Christmas in Angel Harbor - Jeannie Moon Page 0,75
could buy in other towns that weren’t too far away from Angel Harbor.
So far, he’d come up empty.
Repositioning his messenger bag onto his right shoulder, Dan didn’t know why he hung on to the old leather satchel. It was a battered mess of chestnut brown leather, which had been repaired three separate times. He’d always claimed he wasn’t a sentimental guy, but more and more that was being called into question.
He wasn’t fooling anyone. Even hanging on to the old bag was his way of hanging on to some of his history. He’d bought it when he started his first job out of law school. The bag, which looked every bit its age, had served him well, transporting briefs, journals, case studies, manuscripts, and his laptop. It had witnessed his life in all its forms. Now it would see one more change.
Walking down Main Street, he passed by the old Sail House and reflected on how much this town meant to him. As he’d gotten to know the businesspeople of Angel Harbor, his neighbors, and spent time with his own family, he realized just how much he’d gained since coming here. Finding the love of his life was a bonus he never expected.
Dan had become a fixture at the store and he and Jane were, by all appearances, a couple. The last few weeks had sealed it. Ella had even asked him if Miss Jane was his girlfriend. They’d been doing everything together from Christmas shopping, to eating meals, to spending time watching movies and wrapping gifts. There was nothing extraordinary about what they did, except that they were doing it together.
Dan had been alone for so long; that was how he saw the world—as a solitary existence, peppered with people he didn’t particularly care about. His friends were nice enough. Publishing people fawned over him, but he didn’t consider them friends. If he took a good look, his close circle had been whittled down to almost no one. Now he had his sister, his brother-in-law, the kids, Jane and her family, as well as an expanding group of people in Angel Harbor.
In little more than a month, he went from going days without talking to anyone to a rich, full life, with a cadre of people he could depend on. He walked past Sweet Chemistry and saw Viti put something fresh into the case, and decided to see what she had concocted that morning.
Her donuts, which were dense and delicious, were dipped right in front of you. Jane loved the chocolate frosted, but Dan had become addicted to Viti’s apple cider donuts. They tasted like the holidays. With the subtle flavors of apple, allspice, and cinnamon, he was reminded of the mulled cider he’d had at Jane’s house on Thanksgiving. Another wonderful memory made since he’d returned home.
The bakery was in its mid-morning lull, so why not stop? He liked Viti. She was quick, with a sharp tongue, and he enjoyed talking to her. Like him, she’d returned to Angel Harbor after leaving for college and her corporate life.
His identity wasn’t a secret anymore, but to most of the good folks in town, he was just a kid who had come home. Other than the small circle of regulars he saw at the bookstore, Viti was the only person who talked to him about his books and why he’d come back. It turned out she’d seen him speak years ago, and didn’t it figure, when she mentioned the event, he couldn’t even remember it.
Dan’s life had been a blur, and that was going to stop.
His senses were assaulted as soon as he walked into the store. The mix of smells alone made his mouth water, and the bright smile he received from Viti just added to the experience. He found her work history as a corporate-level chemist in the biotech industry fascinating. How she’d come to love baking so much was another great story. In her words, “Everything is chemistry. Why not make delicious fresh food using those principles?”
“Hey there!” she said. “How goes the book?”
“Not bad. I’m almost done.” Dan surveyed the bakery case under the watchful eye of the proprietor. “What’s good today?” he asked.
“Duh. Everything.” Viti was not the least bit shy about her skills. In her late forties and divorced, it seemed to him the woman worked twenty-four hours straight five days a week. She had big brown eyes, and dark hair that she always wore pinned up and under a green Sweet Chemistry ball