Page 17 of Sweet Christmas Wish
“My sweet boy,” Emma said, picking up her hot cocoa again and speaking with perfect surety. “That woman is head over heels for you. I’m sure she’s going to say yes.”
Derek’s heart beat a little faster as he pictured Lacy with a ring on her finger. “Thank you, both of you. I needed some advice and you’ve made me feel a lot better.”
Colette reached out and gave him a side hug. “Anytime. Now, let’s talk details.”
CHAPTERNINE
After an early morning spent on the slopes, William headed back into town around ten a.m. to pick up some supplies at the general store. He’d packed fairly lightly, and he was running low on shaving cream and deodorant, not to mention needing some extra warm socks, warmer than anything he’d brought with him.
As he stepped through the sliding glass doors of Burkman’s Grocery, he was greeted by the old familiar sights and smells. The hand-lettered signs advertising the current sales, the aromas of fresh baked bread coming from the bakery section, and, of course, the one light far in the back that flickered every few minutes despite the owners trying to fix it.
Once again, it hit him that he was truly back in his hometown, and it felt good. Really good.
Grabbing a basket and slinging it onto his arm, he began wandering the aisles, taking more time than he needed to simply because he relished being back in one of his childhood haunts in Snowy Pine Ridge.
On impulse, he headed to the coffee aisle, breathing in the scent of fresh coffee beans, which had always been one of his favorite smells. He’d always made a point to come to this section of the store as a child, circling the stand filled with fresh coffee beans and simply inhaling over and over until his head spun.
There’s a coffee machine in my room at the inn, he remembered suddenly, and decided then and there to pick out some coffee to brew.
There was nowhere in town to get an espresso, and he was dying for something more than the black coffee he could get at Frosty’s Shack. Taking his time, he browsed through the various roasts until he settled on the perfect blend and dropped it into his basket.
“Will Parks, is that you?”
Will spun around to see Clark Mitchell standing a few feet away with a half-full shopping cart. Clark was older than him, one of Tristan’s close friends, but Will knew him well from tagging along with Tristan’s friend group growing up. Clark had always been a bit quiet, but he had always been kind to Will. Clark, he knew, now owned Mitchell Hardware in town and seemed to be doing pretty well for himself based on what Tristan had told him. Will smiled, happy to see him.
“Clark! Hey, how’re you doing?”
“Same as always. Can’t complain. What brings you back to town?”
“Skiing, what else?”
“The slopes are good this season, no?”
“The best.” Will’s smile grew. “It’s so good to be back on the familiar trails. I can’t even tell you how much I’ve missed the mountains around Snowy Pine Ridge.”
“Almost makes you want to move back, huh?” Clark shot him a teasing look. “You know what they say: there’s no place like home.”
Will shrugged. “New Jersey’s not so bad. I’m super close to New York City, you know. Hard to beat that, even if Idomiss Snowy Pine Ridge more than I thought I would.”
“Give me a small town over the big city any day,” Clark said. “But that’s just me. I’ll bet you’re thriving in the big city. You always had big dreams.”
“You remember that?”
“Of course.”
Will shifted the basket to his other arm. “Say, what’s been going on around here anyway? I haven’t really caught up with anyone besides Sarah Langston. You remember Sarah, right? Michelle’s little sister?”
“Of course I do. She’s keeping Sweet Thing going strong.” Clark suddenly gave Will a shrewd look. “She’s a really sweet girl, isn’t she? So kind, and so fun…”
Will instantly knew that Clark was trying to play matchmaker, but he wasn’t about to rise to the bait. “Yep, she’s doing well at the bakery. It’s been good to catch up with her.” Eager to change the subject, he asked, “So what else is new in town?”
Clark gave him one last look, but let the Sarah matter drop. “Remember Derek Morse?”
“Of course. He still running that dogsled racing place?”
“Yep. It’s doing well. And,” he smiled, looking pleased, “he started dating a woman named Lacy Preston. She inherited the Spielman mansion and I guess they fell in love while she was renovating the old place. She’s splitting her time between here and the city she came from.”
“St. Louis,” Will chimed in.
