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“Maybe,” I say “But I need some space to think about it”

“Fine,” Bran says “But if you want to sell, let’s talk, because you’re the creative one I’rammer”

I clap ood Christmas And tell Melinda I’m sorry about the date, okay?”

Bran sood lay You’ve been alone way too long, man”

“Maybe you’re right,” I say with a chuckle “But I don’t think there are many prospects in Juniper Junction”

I leave the office, and head toin the ourrab all the best cooods for a cheese plate, a case of wine, so to make a Christmas dinner — with leftovers I’ot into food delivery apps in the first place I wanted to ood food whenever they wanted

Besides packing up some clothes, I putwith seasonings I haven’t been to the cabin in ages, and so I add some pillows and sheets to the pile to load into my SUV I want essentials, but I also want to enjoya dozen books to the haul as well Nothing better than sitting in front of the fire with sorab those extra wool socks, hoping like hell I’ll have plenty of hours to relax without WiFi and without a screen

In the , I load up the car, stop at theass tirind, and I’ve never felt et a break from it allChapter FourCozetteTeeks I’ve been here teeks and I know that is teeks too long… but oh my heart, I never want to leave

After that first night when I discovered the Christ the ethics involved in all of this

Into break and enter… but I also know that I’d rather have an hour, a day, a week of this make-believe life that I’ve created here than none at all

So I woke the nextthe dishes after eating oatmeal for breakfast, and then mopped the kitchen floor I may be a criminal, but I will be a tidy one

I found chopped wood in a shed andI could find to get it to catch And I used a shovel to clear a path from my car to the porch Then I washed the s and used an ancient vacuus

Once everything felt clean, I began to carry the Christmas decorations downstairs

However, an hour into the venture I realized that I was going to need a Christmas tree

Finding an axe in the shed was easy, but trekking through the high, thick snoas less so Still, I s reen not far frohed at rew up in the city, so I’d never chopped a tree Eventually though, it fell and I laughed, not having felt so free, so alive, in years

After dragging it to the house, I iht in the tree stand I s proud of my accomplishment

Turning on the old radio tucked away on the bookshelf, I flipped the dial to a Christle Bells filled the roo and sparkling, and my favorites were the ones with names embroidered on them Joanne: Grandma, Tony: Grandpa, Luanne: Mother, Henry: Father, and Whitaker: Grandson They were precious family heirloootten here at Christmas?

As the days passed, I settled into the house Once the decorations were set up, I foundhot cocoa, sitting by the fire and reading late into the night

One day I spent the e on the h the woods behind the cabin and collected holly and cedar boughs, an to fall outside

I wished I had ingredients for Christh the pantry until I found soe required chocolate chips — which I had, and evaporated milk — also in the cupboard I ate plenty of pieces while rerando Because yes, in the hall closet I found a knitting basket with needles