Booked In Amesbury (Christmas in

Amesbury) Kaci Bell

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Booked In Amesbury
(Christmas in Amesbury Series)

OceanofPDF.com
 Kaci Bell
Ashley Zakrzewski
OceanofPDF.com
Copyright © 2023 by Ashley Zakrzewski
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means,
including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author,
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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 Contents

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18

Afterword
About the Author

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 1
Blair

Two days ago, I watched as the men worked to repair the lights in Times
Square, snow falling from the sky and being in awe of how magical New
York City is during the winter. It gave me a flash of insight into myself and
I never wanted to lose this feeling. The city was mine; it was where I was
the happiest, and it was where I belonged.
New York City could be a magical place this time of year, shrouded in
the soft white blanket of freshly fallen snow. The glow of the city lights
pierced the darkness and illuminated the streets. The tree at the Rockefeller
Center stood tall and proud, welcoming me to my first Christmas season
here. I might have been born and raised in a small town in Montana, but I
had always dreamed of living in a bigger city where life was more fast-
paced.
I rubbed my hands together, trying to retain some warmth from the icy
cold. Snow was nothing new to me—Amesbury got it all the time—but it
was different here. Back home it shut down the town, and many people just
stayed inside, whereas here, it didn’t slow anyone down. People continued
their lives as normal and didn’t let it interfere with their plans. Heavy flakes
came down in a light flurry and swirled up as they drifted through the air.
Even though it was quite chilly out, people were still walking back and
forth from shop to shop like it didn’t even faze them.
Blue Ridge Publishing had been a blessing for my book, and without
Felicity’s support in pitching it, I was not sure I would have received a deal.
Felicity insisted I come in and meet with her, but all I wanted to do was go
home and curl up in front of my heater with my laptop. I should be at home
writing my next masterpiece right now. Usually that meant she was trying
to push something on me that she knew I didn’t want to do. I wondered
what it would be this time.
The warm, stale air hit me like a wall as soon as I walked into the
building. The lobby was narrow with cubicles surrounding a large room off
to the side. The usual fluorescent lights buzzed overhead. There was a circle
of uncomfortable-looking chairs off to the left, and I steered clear of them.
"What took you so long?"
"You do realize it's like twenty degrees outside, right?" I rolled my eyes,
tilting my head. I managed to do a French braid this morning and now the
ends of it hung limply across my cheek, dripping with moisture. I took the
holder out and let it flow free, running my fingers through it, knowing it
looked much better out of the braid now. I took off my gloves and scarf and
threw them over my arm. "What was so important I had to walk here in this
weather?"
She grinned and walked me into her office. Her high heels clicked
against the clean tile floor as she walked around her desk. There was a
wreath on the wall of fake pine boughs, amber and white lights strung along
the top rim and berries hanging off them randomly. A crystal Christmas tree
ornament dangled from the center, glowing softly.
"So, I assume you don't have plans for Christmas this year?" She took a
seat at her executive desk that probably cost more than my last royalty
payment.
"No. Not this year," I replied, taking in the walls of her office, which
were a light purple. A shelf with a small collection of published works of
her clients lined the wall across from me.
"Well, how would you feel about writing a short story for the holiday
season? Something that we can use to build up your fanbase? A freebie for
your subscribers?" She fished something out of the top drawer and slid it
across the desk to me.
I looked down at the folder and my eyebrows rose. "You're serious?"
Felicity nodded and smiled broadly. "Yes. We need something new to
bring in sales this Christmas and I think you could blow up if we can get
enough eyes on your new release." She paused, expecting an answer, but it
took me a few moments to process the offer.
"I suppose I could try," I said tentatively, picking up the folder and
leafing through its contents. "What kind of story? Or can it be whatever I
want? Just Christmas related? Are we talking Hallmark-esque?”
 Felicity leaned forward eagerly and explained her ideas: something that
would inspire readers while providing a delightful story with entertaining
characters they could relate to. All wrapped up with a beautiful cover by
Christmastime.
She couldn’t be serious. It was like five days until Christmas Eve. "I
might get five thousand words in, but nothing significant in that amount of
time. Is the editor already on board with giving up time when I turn it in?"
"She's on standby. Think you could have it done by Tuesday?"
Felicity batted her eyelashes at me, making a pouty face and clasping
her hands together.
My eyebrows furrowed as I thought of how tight it would be to meet
that deadline. I nodded slowly in answer to her question when I got a whiff
