Page 65 of Falling Like Snow

Ellis stares at me; then, after a beat, she grins. “Why? Would that be bad?”

“Shut up, no,” I snap. “It’s not like that.”

“Of course it’s not,” she says. “I’m sure you’d be completely okay with him kissing another girl. Falling for another girl.”

My face heats. “I would. Just forget it.”

I push past her before the irritation scorching my veins sends this barn up in flames.

“Hey, wait, Sloane,” Ellis says. When I turn around, her smile is gone. “Sorry. I was just kidding. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Just not in the mood.”

“All right… well, for what it’s worth, I definitely don’t think there’s anything going on between them,” she says.

I nod, saying nothing.

“It’s been a long day,” Ellis continues. “You want to do a movie night tonight? We haven’t had one in, what, two months? We could invite the moms. They’d probably love it.”

“I’m down,” I tell her. A night of becoming one with the couch while drowning in snacks sounds wonderful. Plus, I could really use a Nora Ephron distraction. “I’ve been wanting to watch You’ve Got Mail.”

“Perfect. I’ll let them know.”

The next hour passes in a flurry of chaos. Families compete in holiday games and rush to finish decorating their houses, and I help judge and crown a gingerbread house winner. Once the place has cleared out, Mom sends all the volunteers home, and she and I stay and clean.

By the time we lock the barn and drop the keys off to Helen, the moon is glowing over the Grants’ flower farm.

“I am so exhausted,” I say as Mom and I walk to our car.

“Same. And I’m also incredibly proud of you,” she says.

“For what?”

“You stepped up today,” she says. “You thought fast on your feet, came up with a plan, and did a great job delegating. I basically sat this one out, and it ran so smoothly. I’m very impressed.”

“Well, I learned from the best.”

“True.” She winks at me. “But seriously, you have a bright future ahead of you. You’ll be running this town before you know it.” She pauses. “Of course, you’ll have to beat me in an election first, but—”

“You’re insufferable.” I don’t have the heart to tell her that I have no desire to be the mayor. That I don’t want Bramble Falls to consume me. That I want to travel and see places, just like Dad always dreamed of us doing together.

She laughs as we stop at her car. “I call dibs on the shower.”

“The thanks I get for all my hard work,” I say, climbing into the passenger seat.

“I birthed you!” she says, starting the car.

“You really need to stop using that to get your way,” I tell her as we pull out of the Grants’ driveway.

“I will when it stops working.”

Fifteen minutes later we’re nearly to our house when I spot Asher leaning against his car in the street.

I narrow my eyes at him. “What the…”

Once Mom parks in the driveway, I walk to where he’s waiting.

“What is this?” I ask, gesturing at the top of his car, where he’s duct-taped a cardboard sign that reads TAXI in bold black Sharpie.