The excitement coursing through her was palpable.  Her foot pushed down harder on the accelerator, her small car eating up the miles that were bringing her closer to home.  A giddy laugh escaped into the silence of the car and she immediately turned the radio on, flicking the volume dial up so the music was blasting.

A country song was playing on her usual Sirius station, the singer crooning about margaritas and dancing.  She made a mental note to put both things on her to-do list for the next girls’ night out in two weeks.  Tonight, though, she would celebrate her good news with her better half and perhaps try on the new lingerie set that she’d bought on a whim last week.

Her smile dimmed just the slightest as her inner voice whispered that lingerie was not likely to fix the rift between the two of them.  With a huff, she squared her shoulders and pushed the thought away as she turned down Main Street and searched for a spot to park on the busy thoroughfare.

The small town of Eversfeld, located twenty minutes north of Grand Rapids, Michigan was home to a couple thousand people.  It was a typical tourist stop, boasting a quaint, walkable downtown with old cobblestone streets and inviting shop windows.  In summer it was home to a well-known rustic wedding venue that frequently landed in bridal magazines.  In the winter season, the 20-room lodge was booked solid starting after Thanksgiving and extending into the new year.  Tourists came to enjoy skiing, sleigh rides and bask in the glow of a small-town American Christmas.

Everything was decked out for the season.  Christmas lights were wrapped around all the lamp posts and hung suspended over Main Street, lighting up the entire road like a tunnel until it split into a Y at City Hall at the end of the block.  Storefronts glittered in green, red and gold and beckoned shoppers into their warm interiors.  The gazebo in Eversfeld Park was also covered in lights and all around it, workers could be seen setting up for the annual ice carving competition happening this weekend.

Hope McKinley breathed in the cold air as she stepped out of her car, gazing upwards as a light snow began to fall.  She stuck out her tongue, catching a few flakes as they fell.  After quickly jamming her winter hat over her long dark hair, she headed towards her favorite coffee place for a couple cups of seasonal brew and some of the to-die for pastries her best friend somehow managed to dream up.

She had lived in Eversfeld her entire life and had no plans to move away.  The small town feel and the sense of community always made it feel like she was part of this large extended family.  And now that she had finally closed on the property she’d bought to start her business in, she was well on her way to living her dream in the place she loved.

A bell tinkled as she pushed open the door to the coffee house and the bright blue eyes of her best friend Emery immediately found her.  A smile broke out on Emery’s face as she quickly wiped her hands on her apron and came from behind the register.  Hope returned the gesture with her own smile, full of all the excitement she felt.

“So….I take it that it went well?” Emery questioned, pushing a wayward blonde curl behind her ear after giving Hope a quick hug.

“I closed on the property.  It’s all mine!” Hope practically squealed

“I just knew that you would,” Emery responded, beaming proudly at her friend, “I don’t see how it wouldn’t go through when we are in such serious need of another place to eat around here.  Dude, you are like the Rachel Ray of Eversfeld.  I swear I would be a hundred pounds heavier if I ate your cooking every day.”

“Huge compliment coming from the girl who can bake anything with her eyes closed.  You know I’m going to be special ordering a bunch of your desserts to feature on my menu, right?” Hope countered, her green eyes dancing with joy.

“Well duh!  Together we will work on making everyone in this town love us, one stomach at a time,” Emery quipped with a grin.

“I just can’t wait to get into the building now that it’s mine.  I can’t believe how long it’s been vacant when it’s right on Main Street,” Hope said.

The business loan she’d been approved for had allowed her to purchase the Moody building, which had previously been home to a different variety of shops over the years but had stood vacant for the last two.  The stately brick building was two stories tall, the upper floor a large two-bedroom apartment and the lower, 4000 square feet of real estate gold.  Hope had visions of the Italian bistro she planned to open just swimming in her head.  Of course, there was plenty of remodeling needed and she knew it was likely to be at least another six months until she could think of an opening day, but her dream was really starting to come alive.

She’d learned her love of cooking from her grandma and had spent many an hour in the kitchen, the two of them cooking and experimenting with new recipes.  When her grandma had fallen ill last year and passed a few months later, Hope had seriously considered moving away from Eversfeld.  Her grandma was the last familial link she had in this town; her older brother was in Traverse City running his winery and her parents had made the move up there a few years later when her brother and sister-in-law had made them grandparents.

After inheriting an old familial recipe book in her grandmother’s will, Hope’s determination to open her own restaurant won out over the desire to move where her family was.  After all, the town was like her extended family.  And of course, her three closest friends lived here as well and had no plans of moving.

So, over the past year, she had been scrimping and saving, paying off debt and working hard towards her goal.  The Moody building had always been the ideal space for her restaurant and now, it was within her grasp.  She was ecstatic.

“Girl, that place is going to need some serious remodeling mojo,” Emery said, breaking Hope out of her thoughts, “I hope you know a good contractor!”

“Well considering Eve’s dad owns a contracting company, I figured I’d start there,” Hope responded, shrugging her shoulders, “I don’t know how many times I covered for Eve when we were teenagers and she was sneaking out to meet Matt Cromwell.  That girl owes me big time!”

“Oh gosh, I forgot all about Matt!!  Eve was just sooooo in love with him at the time.  Can you imagine that now?” Emery stated after a short hoot of laughter, “Dude’s well on his way to having his own football team with that crazy wife of his.”

“Guess she dodged a bullet,” Hope said with a laugh of her own.

“Oh, did Eve mention to you that her brother is back in town?  Rumor has it that his big-time architect career in Chicago has him completely burnt out,” Emery slyly mentioned, wiggling her eyebrows at Hope.

Hope flushed as an image of ocean blue eyes and a charming grin came quickly to mind.  How could she forget the guy she’d had the most massive crush on all throughout high school?  It had never come to anything since he was Eve’s older brother, but she’d had plenty of daydreams that involved kissing him and…other things.

“Nope, I hadn’t heard that,” she evenly stated, trying to calm her jumping heart, “Well I guess we’ll be seeing him around soon then.”

“That’s all you have to say???  Girl, you crushed on him so hard!”

“Yeah, like back in middle school when I was a geeky teenager,” Hope said, rolling her eyes, “That was a long time ago.  I’m now closer to thirty than I am to twenty, you know, an adult?  And besides, I’ve got Jacob.”

“Ugh, so you’re still with him.  I thought you’d have upgraded by now,” Emery grumbled.

“Jacob is perfectly nice and sweet,” Hope countered.

“Yeah, so is my great Aunt Edna,” Emery snorted.

