“But getting it off your chest could help you in ways you can’t even imagine.”
He slowly nodded. “You’re right.” He placed his palm over his chest. “There’s this weight that presses down on me from time to time. I used to think it was tied in with being a professional athlete and the huge expectations that were placed on me, but it didn’t go away when I stopped playing.” His eyes were glimmering with an intensity that made her shiver. He was being real and raw with her, immediately making her feel more connected to him. There was something crackling in the space between them, and although she couldn’t put a name to it, it felt intense.
On impulse, she reached over and gripped his hand, lightly squeezing it. “You’ve got this, Xavier. And so do I.”
He leaned across the table, and she met him halfway,brushing her lips against his. Anchovies be damned, she thought, as she opened her mouth to him. Xavier reached around and cupped the back of her neck in his hand, pulling her closer. His lips were sweet and a little bit salty. As the kiss deepened, True forgot all about time and place. There was only the two of them in this moment, lost in their fiery connection.
“Ahem!” The loud clearing of a throat abruptly ended the kiss. As they pulled apart, True saw Jaylen standing beside the booth. And although she really wanted to pull Xavier by his collar and draw him back into the kiss, she knew that would be pure madness. Jaylen didn’t need a front-row seat to her and Xavier smooching up a storm.
“Sorry to bust up this make-out session,” Jaylen said with a grin, “but you did say fifteen minutes.”
“Good timing, buddy,” Xavier said, holding up his palm for a high five.
“Yeah,” True said, her voice coming out in a rasp. “Really good timing.”
A few days later, True walked into My Cup of Tea, the best tea shop in Moose Falls, and immediately scanned the establishment for Hattie. She had taken Xavier’s advice and reached out to her mentor about having a meeting about Northern Exposure. Much to True’s surprise, Hattie had been thinking along the same lines—that they needed to check in with each other regarding the business.
“Hey, True. Hattie beat you here,” Delilah, the owner, said, nodding toward a table by the window.
“Thanks,” True said as she quickly walked toward Hattie.
Teatime with Hattie was something True immenselyenjoyed. Every month Hattie invited her to partake in this lovely ritual. Being alone with her mentor afforded her the opportunity to pick the older woman’s brain and to soak up all her knowledge like a sponge. Now, more than ever, True realized the importance of doing so. Time was fleeting, with Hattie’s illness looming over them.
Hattie was waiting for True at their usual table, wearing an elaborate cream-colored tea hat. As always, she looked regal, as if she were a grand duchess or a queen. Some people were just born with it, the ability to command attention no matter where they were or what they were doing.
But, as she drew closer, True noticed cracks in Hattie’s facade. Her friend put on a good act, but she wasn’t looking well. Dark shadows rested under her eyes. Her top appeared several sizes too big. Tinges of yellow colored the whites of her eyes. True had to draw a deep breath to collect herself. She wasn’t used to seeing her friend like this.
“What a delight to see you at our favorite meeting place,” Hattie gushed. “And don’t you look lovely in that shade of purple.”
Wanting to look nice, True had dressed in a lavender pantsuit that she’d found at the back of her closet. She’d been saving it for a special occasion such as today. She had to look and act sharp in Hattie’s presence.
“I’m thrilled to be here,” True said, bending down to kiss Hattie on the cheek. “You look splendid yourself.” She sat down in the velvet chair across from Hattie.
Hattie gave her the side-eye. “Don’t lie to me, girl. We know each other too well for that. I look like five miles of bad road. Isn’t that right? There’s only so much makeup can hide.”
True didn’t know how to respond. The situation was breaking her heart. Hattie was such a strong woman, butdealing with a terminal illness could break the most resilient person.
Somehow True found the words. “Oh, Hattie. I wish you weren’t going through this.”
Hattie patted her hand. “I know. Let’s have some tea and scones. That always makes everything better.”
Just then Delilah came over to their table with two pots of freshly brewed tea. “I brought both your favorites. Chamomile for you, Hattie, and lavender for you, True. I’ll be right back with the finger sandwiches and other treats.”
True did the honors and poured tea into both of their teacups. For the next few minutes, they sipped tea and indulged in cucumber sandwiches, scones, and petits fours.
“So, my sweet girl, what did you want to discuss with me?” Hattie asked. It wasn’t her nature to beat around the bush. Normally True loved how Hattie got straight to the point, but at the moment, she was a bundle of nerves.
True crossed her hands in front of her and fiddled with her thumbs. “For a long time now, I’ve wanted to make Northern Exposure my own.” She watched as Hattie’s eyes widened. “I truly love that place, and it would be such an honor to buy it from you. I know you’re planning to leave some of your holdings to your grandsons, so perhaps you have another vision for the place. But I can’t help but feel that no one will ever love the place as much as I do.” She splayed her hands on the table. “Now I’ll be honest. I don’t have all the money in hand at the moment, but I’d like to work something out with you that’s fair for both parties. I’m also investigating loans.” Finally, she stopped talking and took a deep breath. “That’s it in a nutshell.”
Hattie daintily lifted her teacup to her mouth, then took a long sip before speaking. “I admire your pluck and vision. I always have, True. It’s evident how much you love NorthernExposure. To be honest, I had no idea you had these dreams, and I wish you’d told me a long time ago.”
“I should have,” True admitted, “but sometimes it’s hard to attach words to our dreams. It’s scary.”
“I understand, my dear. Believe me, I do,” Hattie said, nibbling on a treat. “The tricky part is that because of my illness, I’m in the process of turning my holdings over to my family members. Forgive me, but I can’t get into the specific details. That being said, there may be a way you can make an offer. I’ll look into it, True. You have my word.” A smile lit up Hattie’s face. “Red has been telling me all about your brainstorming sessions. He’s very impressed by your ideas.”
“He’s very creative, Hattie. You must be thrilled to have him back.”
“I’m excited for my grandsons now that they’re all back in Moose Falls along with Red. I truly believe healing can happen if everyone works hard toward that goal.” Hattie made a tutting sound. “I’m not naïve. Red has problems that have affected his ability to be a father and a husband. Those might not have gone away. But I still want him to be a part of my legacy and to give him another chance.”
