Jackie didn’t know how three little words could make her cry, but they did. “I’ll miss you, too. I don’t want you to leave.”
With a gentle tug, Aidan pulled her into his arms. “You aren’t the only one who feels that way. It’ll get better.”
The only way it would get better was if Jackie left Sapphire Bay—and she wouldn’t do that.
“Take care of yourself in Manhattan,” she told him. “And let me know when you land. There’s a storm covering most of the east coast and a lot of flights are canceled or diverted.”
Aidan’s arms tightened around her. “I’ll call as soon as I land. Don’t do anything crazy while I’m away.”
Jackie wiped the tears off her face. “I won’t have time to be crazy.”
Aidan kissed the side of her head. “I should go. If you need me for anything, call me. It doesn’t matter what time of the day or night it is.”
The knot in Jackie’s chest tightened. All she could do was nod.
Aidan’s eyes glistened with tears. “We can make this work. I know we can.”
She didn’t know whether he was saying that because he believed it or because he was trying to convince himself it was true.
As they turned around to the front door, Jackie couldn’t think of a single thing to say that would make this goodbye easier.
Aidan’s hand trembled as he brushed a lock of hair off her face. “If anything stops working in the store, call Pastor John. He said he’d keep an eye on you and make sure you’re okay.”
A small smile lifted the corners of her mouth. “Shelley says he breaks more things than he fixes, but I appreciate his offer.”
With a gentleness that broke her heart all over again, Aidan kissed her for the last time. And, by the time he left, Jackie knew her life wouldn’t be the same again.
* * *
The morning lightshone into the kitchen, creating a cheerful and inviting atmosphere as Jackie made chocolate-covered marshmallow Santas for the Christmas Carol Competition. The scent of melting chocolate and toasted coconut filled the room, making her small house feel cozy and inviting.
She should’ve listened to Andrea and purchased store bought marshmallows. But with absolutely no idea of what she was getting herself into, she’d hunted for the perfect molds before whisking a triple mixture of marshmallow crème together.
It was sticky, messy work, and she wasn’t sure anyone would appreciate the trouble she’d gone to.
After a quick knock, the front door opened and Daniella rushed into the kitchen. “There you are. I thought you might’ve been working from your store.”
“Not this morning. I promised Mabel I’d make something for the carol competition. I should have stuck with cookies instead of the marshmallow Santas.”
Daniella smiled at the treats already sitting on a baking sheet. “They might be tricky to make, but they look gorgeous.”
“That’s what I thought when I saw the recipe. Next time, I’ll read the reviews before I buy anything.”
Daniella sat opposite Jackie on a kitchen stool. “I learned that lesson the hard way, too. I had so many awesome ideas for The Fairy Forest, that I forgot about the basics. And that’s kind of why I’m here. You’ll never believe how much money we made at the Christmas gala.”
Jackie had been wondering if there was a final figure yet. “I won’t guess because it’ll be wrong,” Jackie said as she dipped another marshmallow into the bowl of melted chocolate. “I still can’t believe what some people paid for the auction pieces.”
“Neither can I. Natalie was thrilled her painting sold for so much. So...without further ado.” Daniella drum-rolled her hands against the counter. “The gala we organized raised forty-two thousand dollars!”
Jackie’s mouth dropped open. “Wow, that’s incredible!”
“I know. David called me with the good news. BioTech’s finance team received the last of the payments an hour ago. You should get a text from the finance team soon.”
As they continued to chat, Jackie sprinkled coconut onto the marshmallow Santas in front of her.
When Jackie filled another tray with chocolate-covered Santas, Daniella moved them to the kitchen table. “I have a favor to ask.”
Jackie’s eyebrows rose. “You can have one, but no more. Mabel’s expecting half the town to be at the competition.”
