December days and the heavy cloud cover, it was already starting to get dark. Christmas lights were flicking on all up and down Main Street. It was a charming scene, picture-perfect in so many ways. Jane only wished she felt like celebrating.
Across the street she saw a young couple strolling hand in hand, each of them clutching a shopping bag. Over near the candy store, two children bounced in front of a man, probably their father, dragging him inside for a last-minute sweet treat.
Jane pulled her coat around her and the ache in her chest grew more acute. She’d probably built her last holiday book tree, told her last Christmas story, and put up her last menorah. The season was a bellwether for what was to come. An era was ending. She was going to lose it all—the people, the community—all of it would be gone.
There were those who told her to be grateful. Lovely people who reminded her to look at the blessings in her life. It was true; she had many, including her daughter and her mom, and her friends. She had a home and her gorgeous doggie. She had her health. All of these things were important. Over and over she told herself, things could be so much worse, that she was, indeed, very fortunate. But that’s not how it felt, and all the advice, while well-meaning, didn’t help.
She couldn’t even think about Danny. That kind of heartbreak was too much for her to bear along with everything else. She hadn’t seen him in ten days. He’d called and left a message, but Jane couldn’t even bring herself to listen to it. Today, she was surprised to see his niece, Ella, who stopped in with a small gift. Jane hadn’t opened it yet, saving it for when she was alone, as she fully expected to cry.
Chloe walked beside her, leaning into Jane’s leg as they moved up the sidewalk. No doubt, the dog sensed Jane’s mood. It made Jane wonder how Chloe would deal with the change in routine. A fixture in the bookstore since she was a puppy, it was as much a part of Chloe’s life as Jane’s. She figured the dog would once again prove to be more adaptable than her human.
“I’ll be okay, Chloe girl. I promise.” Chloe looked up, her soulful brown eyes filled with doggie love. “We’ll find something new to do together. Maybe we should take a road trip after Tara heads off to school. Where do you want to go?”
The idea of packing the dog in her truck and heading out into the great unknown had its appeal. There were plenty of places in the United States and Canada that would be fun to explore.
In no rush to get home, Jane stopped to gaze into store windows and wave to friends just closing up shop. Turning, she looked down Main Street, admiring all the decorations, which cut a glittering path right to the harbor. This was such a joyful time of year, but again, Jane felt the deep sense of loss squeeze her heart. Since the news came out about the building being sold, friends and neighbors stopped in. Some were in tears, others were angry, vowing to fight for her with the village council.
Unfortunately, there was nothing to be done. It was too late. The house was zoned commercial, the new owners vowed to keep the exterior authentic, and any improvements would be just that, improvements. Plans included replacing the windows, and making the porch a little larger so folks could eat outside in nice weather.
The big restaurant group that bought the building was going to put in a trendy brunch bistro that would serve breakfast and lunch only. It sounded like a fun addition to the downtown area that wouldn’t do any harm to existing businesses.
Except hers.
The owner of the group reached out to her and tried to mend fences. Not that it mattered, but she did find out the details of the sale. Apparently, Colton Van Velt, the man she’d met the previous summer, and the Homestyle owner were prep school friends. They’d seen each other at a reunion and hatched the deal. Colton had no idea when he offered the building next door to the restaurant group, that they’d want the bookstore too. Colton saw dollar signs and the entire deal was kept quiet. Wanting to generate a little goodwill, the restaurant leadership team offered a big incentive for Jane to move out before her