of candy cane. Not the plastic kind with green stripes, but the real ones, the
hard-to-find ones that only came out around Christmas and smell of
peppermint and red-colored sugar.
"Are you wearing perfume?"
"No, it's my new candle. Thought it would bring a bit of a Christmas
vibe to my office. Like it?"
She knew I was a sucker for Christmas, but being here with no family
meant lots of writing and Hallmark movies.
She eased back into her chair. "We have scheduled a signing to help
with your release. So don't make any other plans. You leave tomorrow."
Was she serious? Tomorrow? Didn’t she think I deserved more notice
than that? How was I supposed to pack and get things situated in less than
twenty-four hours? Plus, she wanted me to write a quick short story? What
did she expect me to do? Write on the plane?
"I'm not going anywhere tomorrow. You should have checked with me
first."
She smiled and crossed her legs. "The publisher has already confirmed
and you leave on the first flight out in the morning. Suck it up, buttercup.
You're going to Amesbury."
I sat in shock, my heart beating furiously in my chest. Did she just say
that? No way was I going back to Montana. Not now, not ever! A deep
dread settled in my stomach as I realized that I had nowhere to turn. My
holiday break would be a living nightmare if I had to spend it in that
godforsaken place.
 I marched across Felicity's office, unable to contain my rage. "No! You
don't understand. I can't go back there. There's nothing left for me in that
wretched town!" I threw my hands up in exasperation.
"This is our chance to prove to Blue Ridge you are capable of making it
as an author and that means we need the sales, right?"
I stepped closer to her desk, desperation creeping into my voice.
"Please, anywhere else. Literally anywhere.”
"It's already been decided. I'm so sorry, but it's nonnegotiable."
Felicity's voice enveloped me in a condescending tone. She leaned back in
her chair and crossed her arms, a smug look on her face. "Blue Ridge needs
proof that you can sell books and do events like these. You don't want to let
them down, especially if you want another book contract after this release."
I took a deep breath as I met her gaze, my determination unbreakable.
"You're right and I'm gonna prove just that."
I groaned and threw my head back. As much as I never wanted to step
foot in that town again, losing Blue Ridge would ruin my career. Blue
Ridge was watching how my debut did to determine if they were going to
sign me on for another book. This had been my dream since I was a little
girl and I couldn’t let this one thing stand in my way.
My agent's words echoed in my head. She had so much faith in me,
believing that I would be able to draw a crowd in Amesbury, a small town
with few attractions. I couldn’t help but doubt her, though. Did it even have
a bookstore? And even if it did, why would anyone want to come and see
me? Was I good enough to bring a book signing to a small town? I was
overwhelmed by the conflicting emotions of hope and fear, but knowing she
had my back gave me a bit of reassurance.
"Imagine it! You'll be the talk of your hometown, and lines of fans will
be waiting to see you in your element. Just think what it would feel like to
see that kind of success."
I was sure they talked about me plenty already, not sure I wanted my
name mentioned any more.
"Your target is the bestseller list. Every sale counts, so you have to be
fierce. Let's show them what you can do!" she encouraged with a dramatic
flourish, thrusting her hands out in a challenge. "Go, get 'em, tiger!"
My stomach churned at the mere thought of revisiting the place where I
grew up. But I wasn’t going alone. If I was being forced to go back, she was
going to suffer too. "Book another ticket."
 Felicity stared at the computer with fierce intensity, her fingers
frantically typing away. When she stopped, her glasses slipped perilously
down her nose. Pausing to take a breath, she looked up defiantly. "Excuse
me?"
"You heard me. You're either going with me or I'm out." I stood tall and
proud, as bold as the vibrant colors of Felicity's clothing.
The only problem was, she was going to stand out amid the beige-clad
locals of Amesbury like a bright-red nose in a field of daffodils. Her
eccentric wardrobe and refusal to dress down had been a source of gossip
for a while. I wouldn't be surprised if she didn’t even own a pair of sneakers
—fashionably sensible shoes had no place in her world.
She laughed hysterically but quickly turned to a chill as she realized the
gravity of my words. "You're not joking," she whispered in disbelief. "I was
supposed to be going to Jamaica for the holidays."
I stared at her with my arms folded and my eyes blazing, and she knew
this was not a request I would take no for an answer. If Blue Ridge didn’t
sign me on for another deal, then it was a double blow for her too. She
needed to make this signing happen as much as I did.
Her hands darted out like talons as she furiously hit keys on the
keyboard and clicked on the mouse. "Changed my flight from Jamaica to
Missoula airport," she muttered through gritted teeth. "You are an absolute
monster."
She would be fine and I needed a buffer. It was only fair that we should
both have to suffer. There was no way I was going to be stuck in Amesbury
while she was lying on a beach in Jamaica. She was out of her ever-loving
mind!
I waved bye and blew her a kiss. "See you at the airport bright and early,
my darling."
She was going to hate me forever.

