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You thought you had moved on, or at least had gotten to the acceptance part.

Like moving the chairs and spots around the table so that no seat was empty, but then you’d spend the entire meal feeling guilty for not leaving a place for the ones who weren’t there.

The holidays had a way of bringing it all back to you—the good with the bad.

We stayed quiet for the next block until Sam stopped outside of Phineas’s diner and sat down on the bench. A flier for the Mistletoe Masquerade flapped in the breeze on one of the nearby windows. He pointed to it. “So, are you and James going together?”

I sat down next to him, jumping as the cold surface bit through my jeans. “We haven’t really talked about it yet.”

“But you will probably go with him, right?” Sam kept his attention forward.

“I mean, maybe?” I scuffed my foot back and forth on the sidewalk. “I guess it kinda depends on what happens between now and then…if his dad makes a decision early about The Market. I know Jo wants to go.” I paused and looked at him. “Do you still want to?”

He shrugged. “I’ll go if you’re there.”

Warmth bloomed across my chest and then crept up to my face.

Oh.

My phone chimed with a text message.

Jo: The Baileys won!

Jo: Round everyone up to meet back at town square in five!

Sam stood and tugged his beanie down further on his head. “How ’bout I go down Elm and Cherry and you stick with Mistletoe Lane?”

“Sure.” I got to my feet as he started off. “Um, see you back at the big tree, then.”

My stomach in knots, I walked back toward the town square, completely forgetting to tell the families I passed that the scavenger hunt was over, because all I could think about was what Sam had said to me on the bench.

I’ll go if you’re there.

Just when I thought we were semi back to normal, he had to go and say something like that.

A few minutes later, Jo held up her megaphone and stood next to Mr. Bailey, James, and Victoria, the owner of Glass Works.

“Congratulations to Travis and James Bailey on having the fastest time in our Candy Cane Scavenger Hunt!” she announced.

The crowd cheered and several whistled.

Victoria stepped forward. “Here is your custom ornament from Glass Works. We hope you’ll treasure it always.”

Mr. Bailey opened the gift bag and pulled out a beautiful clear bauble filled with Christmas-colored confetti and decorated with a frosted image of the Mullings Creek clock tower. “It’s stunning,” he said, holding it up to the light. “Thank you.”

The crowd clapped again until Jo spoke. “Phineas has invited everyone to the diner for half-priced burgers to celebrate! Hope to see you there!”

She lowered the megaphone as Sam and I walked up.

“Congratulations, Mr. Bailey!” I said as I reached out to shake his hand.

“Thank you, Gianna.” He beamed and shook mine before checking the time on his watch. “I need to call it an early night. I have a meeting first thing in the morning with some potential buyers for the property, but you guys go along to the diner and enjoy yourselves.”

Potential buyers?

The knots in my stomach soured.

He gave James a quick pat on the back and then hurried away toward the B&B.