Tables ringed the room, the intricate and ornate houses on display. She let out a low whistle. In the five years she’d been gone, the citizens of Moose Hollow had upped their gingerbread game. She bent over to look through a clear sugar window to see the living room inside decked out for Christmas with a tree, gifts, and a plate of tiny cookies for Santa.
Would Mom go to all that trouble? She wagged her head from side to side. It was possible. She had a competitive streak in her that came out when she got in the kitchen.
“See anything you like?” asked a deep voice behind her.
Lauren straightened up and spun and found herself staring at the top button of a soft red henley. The fabric beckoned her fingers with its softness, and the scent of dryer sheets made her want to snuggle in. Bringing her eyes up, she traced a strong, freshly shaven jaw, a set of perfect lips, and then a straight nose and caramel-colored eyes.
Eyes that were all too familiar.
She only had this kind of reaction to one man in her life–the sense that she’d find the shelter to life’s storms in his arms; the feeling that her battery was low and he was the charging station; the sense that he could see every part of her and there was no sense trying to hide. “Jacob,” she whispered.
So much for not saying his name out loud. Forming it with her mouth and then hearing it echo in her ears was a balm to her soul. Like she’d had this spring wound so tight it threatened to break, and she’d just hit the release button. She hated that it felt so good.
“Merry Christmas, Lauren.” He hugged her to his chest–as if he had the right–and she didn’t fight him because that darn spring would not rewind. “I can’t believe you’re standing here.”
His shoulders were broader, his chest more defined. It was a good thing this wasn’t the version that had broken her heart, or she wouldn’t have survived to love again. “Me neither,” she mumbled into the shirt that was indeed as soft as it looked and smelled of Jacob’s signature cologne. Some things shouldn’t ever change.
And other things had to.
Coming to herself, she pushed him away and tugged on her fitted coat. “That’s enough of that.” Her pronouncement was like cracking a whip through the air–it changed the feeling from warm and welcoming to awkward and unsure by inserting the last five years apart between them.
Jacob’s face fell, his caramel eyes closed off, and the distance grew even farther. “Um. Yeah.” He cupped the back of his neck. “So…?” He looked around for something to comment on to take the awkwardness out of this situation.
Lauren watched him squirm, loving every minute of it. Jacob Morris was Moose Hollow’s golden boy on the football field. The teachers favored him. The administration adored him. The student body followed him like puppies. And Lauren? She’d fallen head over heels in love with him before he’d grown into his first set of shoulder pads. What shocked her, even more, was that he didn’t seem to notice any of this. If he had, he would have dropped her as a best friend since she was the quiet, read-a-book-a-weekend type of girl.
He didn’t, though. He’d been true to their friendship all the way up to the day she’d told him she was in love with him and tried to kiss him.
Oh, the humiliation. Her cheeks flushed just thinking about it, which is why she never thought about that night, Jacob or Moose Hollow in general.
To see confident, happy, charming Jacob squirm in front of her was validating and a little confusing. He should have become a considerable success in town, gotten married, and had a fantastic life that gave him the brashness to stand in front of her and flaunt it. And yet he stammered when he asked, “Are you voting?” He pointed to the paper in her hand.
She’d forgotten it was even there. “Yes.” The word came out long, like she wasn’t sure. “Not that I would ever cheat, but I was trying to figure out which one was my mom’s.”
“Want me to tell you?” he offered conspiratorially.
She lifted her chin. “No, thank you. We Halls are honest in our dealings.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Are you implying that I’m not honest?”
“I would never.” She stepped past him and then spoke over her shoulder, “But I certainly wouldn’t have left you in the dark about starting my own business.” There. She’d thrown out one thing she’d wanted to say to him for years.
His mouth fell open. “Are you really going there? Now?” He pointed to the ground as if dragging up the past would desecrate the patch of tile.
Never able to hold back with Jacob--he could always get her emotions to overflow no matter how sleek her hair or cute her shoes. She folded her arms and cocked a hip. “I think I just did.”
His eyes grew wide. “I wanted to surprise you.”
She arched an eyebrow. “You wanted to surprise me with a cabinet shop? That’s funny because I never remember wanting one.”
He stepped closer, his body heat enveloping her like a cocoon. “I wanted to show you I could do big things.”
She scowled. “What are you talking about?”
He started pacing. “This is insane. I don’t know why I’m even talking about this.” He stopped suddenly and spun on her. “But you might disappear again, and I’ll never get the chance to clear it up, so here it goes.” He drew in a breath, and Lauren caught hers. His caramel-colored eyes weren’t hooded anymore, and she could read him loud and clear. “You are brilliant, and I always felt a step behind you. I wanted to think three steps into the future and show you what I could do. I wanted you to be proud of me.”
Lauren reeled. “I was always proud of you,” she admitted.
He drew his eyebrows together. “You were not. You never wanted to celebrate with the team after my football games. You outdid me in everything else that had to do with school. The only thing we’re both horrible at was acting.”