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 2
Cole

I flipped the sign over to CLOSED. It was another horrible day here. Maybe
I was not the right person to be running this place anymore. We had barely
made a profit in two years and I had nothing else to keep it afloat. My
savings were drained, and at this rate we wouldn’t be open on Valentine's
Day. The store's future looked bleak, but it had also been a reflection of my
life. If everything else went wrong, this place had been the one constant
through my mother's passing and my divorce.
Thomas was detailing the day's earnings. I could hear his voice as he
talked to the caller. It was echoey and he was talking up or down to
whoever was on the other end of the line—giving directions to the
bookstore and speaking with a cheerfulness that I suddenly recognized was
out of place. It usually took a customer to bring it out in him, but today he
was exuberant and talked so loudly I could hear him from where I was
shelving books.
He was excited about today's success, but he still doesn't quite
understand the crisis. We could make a couple hundred bucks today and
then next month it would be dead as a doornail again.
The phone rang and I heard Thomas pick it up again, so I put some
books up on the shelf and tidied up before we headed out for the night.
Thomas called out to me from behind the counter. "We didn't do that
bad today. About a thousand bucks. Better than yesterday."
The phone rang again and I heard him pick it up.
“Hey, it’s for you," he shouted.
The floorboards groaned under my feet as I marched over to the counter
and snatched the phone. "This is Cole."
 "Are you the owner of Caffeinated Bliss?" The woman's voice quavered
on the other side.
My grip tightened around the phone as I silently wished it would shatter
into a million pieces. "Yes, I'm the owner." I hoped this wasn’t another
complaint about a damaged book because I couldn’t afford any more
returns. My heart beat faster as I braced for whatever news was soon to
come.
"My name is Amy with Blue Ridge Publishing. Can you accommodate
one of our authors the day before Christmas Eve? We would appreciate it if
she could come to your establishment and meet with readers."
My heart raced and I hesitated before I answered. It was like something
was pushing me in two directions at once. On the one hand, I wanted to
accommodate the author and show my support for literature. On the other
hand, Christmas Eve was so soon and there was no possible way to get
copies of the book in time unless I paid a crazy amount for shipping.
"Hello? Are you there?"
"Yes, yes. Uh, of course we can. Who is the author? Do you know how
many will be attending the event so we can order enough copies?”
"Pieces of Her by Blair Young. She will arrive tomorrow to answer any
questions you might have. Her agent is controlling the event itself. Thank
you again."
The phone beeped, and I was standing there like an idiot with it still to
my ear. Why would anyone want to come to Amesbury for a signing,
especially Blair? We were literally a population of a couple thousand
people. This might be my miracle. If she attracted a big enough audience, I
might be able to make a decent profit which would buy me some more time
to come up with a solution to save the business.
Our entire population would only fill a couple blocks. Was this going to
be my miracle? Would her giant fanbase bring enough people to make it all
worth it? Despite the potential profits, I still felt sick to my stomach with
the thought of possibly having to close the business. How could a tiny town
like Amesbury attract a large enough audience for a publisher to want to
hold an event here? Why not Missoula?
"What was that all about?” Thomas asked, leaning on the counter.
"Another disgruntled customer?"
"You will never guess." I walked around the counter. "Blair is coming to
Amesbury to do a signing on the twenty-third. She will be here tomorrow.”
 He laughed, thinking I was kidding around with him, but once he took
in my expression, he stopped.
I walked over and opened the laptop. "I've got to put in an order for
books so they get here on time."
"Do they think having it here is the best option?" I glared at him. "Just
saying. I mean who the heck wants to come here for anything?"
I didn’t have much, but this business meant a lot to me. Before my
mother passed, she shared with me that she always wanted to own a
bookstore slash coffee shop. So, I had this bright idea to start one and she
helped me decorate it and get it up and running before she passed. The
business failing made it feel like I was failing her and I couldn’t.
My fingers trembled as I typed Pieces of Her into the wholesaler. There
was no way that she was willingly coming back to Amesbury. Either way,
this was going to make things a lot more complicated.
Things hadn’t exactly been peachy keen since our last interaction, and
