Page 70 of Crumbling Truth
To my surprise, Alex laughed, and the resemblance between the brothers was clearer than ever. “So it wasn’t personal.”
“No. It was never personal,” I confirmed.
A shy smile lifted his lips as he took a step back. “Okay. That’s good. Go on inside, get out of the cold. I’ll take care of the driveway, make sure you can get out tomorrow for the Carolcade. And Esther?”
“Yes, Alex?”
His smile widened ever so slightly. “Thank you.”
I gave a tiny wave before hurrying back into the guest house and locking the door behind me. Briefly, I wondered what the chances were that Theo and his brother would have a heartto heart before he left town again. Alex wasn’t at all what I’d thought him to be; it seemed like maybe he wasn’t what Theo thought, either.
Before long, I was caught up in baking and frosting, dancing around the kitchen and printing out labels. I hadn’t even realized that dinner time had rolled around until a text from Theo appeared, letting me know that the meeting went well and the contract was signed. With no one there to hear me, I cheered aloud, congratulated him, and told him to go out and celebrate tonight.
My own celebration was more mundane, involving a plate of cookies and a glass of wine while I curled up to watch another holiday rom-com, but I was truly happy for Theo. And if there was the faintest twinge of sadness at the edges of my consciousness, I steadfastly ignored that. It wasgoodthat his business was thriving,goodthat he was finding success.
At least if he was dreading his return to North Carolina as much as I was, he’d have something to keep him busy when he got back.
AsAlexpredicted,thesnow continued straight through the night and well into Saturday. Normally, I’d rejoice in the magic of the first real accumulation of the year. I could hear kids yelling down the street, throwing snowballs and building snowmen. The hill behind the middle school would be teeming with sleds while parents sipped at hot drinks in travel mugs.
Instead, I stared down at my phone, wondering what to say. Theo’s flight home had been canceled due to the weather and he was trying desperately to find a new one.
In the end, I just texted back that it was fine, the driveway was plowed, and I’d manage on my own tonight at the Carolcade. I didn’t tell him it was Alex who’d returned multiple times since our run-in yesterday to clear the driveway, and I definitely didn’t mention that Alex had shoveled a wide path from my doorstep leading straight to the truck.
Or that I’d offered him a cup of coffee as a thank you. Alex had turned it down anyway, but hehadaccepted a cutout cookie in payment.
“You know, I’m seeing this woman,” he said, his expression a little dreamy. “Her son was just diagnosed with some food allergies. Could I put her in touch with you? She’s having a hard time figuring out how to handle holidays with her family. I don’t think they get it.”
“Of course,” I said with a smile. I grabbed one of my business cards from a drawer and handed it to him, along with a small box of cookies for the little boy. “Tell her to email me and we’ll chat.”
Alex offered a broad grin and a quick salute as he took the cookies. I was starting to think his charm was just a mask to cover up the softness underneath. Even if they didn’t talk about it or have all the details, practically everyone in Spruce Hill must have known about the accident; it couldn’t have been easy for him to stay in town after that.
But,a little voice in my head whispered,he’s not the one who ran away.
“Do not get in the middle of whatever happens between brothers,” I said aloud as I got dressed in layers for the evening. “It’s none of your business.”
It was bitterly cold, but the snow had started to taper off. I threw on a long-sleeved pink thermal under my purpleNutless Wonder shirt, then a cardigan, then my heavy coat. The temperature inside the truck tended to fluctuate and rushing around to serve a line of customers always caused me to overheat. Layers to shed or add as needed were vital for winter events.
Despite my reassurances to the contrary, having Theo to help in the truck had made a huge difference in my stress levels, but I’d managed to survive without him every other time.
I could do it again. I’d have to get used to doingeverythingwithout him again.
It was only when I was easing the truck along the narrow plowed pathway in the park that I realized I’d left my phone at home. For a panicked moment, I tried to remember if I had my purse—and in it, my EpiPen—but once I parked the truck in my assigned spot, I found those on the floor behind my seat and sagged with relief. Everyone else on the planet had a cell phone handy in case I actually needed one, after all.
Okay. Game on.
In that strange stillness after a snowstorm, I set up everything for the evening, double-checked the menu board, and slipped over to the hot cider booth to grab myself a cup before the crowds started to fill in.
The tree lighting was my favorite holiday event, mostly because I was a sucker for pretty Christmas lights. I had a whole box of strings at home to put up along the mantle and around the doorways, but with Theo’s presence to distract me this year, I hadn’t done it yet.
Still, the Carolcade was fun. It was like a mix between a concert and a sing-along, and the benefit to being there with the food truck was that the groups traipsed up and down the rows of vendors as they sang. I didn’t even have to brave the crowd in order to enjoy the music.
The truck had a steady stream of customers, most of whom I was able to greet by name. Drew came by during a slow moment, bought a cupcake, made a little small talk, and wandered off as soon as other customers showed up. I’d been worried that in Theo’s absence, he might decide to ask me out again, but he offered nothing more than his usual overly friendly smile.
The rest of the night passed in something of a blur, which was good for business but less awesome for my energy levels. By the time Sofia and Chase appeared at my window, I was dragging.
“Hey, honey! Do you need a hand?” she asked, looking concerned.
I forced a bright smile and shook my head. “No, I’ll be closing up soon. What can I get for you guys?”