“Oh shut it!  Jacob and I have history, I’m comfortable with him.”

“Which is NOT how a relationship is supposed to be.  Where’s the passion?  Where’s the heat?” Emery countered, hands on her hips as she stared at her friend.  Hope just shrugged.

“It’s there…”

“Yeah, buried in a blanket of snow and ice!”

“Emery…”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.  You love the guy and blah, blah, blah,” Emery scoffed with a sigh, “I just want my bestie to be happy, that’s all.”

Was she happy in her relationship?  Hope thought that she was.  Jacob had been a bit distant lately, but he’d been putting in a lot of hours at the law firm he worked at.  A couple big cases that required a lot of late nights and most of his attention, plus all the hours she’d been working at the couple jobs she kept didn’t leave them much time for each other.  They hadn’t been physically intimate since…

Hope honestly couldn’t remember when.  Well, tonight would change that.

“I know,” she told Emery, giving her friend another hug, “Maybe I need to go rekindle the flame a bit.  Give me a few of your pastries and some coffee to go so I can start tonight…”

“That’s my girl!” Emery said, grinning as she went back behind the counter to get the order going.

After a few more minutes of idle chat and a friendly wave to Emery, Hope was back on the road and headed home.  The three-bedroom house she shared with Jacob was on the outskirts of town, more away from the hustle and bustle than she’d like, however, since Jacob had bought the home before they’d started dating, she hadn’t argued when he’d suggested she move in.  She’d been renting an apartment closer to the downtown area, so it made more sense for her to give up her place rather than for him to try to sell the house.

It was a cute little cape cod with a small galley kitchen but plenty of room to grow into and start a family.  Jacob had called it a “starter home” and had dreams of something bigger but Hope loved its coziness and character.  She could see herself raising a family in it.

Again her inner voice whispered at her, reminding her of the distance between the two of them.  But yet again she shoved the thoughts away as she pulled into the driveway, right next to a small sports car that she didn’t recognize.  Her brow furrowed in confusion, not remembering Jacob mentioning any plans for visitors this Friday night.

With a sigh, she parked the car, shut it off and climbed out.  The snow began to pick up and was swirling more angrily, the wind pushing the light flakes into the darkening skies.  She quickly climbed the steps to the front door and let herself inside.

The first thing she noticed when she walked in was a pair of red stiletto heels.  Heels that did not belong to her.  Puzzled, she quickly slipped her shoes off, pulled her hat off her head and shrugged out of her coat.

“Jacob?”

Muffled sounds reached her ears and she tilted her head to listen.  The noise came again, drifting down from the second floor.  Her gut suddenly feeling like it was full of lead, Hope quietly made her way up the stairs and down the hall towards the master bedroom.

A distinct moan floated through the closed door and Hope raised trembling fingers to the knob.  With her heart pounding, she took a deep breath as she swung it open.  A startled cry escaped her lips as she took in the sight before her.

A buxom blonde sat astride her boyfriend of two years, bouncing up and down as his hands grasped tightly to her hips.  Both were naked, both oblivious to her presence.  Jacob was staring adoringly up at the unknown blonde, a look that he hadn’t given her in months as he groaned in pleasure.

“Oh yes, baby, right there…”

“Fuck Tay, you feel so good,” Jacob ground out, “Ride me, just like that…”

The two remained oblivious to the figure in the doorway as they chased their pleasure.  And Hope merely stood there, mute as she felt her heart shatter into a million pieces.  How could she have been so blind?

“Jacob?!?  What the hell!” Hope cried once she found her voice.

Her boyfriend stopped mid-thrust, his eyes widening as he finally noticed her standing in the doorway.  His companion screeched as she bounced off him and frantically searched for something to cover herself with.  She quickly pulled Jacob’s T-shirt over her head and Hope immediately felt her heart break just a tiny bit more.

“Hope, what are you doing home so early?” Jacob asked as he reached for his boxers on the floor and slipped them on.

“Oh don’t start with that placating voice you asshole.  Who is she?” Hope hissed, waving vaguely at the well-endowed blonde who was now adding panties underneath the T-shirt.

“Now Hope…”

“No Jacob, answer my question,” Hope stubbornly persisted, wanting to know who this woman was that had stolen the attention of the man who was supposed to love her.

“We work together,” the blonde helpfully supplied, shrugging her shoulders, “But he told me he was single.”

“Single?” she screeched, her anger blazing, “Not for the last two years.”

“Hope, you’ve been so busy with the multiple jobs and trying to go and buy that stupid old building downtown.  I’ve been bored and neglected,” Jacob explained as he stepped closer; she immediately took a step away from the smell of sex and another woman’s perfume.

“Bored and neglected…I’ve been working my ass off so I can open up my restaurant in that so-called old building!” Hope growled, “It’s been my dream and you’ve always known this.”

“I didn’t think you were actually serious,” Jacob defended, crossing his arms over his chest warily, “I mean, I’m partner in the law firm, how would it look if I had a wife that was never around and was always working?”

“Oh, so I’m just supposed to be arm candy?!?”

“Now I didn’t say that, but I thought you’d think of doing something less demanding.  Like taking that receptionist job with the travel agency,” he stated.

“I didn’t realize that me having big dreams was such an inconvenience for you!” Hope cried, eyes welling with tears.

“Now don’t cry Hope, I don’t know why you’re so emotional about this  It’s not like there’s a whole lot of spark between us anymore,” Jacob responded as if spending two years of her life with him meant absolutely nothing, “I mean, you don’t even want to try anything besides missionary style.  I’ve got needs you know.”

“Well it’s good to see your true fucking colors you asswipe,” she ground out, wiping angrily at the tears.

How had she not seen this coming?  How had she wasted two years of her life on someone who didn’t even think she did sex right?  The broken pieces of her heart shuddered.

With an angry growl, she stomped over to her closet and grabbed her big wheeled suitcase down from the shelf.  There was no way in hell that she’d stay in this house after witnessing the man she thought loved her banging someone else.  She’d pack a bag for now, then figure out what came next after a night of wine and whining to her friends.

“Hope, what are you…”

“What the fuck do you think I’m doing?  Packing and leaving!” she snapped, her green eyes flashing as she opened her dresser drawers to fill up the suitcase.

“But..”

“Jacob, I think it’s time for me to go,” the blonde suddenly spoke up from the side of the bed where she’d now donned a leather pencil skirt and pulled on a blouse over Jacob’s T-shirt.

“Taylor, can we talk later?” Jacob pleaded as she headed for the bedroom door.

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea right now,” Taylor responded, glancing in Hope’s direction, “But you know my number.”

