Page 72 of Meet Me at the Christmas Cottage
Dropping the bags, Lexi turned and pinned Bronte with a look. “You don’t answer your phone for three days. That in itself was nerve-racking, although I knew you were still alive because I saw you active on Instagram. Fine, you were ghosting me, whatever. But I fly all the way out here, with presents”—she motioned to the shopping bags at her feet—“and you leave me banging on your front door for five minutes? I’m pretty sure your neighbors were going to call the cops on me. And why didn’t you tell me you had a hot neighbor? He literally looks like Ryan Reynolds. I almost had a heart attack when I saw him in the elevator.”
“He has a girlfriend.”
Lexi’s face screwed up. “Is it serious?”
Bronte shrugged. “What are you doing here?”
“I was worried about you.” Lexi’s shoulders lifted.
“But not so worried you couldn’t take a shopping spree first?” Bronte pointed at the bags at Lexi’s feet.
Lexi looked down as if she just realized all the bags were there. “I got off the plane and didn’t want to come empty-handed.”
“Empty-handed? Lexi, you just flew a thousand miles. You are gift enough.” Bronte pulled Lexi into a hug. She hadn’t realized how much she’d needed to see her friend. Bronte was already starting to feel better. Something that had felt dull inside her was coming back to life.
Lexi pushed back from their hug. “Okay. Who are you, and what have you done with my friend?”
Bronte’s mouth lifted in half a smile. “I’m just really glad you’re here.”
“That’s fine and all, but you’ve never given me a hug the entire time I’ve known you.”
Bronte frowned. “That can’t be right.” She bent over to help Lexi pick up her scattered bags. Her suitcase had to weigh a hundred pounds. “Are you planning on moving in?”
Lexi chewed on her lips. “I wasn’t sure how long you would need me.”
“Need you?” Bronte motioned to Lexi to follow her down the hall, toward her spare bedroom.
“You sounded upset on the phone when you left Jonathon Island, and I know you have this book you’re trying to finish…” Lexi trailed off.
“Did your mother send you to keep an eye on me to make sure I get this book done?”
Lexi rolled her green eyes. “Of course not.” She leaned in closer as if to tell a secret, even though there wasn’t anyone else around. “I didn’t actually tell her you haven’t finished yet.”
“I’m almost done,” Bronte promised, opening the door to her spare bedroom and depositing Lexi’s suitcase in the middle of the bed. “I only have around forty thousand words left, and then I’m going to do a really fast read-through and then—” Bronte choked on her words. She was supposed to have finished this book on Jonathon Island. Try as she might, she couldn’t stop thinking of the reason she hadn’t finished yet. Tears stung her eyes as she blinked rapidly to keep them from falling.
“Are you okay?” Lexi’s whisper came from the hallway, almost as if she was too afraid to step into the bedroom.
Bronte sighed, teeth working her bottom lip. Staring at the blank wall of her guest bedroom, she couldn’t help but remember the warmth of Holland’s home.
“Do you want to talk about what happened?” Lexi stepped into the room.
“I think I fell in love with him.” A warm tear trickled a path down Bronte’s cheek. She swiped it away, giving Lexi a watery smile. “But it’s fine. I know I’m meant to be alone, and Jonah’s meant to be with someone that can give him lots of babies.”
“No, Bronte.”
Bronte shook her head. She thought she’d cried all her tears. She didn’t have time for this. She needed to get that book done, and if she let herself start up again, she wasn’t sure she’d stop. “I’ve never hated my lack of uterus more.”
“Oh, honey.” Lexi crossed the room in three steps and pulled Bronte into a hug.
Sobs racked Bronte’s body. “I promised myself I was done crying over a man,” she blubbered. “And I’ve been crying too much already. At least I made it to the plane before I fell apart the first time. The flight attendant felt bad for me and bumped me up to first class.” Bronte let out a groan. “I’m so sick and tired of crying. Oh my goodness, I’m slobbering all over you.”
“Who cares?” Lexi said, hugging her tighter.
“For so long I didn’t think I had anyone,” Bronte shuddered out. “And then I had Brad for years, but after spending two weeks with Jonah, I’m pretty sure what I had with Brad was never love.”
“Well, thank goodness you’ve realized that.” Lexi huffed a sigh of relief.
Bronte choke-laughed and wiped a hand across her face. “I just wanted a place to belong for so long, but how did I completely miss that you’re my person, Lexi? I mean, who else would get on a plane and fly halfway across the country because she didn’t feel like talking on the phone?”
