us get the glass blown to the exact measurement.”
“You’re a lifesaver.” Giddiness from being so near him left her a little wobbly. “It’s nice being back in the shop.” She meandered through the space, remembering how much time she and Thomas had spent here as kids. She ached for those childhood days when her parents had filled this space with their hard work—where she’d learned that singing made any task more fun. She and Momma would sing through every single project.
“I love this place. Fixing things. Giving broken things a new purpose.”
“You did a nice job on the remodel. My parents loved it here. Said it was like a second home. I took my first steps right over there, apparently.” She walked over to that spot and stood. She could hear her mom telling the story, like she had a hundred times.
“I’m excited to carry on the tradition that they’d built, even if it is after more than a ten-year pause.”
“The years just flew by. This building just sitting here empty. I don’t know why we never thought to do anything with it.”
Elliott shook his head. “Sometimes we’re too close to the memories to think of a place in any other way. Sometimes it’s like that with people too.”
Was he trying to tell her something? “Maybe.” Or maybe it’d been too hard to face those old memories. Out of sight meant out of mind, and what you didn’t think about couldn’t weigh on your heart. “Thomas and I spent so much time here. Chasing, playing and fighting like siblings as close in age as we are have a habit of doing.”
Elliott came around the counter to stand next to her.
“We used to go on all kinds of treasure hunts around this place.” She spun the handle on an old hand-crank vise that was still on the counter.
“Treasure hunts?”
“Sometimes like scavenger hunts. Mom would give us a list, but mostly we were looking for Mom’s wedding ring. She lost it in the store one day. My brother and I spent weeks searching for it.”
“Where did you find it?”
“Never did.”
“No.” He looked sincerely sorry about that.
“She ended up finally replacing it, but she said the ring would be here somewhere in the store.” She let her arms fall to her side. “But we never came across it. Being in here makes me feel close to my parents again. Like we’re all home for Christmas again after all these years. That probably sounds crazy.”
“No. It doesn’t. You know, they’re working on opening the pond. Once they do, if you’d like to—”
“I’d love to,” she said before he could finish. She shook off the blunder. “We should definitely go ice skating together.”
“I’ve improved enough since high school and can keep up.”
“Keep up?” Hannah smirked. “With me?”
“You were the best skater in the high school. And the valedictorian, and the drum major. Keeping up with you took a lot, but I can still remember trying to get you to ice skate with me. You’d always speed away.”
“I don’t remember it being that way at all. I remember it as being so much fun.”
“Really? Well, then I wish I hadn’t mentioned it.” He shook his head, as if trying to stir up the memory. “I was so embarrassed I couldn’t catch up to you. That’s why I quit skating and started piano lessons.”
“Oh, gosh. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
“No. It’s fine. You were still the best friend anyone could have had.”
She’d really hurt him. Her heart sank. “Had?”
“Could have. Still are. You know what I mean.”
She chose her words carefully. “Well, you’re…also still a good friend.” She wanted to tell him she thought they could be more, but she was struggling for the words.
Elliott smiled, gazing at her for a long moment that made her insides zing. She lowered her lashes.
“Should I call you when we’re ready to take the next step?” he asked.
Those words, next step, caught in her brain. She jerked her head up.
Their eyes locked. Hannah couldn’t think of anything except him saying the next step. Was he feeling this too? But they’d been friends for so long. Wouldn’t she have noticed before now?
Hannah touched her face. “What? Umm, what do you mean? Next step?”
“Yeah.” He turned back to the counter, pointing to the nearly repaired snow globe.
“Oh? Right. Yes.” She recovered quickly, now realizing he was talking about the snow globe project—not the two of them. Did I really just do that? “Great! Please do that. Yes.” She fumbled a little,