Snowflake Lane Inn

by L. P. Dover

  His brows lifted. “You sure you’re okay? You walked out in a hurry.”

  I glanced into the window of the general store and shrugged. “They weren’t exactly nice to me in there. I wanted to get out of there as fast as I could. Guess I thought a small town like this would be a little more welcoming.”

  The man chuckled and looked around. “From what I can tell, the people around here don’t like change. You’re different. I think it’s the clothes that make you stand out.” I looked down at my designer outfit and high-heeled boots.

  “I thought it was my accent,” I replied with a laugh.

  He held out his hand. “That too. Don’t worry, though, they’ll come around. So far, I’ve met several nice people. Don’t give up on them just yet. My name’s Gabe.”

  I shook his hand. “Layla. I moved here from Charleston.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Layla,” he said, letting my hand go. “What brings you to Friendship?”

  “Lots of things, I guess.” I turned my gaze to the Christmas lights, twinkling in the trees. Every single building was decorated with garland and ribbons. “My career took a major hit, so I thought it best to move away for a while. Maybe find some inspiration.”

  Gabe smiled when I looked at him. “You’ll definitely find that here. I have no doubt.” He stepped back and moved out of the way. “I’m sure you have to get going. It was nice meeting you, Layla. I’m certain I’ll see you around town again.”

  “It was nice meeting you, too, Gabe.” I walked past him to my car. When I turned around, he was nowhere to be found.

  Chapter Three

  Layla

  All through the night, I dreamed about my new fashion line and how it skyrocketed across the globe. Imagine my disappointment when I woke up to find it wasn’t real … and that it was ice cold in my house. The three quilts piled on top of me weren’t enough.

  “What in the world?” I griped, teeth chattering. I slid out of bed and slung one of the quilts over my shoulders. When I got to the thermostat, it said it was fifty-eight degrees. I turned it off and then on again, hoping it just needed to be reset. Nope. It was dead. “This can’t be happening to me.” What made it worse was that it was snowing outside. I looked out at the tiny specks of white, falling from the sky. “Wouldn’t that make for some great news … Designing diva freezes to death as she escapes scrutiny from the fashion world.”

  Grabbing my phone, my fingers trembled as I punched in Jane’s number. I knew she was leaving for vacation, but I was hoping to catch her. The line rang and rang, the reception going in and out. I didn’t know anything else to do besides drive into town.

  I dressed quickly into a pair of jeans and a double layer of sweaters. If it was freezing inside my house, it had to be even worse outside. However, when I got out there, it wasn’t nearly as cold as it was inside. My house was colder than a meat locker.

  When I got into town, I dreaded going to the general store. There was a bank close by, but it was Sunday and they were closed. The only other place was the coffee shop. It just so happened that a familiar face was right outside, sitting alone at one of the tables, his head resting on his arm. I parked and walked up to his table, silently taking the seat beside him. He slowly lifted his head and sat up quickly when he noticed me. “Miss Layla, what brings you out so early in the morning?”

  “My icebox of a house. It’s much warmer out here than it is there. I came into town to see if someone could help me.”

  Gabe’s brows furrowed. “What can I help you with?”

  “Do you know of anyone who does heating and air? My heater died on me sometime last night, and it’s so cold. I don’t know who to contact.”

  He patted my hand. “Don’t worry, I know just the guy. His name’s Colin Jennings.” He pointed at the street. “If you go up that way and take a right, all you have to do is follow that road until you get to Snowflake Lane. The Snowflake Lane Inn will be at the end. He’ll be able to help you.”

  “Thanks,” I replied, feeling ever so grateful. “He’s not like the people in the general store, is he?”

  Gabe chuckled. “Not in the least. Colin’s a good man. You’ll like him.”

  Squeezing his arm, I stood. “Thanks again.” I turned to leave but then stopped and glanced at him over my shoulder. “Gabe, forgive me if I’m being too nosy, and you can tell me to mind my own business, but …” I paused for a second and glanced around to make sure no one heard me. “Do you have a home to go to?”