Hope angrily blinked away more tears as they again welled up and threated to fall.  She continued to stuff her clothing into the large suitcase as Jacob followed the blonde out of the room.  Taking a deep breath after they were gone, she quickly strode to the ensuite bathroom and haphazardly threw all her cosmetics and toiletries into her toiletry bag.

When she came back to the bedroom, Jacob was standing there, having now pulled on a pair of pants and shirt.  She continued to ignore him as she threw the toiletry bag into the suitcase.  She opened her lingerie drawer, tossing lacy bras and panties into the suitcase and with a fierce grin, she topped it all with the new lingerie set that she’d planned on donning this evening.

Jacob’s eyes widened at the last article of clothing.

“Do not call me, do not text me and do not come to see me,” Hope ground out as she zipped the suitcase closed, “Give me some time to figure things out and I will come get the remainder of my belongings.”

“Hope…”

“No Jacob, you don’t get a say in this.  We’re done.  You’ve made a complete and utter fool of me and I just need to be away from you,” Hope quietly responded with a dejected sigh.

He immediately shut his mouth and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans.  As she lifted the now heavy suitcase off the bed, he made no move to help her.  The tiny pieces left of her heart broke even more as she wheeled it out of the room and struggled down the stairs.

He didn’t make any attempt to follow her.

Once she’d gotten the suitcase into the trunk of her car, Hope backed out of the drive and headed back into town.  She wasn’t sure who to call first.  Emery, Eve and Sophie were her three best friends and had her back no matter what, but she wasn’t in the mood to unload this bomb on them yet.  She was too embarrassed and needed some time to lick her wounds.

After a quick stop at the liquor store for a bottle of wine, she pulled her car behind the old brick building that now belonged to her.  She threw some clothing and her toiletry bag into her oversized purse and grabbed the large blanket that she kept in her trunk for emergencies.  As she inserted the key into the back door, the wind whipped up the snow and she shivered.

She trudged up the flight of stairs and inserted the key into the second door at the top of the stairs.  The apartment was dusty and would need some remodeling, but it was empty and the electricity had been turned on so it was the perfect hideout for her to spend the evening drinking from a bottle of wine and coming to grips with being single again a year before turning 30.

As she flicked up the switch just inside the door, the overhead lights sprang to life, illuminating the large space.  The open concept kitchen was to her right, a large L-shaped area with a massive center island that would fit at least five or six bar stools.  To the left was the dining area, marked but a massive, ugly chandelier that would need to be replaced. Beyond that was a door that led to the master bedroom, complete with ensuite with the other smaller bedroom and full bath on the other side of the apartment.  In front of the kitchen island was the massive open living room with four large curve-topped windows that overlooked Main Street.

The windows were Hope’s favorite feature of the room and she was immediately drawn to them.  She dropped her bottle of wine on the kitchen counter and her large purse and the blanket next to the island and drifted over to the windows.  The snow had settled down and was now gently falling, covering Main Street and its occupants with large, beautiful flakes.

 With a sob, she turned away as she noticed a couple nuzzling together as they walked along the lighted sidewalk.  She felt so alone.  Especially with Christmas a mere three weeks away.  She was supposed to be spending the holidays with the man who loved her, not alone in a dusty old apartment that needed a thorough cleaning and more than just a fresh coat of paint.

She stalked back towards the kitchen and grabbed the large comfy blanket she had dragged in from the car. After spreading it out near the windows and turning the lights down, she quickly changed into some warm pajamas and cracked open the bottle of wine.  Thanking the heavens for Netflix on her phone, she started a Hallmark movie, one of her guilty pleasures and got lost in the happy ever after that she now did not believe existed.

As she shifted on the blanket, she noticed a sprig of fake mistletoe hanging over the doorway that led to the master bedroom.  She rolled her eyes and took a slug from her bottle of wine.  That would be the first thing to go tomorrow morning.

She no longer had any use for mistletoe.

The gently falling snow was quickly covering everything in a serene white blanket, softening the sounds of the evening.  People hurried to their destinations, huddled in their winter wear to ward off the chill.  Main Street’s shops began to shut down for the evening as the time inched towards ten o’clock .  But his destination was the bar next door to the old Moody building, and he knew it was open until 1am.

While he wasn’t planning to have more than a couple beers to take off the edge, he was glad he would still have a few hours to relax.  He’d only been home a week and he was already finding that he was climbing the walls.  While he’d grown up in Eversfeld, the small town had always seemed to strangle him.  He’d hightailed it to Chicago as soon as he’d graduated from high school and hadn’t planned on looking back.

But sometimes life just had to throw in a curveball.

He’d turned in his resignation letter and finished out the obligatory two weeks before he’d packed up a few suitcases and turned his SUV towards the tiny Michigan town he still considered home.  The apartment in Chicago was still there, as were his friends and the rest of his life, but he’d needed a change of pace, a chance to slow down and feel like he could breathe.  The rest he would eventually figure out.

“Justin, good to see you man!” the bearded behemoth behind the bar called as he walked in and shook the snow from his coat.

He looked up in surprise, not able to place the face for a moment.  Then a grin quickly appeared as he recognized his childhood friend Alex Morrison.  Sure, he’d grown about a foot and looked at least 50 pounds heavier, but it was the same guy that he’d used to get into all sorts of trouble with.

“Alex?!?,” Justin questioned as he quickly walked over to the immaculate, rustic bar top and sat on a stool in front of his friend.

“A little older, a little hairier but not any wiser.  Yep, still the same guy who used to pull the fire alarm with you,” Alex replied with a laugh.

“Dude, you look like you ate a house,” Justin said after they shook hands, “I always thought I’d be the tall one, and here you are with a few inches on me.  Good to see you man!”

“My momma mentioned she’d seen you back in town, but I wasn’t sure if maybe she was hallucinating things.  Always thought once you’d left for the big city, you’d never come back,” Alex stated.

“I’ve been here about a week.  The trip was a bit spur of the moment,” Justin explained as Alex poured him a beer from the tap, “Never thought I’d be back either but I’m taking a bit of a sabbatical at the moment.”

“Life too crazy in the Windy City?” Alex prompted, clinking his own glass of beer with the fresh one he’d nudged towards his friend.

“I never thought I’d say this, but yeah, I’m a bit burnt out from all the hustle.  I’m spending a few weeks here to relax and figure out what’s next.  I was starting to work myself towards a heart attack at 32,” Justin responded, taking a swig of the beer, “Damn that’s good.”

“Made in-house,” Alex replied with a huge grin.

