“Good for you.” Forty years was a lifetime as far as Harlow was concerned. “I’ll make a point to stop by.”
Harlow dropped off her bags at the car, then made a beeline to the farmers’ market. A nice-sized crowd was milling about the area and bagging up produce to take home. An older man with white hair and whiskers approached her and introduced himself as Vic, proving to be just as adorable as his wife. Harlow made sure she selected a wide range of items. Apples. Pumpkins. Zucchini and squash. And her favorite—corn. She bought way more than she could consume, but she planned to bring some into the office for others to enjoy. Just as she was heading out with her bag of fresh produce, Agatha came rushing toward her.
“This is for you,” Agatha said, handing her a large bag bursting with items. Harlow could see ears of corn, a baguette, lettuce, a floral bouquet, and some other items peeking out.
“What? Are you serious?” Harlow asked. “This is so sweet of you.”
Agatha beamed at her. “We have a tradition here in Mistletoe that goes way back. This is a welcome-to-Mistletoe gift. If you let it, this town will nourish you, body and soul.”
“Thank you so much. I’m overwhelmed.” Harlow blinked away the moisture pooling in her eyes.
Agatha patted her on the shoulder. “This town needs good-hearted folks who love animals. We’re blessed to have you here.”
“I hope to see you and Sheba soon,” Harlow said, knowing she would follow up if she didn’t see Sheba’s name on the docket. After saying her goodbyes to Agatha, she decided to grab a late lunch at the restaurant a few doors down. She put her bags in the car, then walked over. The tantalizing aroma of grilled food rose to her nostrils, causing her stomach to grumble. Harlow took a peek at the menu hanging by the entrance to the Blue Crab.
Harlow, sold on the lunch options, opted to sit outside. By the time the waiter came to take her order, Harlow didn’t even need to refer to the menu. She’d memorized her selection by heart. When her meal arrived, Harlow attacked it with gusto. She might have even let out a few moans of appreciation.
A girl could get used to this, she thought.
Sitting outside on the deck eating stuffed lobster with corn on the cob and a nice glass of wine was a heavenly experience. She took her time and savored the meal and the stunning view. When was the last time she’d treated herself to some me time? Exploring her surroundings had paid off big-time. Mistletoe had really shined today. As a result, she felt invigorated.
When the waiter came over to clear her table, Harlow couldn’t stop raving about the lobster. “It might just be the best lobster I’ve ever eaten,” Harlow gushed.
“If you enjoyed this lobster, you’ll love the town lobster boil,” the waiter said. “It’s Mistletoe’s fiftieth annual event and you won’t want to miss it.”
Harlow was sold on attending. If the lobster was even one third as good as the one she’d just eaten, she would be in crustacean heaven.
By the time Harlow headed back home, she was feeling as if all was right with her world. Mistletoe had surprised her by showing her new experiences that she’d thoroughly enjoyed. Maybe there was way more to this quaint town than she had been willing to admit.
***
A few days later Nick was finally enjoying a day off after working overtime on a rescue at Mount Snow. Nick, and a few of his colleagues, had been called in for support after an avalanche struck a ski area. The operation had been a success, with all four skiers being found alive. Due to their injuries, they had been transported to a local hospital, but they were all expected to make it. As always, Nick was thankful for a happy ending to the rescue. In moments like this one, Nick knew he was right where he needed to be. Things didn’t always work out the way he wanted, but when the search and rescues were successful, his spirits couldn’t be better.
He was still trying to connect with Harlow so he could cook for her at his house. His unrelenting schedule was a barrier to their next date, which was frustrating. Nick didn’t want Harlow to think he wasn’t interested. Nothing could be further from the truth. The dazzling woman was never far from his mind. The truth was, he was wild about her. Something inside him had clicked from the first moment he’d clapped eyes on Harlow trapped in her car.
It wasn’t like him to fall so fast. Before now, the only other woman he’d had any serious feelings for had been his wife. He’d never imagined that he could begin to feel this way for anyone else. Nick had always thought of love as happening once in a lifetime, if a person was lucky. And it wasn’t as if he was in love with her or anything, but he now knew it was quite possible.
At the moment he was preparing himself for a difficult discussion with Miles about what had taken place on Halloween. He’d avoided having this talk for as long as he possibly could. Despite feeling ill-equipped to discuss Kara’s death, he knew that he needed to get the conversation going. Miles was only nine years old, but with Frank Baker now back in Mistletoe, it was likely he would hear about the car crash from someone else.
“Hey, buddy. Can you sit down for a few minutes?” Nick asked as Miles trudged into the kitchen wearing his Spider-Man pajamas and matching socks.
“Can I have my cereal first?” Miles asked, letting out a yawn.
“It’ll just take a few minutes. I kind of need your full attention.” Nick ran a shaky hand across his jaw as Miles sat down.
He leaned his elbows on the table and propped his face on his hands. “So, what’s up? You have that this-is-an-important-talk look on your face.”
Nick was torn between laughter and tears. He needed to straddle the line between the two so he didn’t overwhelm Miles. Everyone thought he was incredibly resilient, but he was still a kid struggling with the loss of his mother. “I know you were confused with my behavior on Halloween.”
“Yeah, you kind of lost it, Dad,” Miles said, shaking his head. “You’re usually much more chill. Honestly, I thought you were mad at me.”
Nick leaned toward Miles and placed his hand on his shoulder. “No way. I was mad, but not at you. I got upset when I saw the man who was giving out candy at that house.”
Miles’s eyes widened. “Why? Did he do something to you?”
Nick steepled his hands in front of him. He swallowed past the thick lump in his throat. How could he tell Miles without freaking him out? “Yeah, Miles. Because of him, we lost Mommy. He was driving the car that caused the crash she died in.”
A look of confusion crossed over Miles’s face. “Why? What happened? Was he a bad driver?”