  A sad smile spread across his face. “Friendship is my home, Layla. Whether it be sleeping at this table or in a box behind the bank, this is where I belong for now.”

  My heart broke for him. Reaching into my purse, I pulled out a fifty-dollar bill. It was all I had on me. “Take this,” I told him.

  He shook his head. “I’m not taking your money, young lady.”

  “Please,” I begged, setting it in front of him. “You don’t take me as the kind of man to beg for money, but I want you to take it. You’ve helped me, and I want to return the favor.”

  With a heavy sigh, he held the money in his hands. “Thank you, child. This means a lot.”

  “You’re welcome. Stay warm out here.”

  He chuckled again. “You too.”

  Getting in my car, I followed his directions to Snowflake Lane and down to the Snowflake Lane Inn. The second I saw the large, yellow house all decked out for Christmas, I gasped. It was exquisite, and more beautiful than any house I’d ever seen. There was garland draped with white lights everywhere, and red ribbons at the top of each fence post. It was something you’d see on a postcard.

  I pulled up, and there was a man on a ladder, cleaning out the gutters … in the snow. It wasn’t like Charleston here. When it snowed back home, everything would shut down, and people would seclude themselves inside where it was warm. Not here, apparently. All I wanted to do was grab a good book and drink hot chocolate.

  When I got out of the car, the man on the ladder looked down at me. Even from the distance, I could see his eyes were a bright shade of green, almost magical. His dark brown hair was mussed like he had just ran a hand through it, and he had on a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt that no doubt hid his muscular arms beneath.

  “Can I help you?” he asked, slowly making his way down the ladder.

  I cleared my throat. “Gabe sent me here. He told me to find Colin Jennings.”

  The man smiled and approached me. “He did, did he? I guess you came to the right place then, Miss Aberdeen.”

  My breath caught. “You know who I am?”

  He snorted. “I think everyone in this town does.”

  Groaning, I ran a hand over my face. “That must be why I got a cold greeting at the general store.”

  His smile faded. “I’m sorry to hear that. Some people in this town aren’t too fond of outsiders, even if they are famous.”

  “That’s not the way I imagined it would be here,” I said softly. “Besides, I’m not famous anymore.”

  The man shook his head and waved it off. “Give it time. So why did you come to see Colin?”

  I pulled my jacket in tighter. I was freezing, and he was outside in the snow with just a flannel shirt on. “The heat died in the house I’m renting. I didn’t know who to call to come and fix it, but a man in town told me to come here. I was hoping Mr. Jennings could either help with the heater or help me get in touch with the owner. The real estate agent is the only one I know who has his number, but she’s on vacation.”

  The man chuckled. “You’re in luck. I know just how to contact him.”

  “Great. If you give me his number, I’ll call him up.”

  Pulling a set of keys out of his pocket, he backed up toward the big, red truck in the driveway. “No need. I’ll head over there now.”

  “You don’t have to do that. Let me call the owner.”

  He opened his truck door and smiled. “I am the owner. I’m Colin Jennings.”

  Chapter Four

/>   Colin

  Layla wasn’t anything like I expected her to be. She was much more beautiful in person. She followed behind me to her house, and I had to slow down several times to make sure she caught up. It was obvious she wasn’t used to driving through the snow.

  I pulled into her driveway first and grabbed my toolbox out of the back. The snow had slowed down, but we’d gotten the six inches the weatherman had predicted.

  Layla rushed out of her car and ran over to the door. “I don’t know why I’m hurrying. It’s probably warmer out here.”

  That I found hard to believe … that was until I stepped through the door. It was unnaturally cold. The sound of her chattering teeth grew louder. Arms crossed over her chest, she bounced on her feet. “Told you it was cold.”

  Setting my toolbox down, I blew into my hands. “You’re telling me.” I walked over to the thermostat to see if there was something wrong, but it looked normal. “I’m going to take a look at the heating unit outside. I just replaced it last summer. I don’t see how there could be problems.”

  She followed me out the door and into the snow. “I wonder what’s going on with it then. I only turned the heat up to seventy.”

