Chapter 38

thirty-eight

PAUL

"Are we nearly there?" Amy said for the twentieth time from the back seat of the truck.

"Almost," Liam said as we drove into Sunrise Bay. "It's a little busier than the last time we were here."

I kept my eyes on the bumper-to-bumper traffic. I didn't know whether it was busy because Christmas wasn't far away or if something else was happening.

In theory, we weren't even supposed to be here. But after being cooped up inside, everyone wanted to spend a few hours away from Jacob's house.

"Remember to hold someone's hand the whole time," Liam warned Amy. "You can't run away if you see something you like."

"I'll be good," Amy said excitedly. "Does the general store have paints and felt-tipped pens?"

"They have everything you'll need for drawing. Mrs. Cook, the lady who owns the store, has a whole aisle full of paper, pens, and scrapbooking supplies."

For the second time since we'd left Jacob's house, I checked my backpack to make sure I'd brought my wallet. From the smile on Amy's face, I knew the visit to the general store would be expensive. But Amy had been so good that I wasn't worried about spending a little more than I usually would.

I looked through the windshield and smiled at the quaint town. Most of the stores had twinkling fairy lights wrapped around their front windows. Christmas banners wishing everyone happy holidays hung from old-fashioned lampposts. Crowds of people bustled along the snow-covered sidewalk. Their thick, padded ski jackets in a rainbow of colors filled the town with a festive spirit.

"There's a parking space in front of the candy store." I pointed to the right-hand side of the street. I grinned at Liam. "We could buy enough candy to last until Christmas."

Amy clapped her hands. "Yes, please," she squealed. "Can we go into the candy store first?"

Liam glanced at me before parking his truck.

After living under the same roof together, I knew that look. If we weren't careful, Amy would be bouncing off the walls with a sugar rush—and so, I guessed, would Liam. He loved anything sweet and, for him, stepping into a confectionery store would be like walking into paradise.

"How about we visit Candy Lane after we've been to the general store?" Liam suggested. "It looks as though it's busy at the moment."

He was right. At least ten people had just walked inside. "I didn't know the store would be so popular."

Liam unbuckled his seatbelt. "It's one of the must-see tourist hot spots around Willow Lake. Tour buses stop here about three times a day. "

Amy undid her seatbelt and pulled on her hat. "I'm ready."

I grinned at her. "Let's find some art supplies."