Love under the Mistletoe

Chapter 2: A Story Shared

The next morning, Olivia woke with a renewed sense of purpose. Mrs. Carmichael’s words echoed in her mind, urging her to take a step forward. She glanced at her laptop, still open to her manuscript from the night before. Though the story was far from finished, she felt an undeniable urge to share it—even if just a small piece—with someone.

With a deep breath, she gathered her courage, saved a few chapters of her story onto a flash drive, and slipped it into her bag before heading out the door. It was still early, and the streets of Harbor’s End were quiet, blanketed in fresh snow. As she made her way to the library, she felt both exhilarated and terrified.

When she arrived, Mia was already at the counter, humming softly as she arranged a new display of holiday romance novels. She looked up, beaming when she saw Olivia.

"Good morning, Olivia! You look positively radiant today," Mia teased, raising an eyebrow. "Did something happen last night?"

Olivia laughed, feeling her cheeks warm. "Not exactly… but I did write a bit more of my story."

Mia’s eyes widened with excitement. "That’s wonderful! Are you going to let me read it?"

Olivia hesitated, her hand instinctively reaching for the flash drive in her bag. She had been planning to show it to someone… but was Mia the right person? They were close friends, but Olivia still felt shy about sharing such a personal part of herself.

Just as she was about to speak, the library door swung open, and Liam walked in, brushing snow off his coat. He glanced up and spotted her immediately, his face breaking into a warm smile.

"Good morning, Olivia," he greeted, walking over. "I was hoping I’d run into you today."

Mia’s eyes flickered between Olivia and Liam, a knowing smile on her face. "I think I’ll go check on the returns in the back," she said, disappearing before Olivia could protest.

Olivia felt a mixture of nervousness and excitement as Liam approached. "Morning, Liam," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Are you looking for another book?"

"Actually, I was hoping to find the best storyteller in Harbor’s End," he replied with a wink. "You mentioned yesterday you were working on a story. I couldn’t stop thinking about it."

Olivia felt her pulse quicken. This was her chance. She could either keep her work to herself, tucked away safely, or take a leap and let someone else into her world. With trembling hands, she pulled the flash drive from her bag and held it out to him.

"This… has the first few chapters," she said softly. "It’s not much, and it’s still rough, but… I’d love to hear what you think."

Liam’s eyes softened as he took the flash drive. "I’m honored, Olivia. I promise to take good care of it," he said, tucking it into his coat pocket.

They spent a few more minutes chatting about the holiday decorations in town and the upcoming events, but Olivia’s mind was already racing with thoughts of his reaction. Would he like her story? Would he see a part of her in it that she hadn’t meant to reveal?

Liam didn’t waste any time. That afternoon, he found a quiet corner in a nearby café and opened Olivia’s file. As he read, he was transported into the small, snowy village Olivia had created, where her characters—reflective of her own gentle spirit—came to life. He could see Olivia in every line, in every hopeful, tentative phrase, and the beauty of it took his breath away.

The protagonist’s longing, her cautious steps toward love, felt so familiar. He imagined Olivia, sitting alone in her apartment, pouring her own dreams into these characters. By the time he finished the third chapter, he knew he wanted to know more—not only about the story but about Olivia herself.

Back at her apartment, Olivia paced nervously, wondering if she’d made a mistake. She’d shared so much of herself in those pages, more than she’d ever dared to reveal to anyone. What if Liam didn’t understand? What if he saw her as silly or naïve?

Her phone buzzed, and she nearly jumped. It was a text from Liam.

Liam: Just finished reading. Can we talk? I’d love to tell you what I think.

Her heart pounding, she texted back, inviting him to come over. Minutes later, there was a knock at her door. She opened it to find Liam standing there, a smile on his face and a faint blush on his cheeks.

"Olivia, your story… it’s beautiful," he said softly, stepping inside. "I couldn’t put it down. The way you write… it’s like you’re speaking right to my heart."

Olivia felt her cheeks flush, relief and joy washing over her. "You really liked it?"

Liam nodded, his gaze intense. "More than liked it. It made me feel like I knew you, really knew you. And I… I want to know more."

They sat down on her couch, and for the first time, Olivia allowed herself to open up. She told him about her fears, her dreams of becoming a writer, and how she had held herself back for so long. Liam listened intently, his hand resting gently on hers, grounding her.

"And what about you?" she asked, curious to know more about the man who had encouraged her to take this leap. "You travel so much, always capturing the world… doesn’t it ever get lonely?"

Liam’s expression softened. "Sometimes," he admitted. "I love what I do, but… there’s something about being here, in Harbor’s End, that feels different. It feels like I’ve found a place—and someone—worth staying for."

Olivia’s heart fluttered at his words, the warmth in his gaze leaving no room for doubt. She hadn’t expected to find someone who could see through her walls, who could understand her so completely. But there he was, sitting beside her, as if he’d been waiting his whole life to find her, too.

They sat together, watching the snow fall outside her window, wrapped in a comfortable silence. For Olivia, this was the beginning of a new chapter—not just in her story, but in her life. For the first time, she felt truly seen, and it was a feeling she knew she’d cherish forever.

As they talked late into the night, Olivia realized that sometimes, all it took to change your life was the courage to share your story—and to let someone in.

The days that followed felt like a dream. Olivia and Liam fell into a comfortable routine, spending their evenings together whenever his work allowed. He would meet her at the library, sometimes bringing her a coffee, sometimes just waiting patiently as she closed up for the night. They’d walk through the snow-covered streets of Harbor’s End, sharing stories and dreams, weaving together fragments of their lives.

One snowy evening, they found themselves sitting on a bench overlooking the town square, where the large Christmas tree stood, twinkling with lights. Olivia pulled her scarf tighter around her neck, feeling a chill despite Liam’s warm presence beside her.

"Tell me more about your travels," Olivia said, nudging him playfully. "I want to know all about the places you’ve been."

Liam chuckled, brushing a few snowflakes off his coat. "Well, I don’t know if I have as many interesting stories as your characters, but I can try," he teased. "Let’s see… There was this small village in Italy, nestled in the mountains. I stumbled upon it completely by accident when my train got delayed."

He described the place with such detail that Olivia could almost picture it—the narrow, cobbled streets, the old stone buildings with ivy climbing up the walls, the smell of fresh bread from a tiny bakery.

"And there was this little bookshop," he added, his eyes lighting up. "It reminded me of the one in your story. The owner was an old man who’d spent his whole life collecting books from around the world. I spent hours talking to him, listening to his stories."

Olivia smiled, touched by the thought of Liam finding a bookshop that reminded him of her story. "It sounds magical," she said softly. "Do you ever… I don’t know… wish you could stay in one of those places? Just settle down, stop moving around?"

Liam hesitated, his gaze fixed on the sparkling Christmas lights. "Sometimes," he admitted, his voice barely a whisper. "But it’s always felt… like something was missing. I love my work, but it’s lonely, never having a real home. Never having… someone to share it with."

He turned to her, his gaze intense, filled with a vulnerability she hadn’t seen before. "But here… with you… it feels different."

Olivia’s heart raced, her cheeks warming despite the cold. She looked down, not quite sure how to respond, but the warmth of his words lingered, filling her with a quiet joy.