“Wait, do you own this place now?” Justin asked, eyes taking in his surroundings for the first time since sitting down.

This bar had always been a hole-in-the wall dive with cheap drinks and terrible junk food.  But gone were the ratty booths and neon signs that had dominated the space.   Instead, the area appeared to have been gutted and replaced with a rustic, industrial look complete with gleaming wood floors.

The bar he sat at featured a long, carved wooden countertop and high-backed industrial metal stools.  Behind the bar were three large shelves, also made of the same wood, backlit to display the many different types of liquor bottles, held in place by industrial pipes.  Metal domed lights hung down over the bar, brightening up the space and allowing patrons to easily converse.

A few wood high top tables sat next to the bank of windows across from the bar, each lit with the same metal domed lights that hung over the bar and able to sit four comfortably on the same metal stools.  The room then opened up to a large area, the previous dividing walls gone to feature one big room.  Three stout wooden beams were suspended from the vaulted ceiling and from each dangled about thirty or so Edison bulbs.

The open space was dotted with multiple dining height wooden tables of varying shapes and sizes.  Wooden seats with metal hair-pin legs sat around each.  And along the far wall was a wooden stage where a band was setting up for a few hours of live music, lit up by two large metal sconces coming out of the wall on either side.

“Bought it about three years ago and just finished the remodel last October in time to celebrate Halloween,” Alex said, his smile beaming proudly from his face, “Lot of elbow grease went into it and I owe so much to your dad for all the help and hard work he provided.”

“Wow, congrats man, this place looks awesome.  Dad said he’d been keeping busy, but I had no idea that this was one of his company’s projects,” Justin replied, taking another pull of his beer, “I kind of miss the days when I used to help him out with everything.”

“He’s one hell of a contractor, that’s for sure.  This place is exactly like I’d always pictured it should be back when we used to sneak in underage,” Alex stated.

“Those sure were the days,” Justin responded, then held his beer glass up in salute, “To all the trouble we used to get into…”

“I’ll drink to that,” his friend said after raising his own glass.

“So, what have you been up to these days, besides being a badass and running your own business?” Justin asked, settling back into his bar stool to get comfortable.

Before he could respond, Alex’s attention was drawn back to the front door as a tall, willowy blonde came striding in.  Justin watched his friend’s face light up as the woman sauntered over, shaking the snow off her boots and pulling the furry hat off her head.  She quickly leaned over the bar and pulled him in for a hungry kiss before letting him go and plopping onto a bar stool.

Justin raised a questioning eyebrow in his friend’s direction.  Alex blushed.

“I see you’ve been extra busy,” Justin quipped with a grin. The blonde turned in his direction.

“Aspen, love, this is my friend Justin, the one I grew up with that used to force me to pull the fire alarm all those times,” Alex stated as Justin laughed, “Justin, meet Aspen, the boss of my life.”

“Don’t you mean love of your life?  And please, don’t try to fool me into thinking that you weren’t the one who suggested pulling the fire alarm,” the pretty young woman replied, her brown eyes shining with mirth, “Justin, it’s so great to finally meet you.  This big lug has mentioned you quite a few times, so I’m happy to finally put a face to the name.”

“Pleasure to meet you as well.  Anybody that can keep him in line is okay in my book,” Justin replied as they shook hands.  Alex merely rolled his eyes.

“So, Justin, how long are you in town for?” Aspen asked after Alex had poured her a glass of white wine, “Please tell me you’re staying through the new year.  I’ve got quite a few fun activities planned for the next couple weekends.”

“Aspen is part of the Eversfeld Christmas Committee,” Alex said, as if that explained everything.

“Christmas Committee?”

“I work in real estate and I’ve done so much research on all the old buildings on Main Street and the festivities that used to occur.  I finally convinced the mayor that we needed to have a committee to ensure that we keep some of the old Christmas traditions alive,” Aspen supplied as she sipped her wine.

“So Eversfeld is going to somehow be even more Christmas-y?” Justin asked in disbelief.

“You can never have too much Christmas,” Aspen animatedly stated.

“You’re talking to Santa’s number one elf.  She practically bleeds Christmas,” Alex dryly commented.  Justin laughed.

“I’m a transplant from California and we don’t have white Christmases.  After moving here a few years ago and seeing snow for the first time, well I feel like Christmas is even more magical,” Aspen stated, “I’ve kind of been leading the charge to get all the buildings on Main Street as decked out as possible for the holiday.”

“Well it’s pretty festive so far,” Justin agreed.

“Oh babe, that reminds me, you’ll never guess the property I closed on today,” Aspen cried as she bounced excitedly on her stool.

“Oooo, did you sell off City Hall?” Alex teased, grinning.  Aspen rolled her eyes.

“Har, har, you’re so funny.  No, your next-door neighbor, the Moody building finally has a new owner,” Aspen explained, “I never thought I’d pull this one off!  The place has been sitting empty for over two years and needs a ton of work inside.”

Justin’s ears perked up at the information.  The large, two-story brick building had always held a certain fascination for him as a kid.  The huge, arched windows on the second floor had always caught his eye, and after his years of school and work, he appreciated the architecture and design of the building so much more.  He was dying to see what the second floor looked like.

“Please tell me that Hope finally has her space,” Alex said.

“Like I would let Spencer Anderson get his greasy hands on the building and knock it down to create some ugly ass condos.  Guy is slicker than water but I was able to hold him off so Hope could get all her paperwork in order.  I handed over the keys to her today,” Aspen replied with a smile.

“Hope as in little Hope McKinley?” Justin questioned, butting into the conversation.

His mind quickly conjured up a picture of a petite, dark-haired pixie with large, expressive green eyes.  She’d always been shy around him but was his younger sister Eve’s shadow growing up.  The two had practically been attached at the hip.

“The one and only,” Alex confirmed, then grinned, “Dude, you’ve been away too long.  I know you’re remembering her as that skinny little shy kid who was your sister’s best friend, but she’s all grown up now.  And man that woman can cook anything.”

“I’m gonna get so fat,” Aspen moaned, “Her butternut squash gnocchi is to die for.  She’s been working over at the diner and Mitch has let her put it as a special on the menu every so often and I’ve never seen such a crowd in my life.”

“Well the place will need a ton of work to get it looking like a restaurant again.  The last tenant left it a wreck and I don’t even think there’s a kitchen anymore since the last restaurant in the space was about ten years ago,” Alex mused after taking a slug of his beer, “Total gut I’m guessing.”

“Any idea who she’s got in mind?” Justin asked, even more curious now that someone he knew had bought the building he’d always been fascinated by.

