Chapter1
Belle
The bus hissed to a stop at the edge of Holly Ridge, and before I even stepped off, I caught the faint shimmer of Christmas lights reflecting in the windows.My hometown looked like a postcard—twinkling garlands strung across Main Street, carolers bundled up in red scarves, the bakery’s windows fogged with the promise of fresh cinnamon rolls.For a moment, I just stood there, clutching the handle of my overstuffed duffel, trying to soak it all in.
It had been years since I’d seen Holly Ridge dressed up for the holidays.College had carried me away, then graduation, then job applications that fizzled like damp matches.I’d told myself coming back was temporary—a pause, not a retreat—but still, the word “home” felt heavier on my shoulders than my bag did.
I walked down Main Street, boots crunching against thin layers of snow that hadn’t yet turned to slush.Every shopfront glowed with warmth.Mrs.Parson’s flower shop had poinsettias in the window, their red petals so bright they seemed almost unreal.The candy shop where I used to spend my allowance had a new sign, but the smell of peppermint bark floated through the air just the same.Everything was cozy, familiar, and yet… I couldn’t shake the restless flutter in my chest.
It wasn’t that I wasn’t happy to be here.I was.Holly Ridge had always been the kind of place where the librarian knew your name, where the mayor played Santa in the parade, where people left casseroles on your doorstep when life fell apart.I loved that.I loved the idea of being back in a place where people cared.But love didn’t erase the fact that I was twenty-three with a diploma in one hand and no clear direction in the other.Everyone else seemed to be moving forward, and here I was, circling back.
Still, I told myself, starting over didn’t have to mean failing.It could mean fresh beginnings, right?New chapters?
I tried to believe that as I passed the bookstore—my favorite spot in town—where fairy lights framed the doorway.For half a second, I imagined myself inside, tucked between shelves, the scent of paper and ink all around me.I’d always dreamed of writing something that could sit on those shelves one day, something that mattered.Maybe this pause was really a chance.Maybe Holly Ridge would give me the space to figure it all out.
A group of kids ran past me, their laughter spilling into the cold evening air.They carried snowballs like precious treasure, daring each other to throw them before their mothers scolded.I smiled, even though my throat tightened.That was the thing about Holly Ridge—it reminded me who I’d been, wide-eyed and certain the world was good.I wanted to find that part of myself again.
As I reached the town square, I stopped in front of the giant spruce tree.It was already trimmed with golden lights, a star gleaming proudly at the top.My heart gave a little ache, the kind that was half hope, half fear.
“I can do this,” I whispered, breath clouding in the air.Maybe I was naïve to think so.But maybe, just maybe, coming back to Holly Ridge wasn’t the end of my story—it was the beginning of a new one.
The walk from the bus stop to my childhood home felt shorter than I remembered, though maybe that was because anticipation tugged me along with every step.My boots slipped a little on the uneven sidewalk, and when the white clapboard house finally came into view—its paint chipped at the corners, shutters slightly askew—I couldn’t help but smile.It was imperfect, but it was ours.
The porch light flicked on before I even reached the gate.A second later, the front door burst open, and there was my mother, wiping her hands on a flour-dusted apron.
“Belle!”she cried, her voice bubbling with joy that made my throat ache.She rushed down the steps, arms open wide.She still smelled faintly of cinnamon and soap when she wrapped me in her embrace, just like she always had after a long school day.Her hair, once chestnut, had softened into threads of silver, but her eyes—bright hazel and endlessly kind—hadn’t changed a bit.
“Let me look at you,” she said, pulling back only far enough to cup my face.“Skinny as a beanpole.Did you eat anything on that bus ride?”
Before I could answer, another voice called from inside.“Don’t smother her, Marlene.Let the girl breathe!”
And then came my grandmother, tiny but formidable, her housecoat buttoned crookedly and her slippers shuffling across the porch.She was all sharp eyes and sharper words, but when she pulled me against her chest, I felt the strength of a woman who had held this family together through everything.“You’re too thin too,” she muttered, though her voice trembled as if she might cry.“But prettier every year.Just like your granddad always said.”
Inside, the house creaked with familiar sounds—the hum of the old radiator, the faint drip from the kitchen faucet that had been threatening to break for years.The wallpaper had faded in spots, and the carpet bore the ghosts of a hundred muddy winters, but warmth clung to every corner.It smelled of nutmeg and coffee, the scent of home.
I set down my bag by the stairs, running my hand along the banister worn smooth by generations of palms.Something inside me loosened.Maybe the house was small and frayed at the edges, but as I looked between my mother and grandmother—faces lined with love—I thought,This is where I belonged, at least for now.
The kitchen glowed like it always did, even with its crooked cabinets and the bulb above the sink that flickered whenever the wind picked up.Mom had already set out a plate of molasses cookies, still warm, and the kettle whistled as if it knew I needed tea before I could even ask.
I sat at the table, smoothing my hands over the faded checkered cloth, feeling like I was slipping back into a version of myself I hadn’t worn in years.Mom busied herself with pouring tea, while Grandma perched across from me, her sharp gaze softening just a little as she studied me.
“So,” Mom began, sliding the steaming mug into my hands.“Tell us about the trip back.Was it long?Did you meet anyone interesting?”
“It was fine,” I said with a small laugh, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.“Mostly quiet.I just kept thinking about… well, about being here again.It feels different, you know?Coming back after graduating earlier this year—it’s like I’m supposed to know what’s next.Everyone else seems to.”
Grandma snorted, folding her arms.“Everyone else is just pretending.Life doesn’t hand you a map, sweetheart.You make your own roads.”
I smiled at that, but the ache in my chest was real.“I don’t want to just coast while I’m here.I want to do something meaningful with my time.I just don’t know what that looks like yet.”
Mom’s eyes lit up the way they always did when she had an idea.“Well, the town council is still looking for volunteers for the Christmas fundraiser.They’re planning the big library donation this year—sorting books, organizing, wrapping gifts for the children’s drive.They’d be thrilled to have you.”
The thought made my heart flutter with something I hadn’t felt in a while—possibility.“Really?I’d love that.I mean… I grew up in that library.It feels right to give back.”
Grandma leaned over, patting my hand with her wrinkled fingers.“See?That’s the spirit.Sunshine even in December.”
Her words made my cheeks warm.I wasn’t sure if I deserved the compliment, but I wanted to.Maybe this was the beginning I’d been hoping for—the chance to be more than just a girl who came home lost.Maybe I could shine here, even if it was only a little bit at a time.
The next morning, I bundled myself into my favorite red scarf and walked down to the church hall.The snow had started again, fat flakes drifting lazily through the air, but the building itself glowed with cheer—Christmas wreaths on the doors, bells tied to the handles so they jingled whenever someone came in.
