Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
At home…in Elmwood. With Ivan.
EPILOGUE
“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!”— Dr. Suess, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Two years later
Ivan
The basement staircase was dauntingly narrow. Was it even possible to drag a five-foot faux tree to the living room without dismantling it? Please tell me there’s no math involved here. If I was going to have to figure out circumference and height calculations, I might as well throw in the towel now. Or wait for my boyfriend to get home.
And right on cue, the front door creaked open and heavy footsteps echoed from above.
“Hey, honey, I’m home.”
Okay, folks…gotta admit, that greeting from that man would never get old.
“I’m in the basement, behind this enormous tree!” I called out.
More footsteps, then a sigh.
“Really, Ive?”
I peeked around the black branches and nodded enthusiastically. “I love it and I want it in the great room so we can enjoy it for the holidays.”
“Ive…”
“We don’t have much furniture at the moment, so it’ll fill up some space and add some spice.” I ducked my head and did jazz hands, hoping to make him laugh, adding, “Besides, it’s sad down here all by itself.”
Court snorted but gamely came to the rescue and took over schlepping duties while I acted as a guide, directing him through the kitchen and into our cavernous great room. He fluffed the branches with me, then stepped aside and draped his arm over my shoulders.
“Are you sure you don’t want it in the living room? It’s kind of tradition to have the live tree and the spooky one together.”
I grinned up at my handsome bear of a man and hooked my thumb in his belt loop. I couldn’t help it. I was a sappy romantic at the end of the day, and I loved that Court and I had traditions of our own. It felt incredibly significant that we were carrying those traditions into our new home.
Yep, we’d closed escrow last month on a large two-story colonial house. Bryson had alerted us the day this one had gone on the market, and we were eternally grateful. New listings were hard to come by in town, and this one was a beauty—four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a large great room, a newly remodeled kitchen, and a finished basement. Most homes in Elmwood were on the older side and ours was no exception, but that didn’t matter. It had been well-maintained, had a huge yard, a wraparound porch, high ceilings, original hardwood floors, and best of all, the ample windows let in a ton of natural light.
In short, it was the exact opposite of the teeny tiny bungalow we’d shared. My old place had been fine for one, but it had felt a bit squishy after Court moved in…which roughly coincided with the holidays exactly two years ago.
Nope, we hadn’t wasted any time.
Actually, our living situation had sort of naturally evolved. Court sold his condo in Charleston, along with the furniture, and had a few belongings sent to his parents’ address. But bringing a change of clothing to my house every night had gotten old fast, and at the end of our respective days at the coffee shop and the rink, we just wanted to be together.
And…we’d had some planning to do.
I’d been totally overwhelmed at the prospect of buying Stacy out of her share of Rise and Grind, but I’d refused to sell to the Hendersons…or anyone. I’d worked too hard to give up and start over again. It wasn’t as if I’d make a mini fortune anyway. I owned a tiny coffee shop in Vermont, not a McDonald’s franchise. If I wanted to grow, I had to make some changes. So I presented a business plan to Court’s parents, proposing to feature a few of their baked goods in exchange for my select blend coffee. Okay, that might not sound exciting, but…it gets better.
Court had suggested marketing Henderson’s and Rise and Grind as a package deal to be sold at kiosks in a nearby city grocery store. We opened three Elmwood Bake and Grinds in Rutland, Burlington, and Albany. No kidding. And check this out…I was able to use the profits to open two new Rise and Grinds in Pinecrest and Fallbrook with my new partner, who also happened to be my boyfriend.
However, Court was more of a silent business partner in my growing coffee empire. He’d invested some capital, and of course, I consulted with him regarding any major changes…you know, through a mouthful of toothpaste before bedtime. But that was fine by him. He was busy with his own projects.
See, Elmwood had become a serious hockey mecca over the past few years. Vinnie, Riley, and now Court actively worked to put our tiny town on the map with an elite club team, a popular summer camp run by professional hockey players, and now…a local high school program. Court was thrilled to be part of the action.