Page 6 (1/2)

Chapter One

It wasn’t the worst breakup in history

Charity Wright knew that on the spectru that soht say “I have a touch of the flu,” except hers was a touch of heartbreak Not so devastating that the holidays would be co, for sure She secretly suspected that shetoo old to believe that happy-ever-afters could exist And yet, she wasn’t a good pessilass as half-full, but on the inside she was increasingly worried Was so with her?

Why couldn’t she hts i away—and she’d blown her only opportunity for happy-ever-after? Maybe soul ht for her, never mind a Mr Perfect

Her younger sister, Aht because Charity’s standards weren’t high enough—at least not since Joe, and he was years ago

Older-sister Jenny said it was because all those ro up had poisoned her brain,her think that love was easy and fun Obviously Jenny had never read a romance novel, because in romance, love was not easy or fun Love was a battlefield, with a little nod to the great 80s’ singer, Pat Benatar

This hy Charity needed a break froed up A little too bruised Charity was usually a never-ending well of hope, but at thedry Which hy she kept thinking about Tricia’s offer to attend the travel agent fa in Tricia’s place

It’d be a chance to get away from Marietta, a chance to have a break from the real estate office—as she unfortunately worked with her ex, the double-tio somewhere she’d never been The Tetons were only a five-hour drive from Marietta, but she’d never been

Growing up, the Wright sisters hadn’t traveled much because the fae rent and food But Charity was thirty now, and this travel agent faet her there, and even better, it was free A four-night, five-day all-expense paid trip to a little ski resort in Wyoo?

Was it so awful to pretend to be Tricia Thorpe instead of Charity Wright?

It wasn’t as if Tricia was a stranger Tricia had been a close friend since they were girls, and Tricia’s brothertheo on the trip due to a work conflict, and the Little Teton ski resort really wanted Marietta Travel to participate, why couldn’t Charity represent Marietta Travel?

It wasn’t as if Charity knew nothing about the travel agency She’d worked for them one summer when they were shorthanded and she was in between jobs True, she hadn’t actually booked travel, but she’d filed brochures and printed travel itineraries and assisted the agents with their research She actually quite liked the job She’d hoped they would hire her and train her, but they had wanted someone with experience, someone who already kne to use the computer software and had a client base That’s how Charity had ended up working for Sa, who’d been hired a year after she started there They were no longer dating, but Greg re her Charity shouldn’t have ever dated him in the first place, but as done was done All she could do was move forward

A trip to Wyo sounded like the perfect break, a most welcome break Provided she didn’t have to ski—of course she’d been skiing at Bridger Bowl, just outside of Boze Sky—but she was still quite an inter

Tricia had said no skiing was required Tricia said Charity simply needed to soak up all the infor Charity did well, it was taking notes

Charity shut down her co off printers and lights, adjusting the ther the door on the office andher o blocks south on Main Street to Marietta Travel

Outside, festive white lights fraht posts lining the street The decorations on Main Street were familiar and beloved, and while Charity cherished her life in Marietta, there were disadvantages to living in a small town She knew everyone, and everyone knew her, which also meant they knehen her romantic life derailed

Marietta Travel still blazed with light and, peeking through the frontpainted with a huge blue globe, topped with a jaunty red ribbon and the words The World is Yours in a gorgeous font, Charity spotted Tricia still at her desk in the glassed-in office at the very back

Charity gave the painteda quick critical study before trying the door The paint was holding up Good She’d worried it ht crack with the cold but it looked perfect still No one but Tricia knew Charity had painted the hen Tricia’s usual sign painter tripped on his own icy sidewalk and broke his wrist, preventing hi the job Tricia knew that Charity w