The Story Of Us - Teri Wilson Page 0,32

nodded her approval of Mary’s persistence.

“Yeah. Her letters about what was happening in Waterford were what kept him going while he was away.” Sawyer, on the other hand, appeared not to care what had gone on in Waterford after he left. If he cared, he wouldn’t be teaming up with Ridley Development to tear apart everything their town represented. If he cared, he would have come back to Waterford.

He would have come back to her.

A lump formed in her throat all of a sudden, which was ridiculous. Fifteen years had passed since she’d last shed a tear over Sawyer O’Dell, and she had no intention of doing so again.

She swallowed. Hard.

“Nowadays, she’d probably send him texts with some emojis mixed in.” Lucy rolled her eyes as they slowed the library cart to a halt in the festival’s assigned spot for True Love’s booth.

The official kick off for the Fire and Ice Festival wasn’t for another two days, but vendors had already begun setting up for the big Valentine’s-themed celebration. As the business district’s largest community event, it drew artisans and ice sculptors from all over the state.

“So not the same,” Jamie said. An emoji-filled text versus a handwritten love letter? No contest.

Not that she’d been on the receiving end of either lately.

“It sounds romantic.” Lucy sighed.

“Which makes sense for a couple who started a bookstore called True Love.” Much to Jamie’s annoyance, the lump in her throat seemed to double in size. “I mean, wouldn’t that be nice? To have someone want to do something so creative with you like start a bookstore?”

Instead of tearing one down, which was the complete and total opposite.

Lucy looked her up and down. “I thought you were on a romantic hiatus.”

Oh right. That.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t recognize romance in other people.” Jamie squared her shoulders. She wasn’t sure who she was trying to convince that she wasn’t at all interested in having her own romance—Lucy or herself. Things had just gotten so confusing lately.

Luckily, before Lucy could ask more questions, a woman carrying two steaming cups approached them and offered one to each of them. Jamie wasn’t sure what was inside, but it smelled chocolatey with a dash of cinnamon.

What a nice touch.

The festival had never handed out hot drinks on set-up day before, but it was a lovely idea, especially on a brisk morning like this one.

Lucy accepted one of the cups with a smile. “Thank you.”

Jamie did the same, the hot chocolate instantly warming her hands. But when her gaze landed on the blue geometric logo on the paper cup, she froze in place.

“Wait. What?” No…no, he did not. She turned the cup toward Lucy. “Does that say Ridley?”

What in the world? Had Sawyer signed Ridley up as a sponsor for the Fire and Ice Festival or something? She was sure that he’d never even heard of the festival until two days ago.

“Um. Don’t look now, but…” Lucy’s gaze darted to the opposite side of the town square and back again.

Jamie looked, because of course she did. Then she gasped out loud at what she saw. Not the most subtle of reactions, but she simply couldn’t help it, because there stood Sawyer in front of a quaint, old-fashioned beverage cart, complete with a glossy, high-end espresso machine and huge sign that read Free Coffee and Hot Chocolate, Courtesy of Ridley Property Development.

And of course a small crowd had already gathered around his fancy cart, including several of the business district’s shopkeepers—Chuck, from the pizzeria, and Beth, who owned a cute hobby shop just down the block from True Love Books. Both of them chatted away with Sawyer while they sipped from Ridley cups.

Jamie didn’t know whether to feel sick or enraged. Here she was, still smugly basking in the glow of yesterday’s newspaper article, and meanwhile, Sawyer was apparently plying the good people of Waterford with cozy winter beverages in an effort to win them over to his side. It was beyond despicable.

And also kind of brilliant. She would have been impressed if she weren’t too busy resenting him already.

Her grip tightened on her cup of evil hot chocolate. “No. Way.”

Sawyer glanced over at her. Ugh, she’d actually said that out loud, hadn’t she?

Yes, indeed. And the cocky little smile on his face left no doubt that he’d heard her, loud and clear.

He gave her a slight nod, then returned his attention to his coffee-swilling, hot chocolate-loving audience and said something that made them all throw their heads back and laugh.

Things had