“I sure hope so.” Clara kissed him. “We’ll do whatever is necessary to make this work.”
She was so hopeful, she almost completely forgot about the man she’d seen outside the night before.
Almost.
12
Even if it didn’t help grow their business, Clara was glad she decided to go to the book club. Just seeing the small brick library made her happy. Though she hadn’t been inside it yet, it felt familiar. It was a welcome relief in a town that was lovely, yet a huge adjustment from her life in Chicago.
The trees shivered under the snow, but the warm light from frosty windows promised a haven tucked away in this winter wonderland. She opened the door and was greeted with the aroma of fresh baked sugar cookies and that bookish smell. A tall young man smiled at her from behind the librarian’s desk. His hazel eyes were bright beneath his glasses, brown hair a little messy. He looked like a scholar, though it still was a bit surprising. She hadn’t come across many male librarians.
“Good morning,” he said. “My name is Christian. Have we met before?” His eyebrows furrowed as he sifted through his memories. They didn’t get new people in the library often, and most newcomers were children who had finally reached the age where their parents felt safe enough to bring them or were old enough to come by themselves.
“No, I’m new in town. My name’s Clara.” She offered her hand, which he accepted with a warm handshake. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you too, Clara. Can I help you find anything? It’s usually pretty quiet in here, so I’m more than happy to give you a tour. Always exciting to see new faces.”
“I’d love that, but perhaps another time? For today, I’m here for the book club.”
“Wonderful! That’s a great way to meet some great people. They’re some of my favorite patrons. They gather in a cozy room in the back. Come with me, I’ll show you the way.”
Clara kept her book close as she followed Christian through the inviting rows of books. The shelves were stuffed to the brim with all sorts of titles and Clara couldn’t wait to dive right in. It was different than the library back in the city. This one was more old fashioned, much smaller, and far more charming.
Christian was right about the room the book club was held in too. The antique paper-colored walls were decorated in literary quotes scrawled in an impeccable calligraphy style. Red flannel couches were covered in snowy pillows, and fuzzy chairs were perfect for cupping a human and holding them tight. Cookies and cocoa were waiting on the maple table, and members were already talking among themselves. It seemed like a friendly group and Clara hoped she’d make friends. She wanted to be part of it, even if it didn’t bring in more guests. She was in love with just this taste of small-town life.
“Don’t be shy,” Christian told her. “You don’t need to worry at all. Everyone here is super friendly, and they’ll all be excited to welcome you. In fact…”
He walked right up to a short, curvy woman with curly blonde hair and big brown eyes. She was beautiful and radiated a welcoming energy, and she smiled as they came over.
“Brittany, this is Clara,” Christian said. “She’s new in town and new to the book club. Clara, this is Brittany.”
“Welcome,” Brittany said as they shook hands. “It’s so awesome to be joined by another book lover. Did you do the reading for today’s meeting?”
“Just finished it today,” Clara replied. “It was my first time reading her work and I loved it. The ending literally brought me to tears.”
“I love that! Being open to new things is so important, especially for this book club. Though we do rotate who chooses the books. So, if you stay with us long enough, you’ll have to introduce us to the kind of books you usually read.”
Clara was already in love with this club and the interesting way it was run. Christian left the women alone to drink hot chocolate and eat cookies. No one seemed in a rush to get the meeting started, and she had shown up early for this reason specifically.
“What brings you to the mountains?” Brittany asked between sips of hot chocolate.
“My husband and I just bought a bed and breakfast here,” Clara answered. “We’re hoping to make a few changes and open up soon. We’ll probably have an open house of some sorts before we do, so you’ll be welcome to come check it out.”
“I’d love to!” she said. “My husband and I also own a bed and breakfast, so we’re kind of competitors.” She laughed. “But no worries. It’s good for visitors to have multiple options to choose from. It brings more people in, benefiting all of us.
“We’ve worked with other lodging owners in the past on various projects to draw people to the area, and we’ve found tremendous success that way. We’re all a little different, so people enjoy that. Maybe the two of us can work together once you get settled in. I’d love to make new connections.”
“That would be perfect!” Clara replied, thankful she was introduced to the most helpful person she could’ve asked for. It worked out even better than she thought it would. “We’ll have to get together sometime and make a plan. I have so many ideas. This has been a dream of mine forever, and it’ll be so great to work with someone who knows the area and the business well.”
“I love your enthusiasm.” She smiled and looked thoughtful for a moment. “Did you happen to buy Lyla and Richard’s old place?”
The moment of truth. How would people react given the
