Miss Valentine

Chapter 6:Mystery...

Noah watched Scarlett as she walked out of the café, her pace a little quicker than before. He couldn’t help but smile, both amused and intrigued. It wasn’t every day that someone came to Everbrook and refused to be charmed by its quirky, over-the-top romance culture. Most people either embraced it or left, but Scarlett? She seemed determined to resist.

As he grabbed his own coffee, Noah lingered for a moment, watching her retreating figure. There was something about her that made him want to push, just a little harder. Maybe it was the way she tried so hard to distance herself from the town, or how she seemed to have an answer for everything. There was a fire in her, a sharpness that he liked—but also a vulnerability, a fragility that she hid beneath layers of sarcasm and detachment.

He wondered if she would let herself get caught up in Everbrook’s magic, or if she’d stay a stranger to it, forever on the outside.

Noah shook his head, trying to push those thoughts aside. He had enough of his own baggage to deal with. He didn’t need to be involved in anyone else’s mess, especially not a city girl with a deep aversion to love. But the challenge—God, the challenge was hard to resist.

That night, as Scarlett sat in her room at the small bed-and-breakfast, she tried to focus on anything other than her brief interaction with Noah. She had come here to clear her mind, not to get tangled in someone else’s life.

Her phone buzzed on the bed next to her, and she glanced at the screen. It was a text from her best friend, Lily, back in the city.

Lily: "You surviving in Valentine’s land?"

Scarlett sighed, smiling slightly at the message. Lily knew her too well. Scarlett had ranted about Valentine’s Day, love, and everything in between for years. She wasn’t sure why Lily insisted on sending her motivational messages about love and romance every year—it felt like an endless loop.

Scarlett: "Just about. It's all hearts and fairy lights, I can’t escape it."

Lily: "Just remember, it's a temporary escape. You’re there to relax, right? I bet you’ll meet someone cute. You always do."

Scarlett rolled her eyes. Cute? Right. The last thing she needed was to meet someone cute in a town where everyone seemed to believe in destiny and true love. She wasn’t here for any of that.

Scarlett: "Cute? Please. I’m just here for the peace and quiet."

She set her phone down, feeling a familiar sense of unease settle in her chest. She wasn’t sure if it was the pressure of the holidays or the constant reminders of love in Everbrook, but something about this town made her feel like she was in a movie—a romance, no less. A place where people were always falling in love. The kind of movie that made her sick.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Scarlett frowned. Who could it be this late?

She stood up and opened the door to find Mrs. Harper, the owner of the bed-and-breakfast, standing in the hallway with a tray of warm cookies and a steaming cup of hot cocoa. Mrs. Harper was a sweet older woman with a beaming smile, her eyes crinkling at the edges as she spoke.

“I thought you might like something to warm up with, dear,” she said, her voice as sweet as cocoa. “It’s a tradition here in Everbrook. Everyone gets something a little special at night.”

Scarlett hesitated, but she didn’t want to be rude. “Thank you. That’s very kind of you.”

Mrs. Harper set the tray on the small table in the corner of the room. “It’s nothing, dear. Just a little something to remind you that love is all around here. Even in the simplest things.”

Scarlett forced a smile, nodding as the older woman gave her one last cheerful smile before closing the door. She didn’t need the reminder. She already knew what this town was all about. But as she looked at the tray of cookies, she couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, there was more to this place than she had been willing to admit.