Page 32 of Savoring Christmas
Reese’s lips pressed together, color draining from her cheeks. For a moment, Mia thought she’d wave it off with some polite excuse, but then her eyes filled with tears. “I can’t.” She set aside her fork with a barely audible clink. “I can’t eat this.”
The table went still.
Mia leaned forward, making sure to keep her voice steady. “Do you want to talk to us? We’re all here to listen.”
Everyone nodded and murmured words of encouragement.
Reese’s hands twisted in her lap, knuckles white against the dark fabric of her jeans. “I didn’t tell you last week, but I was in the hospital over the summer. That’s how bad I’d let it get. I had to go through a whole treatment program. I’m doing a lot better. My therapist’s helping me a lot. She’s helping me understand the root of my problem.” Her voice cracked like ice. “When I was just out of high school, my boyfriend, Roan, left town without any explanation and it broke my heart. Food became something I could control when everything felt so chaotic. Ballet made it worse. The smaller I was, the more I was praised. It’s just so hard to let go of all my destructive behaviors.”
Across the table, Mia caught Logan’s subtle reaction at the mention of Roan’s name, a flicker of something in his eyes, a tightening in his jaw. But he kept quiet, his attention fixed on Reese.
“You poor child,” Thelma said softly. “You’re brave to be here. And you’re doing so well.”
Abby reached across the table to squeeze Reese’s hand. “It’s not about perfection, Reese. It’s about progress. And you’ve already made so much of it just by showing up.”
Tears fell from Reese’s eyes, spilling onto her cheeks.
Kris nodded, his tone sincere. “I joke around but the truth is—I wasn’t as supportive of my wife as I should have been. I realize now, looking back, how many times I let her down by assuming she was fine taking on the bulk of the household duties and raising our children. I’m trying to be a better husband before it’s too late. This isn’t just about cooking for me. It’s about making amends to the woman who stood by my side through thick and thin and never complained. We’re all working on something here. You’re not alone.”
Harold leaned in, his expression earnest. “That’s right. I’m here because I needed reason to get out of bed. Because, boy oh boy, there have been some rough days. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it through to the other side of grief. I understand what it’s like to hit rock bottom. I agree with Thelma. You’re very courageous to be here.”
Logan nodded, leaning toward Reese. “And strong. Courage is showing up and trying—even though it’s hard. There’s not a person in this room who hasn’t had to pull strength from the very depths of their souls to try again.”
Mia hesitated, feeling a weight in her chest. Everyone was watching Reese with such compassion, such understanding. It struck her how rare moments like this were. How rare it was to be in a room where people weren’t pretending everything was fine. Her fingers smoothed over the table’s edge. “Since we’re being honest, I’d like to share something too.” Her voice came out softer than she expected, but it made everyone’s heads turn toward her.
She took a slow breath. “I came to Sugarville Grove because I lost everything in a Ponzi scheme. I wasn’t living in a big city penthouse or anything like that, but I’d built a good life for myself in New York. I trusted someone I shouldn’t have. Overnight, my savings, my apartment, my restaurant …gone. It wasn’t just money I lost either. It was confidence. It was trust in myself. I came here to start over, but there’s still a part of me that’s afraid people will see me as a fool for letting it happen to me. I’ve been punishing myself for four years. Living like a prisoner in a room without furniture or comforts. Denying myself a chance to make new friends or fall in love. Teaching this class is my way of finally fighting back. And to forgive myself. You’re all helping me with every moment we spend together.”
“Seems to me you’ve been fighting back all this time,” Harold said. “You didn’t let what happened to you destroy you. That’s the opposite of foolish.”
Thelma gave a firm nod. “You didn’t let it break you. It could’ve taken a lot of people out for good.”
Mia’s throat tightened, but she managed a small smile. “Some days it felt like it did. But here I am. With all of you. And I’m grateful to each one of you for being here and giving your whole hearts to this silly class.”
“It’s not silly,” Reese said. “It’s what we all needed.”
“Five thousand percent.” Logan’s gaze lingered on Mia, warm and steady, and she felt that strange, unfamiliar flutter in her chest again.
“Thank you all so much.” Reese dried her damp cheeks with her napkin. “You’ve all helped me immensely tonight. You have no idea how much.” She picked up her fork and scooped up some of her mashed potatoes and brought it slowly to her mouth. She chewed and then swallowed, giving them all a trembling smile. “You’re right. It’s very good.”
Everyone cheered. Other than Cannoli. She barked and wagged her tail.
7
LOGAN
Logan hadn’t been ready for the night to end when the class wrapped. So as he walked Mia to her car, he surprised himself by asking her if she’d want to join him for a glass of wine. “We could go to my place.”
Mia shifted Cannoli’s small carrier in her arms. “Are you sure? I’ve got her with me. Is your home dog friendly? What about your cat?”
Logan peeked into the carrier at the little black-and-tan face peeking back at him. “Matilda will be affronted, but that’s kind of her natural state anyway. But if anyone can win her over, it’s Cannoli.”
The drive was short, the roads quiet under a pale wash of moonlight. He drove slower than usual, not wanting to lose Mia, as she followed behind him. Once they reached his house, he parked in the garage and then went out to greet his guests. Mia had let Cannoli out of her carrier and she was currently doing her business near the large oak tree.
“You sure it’s all right to bring her inside?” Mia asked, peering at the front of his house. “Your home seems very nice.”
“Come on in,” Logan said. “She can’t hurt anything.”
He unlocked the front door and ushered them out of the cold. Logan caught a flicker of worry in Mia’s expression as she stepped inside, Cannoli tucked against her chest. Was she thinking of her own one-room apartment above the restaurant? Comparing it to his remodeled, decorated home? Would his home make her feel inadequate? He really hoped not. Because the more time he spent with Mia, the more he could envision her here with him, making memories and building a life together.