now she was coming here to do an event. I was ping-ponging between fear
and excitement. Were we on good terms? Did I still hold a grudge for her
walking away from me?
Right now, I should be happy for her for finally getting her book deal. It
was all she talked about before leaving Amesbury after graduation. Going
to New York City and becoming a bestselling author, and I never checked
up on her. Life had gotten in the way, between my mom’s passing, my ex-
wife, and now the store going downhill. Maybe I should have reached out to
her.
My heart beat faster when I thought of the possibilities that this could
lead to for her. But then it sunk as a wave of sadness rolled over me when I
reminded myself that she didn't even call me to tell me the news. It wasn’t
technically her fault. As teenagers, sure I was mad at her for ghosting me,
but now as an adult, I was happy for her accomplishment. If anyone knew
just how hard she worked to ensure her future in the writing program in
New York, it was me. Every day for four years, it was all she talked about,
wondering if she needed to take any additional extracurriculars or volunteer
more hours in town to beef up her applications.
I remembered the days we would share our triumphs, but the years and
distance have dulled the connection between us. We used to be so close
before she left for NYU, and I've missed her ever since. It felt like she’d
forgotten all about me, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that no matter how
hard I tried, she’d never feel the same way again.
My finger hovered over the mouse, unsure if I should click on the book.
The blurb was so evocative. She had truly tapped into her small-town roots.
I could feel the emotion and nostalgia coming through the words.
Confliction took over and I paused. I wanted to support her but how many
books should I order? It wasn’t like I had ever had an author here before—it
was all uncharted territory. Three hundred was a lot but then again, with her
being a local author, maybe they would sell even after she was gone. I
submitted the order without a second thought.
This event couldn’t have come at a better time, and for better or worse,
it needed to be a success. For both myself and for Blair. She deserved this
and I couldn’t wait to tell her just how much. I ran my fingers through my
hair, my chest getting tight just thinking about her in the same room with
me. Was I going to be able to stay professional? She was probably married
to some rich tech billionaire genius and going to walk in here with a fifty
carat diamond ring on her hand or something. I couldn’t compete with New
York City. It was where she had always said she belonged, and here I was,
stuck in Amesbury, Montana.
"This should be… interesting," Thomas commented, his voice edged
with anticipation as he peered over my shoulder.
"What do you mean?" I asked, my heart suddenly in my throat.
"Seeing Blair again. What's it been? Fifteen years?"
I swallowed nervously and reluctantly nodded, dreading the reunion and
yet knowing that I must face it. What did I expect? She wasn’t going to run
in the door and jump into my arms. Even though I wished she would.
The moment I saw her face on the day she left for New York, I knew
that I would miss her terribly. Even before she had gotten accepted into the
writing program, she already had big dreams of becoming a published
author and making her mark on the world. Part of me was proud of her
ambition and determination, while another part of me was scared that I
would never see her again now that she was so far away. Even though I was
happy for her success, my heart ached at the thought of her leaving.
Now, she was coming back as a successful author…
A mix of dread and excitement rushed through me as I thought about
seeing Blair again after all this time. What would it be like to work with her
again? I desperately wanted to avoid any awkwardness, but our history
together had been too complicated for that.
"Don't forget that you are scheduled tomorrow, but I can cover since
you have some errands to run."
That worked out. It would give me some time to prepare for the reunion.
Honestly, I never thought I would ever see her again. Amesbury was not
somewhere she would just stop in for fun. Quite frankly, I couldn’t believe
she had agreed to come here for an event. She told Thomas and me that
once she got out of this town, she was never coming back. I took her at her
word.
“Just call me when she shows up and I’ll head this way,” I said, giving
him a thumbs-up and walking out of the store.
Blair hadn’t crossed my mind in years, mostly due to the fact that until
the recent divorce, I was happy. I had moved on. Yearning to be with
someone else was still cheating, just emotionally, and I was not that type of
guy, but now I was single. Seeing her name on the computer screen stirred
up everything inside me.
Would the old sparks fly, or would the years between us be
unbridgeable?

