Christmas with the Sheriff (The Fiore Family 3)

“It’s still nice to meet you, Jenny.”

“Sweetheart, we have to get going,” her husband tells her, looking up from his phone that had just chimed.

“There’s only two other guests, and they’re visiting family. Remember, here’s our number if you need anything. Please don’t hesitate.”

“Thank you.” She gives me a hug, forgetting herself, which makes me smile. Some people can’t help but be friendly, and I could really use that right now. They leave me in my room, and I close the door. An overwhelming feeling of being alone floods my bones the second their footfalls disappear.

I strip out of my winter coat, boots, and hat, setting them on the rack to dry. The large bed in the middle of the room is calling my name, but I want to check out the rest of the features. On the wall next to the large work desk is the list of contacts if needed, as well as the Wi-Fi password. There’s a postcard-sized menu for a restaurant in town, probably one of their only ones. It sounds incredible, but I’m not in the mood to eat alone.

Maybe I should have accepted her offer, but I don’t know them and who the hell knows what trouble I could get myself into. Thankfully, my phone rings. I make a mad dash to where my coat’s hanging and scoop it out of my deep pockets, fumbling until I swipe the green button. “When are you going to get here?” Mal asks with a sing-song cadence.

My bestie, Mal, is the one I’m supposed to be hanging with for the holidays along with her younger sister, Allison. We’re close as can be, although we live in different towns. They grew up in Rochester but decided to go to college at NYU and haven’t left.

“I’m not coming. At least not today. I’ve gotten stuck in a snowstorm, so I had to stop in a small town and get a room for a night or two depending on the conditions.”

“Oh goodness. It’s not one of those spooky kinds, is it?”

“No, Mal. It’s actually picturesque. A Christmas village in a snow-globe kind of town.”

“Ooh! Any hot lumberjacks to keep you warm?”

I giggle and plop onto the bed. “I’ve only seen one, and he belongs to the innkeeper. They’re one hot couple and so sweet. They invited me to join them for Christmas Eve dinner since I was alone.”

“Uh-oh. What if they’re one of those swinger couples?”

She’s been in NYC too long; she’s forgotten normal people exist. “I doubt it. The man had his hands on her every single second he was in the room and barely looked at me other than to greet me and it was practically a grunt.”

“Well, does he have a brother?”

“I don’t know, but she was hinting that she has a brother who can bring me there if I change my mind.” I’m not sure I’d like to meet her brother, but if I’m here for more than a day, I’ll probably run into him. This town is small enough that I bet everyone knows each other.

“Well, fill me in if you find your small-town romance—like the owner of the hardware store with a little one who needs love and tenderness, but you’re a busy, hardworking city girl.”

“Girl, didn’t we watch that movie already?” I say, tossing my coat onto the chair.

“Yeah, but you know they’ll make three more just like it.”

“And we’ll still be watching them.” We love those films like guilty pleasures.

“Damn right. I miss you, girl.” My friends and I used to be so close like sisters and these days it gets hard to make time, but we do take vacations together since we don’t have men to spend them with.

“Samesies.”

“I wish you were here. Still, Allison and I will drink and toast to you. Maybe on New Year’s we can get together if you’re not working your ass off for Franco.”

“I do have the next two weeks off. He’s enjoying the holiday with his family, so I can too.” It’s been a true blessing that Franco has finally married Isabelle because work has taken a backseat to his true happiness.

“Yay! Girls’ night!” They were happy that my cousin finally came out of his self-induced isolation.

“Mark it down.”

“Have a Merry Christmas, Mia. Call us when you can, and check out the hardware store just for me, please.”

“I will. Merry Christmas. Give Ally-Cat a kiss for me and tell her I miss her too.”

“Sure thing. Be safe. I have to go before my boss finds my ass on the phone again. He’s always on my case.”

“Bye, beautiful.” My friends are completely stunning, and it surprises people because they think we get jealous of each other, but we always fix each other’s crowns. I don’t know what I’d do without them in my life, even if it’s at a distance.