  When we got around to the side of the house, that was when I saw the issue. “Wow,” I said, dropping my toolbox. “I think we know what’s wrong.”

  Her eyes widened. “That is crazy. It’s frozen solid.”

  The unit was nothing but a large ice cube. I’d never seen anything like it before. “Yes, it is. It’s a first for me.”

  Layla sighed. “Think you can fix it?”

  I picked up my toolbox, but there was nothing I could do. “I can, but it won’t be today. I’ll have to get another unit and install it tomorrow.”

  She looked terrified. “You’re kidding me, right? How am I supposed to stay here without freezing to death?”

  Growing up, there were many nights we had to deal without heat or power, but I’d never felt it that cold before. There was no explanation for how frigid it was inside her house. I couldn’t let her stay there alone.

  Taking a deep breath, I placed my toolbox back into my truck. “You can always stay at my inn,” I suggested. I turned around to face her. “There’s a small bedroom that’s vacant.”

  Holding a hand over her heart, she breathed a sigh of relief. “That would be awesome. I’m going to take you up on that.”

  I thought she’d yell and complain about the house, but that wasn’t what I got. She surprised me. Guess I thought she’d be full of herself and demanding. “Great,” I replied. “It’s the least I can do for you. I’ve never had problems like this with the heat before.”

  “It’s okay. I’m just glad I have somewhere to stay. If I didn’t, I don’t know what I’d do.”

  Her lips pulled back into a gracious smile, and I couldn’t help but smile back. “I’ll call my sister to get the room ready for you. She’ll be thrilled to know you’re staying. I think she’s your biggest fan. The gift basket was her idea.”

  There was a twinkle in her eyes. “I’ll be sure to tell her thank you.”

  I opened my truck door. “As soon as you’re ready, just come on over to the inn. I know you’ll want to pack some things.”

  “Yes,” she breathed, turning her attention to the house. “Hopefully, I won’t freeze during that time.”

  Chuckling, I hopped in my truck. “See you in a few, Layla.” She waved and disappeared into the house.

  Once I was out on the main road, I called Brianna. “Hey,” she answered.

  “Think you can get the small bedroom ready really quick?”

  The sound of her typing away on the computer stilled in the background. “Of course. I’ll have it ready in twenty minutes.”

  “Good. Because it just so happens it’s for Layla Aberdeen.” The line went silent. “Brianna?”

  She sucked in a breath. “Are you seriously telling me that Layla Aberdeen is staying at the inn tonight?”

  “Yep. Just left our old house. The heater is frozen solid. I can’t leave her there all night.”

  “You can’t leave her in the small bedroom either,” she gasped incredulously. “Layla is fashion royalty. The Rose bedroom will be like putting her in a broom closet.”

  Leave it to Brianna to be dramatic. The Rose bedroom was small, but it wasn’t that small. “It’s a place to stay, Bri. We don’t have anywhere else to put her.”

  “She can stay with me and Mom. Our guest room is way bigger than the one at the inn.”

  An exasperated chuckle escaped my lips. “Not going to happen, Bri. I know what you’re trying to do here.” She just wanted the bragging rights of having someone like Layla in her house.

  “Seriously, Colin, I’m not trying to do anything. Sticking Layla in that tiny bedroom is not the kind of publicity we need. We need to impress her. Just think about all the good things she’ll say about the inn. We’ll be booked up year-round.”

  She had a point, and unfortunately, I had an idea. It wasn’t exactly to my favor, but it’d be all for the inn. “Fine. I know just what to do.”

  Brianna squealed. “This is so exciting. I can’t believe I’m about to meet Layla Aberdeen.”

  “Bye, Brianna. When she arrives, bring her back to the cottage.” I hung up just as she squealed again. She knew what my plan was going to be. Don’t get me wrong, I was a nice guy, but I really didn’t want to kiss up to the fashion diva just to get good ratings on the inn. Then again, it was a sacrifice I was going to make.