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 3
Blair

The bus arrived from Missoula to Amesbury with a hiss, exhale of smoke,
and a blast of icy air. We stepped out into the snow-covered street. A few
shops were aligned along the road. The sidewalks were dotted with
cigarette butts. You could tell the smokers couldn't wait once they stepped
off the bus. It wasn’t like Uber where they took you to your destination. The
bus system was far less organized than what I was used to, and Felicity was
not used to this.
She waited for her bags to be unloaded from the bus, and I looked at
Main Street. Most of the shops were open. That was a good sign. I might
not want to be back here, but I was glad some of the stores were still in
business. It was hard to stay open in a small town, but most were family
owned, handed down from generation to generation.
After she got her bags, she scoffed at the sight. "This town is wretched.
How could you ever live here?" she asked, looking around and shivering.
I winced at the thought of ever inviting Felicity on a trip again. How
could someone I’d known for years be so absurd? Two whole suitcases for a
measly two days out of town? Did she anticipate needing to change outfits
six times a day? Or perhaps those two suitcases were filled with her
excessive collection of shoes—an entire suitcase to convey her sole
obsession. I could hardly contain my laughter while watching her haul
around two suitcases and an immense carry-on bag—all by herself. I'd offer
to help, but I had my own bags to carry.
She was rushing down the sidewalk in a trail of angry clicks and
whistles. The heels of her suede boots made a hollow clackety-clack sound
against the sidewalk and the wheels of her bags made a rhythmic shhh-shhh
as she wound her way down the street. Her face was pinched in frustration,
her red top hugged tight around her slim body. The bags behind her had a
mind of their own, rising up on the side of the road and stumbling over each
other like drunks. She paused to give them a good kick, getting them
realigned, then continued on her way.
"We only have a couple blocks to go."
The unseasonably cold wind stung like icicles, as if it had nothing
against me and merely wanted to warn me from venturing any farther. It
kicked up a mist of soil and snow that swirled around my ankles. I clenched
my teeth together to keep them from chattering. I had always thought that
New York City was colder than Amesbury, but clearly, I had been wrong.
With a final kick, the wind delivered another round and hurried away.
"Why didn't you tell me it was going to be five degrees here?" Felicity
said, barely hanging in there.
Did she think it was summer here? There was probably eight inches of
snow on the ground and she wasn’t even wearing a jacket. She couldn’t
blame me. I warned her multiple times to buy a jacket from the airport gift
shop, but apparently, they weren’t her style. Who didn’t love neon-pink
hoodies?
We headed past the brick storefronts and picket fence and into the
Sterling Lodge, which was huge and built entirely of wood and looked the
same as I remembered it. It felt like a cabin with all the high ceilings, but it
had fifty rooms. It had a fireplace in the lobby, where a fire burned inside
and sofas were arranged around it. The walls were made from high-quality
wood and painted a light tan color, but were sparsely decorated.
The woman behind the desk had long dark hair pulled back in a tight
bun. She peered at us through glasses perched on the end of her nose as she
tapped away at the keyboard.
The woman stood up behind the counter, a huge desk that took up most
of the space with a wooden chair on each side and an ornamented coatrack
with a series of hooks in the back corner. A sign from the days when a
fancy room and meals were offered to guests hung above it.
"I'll have someone come help with your bags. Do you have a
reservation?"
"Yes, under Blair and Felicity."
I recognized Carina. Her daughter and I went to school together. Her
parents used to run this place but have since passed. It stayed in the family
instead of being sold out to some greedy money hungry corporation. Most
of the small towns around here were being bought up, business by business.
Some rich guys thought he could tear it all down and start over fresh to
make housing developments and malls. Pretty soon, Amesbury was going
to be the only small town within two hundred miles.
She tapped her fingers on the keyboard, not looking up at us as she
spoke in a dry, monotone voice, sliding two keys toward us. "Take the
elevator to the second floor. Your rooms are the first two on the right. Let
me know if there is anything I can do to make your stay more comfortable,"
she said, her gaze lingering on Felicity.
It didn’t take a rocket scientist to notice she was out of her element and
she would probably complain about this trip for the rest of our time working
together. Maybe now she would believe me when I said there was a reason I
never wanted to come back to Amesbury.
A man came up behind us, startling us a bit with a wild look in his eyes
as he grabbed our suitcases, a tight grip on the handles. Um, hello? Hasn’t
anyone ever taught you proper etiquette? You don’t just saunter up behind
women like that. I could have kneed him or worse.
He looked at my key and then took off toward the second floor. I felt a
mixture of apprehension and relief because I didn’t have to carry our bags,
but I also didn’t know this man. The lodge wouldn’t employ someone who
was dangerous, so I nudged it off as being in a big city for so long.
We watched him place our bags inside the room before quickly leaving
us standing at the threshold. I couldn’t help but feel unsettled by the thought
of having a stranger inside our rooms, even though it had been brief. After
