When in December (Home Haven #1)

Chapter 29

twenty-nine

. . .

Aaron

“Here we have the kitchen. The entire place was recently renovated and refinished by the wonderful Home Haven, right in the city. Design choices were made to create an authentic yet timelessly elegant cabin experience.” The realtor prattled on as she walked through the house, casually letting her hand slide against the countertops or wave toward the new appliances like she was on a game show, displaying the prizes.

The woman had had a constant purse to her lips, like a duck, since she’d walked in the door. She had yet to let go of her husband’s elbow. It didn’t surprise me, considering the first thing she’d asked when she arrived was the likelihood of gray wolves.

Gray. Specifically.

If Poppy were here, she would’ve jabbed her elbow into my ribs for how hard I rolled my eyes.

But she wasn’t here.

She’d probably never be here again. I’d let her leave.

“Hmm,” the potential buyer hummed. “The cabinets are a little different in color than what I was expecting.”

“We’ve worked with Home Haven clients before.” The realtor persisted with the couple. “The designers are often willing to make a few alterations to make sure that the interior is to your liking as well, if you’d like me to make a few calls.”

The whole kitchen hadn’t even been done for a few weeks. The cabinets were barely used, and they were already going to change the color of them.

“It’s a little woodsy .” The woman giggled, suddenly happier now that the realtor seemed to be speaking her language. “And if we’re making changes—that’s all right, isn’t it, honey?”

“If we decide on this retreat from the city,” her husband agreed.

“Then it’s a bit dark in the living room with the—what is it? Dark green paint?”

“Another simple alteration. Not to worry.”

“Wonderful. I want something bright and airy. Our home is a crisp white in many of the rooms. Makes the other colors pop.”

Just like that? Without pausing to consider the rest of the place and what had been put together in such a short time, they were going to change it all.

They were going to change everything Snow Angel had done to this place.

I stepped out into the mudroom, where Oz sat, patiently waiting for me. Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm my nerves and push away the feeling of wanting to run back inside and kick out the realtor and the couple still exploring every inch of my house.

This is what I wanted , I reminded myself.

It was.

A new start, where I would finally be able to put everything behind me once and for all, was days away. It just wasn’t helping that everywhere I looked in the house, I thought of her. And apparently I wasn’t the only one. Oz, who at some point became my dog, started to look for her, likely because of her constant pampering. He probably liked her better, especially when she showered him with gifts including a lifted dog bowl set and collar. Oz—K9 was burned into the leather.

Vassar probably would’ve gassed the boy up with how handsome he looked in it. I could also imagine how long Poppy must’ve spent deciding on the color and font before purchasing it.

I had to believe it was all for the project. To get the perfect report from my sister. To get her promotion and move on. Just like I wanted to get back and move on. As best as I could anyway …

But was that all our short yet significant relationship boiled down to? A house renovation she’d completed with determination before going back to her own life as if nothing had changed? As if I was no one to her but the boy she had a crush on in high school.

Doubt lingered. Everything would work according to plan though. That was what she always said.

Or maybe, that was her affirmation app.

But it wasn’t that simple.

Oz ran back up to me, twirling around once with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. I breathed a short chuckle at the sight of him against the snowy backdrop.

“Yeah, Vassar would be pretty happy, knowing you’re here, finally getting to be a dog, huh?”

Oz didn’t answer, but like always, he looked pleased with himself, running back into the yard.

I glanced up at the gray sky. “What do you think, Vass? Any tips about what the hell I’m supposed to do? Come on? Anything to offer your hopeless friend you left here to take care of your dog?”

Again, there was nothing.

I shook my head. Oddly enough, I felt the tiniest curve to my lips.

I cupped my hands in front of me, letting my elbows rest on my knees. “Figured I’d give it a shot. Thanks anyway.”

Behind me, the sound of crunching slush rolled up the driveway, though I didn’t think there was another house showing tonight after the last. I narrowed my eyes at a familiar black SUV pulling up, lights passing over me before my sister jumped out the driver’s side.

She was about to head towards the front door when I whistled.

She did a double take before noticing me.

“Aren’t you freezing?” My sister walked to meet me.

I raised my eyebrows, not answering her. I had an appropriate coat on unlike her thin peacoat clearly made for impressing clients rather than warmth. “What are you doing here?”

“Liana lost one of her sweaters. She’s upset, so I thought I’d take a drive and see if she left it here.”

I waved towards the side door. “You can go on in. Realtor is here with a couple looking at the place.”

With a nod, she took a step toward the door. Then, paused. Sighing, she brushed some snow and sat down next to me. “You’re really going through with this?”

“I said I was.” Multiple times.