  Chapter Five

  Layla

  There was literally nothing as breathtaking as driving down Snowflake Lane. The amount of work that was put in with all the Christmas decorations was phenomenal. It didn’t take me long to pack up a few things at my freezing house. It took longer driving to the inn with all the snow. Granted, I had a four-wheel-drive Jeep, but I still felt unsure on the slippery roads. Hopefully, I’d get used to it. I wanted a drastic change from my current lifestyle, and I got it.

  Pulling up to the Snowflake Lane Inn, I couldn’t help but smile at its beauty. I parked behind Colin’s truck and stepped out, breathing in the cool, crisp air. The door to the inn opened and a young woman rushed out, her smile radiant.

  “I really thought I could control myself and act cool with you being here, but I don’t think it’s possible. I love your designs.” She ran down the steps and held out her hand. “I’m Brianna, Colin’s sister.”

  They had the same dark brown hair and green eyes. “Yes, I can see that,” I replied. “It’s nice to meet you.” She seemed like a nice girl, probably in her early twenties. What I loved most was the top she had on. It was one of my designs.

  I grabbed my bag out of the backseat, and Brianna took it. “It’s such a pleasure to meet you, Layla. When I found out you were moving to Friendship, I couldn’t believe it.”

  A laugh escaped my lips. “Neither could I. Although I am happy to see that someone around here likes me.”

  Brows furrowed, Brianna nodded toward the house. “Colin didn’t make you feel unwelcome, did he? If he did, I’ll slap him upside the head.”

  “No.” I laughed. “He was very friendly. However, the man at the general store didn’t seem too thrilled to be around me.”

  She scoffed. “That’s just Earl. He’s a grumpy old man. Don’t let him sway your opinion of our town. The people of Friendship all stick together. We’re like family.”

  I followed her down the walkway and around the back of the inn, where a quaint little cottage sat by a small, frozen lake. A gazebo sat at the water’s edge, covered with bright white Christmas lights and red bows. The stone path leading up to it reminded me of something you’d see in a storybook. “From the front, I didn’t even know this place was back here,” I murmured.

  Brianna glanced at me over her shoulder with a big smile on her face. “This is where you’ll be staying. I can’t believe the heater froze up on the house. It never did that when I was growing up there. Although it h
as been colder this winter.”

  It was colder than what I’d ever experienced. “Thank you for the gift basket. Colin said it was your idea.”

  We stopped at the cottage door. “You’re welcome. I’m one of your biggest fans. Not many people around here care about fashion though.”

  I sighed. “But they know who I am, don’t they?”

  She snorted. “Everyone knows who you are. Did you think a small town like ours wouldn’t know who you were?”

  “Kind of,” I replied with a shrug. “Was that naive of me?”

  She burst out laughing. “Yup. You can’t escape who you are, especially when the world already knows you.”

  The door to the cottage opened, and Colin stepped out with a duffel bag draped over his shoulder. He nodded toward the door. “It’s all yours. The guest bedroom is up the stairs on the right. Feel free to use whatever you want in the kitchen.”

  “What?” I gasped, glancing at them both. I looked at Colin’s bag and then into his striking, emerald eyes. “Is this your home?” The last thing I wanted to do was inconvenience him.

  He nodded. “It’s yours tonight.”

  I shook my head. “Definitely not. I don’t want you giving up your place for me.”

  “It was either that or the tiny twin bedroom in the inn,” Brianna cut in. “I figured you’d want more space.”

  “I’m fine with the smaller room.” She had a hold of my bag, and I reached out for it pleadingly. “Seriously, I don’t mind. I’m just grateful I won’t be freezing to death.”

  Brianna handed me my bag, her gaze curious. It was obvious they had misconceptions about me. Hopefully, I’d be able to change that.

  Brianna and Colin stared at each other, but Colin spoke first, his lips tilting up in a small smile. “Take the cottage, Ms. Aberdeen. The whole inn is my home. You’re not putting me out.”

  “Are you sure? I feel bad.”

  “Don’t,” he said, setting his bag on the porch. He reached for mine and picked it up. “Come on, I’ll show you around.”