all, they told you to never be too safe in New York City. The crime rate had
doubled in the last five years, and no woman should be walking by herself,
especially after dark.
Amesbury was a different story. There hadn’t been a heinous crime
committed in decades, and it was a family-friendly environment. Kids could
walk home from school and play outside without being watched. There was
no fear of abduction here. That was about the only thing I missed about this
town.
I began to take my clothes out and put them away in the drawers when a
knock sounded at the door. Could she not go one minute by herself? I went
to open it and my brow creased with confusion. No one was there. Wrong
door.
 "Seriously? Adjoining rooms?" I said, unlocking the door and letting
her in. "Don't think you are going to be spending a lot of time in here. I
need to get this story finished and sent to the editor tonight."
She plopped down on her stomach at the edge of the bed. "At least these
are comfortable. Definitely wouldn't find a place like this in the city."
Felicity was going to be bored out of her mind here. I didn’t think this
trip through. Now I was going to be stuck babysitting her and trying to keep
her occupied. Great. Just how I wanted to spend my holidays.
“Don’t worry, there isn’t going to be much for you to enjoy around here.
There isn’t a single boutique designer in this town.”
Her face turned toward me. “Not one? How do you guys survive?
Where do you get your clothes?”
I laughed because she had no idea how Amesbury operated. Besides the
woman at the front desk and the guy, she hadn’t seen anyone yet. I couldn’t
wait to see her face when she realized that most small-towners preferred
jeans and a jacket this time of year.
Don’t get me wrong, there were some great small shops here, but it was
just too small for me. I belonged in a big city. I liked the fact there was a
coffee shop on every corner, and everyone wasn’t in your business twenty-
four seven. Small towns should come with a warning. You would never
have a private moment while living in Amesbury. Ever.
I continued to put my stuff away as she whined about the weather and
her lack of wardrobe preparation, but I forced myself to ignore it. I had
more important tasks to attend to, like traversing the town and meeting with
the store owner. Oh, and finishing the short story she roped me into that I
needed to have done and sent tonight.
“Seriously? You need to get out of here. We are supposed to go to the
bookstore and I need to finish this chapter so I can send it off before we
go,” I said, shooing her into the open adjoining door. “Check in on me in an
hour.”
The hours spent traveling on the flight and the bus had given me time to
work on the short story, but if I didn’t sit down and finish it now, it
wouldn’t get done. Felicity wasn’t going to let me come back tonight and
write. No, she was going to want to walk around and try to find a fancy
place to have dinner. The joke was on her; there was nothing fancy in
Amesbury.
 I opened my laptop and clicked on the document in the taskbar at the
bottom. How close was I to the word count? I was now at 8,923. Okay, so I
needed at least eighty more words. They wanted a short story and that’s
exactly what they were going to get, short and sweet. Instead of trying to
write something brand new, I decided to write an introduction story to the
characters in Pieces of Her. So if they read the introduction and liked the
characters, they might go and purchase the book too. Wasn’t that the whole
reason why they wanted me to write a story?
I lay down on my stomach and wrote the wrap-up. Typically, I loved to
write epilogues, but with this being a short story introduction to another
full-length book, one wasn’t necessary.
“Okay, are you ready now?” Felicity's voice ripped through my
concentration.
I clicked send on the email and closed my laptop. “Yeah, I just have to
get on my shoes.”
She opened the adjoining door and stood there watching me. “You get it
finished? The editor sent me an email about ten minutes ago, asking me to
remind you that it’s due tonight.”
“Sent it off. No worries. Now let’s go check out this bookstore and you
can work your magic.”
This was where Felicity excelled—she knew how to charm people. Her
personality was assertive and bubbly. Honestly, people didn’t mind
approaching her which was insane because of the way she dressed. It
commanded attention. Maintaining relationships and networking were her
specialties, and I was thankful for it.
On the way down the stairs, my mind began to throw doubts my way. I
wasn’t normally the type of person to doubt myself, but imposter syndrome
was a thing, especially for writers. We feared that nothing was ever good
enough or a reader might have our book and go viral online talking about it.
So, of course, now all I could think about was what if no one showed up?
Would the publisher drop me? My doubts buried me in a sea of
insecurity. I had come all the way back here to show everyone what I had
accomplished, and the thought of failure was paralyzing. Thoughts of my
old classmates, married to washed-up football players, were particularly
painful. I chided myself for being so harsh, but the tough times helped
shape me into the person I was today—resilient and determined to pursue
my dreams.
 It wasn’t like I hadn’t faced failure before, but it was my first time back
in Amesbury and I couldn’t let it be a bust. I felt a familiar pang of envy for
all those girls who married football players. Their lives were so much
different than mine. They never had to fight for what they wanted. Even so,
I couldn’t help but be grateful for how their bullying shaped me to get out
of Amesbury and go to New York City.
It was my time to shine.

