The Noel Bridge

Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

“ W hat a whirlwind,” Evelyn said when they walked through the door of her apartment. She threw her keys on the counter.

“Yes.” Alicia yawned, the whole ordeal catching up with her. She dropped her ski clothes onto the arm of the chair and fell onto the sofa. After helping Leo get Evelyn’s car out, they drove away, and she couldn’t help but notice how sad she felt as they did.

Evelyn lumped her coat onto the floor and dropped down beside her. “I think we should get showers and put on clean clothes, and then we can make ourselves some hot chocolate and relax.”

“That sounds fantastic,” Alicia said.

“Who gets dibs on the first shower?”

Alicia waved a hand toward the small hallway leading to the bathroom. “Go ahead. I want to call my parents anyway.”

Evelyn got up off the sofa. “Tell them I said hi.”

“I will.”

“And feel free to grab yourself some cookies.” She went down the hallway, leaving Alicia on the sofa.

Cookies did sound enticing. She got up, turned on the Christmas tree lights in the corner of the room, and then helped herself to a couple of the cookies she and Evelyn had made the other night. Then she plopped back on the sofa and called her mom.

“Hi, sweetheart,” her mother answered. “I’m glad you called. I’ve been dying to hear how you ended up in our house.”

Alicia launched into the story of meeting Leo and finding Dean. They talked about Evelyn, and Alicia told her mother her friend said hello.

“You know, I have to be honest,” her mother said, “when you told me you were going to Noel, I worried you were going to the bridge to wish for Bo. You’d been so down that I couldn’t imagine you’d actually entertain the idea of meeting people. I’m so pleasantly surprised.”

Alicia hung her head, the phone at her ear. “You weren’t wrong, Mom. The bridge was the original draw, but being away from Savannah has started to help me heal. I can’t say I’m the same person I was before Bo, but I’m definitely getting there.”

“I’m so glad to hear that,” her mother said.

She folded her legs under her, gripping the phone as if she could hug it. “I want to come see you all soon.”

“I’m sure we can make that happen,” her mom replied happily.

“I know it’s hard for all of us to get together, and I should’ve gone to Florida with you. I’m sorry I didn’t, but I’m also glad I came to Noel.”

“We’ll make time. We need to. We’re the only family we’ve got. ”

“Speaking of family, what’s everyone else doing?”

“Oscar is asleep, so your dad and I are sitting in the cottage with him while Camille and William are shopping. Your dad’s drifted off in the recliner.”

Affection for her family bubbled up. “I miss you.”

“Aw, honey, I miss you too.”

“Tell everyone hi for me,” Alicia said.

“I will.”

Alicia said goodbye to her mom and then got off the phone. A week ago, she’d had no idea what she’d do or say if she was with them, and now she couldn’t wait to plan their next trip.

“You’ve inspired me,” Evelyn said later after they’d both showered and changed clothes. She handed Alicia a mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows floating on top.

Alicia snuggled under the warm blanket she’d brought to the sofa from her room. The snow had finally stopped falling, but the chill remained. “What do you mean?”

“I saw how you and Leo kept looking at each other, and I decided I need to try to make something happen with Andy.”

“Wait, what? What do you mean how we looked at each other?”

“Oh, my goodness, it’s as if you two are already an old married couple.”

Alicia mentally thumbed through the moments Evelyn might have witnessed and didn’t see what her friend seemed to perceive. “You’re being silly.”

“I’m not!” She stirred her hot cocoa with a candy cane and blew the steam off the top. “Tell me you don’t feel something for him.”

Alicia opened her mouth but couldn’t deny it. Leo had been the most real person she’d met since losing Bo. And if she really wanted to go there, Leo might even be more her speed than Bo had been. She loved the way he took care of his dad, the drive he had with opening the diner, and the kindness he showed her even though he was racked with worry at the time. But she didn’t know if she was ready to admit something like that out loud. She’d promised herself to Bo and wasn’t sure if she was ready to move on. A transition of that magnitude would take time, and she’d prefer to work through it when she wasn’t under the glitter of Christmas.

“Tell me about Andy,” she said, changing the subject.

“I think we feel something for each other, but we’ve never been single at the same time.”

“What does he do now?”

“He’s a pharmacist,” Evelyn replied with a laugh.

Alicia laughed along with her as she tried to imagine the high school football team’s tight end filling people’s prescriptions. “I never imagined him as a pharmacist, but I can’t say I can imagine him doing anything other than winning football games.”

