There are no other words for this. For some reason, looking at it makes my eyes sting, and I squeeze them shut, blinking back tears.
“I had the same reaction the first time I saw this, too.”
A chuckle escapes me, because in my mind, Jett Landry doesn’t cry. He’s too cool for crying.
“I can’t help thinking about my aunt.” I sniffle, wiping my nose on the backside of my mitten. “She would have loved this.”
Aunt Dahlia spent most of her life the way I do now, running the café, living peacefully, quietly. But as I started to take over the café more, she ventured out, took trips, went on adventures, and I admired her for it. She always pushed me to join her, but I fell back on the fact that the café needed someone to run it. Now, I wonder if wasn’t a bit of a crutch.
“She would have loved this for you,” Jett murmurs, his warm breath forming a wisp of a cloud in front of his face.
And I think he’s right. I never would have done this had I not been forced into finding a relationship, had Jett not suggested we get married. How many more years would Ihave gone along, living my life in Heartwood, pouring every ounce of energy I’m afforded into the café? And have I only been doing it because I’ve been afraid of the alternative?
It’s not like my life is bad, or wrong, or anything. I’ve adapted to survive.
But this whole day is making me think that in doing so, I’ve been missing out on more than I realized.
CHAPTER 25
JETT
The sidewalks flankingBanff Avenue are quieter now that the holidays have come to an end.
Tourists and visitors have made a mass exodus as they return to their daily grind. It’s not lost on me that this is a place hundreds of thousands come to vacation, and I get to call it home. That a world renowned winter ski destination is where I live, and hitting the slopes recreationally for most is how I earn a paycheck.
Today was a nice reminder of that fact, as I introduced Poppy to the sport that takes up every waking minute of my day. Watching her transition from shaky and nervous to carving down the hill with confidence filled me with satisfaction and pride.
She was amazing out there, exceeding her own expectations of herself by a long shot. By the end of the day, it looked like she was even enjoying it.
But I know it took a toll on her.
As she walks beside me, sipping her hot chocolate fromone of my favourite cafés in Banff, guilt needles at me because she’s walking with a slight limp.
“So, how was it? Flying down a mountain at breakneck speed?” I ask her, a hint of a smile on my face.
“Actually, I had a lot of fun,” she admits with a shrug as she cups her hot chocolate in both hands. “Maybe I’ll be ready to compete with you for the World Cup.”
Her shoulder nudges against mine, and it sends an electric jolt through me.
“We’ll see about that,” I say. “You have a lot of faith in my coaching abilities.”
I glance over at Poppy and hide my smirk behind the lid on my paper cup, taking a sip of the almost sickly sweet drink.
“I think you’re the right man for the job.”
Poppy’s dark brown eyes twinkle for a second, and I tell myself that it’s the reflection from the white Christmas lights, still decorating the streetlamps.
She’s not actually flirting with me.
It’s just for our public image. Trying to seem like a newlywed couple in love. This is exactly the kind of exposure we need if this marriage scheme is going to look believable.
We continue walking side by side in silence for a moment, and a crisp breeze wafts between us, a lone snowflake falling in front of me. Soon, more begin to fall around us, and the swirling flakes in the glow of the lights create an enchanting effect.
A sudden buzzing in my pocket catches my attention, pulling me out of the moment. I reach into my jeans and take it out, a text message from Brooke on my screen with an attachment. No message.
My heart drops when I see what she’s sent me. It’s a news article. I don’t bother looking at the headline or even clicking on the link, because I have a sickening feeling I know how they’ll have spun our day on the slopes.
It’ll be some scandalous tabloid about how quickly I jumped into a marriage. More proof of how reckless I am in relationships. The message that will be coming through from Brooke shortly will be some punishing admonishment for the fact that I didn’t run our outing by her.