“Nope but I would guess your dad since Hope and Eve are still best friends,” Alex said, “Maybe you can help out and get those architect hands dirty again.”

“Not a bad idea since I’ve got nothing better to do at the moment,” he responded with a shrug, “I’ve been dying to see the second floor.  Those four big arched windows have always drawn my eye.”

“She’s lucky, the second floor is in better shape.  The apartment was remodeled maybe seven or eight years ago so mainly needs a deep clean, some updated hardware and lights and maybe some new hardwood floors depending on what she wants to do with the space,” Aspen said.

“I didn’t know the second floor was an apartment.  Must be why I saw a light on up there on my way in,” Justin mused.

“Shouldn’t be any lights on.  It’s been vacant almost as long as the first level,” Aspen replied, frowning as she pulled her phone out, dialed and let it ring until it hit voicemail, “Damn, she’s not picking up.”

“Who?” Justin asked.

“Hope.  She’s now got the only set of keys for all the doors and the locks for the apartment were changed after the last tenant moved out.  Maybe her boyfriend will answer the phone,” she explained as she dialed another number

While she was doing that, Justin felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.  He pulled it out and saw his sister’s name light up the screen.  He immediately answered.

“Justin, thank god you picked up,” Eve cried, her tone worried.

“What’s wrong Evie?”

“You remember my friend Hope, right?” she said, he grunted in acknowledgement but she just barreled on as if she hadn’t heard him, “I just got a call from her boyfriend, who never calls me for anything and he was asking if I’d seen her.  Of course, I’d said no cause she’s supposed to be home with him, but he said they had a massive fight and she stormed off.  He thought she’d be with me, but I haven’t seen her and now she’s not answering her phone or responding to my text messages.”

Justin almost laughed at the verbal diarrhea his sister spouted at him.  She was still the most talkative, bubbly person he’d ever met.  She could talk the ears off a cow if she put her mind to it.

“…she’s been alone since her grandma passed on over a year ago and the rest of her family is living in Traverse City.  Well, not really alone if you count that douchebag she’s been dating, but I wouldn’t put it past him to lie about them having an argument.  I mean, she’s much better off without him anyway, he’s always working late and…”

“Evie.”

“I’ve already called Sophie and Emery and they haven’t seen her since this afternoon, but Emery mentioned that Hope finally closed on the Moody building today.  She picked up the keys today from the real estate office and Emery said…”

“Evie!” Justin cried as his sister continued to ramble on.

“What?” Eve said, stopping mid-sentence.

“While I appreciate the extreme detail of the situation, what do you want me to do?” he demanded, “Hope is your friend, not mine.”

“I know, but can’t you just do me a huge favor and see if she’s somehow hiding out in her new building?  There’s an apartment on the second floor.  You mentioned you were going to grab a beer at The Hangout and its right next door.  Pretty please?  Just a quick check?” Evie pleaded.

Justin sighed.  He was such a pushover when it came to his two younger sisters and had a hard time telling them no when they asked him for something.  Especially considering he was hardly ever home and neither Eve nor their baby sister Faith asked him for much of anything these days.  What a class A jerk of a brother he was turning into…

All he’d wanted to do this evening was enjoy a beer in peace and try to figure out what his next move was supposed to be.  Finding out that he’d been passed over for a promotion in favor of one of the boss’ sons had made him angrier than he’d ever been.  After all the hours he’d put in, all the projects he’d completed and all the ass kissing he’d done, to see the job he wanted handed to someone just because they shared a last name with the boss had left the bitterest taste in his mouth.  Giving notice had been the best choice but it still left him directionless.

Which is why he’d basically come home to wallow for a bit and pick up the pieces of his professional life.  But the universe, it appeared, had other plans.

“Yeah, I’ll go see if she’s there.  Can’t promise if she is that she’ll open the door to me,” Justin finally stated.

“Just try,” Eve replied, “She’s probably not even there, but I’m super worried right now and I don’t want to leave any stone unturned.  The snow is starting to pick up and I’d feel much better if I just knew where she was.  The last time she and the douchebag had a fight she was halfway to Traverse City before she would answer her phone, but she still answered.  I just want to make sure she’s not in a ditch somewhere.  She’s my best friend.”

“I get it.  You two have been attached at the hip since you were nine years old.  I’ll pop next door and let you know if I find her,” he replied before disconnecting the call.

He shoved the phone back into his pocket with a sigh.  Alex had moved to the other end of the bar to wait on a few customers and Aspen was just hanging up her phone as he took another guzzle of beer.  She quickly walked over, worry on her face.

“I just got off the phone with Hope’s boyfriend Jacob and he hasn’t heard from her in a few hours,” she began.

“My sister just called me and said the same thing.  She’s tried calling Hope a couple times and also sent texts but hasn’t gotten a response,” Justin explained as Aspen sat at the bar and Alex made his way back over, “She asked me to go check next door to see if she might be hiding out there.”

“I’ll go with you,” Aspen immediately volunteered as she downed the rest of her glass of wine and went to pull her coat back on.

“Babe…” Alex started as he grabbed her hands, “I’d rather you didn’t.  What if it’s some lunatic who broke into the building?”

“I’ll be fine with Justin,” she stubbornly stated; he sighed.

“How about I go with Justin and you hold down the fort for me for a bit?  I could use a break for a minute,” Alex said.  Aspen rolled her eyes.

“Fine,” she huffed as she pulled her hair up into a ponytail and made her way behind the bar, “But text me as soon as you get up there so I don’t worry and accidentally call the sheriff.”  Alex laughed.

“Pretty sure it won’t be accidental when you call,” he dryly responded before laying a long kiss on her and leaving her behind the bar.

The two men shrugged into their coats and made their way down a side hallway and out the back door into the alley beyond.  The snow was now falling at a rapid pace and starting to accumulate, silencing the noise from the town.  Justin quickly lead the way to the two back doors of the Moody building, one that led into the first floor and one that was for the second floor.

He was surprised to find one of the doors unlocked and opened easily to reveal a flight of stairs leading up to the second floor.  An old brass chandelier hung over the stairwell casting an eerie glow on the walls.  The steps, while dusty and scuffed up, looked sturdy.

“Man, this feels like a scene in a scary movie.  I’m just waiting for the creepy music to play and the stairs to start giving out underneath us,” Alex whispered as they began to ascend.

“Dude, the stairs are rock solid.  The design of this building is flawless,” Justin stated with a laugh as he led the way.

“Sure, easy for you to say Mr. Architect,” his friend retorted with a grin.

