Mrs. Carmichael was next to open her present from Molly, and she smiled with delight once she’d gotten off all of the wrapping. Molly had purchased her mother a gardening set to use during the spring, and Mrs. Carmichael looked as if she couldn’t have been more pleased. In recent months, her mother had been talking about how much she missed the garden of her youth when Molly’s grandmother would use her expert green thumb to turn the backyard into a flower-filled wonderland. Molly hoped that her own mother would be able to capture the same kind of magic, and Molly looked forward to seeing the Carmichaels’ yard in full bloom someday.
Molly was the last one to open her own presents.
Her mother and father had both gone in on a gift for her. Molly pulled the rather heavy package onto the couch beside her as she started in on ripping away the wrapping paper. Once she’d revealed the present packed within, she couldn’t help the way her lips curved into a joyous smile.
Her parents had gotten her a set of children’s books, the exact kind that Molly would encourage the kids in her class to read in their free time. While the elementary school did have a library, her second graders struggled when it came to borrowing books and returning them. Molly liked to have her own library for the children to use whenever they wanted and these were a perfect addition.
She thanked her parents for such a thoughtful gift, moving to embrace them both at the exact same time. Her father made a pretend fuss about her holding onto them a bit too hard, and her mother hugged her back even tighter.
By the afternoon, they’d finished with their Christmas rituals and Molly soon checked Nicholas' watch for the time, even though the action of doing so made her heart ache in her chest.
It was nearly time for Hannah’s big shot at televised BakeTown glory. Molly gave her parents a quick kiss on the cheek before waving them both goodbye.
And once again, she was heading back out into the snowy town streets.
Chapter 32
Nicholas
Nicholas looked over his lu
ggage piled up in the rented cabin’s living room with an ache in his chest he didn't recognize. Usually, he was excited to leave this town and head back to New York. Usually, he couldn't wait to get out of here.
His eyes scanned the cabin yet again, wanting to make sure that he’d packed everything that he’d brought with him. Despite his best efforts, he felt like he was forgetting something important. He knew he had everything from the cabin packed though. The thing he was forgetting wasn't his anymore.
When he felt satisfied that he really had packed up all his belongings, he plopped down on the living room couch, letting his face fall into his hands.
He was so tired.
He’d found it difficult to get any sleep at all last night, and he tossed and turned and worried and worried and worried about Molly Carmichael.
He wanted to fix it. He wanted to find a way to make-up for the hurt he’d caused her back at the bakery. He wanted her to somehow be okay with Manhattan, maybe even taking a job as a secretary at Kerstman Enterprises until she could find a job teaching in the city. He wanted her by his side for all of his future functions and soirees. Nicholas imagined that Molly would be the only person smiling her megawatt smile, even in a room full of the dullest people on earth.
But he knew how unfair that would be to Molly.
Molly had told him that she loved living here, and he knew she was an important part of the community. It just wasn’t fair for Nicholas to expect her to be able to change like that just for him.
Nicholas’ phone beeped and blared in his jacket pocket, shaking him out of his thoughts. He saw that it was a notification from his business account.
The money from the deal had been deposited.
While sitting on his living room couch, Nicholas had become a million dollars richer.
Typically, closing this kind of business deal would cause him to be elated. He’d maybe pump his fists in the air a few times to celebrate before offering to take everyone in his office out for a lobster and white wine dinner, all expenses paid.
But instead, he felt...
Nothing. Empty.
There was nothing for him to celebrate here. This wasn’t a victory.
Because he knew that he’d still lost.
Nicholas hid his phone back inside his jacket pocket, no longer wanting to look at the numbers in his account. He had a million dollars, and it didn’t seem like it mattered.
At that moment, there was a knock on his cabin door, and Nicholas rose to his feet. He crossed the small room, hoping that maybe it was her. His heart beat faster and faster at the mere chance that it might be Molly standing outside in the snow.
But once he’d opened the door for the guest, his heart returned to its normal rate.