* * *
As Jack strode briskly down Main Street toward Thistle & Thorn, his legs itched to break into a full-on run. He couldn’t wait to see her, to hold her… maybe more. The kiss they’d shared beneath the mistletoe had replayed in his mind since last night. He didn’t use the termlife-changinglightly, but that’s exactly how he would describe it.
His steps slowed as he neared the entrance and a familiar fabric arrested his attention. A houndstooth scarf dangled from the doorjamb. It must have gotten caught when Kat went inside.
He smiled to himself, recalling the afternoon they’d met.
When he turned the knob, rescuing her scarf once again, he noticed a long tear. His heart sank. He’d have to find a way to fix it.
“Jack.” Penny called his name as he entered, but her voice lacked its usual warmth.
“Hey, Heart.” He glanced around the shop, scanning the festive decorations and unique knickknacks and collectibles.
Before he could ask, Penny told him, “She isn’t here. She… went back to Starcross Cove.”
In his shock, he nearly stumbled over a wicker basket filled with umbrellas.
“But she left you this,” she added with a kind, sympathetic smile. “She said you’d know what it meant.”
Penny handed him a dusty CD case. When he peered closer at the blue-tinted photograph of a woman on the cover, he noticed the words in the upper left-hand corner.
BLUE
JONI MITCHELL
His pulse quickening, he turned the case over, skimming the list of song titles until his gaze rested on the eighth one.
River.
A slow smile spread across his face.
“What does it mean?” Penny asked, peering at him curiously.
“There’s something I need to do.”
Chapter 28
The dulcet, melancholy notes of Joni Mitchell’s “River” filled the cab of Jack’s truck as he rumbled along the familiar road with his windows cracked open. He relished the icy chill whipping past him, promising another snowstorm on the horizon.
Poppy Creek usually saw only a couple of snowstorms a year, and Jack looked forward to every single one. Something about witnessing the entire world enveloped in white reminded him of a blank slate.
And now more than ever, he appreciated the comparison.
Even though he drove alone, he sensed Kat’s presence. He could almost hear her captivating voice harmonizing with each line of the song, encouraging him to take this leap of faith and forgiveness.
She may not fully realize it, but she was the embodiment of Fern’s sage wisdom. Kat had the most generous heart he’d ever known. And he longed for the moment he could tell her exactly that.
But before he could look to the future, he needed to face his past.
When he rang the doorbell, and the melodic chime echoed inside, Jack expected the housekeeper to greet him. He wasn’t prepared for his father’s startled expression.
“Jack?” Once the shock settled, Rich stepped to the side, allowing his son to enter. “Were we expecting you?”
“Nope. I was just passing by.” Jack cringed as he moved into the expansive foyer.Just passing by? Really?Man, he was terrible at this.
Michael Bublé’s “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” drifted down the hallway along with the sweet scent of sugar cookies.
“Your mom and Lucy are baking in the kitchen,” Rich explained, noticing the not-so-subtle way Jack sniffed the air.