As they approached the top of the stairs Justin noticed a light coming from beneath the door.  He tried the knob but found it locked.  He frowned, not sure if he was relieved it was locked or concerned about what was going on behind the door.

“So…should we pick the lock?” Alex asked right before Justin raised his hand and knocked on the door, “What the hell, now you gave away the element of surprise.”

“You watch too many scary movies,” Justin said, rolling his eyes, “This is Eversfeld, nothing crazy or interesting ever happens here.”

As the door swung open, the words suddenly died on his lips, his breath essentially stolen from his lungs.  The woman before him was petite, maybe an inch or two over five feet and clad in a pair of Christmas-printed flannel pants and a fitted thermal top.  Bare feet with red-painted toenails peeked from beneath the pants.  Her long dark hair tumbled over her shoulders, mussed as if she’d been sleeping….or been busy NOT sleeping.

Blood flowed south and he quickly swallowed, willing away an image of naked skin and firelight.

But the intense green eyes that stared up at him….those he instantly recognized.  Those same eyes had stolen glances at him over the years.  They’d made him feel like he hung the moon when they’d crinkled up with laughter.  He’d even wiped away a couple tears from them.

But the eyes that currently looked up at him were sadder than he’d ever seen them.

“Hope?” he softly began, taking a step towards her, his feet moving of their own accord.

“Justin?” she replied, confusion written on her face, “What are you doing here?”

Hope blinked, thinking that maybe she’d had too much wine and was hallucinating. The blue eyes that were staring and studying her were familiar, yet their owner was a stranger to her.  The boy she’d known years ago was gone, replaced by someone who was all man.

He towered over her, most likely topping six feet by an inch or so.  His typically curly hair was cut short and darker than she remembered it.  Broad shoulders and chest tapered to a slim waist while muscled thighs were encased in a pair of well-worn jeans, his dark boots shiny in the dim light.

She swallowed hard, heart racing, her hands fidgeting at her sides.  He’d always made her nervous as a teenager and apparently this hadn’t changed now that they were adults.  His blue eyes never seemed to miss anything and as invisible as she’d made herself when she was younger, he’d still seen her then.  Just as he was seeing her now.

She flushed as she remembered that she was in pajamas, sans bra and she immediately crossed her arms over her chest protectively.  He frowned at her defensiveness.  The silence continued to stretch on.

“Are you guys going to have a staring contest all night?” a new voice questioned from behind Justin, shattering the connection between then.

Hope stepped to the side and noticed Alex Morrison, Justin’s childhood friend and the boyfriend of her real estate agent Aspen, standing on the stairs.  She smiled and gave a small wave.  He grinned back as he pulled out his phone and turned to head down the stairs.

“Glad you’re alive Hope.  If you don’t mind, I’m gonna head back to the bar before Aspen calls the national guard or files a missing person’s report on you,” he said as he began to descend, then looked back over his shoulder, “Check your phone, you’ve got a couple worried people trying to get in touch with you.”

Before she could say a word, he hustled down the stairs and was gone.  She chewed on her bottom lip as she turned back to Justin.  He’d shoved his hands into his pockets and was rocking back and forth on his feet like she was the one that made him nervous.

“Do you want to come in?” she hesitantly questioned.

“Are you okay?” he asked at the same time.

They smiled at each other.

“I might need more wine before I answer that question,” she said with a sad laugh as tears welled up in her eyes, “Come on, I’m hiding out.  I’ve got wine I can share if you don’t mind drinking out of the bottle with me.”

Hope suddenly found herself being crushed against a well-defined chest as muscular arms wrapped around her back.  The hug was unexpected and for a moment she froze.  But with everything that had happened that evening and all the emotions coursing through her, she immediately relaxed and wound her arms around his waist, returning the hug.

He smelled like woodsy pine trees mixed with a musk that was all his own.  Her heartrate picked up and when she laid her ear against his chest, she could hear his heart beating the same erratic beat as hers. He laid his chin on the top of her head and she sighed.

Why had she not realized that she’d been missing out on this – the basic touch of another human being?  Jacob was not an overly affectionate person, but he’d become even more distant in the last few months.  He’d hardly even held her hand anymore and sex had turned into a routine of once per week, on the same day, the same way every time.

She’d not realized just how stifled he’d made her feel…

“Evie sent me on a mission to find you because she was worried when you didn’t pick up your phone.  I kinda get the feeling that she wasn’t all that crazy this time with her worrying,” Justin finally said as he released her.

Hope sighed again as she stepped out of his embrace.  Of course her best friend had sent him.  She and Justin were practically strangers, hadn’t spoken or seen each other much in the last ten years, so it was stupid of her to think he’d been seeking her out on his own. 

“Come on, let’s go drink that wine you mentioned,” Justin stated as he closed and locked the door, pulling her deeper into the apartment.

“But…”

“We were friends once upon a time, Hope, and friends don’t abandon each other when they’re clearly having a bad day.  And besides, I’ve been dying to see the view from these windows since I was a kid,” he said, grinning, “So I still get something out of crashing your pity party.”

“I’m not having a pity party,” she huffed, punching him playfully in the arm.

The grin he sent her shot straight to her lady parts and she felt her nipples stand at attention.  She quickly crossed her arms back over her chest so he wouldn’t notice.  She highly doubted he’d appreciate it if she jumped his bones solely because she hadn’t had good sex in years.

Apparently the crush she’d had on him years ago hadn’t really gone away…

“Could’ve fooled me,” he returned before turning away and walking up to the four large arched windows, “Damn is that a good view.  If you don’t plan on living here, I may just have to beg you to rent the place to me.”

“I thought you lived in Chicago,” Hope said as she came to stand next to him.

“I do.  But I’m considering moving back,” he stated with a shrug at her questioning gaze, “It’s complicated.”

“Isn’t it always?” she asked with a wry smile.

They lapsed into silence, standing side by side, arms touching as they stared out the windows.

The snow continued to fall at a steady pace outside, the streetlights dimmer due to the large flakes.  There was already a good couple inches accumulating on the streets and sidewalks and if the weatherman was correct, they’d be left with about a foot of it by morning.  Main Street’s shops were now closed, and the sidewalks were deserted as it appeared everyone was taking shelter from the weather.

She wondered how Justin was expecting to get home in this.  If he left now, he’d probably avoid getting snowed in with her.  Especially considering all she had with her was a few bottles of wine, some junk food and a couple frozen breakfast burritos.  She was literally just crashing out here until she figured out what to do next.

Maybe she would move in here.

