“Did I hear my name?”Connie came to stand at the end of the checkout counter.
“Yes,” Merry said.“Felicity is working on the costumes for the Christmas play, and she needs a ride for supplies.Justin has offered to give her a lift, but they need to leave right now.Is that a problem?”
Connie hesitated.Felicity willed her to say it was a problem because she didn’t want to impose on Justin again.Since when had Merry turned into such a matchmaker?
Connie glanced out the big picture window.“I don’t think we’ll get much business with that snow coming down.Go ahead.And if you want, I can keep Sunny until you get back.”
Felicity, realizing the puppy was Justin’s—at least temporarily—turned to him to see what he would say.
He nodded.“That would be great.Thanks.”
“No problem.”Connie smiled.“We’re becoming good friends, aren’t we Sunny?”She took the puppy from Felicity.“Be careful.It doesn’t look good out there.”
“We will,” Felicity said.
Felicity was surprised to see Connie put the puppy down to run around.She hoped Sunny would be good.As though reading her mind, Sunny ran over to the big picture window.She climbed up and sat down to watch the snow fall.She looked picture perfect, but feeling Justin’s impatience, Felicity didn’t pause to take a picture.
Instead, she rushed to the back to gather her things.They headed outside where Justin was parked right in front of the bookshop.He opened the pickup’s door for her, and she got inside.
Justin walked around the front of the pickup and then got in the driver’s seat.He started the pickup and warm air blew out of the vents.It felt good against her skin.
When he didn’t immediately pull out, she glanced over at him.He was staring right back at her.She froze.The air became caught in her lungs.Why was he looking at her like that?
“Where are we going?The craft store?”
His words had her expelling her pent-up breath as she averted her gaze.“Um, no.I need to go to the storage unit near Clover Springs.Turner’s Storage.Do you know the place?”
He nodded.“I know where it is.I’ve never been there.”
“Neither have I.So, it’ll be a first for both of us.”
Justin put the pickup in Drive, and they set off on their snowy adventure.He turned on the wipers to clear the snowflakes from the windshield.As she stared straight ahead, the flakes were large, and the way they blew around was almost hypnotic.
They headed out of town.The road had snow piled on the edges, and now the snow was starting to cover the road.She hoped it wouldn’t take her long to locate the sewing machine.
Feeling guilty, she said, “I’m sorry Merry pressured you into giving me a ride.”
“It’s not a problem.”
She didn’t believe him.The next time she came to visit, she was definitely renting a car.Having to rely on Justin so much for a ride just wasn’t right.Although, she felt that each time was an opportunity for them to find their way back to being friends.
There was a four-way stop just ahead.All of the sudden Felicity felt the pickup slide sideways.The breath hitched in her lungs.Oh my!She reached out grasping the doorhandle in a death grip while her other hand latched onto Justin’s thigh.
The stop sign grew closer.There was the glow of headlights from oncoming traffic.This was it.Her heart launched into her throat.This couldn’t be the end of her story.She had so many things left unsaid.So much to make up for…
The pickup slid sideways, showing no signs of stopping…
Chapter Sixteen
Thisisnotgood.
Not.At.All.
Justin’s hands had a white-knuckle clutch on the steering wheel.He turned into the direction of the skid.He heard Felicity gasp.Next, he felt her hand clutching his leg.He didn’t have time to calm her.
With some quick maneuvering, he got the pickup straightened out.It didn’t last long.The pickup pulled in the opposite direction.He gave up on the thought of getting stopped.He was doing his best to keep them on the roadway.
Headlights illuminated the upcoming intersection.He could only hope the oncoming traffic was able to stop.Because they absolutely could not.
