Page 8 of Christmas of Love

He wrote back a question mark and smiley face. I let it go with a thumbs-up back and wondered if Daisy would be impressed with my gentle tact.

And there she went and slipped into my thoughts again.

It took me nearly a year to get her out of my head, and now, the Sunshine Breakfast Club had put her right back in.

It absolutely had to be them.

Right?

Or were they making me paranoid?

No. Yeah. No. It was all a coincidence.

I glanced at the clock and realized I hadn’t eaten yet.

And Buttercup Lake Resort did have a fantastic restaurant. And the bar Styx had great burgers and fries. I could totally justify some research to take back with me in a few days when I head south.

But did I need to justify anything?

So, what if I were a grown man going out into the blizzard to grab some food?

I stood and walked over to the fridge, opening it up to stare at the leftovers from last night. Chicken curry, rice, veggies… Grabbing the container, I opened the freezer and shoved it inside.

“Who doesn’t love a good cheeseburger?” I muttered to myself.

A loud howl from down the hall made me jump. I’d had Purrlock Holmes for over a year and a half, and I still panicked when I heard his meow, yowl, or whatever the heck cats did.

“What is it now, Purrlock?” I hollered toward the pure white feline.

Purrlock was yet another memento from my relationship with Brielle. She begged for this kitty, and when she realized the brushing, changing litter, and vet appointments this living creature demanded, she lost interest.

And Purrlock and I had grown close since the breakup.

I realized she’d gotten stuck in the powder room as I followed the noise. She always liked to curl up on the heater vent next to the extra stack of towels.

I opened the door to see Purrlock with one blue eye and one hazel eye yowling at me as if it were my fault she got trapped. She curled between my legs, purring, and I bent down and scratched between her ears as she stood and arched her back.

“Good girl. I’m going to grab a burger and maybe bring you back some fish.”

Her eyes widened, and she let out a little meow as she walked down the hall.

I washed my hands, ran my damp fingers through my hair, and glanced in the mirror.

“As good as it’s gonna get.”

But why did it matter?

It didn’t.

I pulled on my jacket and wandered into the garage where the G wagon was parked. It was a great vehicle, but I was really at a point where I didn’t want to keep being reminded of all my past relationship mistakes.

Maybe I’d trade it in. Start afresh for the new year.

As the garage door opened, I got into my car and started it up. Pulling out of the garage, I took a deep breath when the snowflakes hit the windshield. The meteorologists were right about tonight’s snowstorm.

By the time I followed the road into town, an inch had stuck to the pavement, and the soft light of the resort glowed in the distance. The small downtown area along the lakefront still had a couple of cars parked along the street while the café and coffee shop served the few people courageous enough to brave the storm.

Oversized red bows hung on the lampposts wound with green garland. It was good to be back in Buttercup Lake, even if only for a day or two. This little town always knew how to do the holidays right. Since I’d moved to Madison, I missed that small-town charm.

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