* * *
On Christmas morning, Tasha woke up shivering. She opened her eyes. The smell of vanilla and cinnamon were familiar, but the beamed ceiling wasn’t her usual morning view.
She bolted upright.
What was she doing on the living room couch? With the lights on?
Her gaze zeroed in on the cupcake liners and crumbs on the coffee table.
Drowning her sadness in sugar must have worked. Her jeans would fit tighter, but she didn’t care. The dark cloud still hovered above her, but she breathed easier. Her eyes no longer stung and burned, though they felt puffy and achy from crying.
Not to say she wouldn’t cry later—she likely would.
Tasha wasn’t okay, not by a long shot, but she was…better. A bruised heart and dashed hopes wouldn’t stop her. No matter how much she hurt or how long it took to get over Elias, she would survive the same way she’d survived everything else.
Only this time, she would come out stronger.
Of that, she had no doubt.
Tasha Ramson wasn’t the same person who’d arrived in Berry Lake earlier this month. That much had been clear after how she’d dealt with Mom, Drew, Savannah, and Kristen. Tasha had come to Berry Lake to figure out what she wanted to do next. What she’d really needed to do was stand up for herself. Ignoring what happened, remaining silent, trying to avoid conflict were why she’d been stuck. It was all her. But no longer. She could stand up for herself when she needed to and forgive when necessary.
She blew out a breath. Elias had given Tasha so much, and even though things hadn’t worked out, she had zero regrets. Whatever she did. Wherever she ended up, Tasha would be okay. And when her heart healed, she would be ready to find love again.
Somewhere out there was the place she belonged, where she would thrive and be loved for whom she was. A part of her had hoped that would be there in Berry Lake, but she would find another.
The lights on the tree glowed festive and bright, a beacon for her future. Thank goodness she’d never asked for the tree to be taken down. She would have missed it.
A part of her wished her family were there, but she’d made the right decision to spend the holidays without them. Still, she hugged herself the way Mom and Dad would if they were with her this morning. “Merry Christmas.”
Speaking of which… Tasha jerked around to peer outside. Snow fell—lots and lots of snow.
She scrambled, kneeling backward on the couch to see better. At least three new inches had fallen.
Yes!
Tasha touched the windowpane. The glass was smooth and cold against her palm. Even though Berry Lake had been covered in white the entire time she’d been there, seeing the snow made the day more special. “A white Christmas.”
Exactly what she’d wanted. A broken heart hadn’t been on her Christmas list, so it didn’t count.
After she made a pot of coffee, Tasha showered. Once she was dressed, she put cinnamon rolls—the kind that came in a tube—in the oven. It wasn’t long before she placed a cup of coffee and a plate with two cinnamon rolls on the coffee table. She turned on the gas fireplace, so flames danced and added some warmth beyond the heat, and she clicked the playlist of carols on her cell phone. The sounds of Whitney Houston’s “Do You Hear What I Hear” filled the living room.
“Now, it’s time to celebrate Christmas.”
With her breakfast within arm’s reach, Tasha sat on the floor in front of the tree. Small gifts from kids in the show sat under the branches. She’d been so surprised when so many gave her a thank-you present.
She reached for two cards. One from her parents and the other from her brother. They would ask if she’d opened theirs when they called.
The one with her name scribbled in barely readable handwriting was from Alek. She opened that one first.
A thousand-dollar Visa gift card and a gift certificate for three personal development sessions with Selena T, the wife of his teammate with a hit podcast.
Alek might be so wrapped up in hockey that she didn’t see him much, but he’d always been generous, even as a kid. And Tasha was interested to see what the famous life coach had to say. Maybe she would get some direction.
Next was the envelope with Mom’s perfect handwriting. Tasha opened the card and gasped at the ten-thousand-dollar check inside. The amount shouldn’t surprise her. Mom spent that much on a purse, but Tasha read the memo line aloud.
“Tasha’s fresh start.”
A lump formed in her throat, and the place behind her eyelids grew hot. She had a little in savings but not enough to cover deposits when she moved.