“He’s not as hotheaded as he used to be. He’s so handsome… And he volunteers at the animal shelter. How sweet is that?”

Alicia smiled.

“He offered to help me move into my apartment and I’ve had his number since then. Our paths have always seemed to be going in the opposite direction, but I heard a few weeks ago that he’s single again.”

“So what are you going to do? ”

“I was going to text him and ask if he wanted to get dinner. But I don’t want to put him on the spot. Do you think you and Leo could double date if we planned it for before you leave?”

Alicia recalled Leo’s request to see her again before she went home. “Sure.”

Evelyn let out a little squeal and set her mug on the coffee table. “I’ll text Andy right now!” She grabbed her phone and began typing, her fingers moving quickly. She hit send and set the phone back on the table, staring at it. “I did it. There’s no going back now.”

“What’s the worst thing that could happen? He says he can’t, right? You’re no worse off.”

“Except I’ll know the bridge has no power at all then because I wished in there to have a chance with him.”

“If life was really about wishes and hopes coming true, mine would look a lot different. I think you have to make your own luck.”

“Well, I tried. We’ll see what happens.”

Just then, Evelyn’s phone lit up. She snatched it from the table, read the screen, and then hugged it.

“Is that him?” Alicia asked.

“Mm-hmm,” she said, a wide smile spreading across her face. “He said yes!” She opened the screen and blew out a long breath as if she were steadying herself. “When should we go to dinner?”

“Ask him if he wants to go after work tomorrow. Tell him I still have to check with Leo.”

“Okay,” Evelyn said as she typed.

“I’ll call Leo.” Alicia retrieved her phone from her coat pocket across the room and tapped his name. She put the phone to her ear.

He answered after one ring. “Miss me already? ”

Her stomach flipped. “Maybe.”

His chuckle on the other end made her nervous. He’d never made her nervous before…

“Will your dad still be in the hospital tomorrow?”

“Yeah. They want to watch him for a couple days just to be sure all his vitals are stable. He’ll be home for Christmas Eve.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful.”

“It’s unbelievable. Only a few more days of being by myself and he’ll be back.”

“Well, since you’re by yourself, would you want to go on a double date with me tomorrow night?”

“Did you say date ?” The affection in his voice was evident.

Her cheeks heated up. It had been a long time since she’d felt something like that. “I did.”

“Then the answer is yes, of course.”

She turned and gave Evelyn a thumbs-up and her friend wriggled in her seat happily.

“Wouldn’t you like to know who the other couple is?” Alicia asked.

“Doesn’t matter,” he replied, “but sure.”

She smiled, unable to control the happiness that filled her. “Evelyn asked a guy from our high school named Andy on a first date, and she doesn’t want to go alone.”

“Ah, fair enough.”

“I’ll text you the details once we have them ironed out.”

“All right. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Me too,” she said honestly.

They said their goodbyes and she ended the call.

Evelyn waved her phone in the air to celebrate their success. “Where should we go?”

Alicia picked up her hot chocolate and sat back down on the sofa, covering up with the blanket once more, her heart still pattering from the call. “I don’t know.”

“Oh! I almost forgot. There’s a Christmas pop-up at The Farmhouse.”

“Christmas pop-up?” Alicia took a drink of the warm chocolatey liquid, the freshness of the peppermint adding a holiday taste.

“Yeah, that farm-to-table restaurant on the edge of town has totally redecorated the entire space for the holiday, and they have a Christmas menu.” She grabbed her phone and pulled up the website. “Listen to these cocktails. ‘Naughty and Nice’ with rum, elderflower liqueur, and freshly squeezed orange juice. Or how about this one: ‘Mrs. Claus,’ a blackberry dessert wine slushy with whipped cream and fresh berries.”

“They both sound delicious.”

“Their food menu is out of this world. And they have horses all done up with red ribbons and sleigh bells. It sounds so festive.”

“Let’s text Andy and Leo and let them know. Want to go around seven? Do you think that would give Andy enough time after work?”

Evelyn was already texting. “I think so.”

When they’d sent their messages, they settled in, relaxing back against the sofa and finishing up their hot chocolates.

“I’m so happy to have you here,” Evelyn said. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’d forgotten what it was like to be close to my best friend. I’m sorry I waited so long.”

Evelyn gave her a squeeze. “We won’t go so long next time, right?”

“Definitely not.”