Chapter one
Ruby
I skidded on the icy sidewalk as I hurried into the Cup of Heaven coffee shop, unwinding my fluffy white Christmas scarf as I went. A fresh six inches of snow had fallen last night, which was hell on my commute, making me late by over fifteen minutes.
But Christmas was only a week away. And all that snow would make everything magical.
Yanking open the front door, warm air blasted me in the face. The scent of peppermint, sugar, and coffee filled my lungs when I breathed in deep. After working for five years at the coffee shop, I never got tired of that delicious smell.
And Ilivedfor the holiday rush.
Every table, chair, and booth in the coffee shop was taken. Customers who couldn’t find a seat stood huddled together, sipping their hot drinks, taking refuge from the blistering cold. Our little town was surrounded by mountains on all sides, which was breathtaking on a sunny day. In the dead of winter though,the weather could turn on a dime, bringing screaming winds, buckets of snow, and sheets of ice.
I thrust an arm into the air with a wave, standing on tiptoe to be seen over the crowd.
“I’m here!” I announced.
Behind the counter, Marion Greene shot me a frazzled look with a smile of relief. She started this shop when she was about my age—nearly two decades ago now—hoping to create a quiet, cozy hideaway for people to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Over the years, Cup of Heaven gained so much popularity that it became central to Juniper Creek’s community. Poor Marion was swamped with work, especially during the holiday season.
Shouldering my way through the crowd, I shrugged out of my coat and grabbed my Cup of Heaven apron from the line of hooks behind the counter.
“Where have you been?” Marion demanded in a playful tone. “Don’t tell me you stayed up late flirting with some boy over the phone again.”
I cast her a sheepish grin, sliding into position at the cash register. At twenty-five years old, I had a reputation around town as a shameless flirt. But it never meant anything.
“You can’t expect me to hang up on him when he’s whispering sweet nothings to me,” I protested. “But that’s not why I was late. It’s all that snow from last night’s storm.”
Marion hummed, skeptical.
“Oh, sure, blame the snow.”
“It’s true!”
She waved me off and gestured to the line of customers who were nearly out the door.
“Just lend me a hand, would you? Put all that boundless, youthful energy of yours to use.”
This was the part of my job that I enjoyed the most—greeting the customers, getting a glimpse of their lives through the tidbits of stories they shared with me. I recognized the regulars who visited nearly every day, memorizing their orders by heart so I knew what they wanted before they uttered a word.
Other baristas came and went while I worked at Cup of Heaven. Most of them didn’t last a year before they were moving on to bigger and better things. Setting their sights on the horizon.
Meanwhile, I was still here. I never really entertained any aspirations to leave. Cup of Heaven was like a home away from home for me, with twinkly fairy lights, and worn wooden floor boards scuffed by countless visitors. The walls were covered with pictures of Juniper Creek, and pieces of art that showcased local artists.
It was a quirky little place, and it certainly wasn’t glamorous.
But it felt familiar, comforting, like wearing your favorite sweater. Soft, warm, and welcoming.
Just as I served the final customer in line, a flash of red at the window caught my attention. A Juniper Creek Fire Department truck pulled up to the curb and a figure jumped out. I grinned from ear to ear as my dad entered the shop, wearing his firefighter station uniform—dark blue pants with a long-sleeved shirt, and the fire department logo on the back.
“Hey, pumpkin,” he said. “Could you get some coffee for your old man and his buddies?”
“The usual? Or do you want me to shake things up and surprise you?”
“The last time you did that, I got a purple unicorn shake that tasted like bubblegum.”
I bounced on my toes with delight.