OceanofPDF.com
 4
Cole

As I wandered down the streets of my small town, I found myself pulling

my hat farther down and nervously avoiding eye contact with the people
passing by. I often found myself resenting the fact that I lived in such a
small town. On the one hand, it was nice to feel a sense of familiarity and
belonging. But on the other hand, I sometimes couldn’t help but feel
exposed and judged. Everywhere I went, no matter how much I’d changed,
I was constantly reminded of my past mistakes and shortcomings. It could
be difficult to feel truly free when I was constantly being reminded of the
person I used to be.
"Is this all you need?" Christina asked, her face betraying her knowing
look. The pity in her eyes was almost unbearable. I fumbled with my debit
card, trying to pay quickly and leave this situation. Keeping things to
myself might be a good thing, but it was not always possible in Amesbury.
A wave of shame crashed over me. Why did everyone know my business?
It wasn’t fair that my personal life was public knowledge. I almost wished
someone else would have a more scandalous breakup or something so the
attention wouldn’t be on me and my failed relationship. Was it wrong to
wish this misery on someone else?
As I pocketed the receipt and headed for the door, my phone began to
ring from the back pocket of my jeans. Taking a deep breath, I answered.
"She's here," Thomas announced.
In the background, I heard her sweet voice and my chest fluttered. Even
though I knew she was coming, it still felt unexpected. A wave of
uncertainty washed over me as I approached Caffeinated Bliss. What would
we say to each other? Could we pick up where we left off, or had too much
time passed? I walked with weights on my shoulders, ready to tackle
whatever might come.
The whole way over I gave myself a pep talk. Stay professional. She
might just be the saving grace for the store. Don't chase her away.
The door creaked open, and the bell jingled, but my eyes locked on
hers. It had been fifteen years, but all my feelings for her came rushing
back. She was my best friend once, but she was now a stranger. Blair and
Thomas were deep in conversation so I stood still, antsy to interject, but
instead, I took a deep breath and set down my bags before putting my
elbows on the counter. I stayed quiet, watching the two interact, feeling my
presence become more and more irrelevant. Eventually Blair noticed me,
offering a small smile before going back to their conversation. My heart
sunk, knowing she had no intention of rekindling an old flame.
There was a woman wearing five-inch heels, a high ponytail, and a
dress that no one in their right mind would ever wear in this weather. She
couldn't appear any more out of place.
"Can I help you?" I asked, walking around the counter and approaching
her. She didn’t even acknowledge me. This lady would not make any
friends around here acting that way. "Ma'am?" I said, tapping her on the
shoulder and she spun around.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, pulling earbuds out of her ears and giving me
the once-over. "And you are?"
"Cole, I'm the owner. I was asking if I could help you find anything?"
She laughed, and her eyes flicked toward Blair. "I'm here to talk to you
about the signing." She held her hand out. "I'm Felicity, Blair's agent. I
appreciate you accommodating us on such short notice."
The woman in front of me was a classic picture of New York, from her
outfit to her attitude. Yet, despite the fashionable apparel, sympathy ran
deep for the winter air. I turned to go back to the counter and to my dismay,
I heard her following closely behind me with her clacking shoes on the
hardwood floor.
I had never had an author sign here before so I wasn’t even sure what I
should do. She would probably laugh at me, but they were the ones that
chose here, so I was not sure what they expected.
"So, I'm thinking string lights throughout the store, a signature coffee
drink for Blair, and where is she going to sit?" Felicity said, pointing around
the store like she was a wedding coordinator.
 The idea of adding a special drink to the menu for the event was an
opportunity to make some extra money, which would help us keep our
doors open.
"In the main area. There is a long table."
I had no idea the outcome of this event and needed to be careful. I might
end up spending more money and putting the store in an even deeper
financial hole. Yet this might open up a world of opportunities for us. I had
no way to know if the investment was worth it.
"So, do we know how many people might be coming? I need to make
sure I have enough supplies."
She pulled out her phone and started scrolling. "Looks like three
hundred and forty people have RSVP'd on our event page. Wish it was
more, but sometimes they just show up."
My eyes widened because I didn't order that many books. Shouldn't they
have given me that information? How did I tell this woman that I might not
have enough books for everyone? To my surprise, she walked off and gave
me time to think about how to remedy the situation. I could order more
books with express shipping but that would cost a fortune to get here by the
event. And if they didn’t sell, I’d be stuck with a bunch of books in a failing
store.
A hand ran down my arm. "She's scary, I know, but she calms down.
Did she give you the third degree?"
A smile crossed my face. "No, she’s just vocal about what she wants for
you. That's a good thing, right?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "Sometimes she's overbearing, but she was
the only one who believed in my manuscript. She fought for me to get this
deal, so it's important to both of our careers that this launch goes
spectacular."
Blair had always been driven by her passion for writing, but when she
worked on her senior year masterpiece, she took it to the next level. Her
words were captivating, and I was inspired by her dedication and ambition.
When she received an acceptance letter from NYU’s writing program, I
thought it was the perfect opportunity for us to manage a long-distance
relationship. But it felt wrong to ask either of us to give up seeing each
other in person, so we both decided it was goodbye. Even now, the weight
of missing her still hung heavy over me.
 "So, is your mom still living off King? I thought I'd stop in and see her
before I leave."
My head dropped, my eyes focused on the floor. "Uh, she passed."
Blair's hand went to my shoulder, and no matter the restraint, I couldn't
hold back the tears.