They’d sold her grandma’s house about six months ago when she’d told her parents she was planning to continue living at Jacob’s house.  Keeping another house and leaving it empty hadn’t made much sense.  Besides, the home had needed some TLC and updating, things that she’d had no interest in at the time.   And it must have needed more work than she thought for it was still in the process of being renovated.

By Justin’s dad’s company no less.  She peeked at him out of the corner of her eye as the silence between them continued.  He seemed lost in his own thoughts as he stared out at the swirling snow.

The ding of his phone broke the silence and he quickly grabbed it out of his back pocket.

“I’m guessing you should probably let my sister know you’re not dead,” he said with a laugh after looking at the screen, “She says if I don’t find you then she’s going to go steal Jax Stone’s snowmobile and round up a search party.”

“Sounds about right,” Hope responded, grinning, “And it must be pretty serious since she and Jax hate each other.”

“Something I need to know about?” Justin asked as he turned to face her.

“No, just your sister being your sister like usual,” she retorted with a roll of her eyes, “The two of them have been at each other’s throats for the last six months over the dumbest shit when all they really need is to do is admit they like each other and go have some crazy monkey sex.”

Hope immediately clapped a hand over her mouth, her cheeks turning red. But Justin merely threw his head back and started laughing.  The sound washed over her, sending tingles down her spine.  She clenched her hands to her sides, ignoring the urge to grab him and pull him in for a kiss.

“I know it’s your sister…”

“And she’s a grown ass adult.  Besides, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a little monkey sex,” he huskily responded as his eyes dipped down from her face.

With a start, she realized her nipples were again standing at attention and because she was still without a bra, he’d taken note.  Her cheeks flamed again.  With a muttered excuse about needing to pee, she quickly grabbed her phone and fled to the bathroom.

His deep chuckle followed after her.

Hope closed the bathroom door and leaned against it, her heart racing.  What was she thinking talking about sex like that?  And around the guy who’d starred in her fantasies more times than she could count.  She was an idiot.

The phone buzzed in her hand, exactly the distraction she was looking for.

Eve: You’re worrying me Hope.  Please tell me you’re not dead somewhere! I’m about to go steal he who shall not be named’s snowmobile and start searching for your frozen ass.

Hope: Not dead.  Just hiding.  Stop freaking out.

Eve: Where? Did my brother find you?  Do I need to come get you?  What the hell is going on?!?  You’ve been radio silent for hours!!

Hope: Found out Jacob’s been cheating on me.  I’m not ready to be around anyone.

Eve: That motherfucker!  Can I pleeeeeease go kick his ass?

Hope: Nobody is kicking anyone’s ass.  We’re almost 30!

Eve: Doesn’t mean I can’t still throw a mean right hook.  And you know he deserves it.

Hope: Yeah, I guess.

Eve: Dude, are you moping?  You know you’re too good for him.  This just proves he’s more of a moron than I thought.

Hope: Please don’t start on the I told you so’s.  I don’t have enough wine for that.

Eve: I can always bring you more...  And besides, you shouldn’t be drinking alone!  Drinking someone away is so much better when you’ve got company.

Hope: Well I’m not alone thanks to you.

Eve: Wait, is Justin there?  He never responded to my last text.

Hope: Yes, he’s here.  You never told me that he was in town.

Eve: He just showed up out of the blue.  Wasn’t supposed to be here for another three weeks.  But why does it matter?  It’s not like you do much besides say hello….

Hope: Do I need to remind you that we’re talking about YOUR brother?

Eve: And you want to bang the shit out of him.  I’m not blind!

Hope’s mouth fell open at her friend’s last text.  Was she that obvious with her crush on Justin?  She’d thought that it had faded as she grew older, especially as she saw less and less of him as the years went by.  And as far as she was aware, Eve was oblivious to Hope’s feelings for her brother.

Besides, they were friends first and foremost and she’d never risk that just because she thought Justin was hot.

Hope: You knew?!?

Eve: Of course I knew!  You may think I was too wrapped up in sneaking out and boys when we were growing up, but you’re my best friend and he’s my brother.  There’s always been sparks between you two.  Figured one of you would’ve acted on it before now though.

Hope: There’s no sparks.  Just me having a stupid crush on him which I've outgrown.

Eve: Bullshit.  As soon as you got boobs Justin couldn’t keep his eyes off you.  I may be a few years younger than him, but I still noticed.  And you were over like every day when we were growing up.

Hope: Pretty sure you were just seeing things.

Eve: Dude, you wanna bet?  20 bucks says if you stop hiding in the bathroom and be the badass I know you are, you and my brother will both be having a much better night.

Hope: Eve!!!

Eve: What?  You know I’m right!  You’re my best friend and he’s my brother, I want you both to be happy.  And if it’s together, I’m certainly not going to judge!

Hope: Stop trying to play matchmaker.  I just got out of a relationship like 5 hours ago.  And he lives in Chicago.

Eve: Then ask him what he’s doing here three weeks early!

Eve: But now that I know you’re alive, I’m gonna leave you alone so my brother doesn’t think you’re taking a massive dump while hiding in the bathroom.

Hope: OMG, you’re ridiculous

Eve: But you love me all the same.  I’ll call you tomorrow so we can talk.  Bye girl.

Hope sighed as she moved away from the door and splashed some water on her overheated cheeks.  The conversation with Eve had her mind racing.  There was no way that Justin looked at her as more than a little sister…  He’d been a senior when she was a sophomore in high school; had been popular, athletic and incredibly handsome while she was a shy teen not fully confident in herself.

He’d left Eversfeld soon after graduation and life had gone on.

Well she wasn’t about to make things weird just because of something Eve thought she’d seen years ago.  She was an adult who’d had a shitty day and was going to casually drink some wine with an old friend.  Not sex him up.

A knock on the bathroom door startled her out of her thoughts.

“Hope?  Are you okay in there?” Justin called.

“Fine!” she replied as she dried her damp cheeks on her shirt.

She opened the door and he stood there, towering over her much shorter frame.  Immediately she was wrapped up in his woodsy scent again and her heart began to race.  Her traitorous body wanted very much to be closer to his and she inadvertently took a step forward.

“Eve told me to make sure that you’re okay and not planning on jumping off a building or something,” he explained, his eyes shining with concern.

“Ugh, she’s such a pain in the ass.  And she’s being dramatic.  I’m not gonna jump off a building just because I got cheated on,” Hope retorted as she quickly brushed past him and headed back to the living room.

“Hope…”

Wine.  She needed wine.  And for this day to just end already.

She stalked to the counter and grabbed the open bottle she’d left there.  After taking a healthy swig of the oaky red liquid, she walked back over to the windows, wrapping her arms around her middle and hugging tight.  The snow was still swirling, the wind now howling, much like her heart was doing.

