Page 5 of Christmas Replay
When Cliff walked through the coffeeshop’s door, I’d been afraid I was dreaming. My lips had formed his name, and when he smiled, my heart had thudded almost painfully against the wall of my chest.
So, I was definitely awake then.
Then within minutes, he’d invited me to stay with him for the holidays. Right or foolhardy, I’d agreed almost as quickly. Anticipation rose in my chest. It felt right. I wasn’t one to take leaps, but leaping with him, taking this chance…it just seemed…right.
An hour later, I was driving up the long, winding switchbacks that led up to Cliff’s house. Thick, falling snow obscured my vision and nearly rustic road was growing slick. As my knuckles tightened on the steering wheel, the excitement that had prompted my “yes” wore off.
What the hell I’d been thinking?
Honestly, what had possessed me to go up one of the Adirondack mountains surrounding Majestic Falls to go to the home of a man I didn’t know—because two late-night Christmas Eve meetings did not make a relationship.
I didn’t know this mouthwatering, gorgeous man. Hecouldactually be a serial killer. Just because hesaidhe was a lawyer didn’t mean it was true. I hadn’t Googled him or anything. I could be driving myself to a weekend of torture that would end with him wearing my skin.
Yes, I listened to true crime podcasts as a hobby. Yes, I’d clearly learned nothing.
I’d had enough wits about me to text his info to a couple friends to let them know where I’d be—or at least where I believed I would be. It helped that Julia had sent me back a wide eye emoji followed by a heart emoji then told me the she’d had the biggest crush on him when he’d gone to high school with her older sister.
So he wasn’t an unknown—except to me.
Still, as my thoughts spun faster than the swirling snow in my headlights, taking off to follow Cliff felt incredibly stupid.
My phone rang, and I answered with the hands-free button on my steering wheel.
“Have you changed your mind yet?” Cliff asked, a smile in his voice.
“Not yet,” I answered. “Though, I’m feeling a little silly about the situation.”
“I’m glad I’m not alone in uncertainty,” he said, chuckling softly. “I’m sitting here thinking how insane this is. I’d be worried if you weren’t having at least a few doubts. Would it help if I promised I’m not a serial killer?”
Should I be worried that he had just voiced what I’d been thinking a few minutes ago?
“I don’t know,” I answered slowly. “That sounds like something a serial killer might say.”
“Fair point. Do you want to call my mom? My parents are in the Germany, right now, but I’m pretty sure she has cell service in the little villa they’re visiting.”
I shook my head, though he couldn’t see me. Somehow, the offer soothed some worries, leaving me with only the basicwhat if we can’t stand each other? What if we had nothing in common?
“Let’s see how the weekend goes before you start introducing me to your parents,” I suggested. “So I just passed the turnoff for the lower falls parking. How much farther?”
“Ten-ish minutes. Maybe fifteen with the way this snow is falling. I swear the switchbacks make the drive longer than if we just hiked up,” he said.
“Mmm, not going to take you up on that. Ever. I’ll do snow activities from time to time, but full disclosure, I’m not very outdoorsy. You might not have guessed it, with me owning a coffee shop and all, but a latte and book beside a blazing fire is very much my idea of fun.”
An amused sound rattled through the connection. “Coffee and a book sounds good to me. I can definitely hook us up with a fire, too.”
“Good to know. We probably should have talked a little more before I agreed to follow you into the middle of nowhere.”
“Don’t laugh, but I think it’s a hopelessly romantic gesture on both of our parts, to be honest. I know. Weird for a guy,” he admitted. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you since last Christmas Eve, though.”
“Then where have you been?” The question popped out before I thought better of it. I supposed, if we were going to be totally insane together, there was no point in holding back anything. Take it or leave it, this was me.
“It sounds like a lame excuse, but I’ve been crazy busy. I was prosecuting a murder trial in the city, while studying to take the bar in Vermont. I’m moving to Majestic Falls next year and since Vermont if only about an hour away, I want to be able to pick up cases there to supplement my income. Majestic Falls isn’t exactly a hotbed of crime.”
“Wait! Back up. You’re moving to Majestic Falls?”
“Yeah, I grew up here. Every year when I’ve visited, it reminded me how much I missed it.”
“That…changes things.”
