I pause outside Sweet Escapes with my hand on the door. “All will be revealed soon. Thank you for coming all this way. No photography past this point, please.”
I slip inside the café, shooting a quick glance over my shoulder to make sure the photographers heed my request. They all fall back, some of them gathering in a huddle on the sidewalk while others head across the street to the park. I inhale deeply, my mouth watering at the scents I’ve come to expect when I enter Sweet Escapes. I’ve been thinking so much about the concept of ‘home’ recently, and I’ve realized Sweet Escapes ishome. Honeywell Hollow ishome. The people I love arehome. Home is a feeling as much as it is a place, and I feel it here.
One of those people I love and consider home barrels toward me now. Rex throws himself against me, wrapping his arms around my waist.
“Hi buddy! It’s so good to see you.” If the little squeak he releases is any indication, I’m hugging him too tight. I release him and grip his shoulders, my eyes sweeping over his face. “How are you doing? I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too. I got a letter from my mom today. She said she’s starting to feel better and she loves me and misses me. And she sent me a drawing, look.” He pulls an envelope from his back pocket and carefully frees a sheet of folded paper, which he hands to me. The drawing is a full-page pencil sketch of Thea, Rex, and Liam, and it’s good.Reallygood.
“Uncle Liam said we’ll smooth it out and frame it so I can put it by my bed,” Rex says. He takes the drawing back and admires it, eyes shining with pride. His expression shifts suddenly, brows drawing together. “Are all those photographers outside here for you?”
“They are, yeah. A couple of my friends are meeting me here and the press knows about it.”
“Oh. Are you leaving Honeywell soon?”
I open my mouth, then close it. I’m not sure how much to tell him. “It’s…kind of complicated,” I say slowly. “But I want you to know I love you and I’m not going to disappear from your life. There’ll be times when I’m really busy or I’m traveling and you might not hear from me as much, but I promise I’ll be in your life for as long as you want me.”
He drops his gaze to the floor. My eyes flick down and I nearly laugh when I see he’s not wearing winter boots like I expected, but rather a hilariously furry pair of Chewbacca slippers. When he raises his head again, he gives me a shy smile. “Is forever okay?”
My eyes and nose sting with the threat of tears. I kneel in front of him so we’re eye to eye. “I was hoping you’d say that. Forever soundsreallygood to me.” I hold out my arms and he throws himself into them, wrapping his arms around my neck and holding on tight.
He dashes away when I release him, calling over his shoulder that he’s going to get back to his coloring. Mae joins me a moment later, pulling me into a hard hug before cupping my face and giving me a long, searching look.
“You okay?” she asks.
“I think so,” I tell her, letting out a shaky laugh. “At least I will be.”
From the corner of my eye, I spot a flurry of activity outside. Raised voices and camera flashes have me turning to see Nat and Selma among the photographers, smiling and posing for pictures in front of the giant nutcrackers. Butterflies take flight in my stomach.
“Are you sure about this?” Mae asks.
I whip around to face her. “Iam. Are you having second thoughts? I can have Nat and Selma meet me somewhere else if you don’t want this much focus on Sweet Escapes. Or we can film somewhere other than Honeywell if that’s what you’re—”
“Joss.” Mae’s eyes are full of amusement and affection as she grips my shoulders. “I know you’ve put a lot of thought into this. I wouldn’t have agreed—and neither would Town Council—if I didn’t think this was a fantastic idea. Having a movie filmed here with three big stars is going to benefit the overall economy of Honeywell, and that, plus the donation from the Pascals means the center can stay open permanently.”
“I don’t know about stars…” I murmur.
Mae swats at my arm. “Is that all you took from what I said?”
I laugh, grabbing her hand and holding it. “I can never thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me.”
“Oh honey, are you kidding? It’s a pleasure. Having you here these last few weeks has been incredible. Seeing how you fit in, watching you come into your own…watching you and Liam fall in love…”
I swallow hard. “What if this isn’t enough? What if he thinks this is all for show?”
“My boy is smarter than that.” Mae’s confident tone infusesmewith the confidence I need to stick to my plan.
Outside, Nat and Selma break away from the gathered paparazzi and enter Sweet Escapes. I suck in a deep breath, squeeze Mae’s hand, and go to greet them.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Sweet Escapes looks a lot different the next day when I arrive. A security guard outside checks my ID before ushering me through the front door, which now has a giant ‘Closed for a private event’ sign erected on it. All of Mae’s beautiful Christmas decorations are still in place, but the usual tables and chairs have been pushed to the sides and replaced with equipment and light stands, new furniture, and people bustling around talking into headsets. And this is just for an interview. I worried last night that when I arrived today, I’d discover my time away from the limelight had turned me off, but I can practically feel the adrenaline rushing through my veins. I’ve missed this.
After meeting at the café yesterday for the purpose of creating buzz for our interview today, Natalie, Selma, and I holed up in my house. We talked for hours about the movie, the Pascal sisters, life, and fame—and the price of fame. We ordered pizza and drank way too much wine, especially considering we need to be camera-ready today. We all ended up falling asleep in the living room around midnight; I woke up an hour later with a full bladder, and sent the girls to their rooms. Besides the fact Honeywell doesn’t have a hotel, I figured they might as well stay with me while they’re here. I have plenty of room, plus I thought it would be a good opportunity for the three of us to bond so our on-screen sisterly chemistry would be genuine and believable to audiences.
Now we’re about to sit down with Samira Ansari fromNorthern Light, a high-profile celebrity news show based in Toronto. I had to call in several favors to talk directly to Samira; I worried she’d balk at the idea of coming all this way only days before Christmas, but she jumped at the opportunity for an exclusive interview with the three of us. We’ve all worked with Samira in the past, and I trust her to ask in-depth questions without crossing a line.
“How are you feeling?” Selma asks. “Excited, nervous?”
