the street in the direction of her mother’s house. She wanted to talk to Julia.

She arrived a few minutes later, and as she was hurrying up the driveway, she saw through the picture window that Cooper and Julia were having a movie night. She shook her head.

Poor Cooper, she thought.Too bad for him. This is more important!

She knocked on the front door with a flourish. Her excitement was growing, and by the time Julia opened the door, she had a big grin on her face.

Julia looked surprised. “Alexis! Is everything okay?”

“Yes, everything’s fine, but I need to talk to you.” Alexis bustled her way inside and waved to Julia’s boyfriend, who looked just as surprised to see her as Julia did. “Have you seen this movie before, Cooper?”

“Uh, what?” He blinked. “I mean, yes?—”

“Good, because I need you to leave. I’ve got to talk to Julia.”

“Right now? Can’t Cooper and I?—”

“Urgently.” Alexis shook her head. “Alone.”

“Are you sure everything’s okay?” Julia sat down on the armrest of the couch, looking as though she was trying not to laugh. “You’re here in your pajamas.”

“It is okay, but it’s important. How much is left in this movie?”

“Like, seven minutes. Can you wait until it’s over?”

Alexis sighed. “Okay. Do you have any peanut butter here?”

A few minutes later, Alexis was eating a toasted English muffin smeared with peanut butter, and Cooper and Julia were sitting beside her on the couch, finishing the last few minutes oftheir movie. As soon as the credits began to roll, Alexis turned to Cooper.

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