Chapter 4: A Snowstorm of Secrets
1039 Words
The snow began to fall heavily that evening, blanketing Cedar Grove in a thick layer of white. The wind howled through the narrow streets, rattling windows and swaying streetlamps. Inside the bakery, Annie wiped down the counters, lost in thought. She glanced out the window, watching the snow pile up, and sighed. Winter storms always reminded her of the night her mother passed—sudden, cold, and unrelenting.
The bell above the door jingled, pulling her from her thoughts. Ethan stepped inside, shaking snow from his hair and stomping his boots on the mat.
“You know, most people stay indoors during a storm,” she said, crossing her arms.
Ethan grinned, his cheeks red from the cold. “I figured you might still be here.”
She rolled her eyes but didn’t protest as he moved toward the counter. “What do you want, Ethan?”
“To talk,” he said simply. “And maybe a cup of that peppermint cocoa you used to make.”
Annie hesitated before grabbing a mug. “You’re lucky I still have the mix,” she muttered, pouring the steaming drink and sliding it across the counter. “Now talk.”
Ethan took a sip, his eyes lighting up as if he’d just tasted a memory. “Still perfect,” he said, setting the mug down. “I wanted to tell you something about the resort deal. Something I haven’t told anyone.”
Annie raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued despite herself. “I’m listening.”
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An Unexpected Confession
Ethan leaned forward, his voice dropping. “The truth is, I don’t fully agree with my father’s plans. He wants to turn Cedar Grove into a luxury destination, but all I see is him trying to erase everything that makes this town special. I’ve been trying to find a way to stop him, but it’s complicated.”
Annie stared at him, her heart pounding. “Why are you telling me this now?”
“Because I need your help,” he said, his voice earnest. “You know this town better than anyone. If we work together, we can come up with a plan that preserves Cedar Grove and convinces my father to back off.”
She blinked, stunned by his admission. “You really think he’ll listen to you?”
“He will if I can prove it’s profitable,” Ethan said. “And I think we can make that happen.”
Annie shook her head, torn between disbelief and cautious hope. “I don’t know, Ethan. This all feels… risky.”
“I know it’s a lot to ask,” he said. “But I’m willing to do whatever it takes to fix this. To fix us.”
Her heart skipped at his words, but she pushed the feeling down. “This isn’t just about us,” she said. “It’s about the entire town. If you screw this up, people could lose everything.”
“I won’t screw it up,” he promised. “I can’t. Not this time.”
Annie studied him for a long moment, searching for any sign of deception. All she saw was determination—and something else, something she hadn’t seen in years. Vulnerability.
“Fine,” she said finally. “I’ll help you. But if you mess this up, Ethan, I swear—”
“I won’t,” he said, cutting her off with a small smile. “Thank you, Annie.”
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The Storm Within
The wind howled louder as the storm raged on. Ethan stayed at the bakery long after they had hashed out the beginnings of a plan, helping Annie clean up and sharing stories from their past. For a while, it almost felt like old times—almost.
But as the night deepened, so did the tension between them. Every laugh, every shared glance, carried the weight of everything left unsaid.
Finally, Ethan broke the silence. “Do you ever think about what could’ve been?” he asked, his voice soft.
Annie froze, her hands stilling over a tray of cookies. “What do you mean?”
“Us,” he said, meeting her eyes. “If I hadn’t left. If I’d stayed and fought for you.”
Her chest tightened at his words, a mix of anger and longing bubbling to the surface. “You don’t get to ask that,” she said, her voice trembling. “Not after everything.”
“I know,” he said, stepping closer. “But I can’t stop thinking about it. About you.”
She shook her head, tears pricking her eyes. “You don’t get to do this, Ethan. You don’t get to come back and pretend like we can just pick up where we left off.”
“I’m not pretending,” he said, his voice breaking. “I’m trying to make things right.”
Annie turned away, her emotions threatening to overwhelm her. “It’s not that simple.”
“Maybe it is,” he said, reaching for her hand. “Annie, I—”
A loud crash interrupted him, followed by the unmistakable sound of breaking glass. They both turned toward the window, where a tree branch had shattered the glass, letting in a flurry of snow and wind.
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A Crisis Unfolds
Ethan grabbed a blanket from a nearby chair, pressing it against the broken window to block the cold. “We need to board this up,” he said, his voice steady despite the chaos.
Annie nodded, snapping into action. “There’s plywood in the back,” she said. “I’ll get it.”
Together, they worked quickly, their earlier conversation forgotten in the urgency of the moment. By the time the window was secured, they were both breathless and covered in snow.
Annie sank into a chair, shivering. “That was close.”
Ethan sat across from her, his gaze intense. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, her emotions still raw. “Yeah. Just… a lot to process.”
He reached for her hand, his touch warm against her cold skin. “We’ll figure it out,” he said. “Together.”
For the first time in years, Annie let herself believe him.
- Writer
