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On Tuesday evening, Patience sat out on the porch just as she had with Kanon on Saturday, only she was alone. Ari was with Jack for a few days. She would’ve enjoyed the solitude, except these quiet moments only made her worries clamor louder in her head. She hadn’t heard from her father, and she hadn’t been able to make herself contact him. She needed to figure out how to resolve the problem before it got much closer to Christmas.

But she was doing okay with that. It felt worse that she hadn’t heard from Kanon. Staying busy helped her avoid obsessing about it, but with the festival coming up in two days, her work there was done. Getting Hard Luck’s business owners on the same page had taken great effort, but now everyone was ready—or it was up to them to finish getting ready. All she had to do was help Tara finish the last of the cookies tomorrow and wait for the festival to start.

She was tired tonight, anyway. It’d taken all of her first two days at work to get the office organized. Fortunately, she’d pretty much accomplished that and would be able to let Jack return to his side of the business instead of handling the dispatch, which she would take over tomorrow.

With a sigh, she stared up at the stars. Now that she was settled in her new home, she felt confident she was going to like it. She hadn’t realized how claustrophobic it’d been living with her father, where she constantly had to dance around his desires and expectations. She’d grown used to it over the years, had talked herself out of wasting the money it would require to move out. But her freedom was worth it—just as Kanon had told her it would be. She hoped she’d never have to go back. Even if she made up with her father, and he insisted she return and save the money she was currently spending on rent, she didn’t want to live the next several years the way she’d lived the past several.

She’d be much happier here. And yet…tonight she was battling a bit of melancholy. She’d thought Kanon would at least let her know how the ads were performing and how many of the cookie cards Kelsey had mailed out, since he’d assigned that task to her. But he hadn’t.

She wanted to talk to him. She’d almost texted him a dozen times, would’ve done it if she hadn’t been so afraid he’d think she was being too clingy.

The lights were blazing over at the Devlin house. She could see people moving past the kitchen window, dressed in holiday clothes and holding cocktails. Muted Christmas music, coming from inside the house, drifted out whenever they opened the door around front. They were having family and friends over for a Christmas get-together. At least, that was what they’d called it. They’d slipped an invitation under her door before she got home from work, but since she’d never socialized with them before, she knew they’d included her just to be polite and didn’t want to feel like an interloper.

She wasn’t in the mood for a party, anyway. She just wanted to see Kanon.

It was nearly nine when her resistance broke and she decided to contact him. “It’s not a big deal if I’m just asking about the ads, is it?” she said aloud and messaged him.

Hey. I’ve been thinking about you. Everything okay? How are the ads performing for the festival?

When he didn’t respond right away, she felt as if she shouldn’t have contacted him after all.

She was just getting up to go inside and watch TV, hoping to find something to distract her, when her phone dinged. He’d replied.

The metrics look good. Kelsey has mailed out nearly two hundred cookie cards.

That’s hopeful.

Together with the ads, the signs, flyers and word of mouth, we should get a good crowd.

She sent him a “fingers crossed” emoji and figured she’d leave it there. She’d made an effort to reach out. If he wanted to see her, he could take the initiative at this point.

Inside, she sat on the couch, willing a message to appear from him. But when nothing came, she tossed her phone aside and picked up the remote.

She’d just finished an episode of The Office and was thinking she should probably get some sleep when she heard another text come in.

“You’re pathetic,” she told herself as excitement instantly bloomed inside her and she scrambled to scoop up her phone.

It was from Kanon, all right. I’d like to see you. When can I come over?

Feeling a smile stretch across her face, she sat back to respond: Now?

Chapter Nineteen

Kanon had left Patience’s house Saturday night determined to stay away from her. He could feel the attachment that was forming between them and feared it wouldn’t end well. He wasn’t willing to commit to any kind of relationship that risked deep feelings. And he didn’t want her to get hurt. She was a good person, a good mom. Why make her life any harder than it had to be by causing unnecessary angst and uncertainty?

There was no need for that, so he’d spent the last two days throwing himself into work at the motel. He’d been able to maintain his focus—until he’d heard from her. Then all his good intentions went out the window. After a hot shower, he’d climbed into bed absolutely exhausted, should easily have been able to sleep. But sleep wouldn’t come. Instead, he’d stared at the ceiling for over half an hour, remembering the way she’d slipped her hand in his when they walked into her house on Saturday night, her laughter as he teased Ari before and after the movie, and the chaste kiss she’d given him at the door when he left.

He wanted to spend more time with her. But as he drove over to her new place, he promised himself he’d just check on her—show her the ad metrics, see if she needed anything moved, lifted or stored above the garage. Maybe he’d stay for an hour or so, but that was it.

Once she opened the door, however, he knew it was going to be harder than he’d imagined to leave, especially in such a short time. She was wearing leggings and a baggy sweatshirt—nothing that should’ve unraveled him—but the smile she gave him was so genuine and beautiful it hit him right in the chest.

“There you are,” she said. “I’ve missed you.”

Shit. This woman did something to him no one else ever had.

He nearly turned around right then and there and left. It was a mistake to go inside. And yet he did. He smiled, too, as he reached for her.