In the reflection of the windows, she watched Justin walk up behind her.  He went to reach for her, then thought better and shoved his hands in his pockets.  She would’ve taken another hug but of course he must think she was such an utter disaster right now.  He was right to keep the distance between them.

“Well he’s definitely a complete idiot,” Justin finally stated into the quiet that filled the room, “I’m so sorry Hope.”

Tears welled up again and she angrily wiped away one that trickled down her cheek.  She’d cried enough tears today to last for the rest of her life.  She was more upset and angrier at herself for missing all the red flags Jacob had been throwing up in the past few months.  But like a fool she’d just kept going through the motions every day as if everything was perfect.

“It’s just a shitty thing to find out.  And now it feels like I did something wrong or maybe that I’m just not enough,” she softly responded, staring at the floor.

Why would it not just open up and swallow her whole?

“That’s bullshit,” Justin angrily retorted as he stalked over, grabbed her chin and forced her to look him in the eye, “Nobody should ever make you feel like you’re not good enough.  I see you Hope.  I may not be around all the time, but every time I see you, you shine.  You’re caring and kind.  You spend time listening to others and helping them out whenever you can.  Any guy that can’t see that and know your worth clearly doesn’t deserve you.”

With that, his lips crashed over hers.  The kiss was not gentle; it was hot, demanding and so full of want and need that Hope felt it all the way down to her toes.  With a breathy moan, she opened her mouth and allowed him entrance.  His tongue delved inside as his hands gently cradled her face, keeping her locked in place.

She grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer, wanting to feel more.  More connection.  More heat.  And more of his body pressed up against hers.  The passion that had been missing in her life for the past few years was exploding between them.

He wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her flush with his body.  She could feel the bulge in his jeans against her belly and she sucked in a breath of surprise.  He broke the kiss but continued to nuzzle along her jawline and down her neck, his breath coming in raspy bursts.

“Damn it Hope, I wasn’t supposed to kiss you,” he mumbled into her ear.

“Why not?” she asked, her heart pounding as she pulled back to look at him, “What’s wrong with me?”

“Sweetheart, there’s nothing wrong with you.”

“Then why…”

“Hope, you’re Eve’s best friend.  I forced myself to keep my distance when were kids because you were younger and I didn’t want to fuck up the friendship you and my sister have,” he explained as he let her go and ran agitated hands through his short hair, “Then I moved away and it was easy to put you into my past.  But now I don’t think that I’m going back to Chicago.  And I can’t promise that I can stay away or keep my hands to myself.”

“Well I never said I wanted you to,” Hope retorted.

“What…”

With a huff, she pushed out of his embrace and walked over to grab the bottle of wine.  She took a swig of it before walking back towards him, holding it out.  He quickly grabbed it and tipped it back for a long pull.

“I never wanted you to keep your distance when we were kids,” she began, then smiled when he almost spit the wine out in surprise.

“You didn’t?”

“No!  I can’t believe you never noticed that I had the biggest crush on you when we were teenagers.  But I was too shy to say anything.  And you were Eve’s older brother, so I didn’t want to make things weird if you only thought of me as a little sister,” she explained.

“Little sister?  How could you think I saw you like that?” he asked, his eyes raking her from head to toe; she flushed.

“I was sixteen,” she reminded him, “And I also thought Eve would kill me if I told her I wanted to date you.”

“She probably wouldn’t have even noticed.  She was a bit boy crazy at the time,” Justin said with a laugh.

“No, she would’ve.  She was just texting me that she’s surprised we haven’t gotten together sooner.  Or at least had some crazy hot sex,” Hope said.

This time Justin choked on his wine.  Hope broke into a laugh as she slapped him on the back a few times.  As soon as he was back in control of his breathing, he turned intense blue eyes in her direction, and she squirmed under the scrutiny.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going take advantage of you,” she teased.

“Damn, what’s a guy gotta do to change your mind?” he questioned, grinning.

“Maybe some more wine?  And how about some input on what to do with this place?” Hope replied, waving her hand around the apartment as she steered the conversation back to safer ground, “I’m thinking of moving in since I’m currently homeless.”

As much as his kiss had rocked her foundations, Hope knew the last thing she needed was to have a rebound with the one guy from her youth that she’d never forgotten about.

“What the hell, did he kick you out?” Justin demanded, frowning.

“Oh gosh no.  I left,” Hope explained, smiling, “It’s his house anyway so I’m not exactly sad about it.  But I need somewhere to live.”

“Well I think we can…”

He was interrupted by the ring of her cell and she quickly fished it out of her pocket.  With a groan she noted Jacob’s name on the caller ID.  She was not in the mood to deal with whatever bullshit he was going to throw at her.

“That him?” Justin casually questioned, noticing the annoyed look on her face.

“Yeah…”

He quickly grabbed the phone out of her hand and pushed accept.

“Hope’s phone, Justin speaking,” he said as he put the call on speakerphone.

“Who the hell is this?” Hope heard Jacob demand, “Why do you have Hope’s phone?  Where is she?”

“Hope’s a little bit busy right now and can’t be bothered with assholes who can’t see what’s right in front of them,” Justin casually stated.

“But..”

“Oh and just as a little heads up, she’ll be coming by in the next few days to get all her things out of your place,” he continued, “I hope that you decide to make yourself scarce on the day that happens.”

“Now wait a minute…”

But Justin hung up the phone before Jacob could get another word in.  He looked warily in Hope’s direction, wondering if he’d overstepped some boundaries he shouldn’t have.  But she smiled easily at him and motioned at him to follow her into the kitchen.

“Popcorn to go with the wine?” she asked as she grabbed a bag of microwavable popcorn out of her bag of junk food, “And then you can pretend to like the Hallmark Christmas movie I was watching on my phone.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” he agreed.

“Hey Justin…I, well, I’m glad you’re here,” she whispered.

“Me too,” he agreed as he casually bumped his shoulder into hers, “Maybe tomorrow we can talk shop about the apartment.  I may have a few ideas that you might like.”

“I’d like that.”

“And since I’ve known you so long, I won’t even charge you,” he teased.

“Asshole,” she grumbled, shoving him away as she strode back into the living room, popcorn bag in hand.

He grinned, following her and settling onto the blankets spread on the floor after kicking out of his shoes.  Hope resumed the movie she’d started on her phone as they passed the bottle of wine between them.  The snowstorm continued to rage outside the four arched windows, but they paid it no mind.

They’d deal with the snow and everything else in the morning.