Page 16 of Brewing Up Christmas

But before he could think too much about it, Kayla appeared with his cinnamon roll, breaking the moment. “Here you go, Eli. Enjoy!”

“Thanks, Kayla,” Eli said, offering her a quick smile before turning back to Angelina. He tried to push the strange feeling aside, focusing instead on the warm, gooey treat in front of him. “Alright, let’s eat, and then we’ll deal with the whole ‘turning back’ thing.”

Angelina chuckled softly but didn’t say anything else as they finished their treats in companionable silence. The café around them hummed with lowconversation and the comforting clatter of dishes, but Eli’s mind kept wandering back to the magic he’d been living with—and the possibility of giving it up.

When they finally stepped outside, the cold air hit them, swirling around in gentle gusts as snowflakes began to fall again. Eli pulled his jacket tighter around himself, glancing sideways at Angelina. She stood with her hands in her pockets, the usual spark of amusement in her eyes as she looked up at the snow.

“So,” she said, her voice low and teasing, “ready to go back to normal?”

Eli swallowed, his throat suddenly tight. “Yeah. I guess.”

Angelina raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything. She took a step closer to him, lifting one hand and twirling her finger in the air. As she muttered something under her breath, a soft glow surrounded her fingertips, and Eli felt a strange warmth spread through him.

He blinked, the sensation rushing over him like a wave, and then—just like that—it was gone.

Angelina dropped her hand, her smile soft and almost... sad. “There. Back to your regular, non-magical self.”

Eli stood still for a moment, his body feeling the same—yet different. He ran a hand through his hair, feeling his ears, and sure enough, they were back to normal. No more pointy edges, no more magic swirling in the background. But instead of relief, there was a strange emptiness settling in his chest.

He glanced down at his hands, flexing them as if expecting something to feel different. But nothing happened.

Angelina watched him, her gaze soft but unreadable. “Something wrong?”

Eli opened his mouth, then closed it again, shaking his head with a half-hearted laugh. “No... it’s just... weird. I didn’t think I’d miss it.”

“Miss what?” she asked, stepping closer, her eyes searching his face.

“The magic,” Eli admitted quietly. “I mean, it drove me crazy at first, but... I got used to it. And helping the town, feeling like I was part of something bigger...” He trailed off, running a hand through his hair. “It’s weird to just go back to normal now.”

Angelina smiled gently, her expression softening as she reached out, brushing a hand against his arm. “Normal isn’t so bad,” she said quietly. “Besides, the magic wasn’t just in you, Eli. It’s in the town, in the people. You helpedbring it out. That’s not going to go away just because you’re back to yourself.”

He looked at her, his chest tightening as the weight of her words settled over him. “You really believe that?”

“I do,” she said, her voice steady. “And so should you.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke, the snow falling softly around them. Eli’s mind raced with everything he’d just experienced, but before he could say anything more, Angelina leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek.

“Take care, Eli,” she whispered, her lips brushing his skin before she stepped back, offering him one last smile.

And just like that, she turned and walked away, disappearing into the softly falling snow.

Eli watched her go, his heart pulling in two directions—grateful for the journey they’d shared but aching with the realization that it might be over. He stood there for a long moment, the cold air biting at his skin, before he finally turned and made his way back to his apartment.

As he walked, his thoughts raced, replaying everything that had happened since the start of this strange, magical journey. The town, the people, the decorations, the sense of belonging... it all felt different now, in a way he hadn’t expected. He had come to Bayshore as the same old Eli—cynical, detached, always looking for the next distraction. But somewhere along the way, he hadchanged. The holiday spirit had seeped into his bones, and the town, with all its charm and warmth, had become a part of him.

By the time he reached his apartment, Eli felt something he hadn’t in a long time—contentment. Maybe he wasn’t full of magic anymore, but he had found something just as powerful: connection. To the town, to the people, to the spirit of Christmas itself.

And for the first time, he realized that was more than enough.

A Spark of Kindness

Eli woke with a start in the middle of the night, his heart pounding in his chest as if he’d just sprinted a mile. For a moment, he sat there in the darkness of his apartment, blinking away sleep, his mind swirling with a jumble of half-formed thoughts. Then, like a spark igniting into a flame, it hit him.

A food drive.

The idea was simple, yet it hit him with a sense of urgency he couldn’t shake. This wasn’t about grand gestures or dazzling lights—this was something real. Something tangible that could bring the town together in a way that truly mattered.

Without wasting a second, Eli grabbed his phone from the bedside table, squinting against the harsh glow of the screen. He quickly tapped out a message to Margot:

---