The snow came early that year. Thick, fluffy flakes tumbled from the sky, blanketing the little town of Winterridge in a crisp layer of white. The streets sparkled like something out of a fairy tale, but for Claire Bennett, the season felt anything but magical.
She tugged her coat tighter around her as the icy wind bit at her cheeks, her breath clouding in the frosty air. Working late again, she thought bitterly. The holidays were supposed to be about warmth and joy, but for her, they were just another reminder of everything she didn’t have—no family nearby, no boyfriend, just her tiny apartment and a desk job she couldn’t escape.
She pushed open the door to the bookstore where she worked, her cheeks pink from the cold. “You’re late,” her boss, Mrs. Calloway, chided gently from behind the counter.
“Sorry, the bus was running behind,” Claire replied, setting her bag down. She didn’t mention that she’d stopped to help an older man whose groceries had spilled into the snow. The kindness felt too small to mention.
The bell over the door jingled, and a gust of wind swept in. Claire turned to greet the customer but froze when she saw who it was.
“Liam,” she breathed.
He was taller than she remembered, his shoulders broader beneath a black winter coat. His dark hair was dusted with snow, and his hazel eyes sparkled with a familiar mischief. It had been three years since she’d last seen him, but those years hadn’t dimmed the memory of her first love.
“Claire,” he said, his voice warm and smooth, like honey. “Still working here, huh?”
She managed a weak smile. “And you’re back in Winterridge. I thought you’d never set foot in this town again.”
He shrugged, a playful grin tugging at his lips. “What can I say? The holidays have a way of pulling you home.”
Home. The word felt strange on her tongue. Liam had left Winterridge for college, then for a big job in the city. Meanwhile, she’d stayed behind, caught in the rhythm of small-town life. They’d promised to keep in touch, but life got in the way, as it always did.
Now he was standing in front of her, looking just as handsome as he had the day he left.
“What brings you here?” she asked, trying to sound casual.
“I needed a break,” he admitted. “City life gets exhausting. And my mom guilted me into coming home for Christmas.”
Claire nodded, not knowing what else to say. Liam had been her everything once—her partner in late-night adventures, her confidant, her first kiss under the stars. Seeing him now brought back a flood of memories, sweet and sharp all at once.
“Any good books for a guy who needs to unwind?” he asked, breaking the silence.
She raised an eyebrow. “Do you even read?”
“Only when you make me,” he teased.
Claire couldn’t help but smile as she led him to the shelves. For a moment, it felt like old times—like they were two teenagers again, sneaking out to watch the sunrise over Frost Lake or daring each other to jump off the old rope swing.
But things weren’t the same. They couldn’t be.
Later that night, Claire walked home under the glow of Christmas lights strung along the lampposts. Her thoughts were heavy with Liam’s sudden return. She wasn’t sure how she felt—excited, nervous, maybe even a little angry. He’d left her, after all, and now he was back, acting like no time had passed.
As she rounded the corner to her apartment building, she spotted him leaning against her front steps, a takeaway coffee cup in each hand.
“Liam?” she said, startled. “What are you doing here?”
“I figured you’d need warming up after your shift,” he said, holding out a cup. “Hot chocolate, extra marshmallows. Just how you like it.”
She hesitated before taking it, the warmth spreading through her cold fingers. “You didn’t have to do this.”
“I wanted to,” he said simply.
They sat on the steps, the cold air wrapping around them. For a while, neither of them spoke. Claire sipped her hot chocolate, savoring the sweetness.
“You still blame me, don’t you?” Liam said suddenly, breaking the silence.
Her stomach tightened. “Blame you for what?”
“For leaving,” he said, his voice softer now. “For not keeping in touch the way I should have.”
Claire looked down at her cup, the marshmallows melting into the cocoa. “You made your choice, Liam. I couldn’t hold you back.”
“You were never holding me back,” he said, turning to face her. “You were the best part of my life, Claire.”
She felt her throat tighten, tears threatening to spill. “Then why did you leave?” she whispered.
“I thought I needed to prove something,” he admitted. “To myself, to my family. But I was wrong. Being out there, in the city, with everything I thought I wanted… it didn’t feel right. Not without you.”
Claire’s heart ached at his words. She wanted to believe him, but the hurt of his leaving was still fresh, even after all this time.
“I don’t know if I can do this, Liam,” she said, her voice trembling. “I don’t know if I can let myself trust you again.”
He reached out, his hand warm against hers. “I’ll prove it to you,” he said. “I’ll spend every day proving that I’m here for you, Claire. That I won’t leave again.”