Chapter 2: Unfinished Business
919 Words
The house was colder than Grace had expected, and it wasn’t just because of the drafty windows or the snow piling outside. The memories lurking within the old walls seemed to freeze her in place, wrapping her in a chill that even the holiday season’s cheer couldn’t shake off.
After unpacking just enough to get by, Grace stood in the kitchen, staring at a box of Christmas decorations she had brought down from her childhood home’s attic. Ella, buzzing with excitement, tore into it like it was a treasure chest.
“Look, Mom! The snowman ornament! Grandma said it’s older than me and you combined!” Ella held it up proudly, her green eyes sparkling.
Grace couldn’t help but smile. “That’s true. I made it when I was about your age. Grandma insisted we keep it even though it’s missing half its glitter.”
Ella giggled, already digging for more treasures. Grace watched her, feeling a pang of guilt. She had uprooted her daughter from everything familiar—school, friends, routines. Now, they were spending Christmas in Snow Hollow, surrounded by the past Grace had tried so hard to leave behind.
But maybe she hadn’t come back for herself. Maybe it was for Ella—to give her the kind of holiday memories Grace used to treasure.
Just as Grace reached into the box to help, a knock echoed through the house. It was loud, firm, and impatient. Grace froze.
“Who could that be?” Ella asked, her curiosity piqued.
Grace straightened, wiping her hands on her jeans. “Probably Uncle Michael. He’s the only one who knocks like that.”
She opened the door, ready to see her brother’s familiar, mischievous grin. Instead, she was met with someone else entirely.
“Ethan?” she blurted, her breath fogging in the frosty air.
It had been years since she had seen him—her brother’s best friend, her teenage crush, the boy who had taught her how to skate on the frozen lake just behind the house. But the man standing in front of her now was different. He was taller, broader, his face rugged with a short beard that suited him. His blue eyes were the same, though—intense and steady, and they locked onto hers with an expression she couldn’t read.
“Grace.” His voice was deeper than she remembered, a rich baritone that seemed to fill the doorway. “Didn’t think I’d see you back here.”
“I could say the same about you,” she replied, unsure of what else to say.
Ethan glanced past her into the house, his gaze softening when he spotted Ella. “You must be Ella,” he said, offering a small smile.
Ella beamed. “Hi! Do I know you?”
Grace cleared her throat. “This is Ethan. He’s...an old friend of Uncle Michael’s.”
“Old friend?” Ethan repeated, raising an eyebrow.
Grace shot him a look. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to drop off the lumber your brother ordered. He said I could store it in the garage until he gets back from the store.”
Of course, Michael had roped Ethan into one of his endless projects. Grace stepped aside, gesturing toward the garage. “Go ahead. It’s unlocked.”
Ethan nodded, stepping past her with a quiet “Thanks.” As he walked away, Grace couldn’t help but notice how the years had changed him. He moved with a quiet confidence, his shoulders broad and strong under his jacket.
Ella tugged on her sleeve, breaking her thoughts. “Mom, do you think he’ll help us with the Christmas lights? Uncle Michael said they’re tricky.”
“We’ll see,” Grace murmured, though she doubted it. She wasn’t sure she wanted Ethan around long enough to untangle a single strand.
Later that evening, Grace was attempting to organize the mess Ella had made of the decorations when another knock came. This time, it was Michael, breezing in with a gust of cold air and the scent of pine needles clinging to his coat.
“Hope Ethan didn’t give you any trouble,” he said, grinning as he stomped snow off his boots.
“No trouble,” Grace replied, though her tone suggested otherwise.
Michael laughed. “He’s not so bad, you know. Just...rough around the edges.”
Grace folded her arms. “What’s he even doing here? I thought he left Snow Hollow years ago.”
“He came back a couple of years ago. Opened his own carpentry business. He’s doing well.”
“Good for him,” Grace said, trying to sound indifferent.
Michael studied her for a moment. “You two used to get along, didn’t you?”
“That was a long time ago,” Grace said quickly, busying herself with the decorations.
“Maybe it doesn’t have to be,” Michael said, but he didn’t push further. Instead, he helped himself to a mug of coffee and settled on the couch, where Ella was attempting to untangle a strand of lights.
Grace tried to focus on the task at hand, but her mind kept drifting back to Ethan. She wasn’t sure if it was the shock of seeing him again or the way he had looked at her—like he was seeing through her carefully constructed defenses.
Whatever it was, she had a feeling Ethan Cole was about to complicate her holiday plans in ways she couldn’t predict.
- Writer
