In the picturesque town of Winter Grove, the tenacious Alicia Whittaker faces off against her best friend's snobbish brother Zeke Brighton when his disapproval of his sister's boyfriend threatens to upend their Christmas.
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Tenacious college studen...
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Alicia
The cold nipped at Alicia as she made her way to the restaurant. Thankfully, it wasn't too far a walk, though nothing was ever too far in a town as small as Winter Grove. The busy streets made the trip longer, though. The annual influx of tourists has finally descended. The restaurant was buzzing when she arrived, and the lobby was crowded with waiting patrons.
Fortunately, Celeste's family were the sort of people to make reservations months in advance, and the hostess escorted her through the bustling restaurant. It was a lovely establishment. The walls were paneled with actual wood, the tables covered crisp white linens, and the chairs and booths were upholstered with genuine leather. Though Alicia spent almost four years in Winter Grove, she'd never set foot in this place. It was far beyond the budget of a college student. She was surprised Celeste's parents had suggested it—they were comfortable, but this place seemed expensive.
The hostess stopped and led Alicia to a table beside the enormous double-sided fireplace in the center of the restaurant.
"Look who it is!" came a bellowing cry.
The Brightons were already seated alongside Celeste and Sterling, but at the sight of Alicia, they leaped up and pulled her into a tight double hug.
"Nice to see you again Mr and Mrs Brighton!" Alicia gasped as the air was squeezed out of her for the second time this evening. "Now I know where Celeste got her penchant for crushing hugs!"
They laughed as they let her go and beamed at her.
"Gosh, you get lovelier every year." Celeste's mom cooed, her short, white-streaked red hair swishing as she admired Alicia. "And how many times have I told you to just call me Lydia?"
"And you're supposed to call me Herb!" Celeste's dad added, giving Alicia another squeeze around her shoulders. His salt and pepper curls were cropped short, and there was white in his mustache now, too. His green eyes glinted. "How's life, kiddo?"
Alicia couldn't help but giggle. Celeste's parents were lovely people, the human equivalent of stepping into a warm, cozy home after a day in the cold. And this home had been abundantly decorated for the holiday—the couple was wearing matching Fair Isle sweaters in a blazing red.
"I'm doing well," Alicia answered. "How are you? How was the trip in?"
"Oh, fine, fine, though the train into Winter Grove was a bit much. Beautiful mountain views, though I don't love heights," Herb said with a big huff. "But we made it, so all is well. Enough about us, though. We want to hear about you! Anything exciting on the horizon?"
The rejection letter, still sitting in her inbox, instantly rose to haunt her. Her eyes prickled briefly, but she quickly stuffed it back down and forced a smile.
"N-Nothing exciting," she said, though her voice shook. "Preparing for my last semester! So, busy, y'know..."
"Of course," Lydia replied with a knowing nod. "Your final year of college is no cake walk! It's hard to believe you have just one more semester before graduation. It feels like just yesterday you and Cee were paired up for dorms in freshman year." She gave a nostalgic sigh.