“Well, you look thrilled.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be going to get a sweater or something inside right now?” I asked.

“How are the home walk-throughs going?” she asked.

Oz was still wandering around the yard. When he spotted Sarah, his head snapped back, and he rushed toward us through the snow.

I huffed. “They’re going fine.”

“So, terrible?” she clarified for me even though I didn’t reply. “You don’t need to run away.”

“I’m not running away,” I grumbled.

“Yes, you are.” She could contradict me all she wanted; I wasn’t having this conversation with her. “I mean, you don’t see Poppy running away just because she finished one of her largest projects and, apparently, it still wasn’t enough. In my opinion, that company’s becoming too big for themselves. Who do they think they are, HGTV?”

Wait.

“She didn’t get the job?” I asked.

Sarah narrowed her eyes. “You didn’t know?”’

“Sarah,” I warned.

“No, not that I know of unless something changed. I wrote a high-praise letter to the company on her behalf. I got a response, letting me know my thoughts were considered, however, the other candidate was promoted. From what I heard, it seemed unfair, considering they had a bigger leg up to begin with but?—”

“Poppy didn’t get the promotion.”

“Are you really going to make me repeat myself?” Sarah raised her brows.

Why didn’t Poppy call? Why didn’t she tell me?

Probably because I told her that it was over and I’d be fine for her to go.

“I’m glad I came over and got to tell you,” said Sarah. “Though I did have ulterior motives.”

“I would’ve never guessed your impromptu visit wasn’t about picking up a child-sized sweater,” I replied sarcastically.

“I also came to see if you would reconsider coming home with me to celebrate the new year with us.”

“Don’t you have some fancy corporate party to go out to?”

“Not this year.” My sister shook her head. “Staying in with the family. I wondered if maybe you wanted to see them a little more too. Since, didn’t you have another doctor’s appointment yesterday?”

I had.

“How did it go? Get your sign-off, like you wanted?” Sarah asked.

Oz pressed up against me, grumbling at me until I petted his hips.

I’d arrived at the doctor’s office, a sleek, modern building in the heart of the city. After I checked in at the front desk, a nurse led me to an exam room, where I waited for a few minutes. Finally, my doctor breezed in, glancing through my file as he asked me a few quick questions.

He barely looked up from his notes before giving me the all-clear and slapping my back with a casual, “Take care out there, serving your country, son.”

And just like that, my appointment had been over in less than fifteen minutes.

The other doctor who had looked me over first the other week was right—I’d have no problem finding a doctor to sign off on me if that was what I wanted. And I had.

I looked down at Oz. He didn’t move away from leaning against me, panting from his exertion in the snow. He adjusted his leg to find a better position, trying to find his own comfort and balance in a way that didn’t strain him. His bent, torn-up ear flopped to one side when he peered around to look at me.

I raised my eyebrows. I shit you not, I was sure he raised his right back.

When would I start to feel relieved? My whole goal since I’d gotten home was to leave it. My entire purpose was to be back in the military. There I belonged. I was doing something meaningful—worthwhile even.

But then Poppy came into my life, making me feel valuable from the day she’d laid eyes on me. And I cherished every moment—from her first bickering at me to finally yelling back whenever I got in the way of her rebuilding the cabin into a home just like my ancestors had almost a hundred years ago. For the first time, I didn’t mind being stuck here.

I might’ve even enjoyed it.

I was supposed to go back to the military. I was supposed to leave the past behind and start fresh somehow even if I wasn’t sure how. But what if there was no such thing as leaving things behind or starting fresh? That wasn’t life. It wasn’t possible.

Who was I to make that decision for both of us, even if Poppy hadn’t gotten her promotion?

None of it made a difference.

I only wanted it to. Could that be enough. A sign, maybe?

I glanced back up at the gray sky.

“Stay here.” I jumped away from Oz and Sarah, casting her in a spray of snow.

“Hey!” She brushed herself off, a crease forming between her brows in confusion.

“Stay. Just for a minute. I’ll be right back. I’m going to need a ride.”

I paced away from her and back into the house, where the realtor was pointing up at the painted bookshelves. Poppy’s bookshelves were still filled with my and my grandmother’s books.

“Excuse me.”

They acted like I wasn’t even there.

“Excuse me,” I snapped a little louder.

Then, people wondered why I felt the need to be rude.

The couple and realtor turned toward me.

“Oh, Mr. Hayes?—”

“I need you to reschedule,” I told the realtor.

She blinked at me. “Pardon?—”

“I need to go, and I’m not leaving you all here with your terrible interior design choices,” I said, yet no one moved. “Did you not hear me? I need you to get out of my house. Now .”