OceanofPDF.com
 5
Blair

Why hadn’t Cole called to tell me his mother died? She was always the one
who had been most supportive of my aspirations and dreams, encouraging
me to chase them no matter what. Despite my own parents' doubts, her
words of encouragement pushed me to keep going. I was eager to share
with her the news that my dreams had finally come true, but at the same
time, his silence hurt more than I could bear.
I couldn't help but feel a twinge of hurt that Thomas and Cole did not
reach out to me for the funeral. He was lost but I shouldn't pry. Being back
here was probably hard enough for both of us.
His eyes searched mine, and my eyebrows creased. “I’m so sorry. She
was a wonderful woman.”
His mother knew how important it was for me to get out of Amesbury.
Some people were okay with staying in a small town for their whole lives,
but not me. I wanted to travel all around the world. New York City was the
perfect place for me and my career.
Sure, I paid way too much for my tiny studio apartment, but it was
worth it to have a taste of freedom. At the same time, I worried that maybe I
should have stayed and helped Cole break free, too.
"I understand why you didn't call. Or why you feel like you couldn't.
Things are messy between us, and I never expected to be back in Amesbury.
As you can tell."
He crossed his arms over his chest and huffed. "I'm glad you could
grace us with your presence. Amesbury isn't that bad and I never
understood why you hated it so much. High school sucked but it does for
most people who aren't in the popular crowd. You grow up and get over it.
Why are you still holding on to all that animosity?"
Cole and I were never the popular kids, and we found ourselves stuck
between two worlds. We were too nerdy for the athletes and too athletic for
the misfits, and we faced relentless bullying from both sides of the fence.
We discovered a shared ambition to escape this small town—to get away
and make something better of ourselves. But when his mom became ill, he
had to stay behind. Thomas was already overseas, and he was honor-bound
to stay with her. He never held it against me when I left, but the truth
remained that he had been forced to give up his dreams for his family. Did
he hold a grudge because I got out and never looked back?
"Listen, I'm sorry for ghosting you. The program was intense and
having a daily reminder that we couldn't be together depressed me. I
thought the best thing to do was to cut off all ties. But by the time I
graduated, it had been so long I didn't think you would want to hear from
me."
He put his hands on his hips. "There you go again, thinking you know
what's best for me. You weren't around. Did you know it took me months to
leave my dorm? I had to switch to online classes or I was going to lose my
scholarship. You were my rock, Blair. And you just walked away."
As I looked up, Felicity and Thomas were watching us from the counter.
My cheeks burned with humiliation. Felicity didn’t need to know my
business, and now I was going to be stuck answering all sort of questions
from her when we got back to the lodge. We had adjoining rooms and walls
that were most likely paper thin. Maybe I shouldn't have forced her to come
on this trip, because now she was going to be subjected to all this
awkwardness between Cole and me.
"Let's get out of here," I said to her. "We'll be back tomorrow."
Staying here with Cole for a minute longer felt impossible. I wanted to
tell him that he couldn’t blame me for us breaking up, but my throat was
dry and my stomach was churning. If he wanted to keep us together, why
hadn't he said so? I wouldn’t take all the blame. He acted like it was so easy
to forget about him, but we had been best friends since we were thirteen and
he knew me better than anyone else.
Felicity quietly trailed behind me, aware of the turmoil inside me.
Maybe Cole thought he was the only one who was affected when our
relationship ended, but he was wrong. My life was in disarray for months
afterward, yet here I was today due to the choices I made. Breaking up was
difficult, but it was the only way I could reach my goals and build a future.
Every choice I made led me to this moment. It devastated me to think that
he felt worthless because of my decisions, but at the same time, we were
two kids in love; why should we have been forced to make permanent
choices so early in life? We weren't getting married. Did it have to be so
complicated?
He still had it—the way to push my buttons and get me to question
everything. He was more handsome than ever before and I was drawn to
him like a moth to a flame. Cole brought back memories of all our hopes
and dreams. There was still something between us that I couldn’t ignore,
but I had a successful career in New York City—how could anything ever
work? I couldn’t give up everything I had worked so hard for to move back
to Amesbury. Not after all the work I put in to get out.
"Seriously, are we not going to talk about what happened back there?"
she said, following me into my room instead of going into her own.
"All I want to do is put on sweats and watch TV right now. A little
privacy, please?"
She threw her hands up in the air. "Well, okay, Ms. Grumpy. You have
your panties in a bunch." She opened the adjoining door. "Just knock when
you are ready to talk."
She might be a pain sometimes, but Felicity did care. I hadn’t been great
at making any friends, because I have had a one-track mind for years. So,
she was pretty much all I had.
Why did I continuously push people away? Was I the toxic one?

OceanofPDF.com
 6
Cole

Every time I turned around, Thomas was watching me. I tried to ignore him
as I busily tidied up the store, restocking books that had been scattered
across the tables. I remembered how close he and Blair used to be, and I
couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. But this was my life now, and I
didn’t want him to stick his nose into it. Still, his gaze burned into me, and I
couldn’t help but feel nervous under his scrutiny.
He took a pen and poked it in the air. "I popped the bubble, so let's air it
out."
Thomas had always been the one with more of a sense of humor for
things. He should be a comedian.
"How about we don't? Let's just leave me alone and get ready to close."
When I heard that Blair was coming back, I didn't know what to expect.
Part of me hadn't been able to forgive her for leaving us all those years ago,
but another part of me still wished her the best. Seeing her here in the flesh
was so much different than hearing stories of her accomplishments from
afar. I had to work with her now, but I wasn't sure if I was ready to forgive
and forget.
The uncertainty of recent events had left me feeling lost and agitated. I
longed for the days of happiness before my ex-wife left me, but I couldn’t
move past my hurt and anger. I missed the carefree man I used to be, before
my marriage ended abruptly.
The pain of my divorce had racked my heart and soul. I thought I did
everything right by showering her with love and affection, only to find out
that it wasn't enough. She never appeared to be unhappy during our
marriage, yet the day she walked in and handed me the papers for the
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