Chapter 167

I had been peacefully lost in the pages of a book when the tranquility was shattered by the sound of my door slamming open.

Startled, I looked up to find Aria bursting into my room, her face flushed with excitement, and her chest. heaving with anticipation.

“Evie!” Aria cried, her voice tinged with a manic energy that I couldn’t ignore. “You won’t believe it!”

I bookmarked my book, setting it aside, and turned to her, concern etched across my face. “What’s wrong, Aria? You look like

you've seen a ghost.”

She didn’t bother with pleasantries. “The holiday market is coming back to town this Saturday!”

I furrowed my brows, my mind racing to make sense of the news. “Holiday market?”

Aria’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as she spoke, her words tumbling out in a rush. “They used to set up different shops

around town during this time of the year, but they stopped years ago! I guess someone took over the funding because. now

they're coming back and we can’t miss it!”

Her infectious excitement began to wear me down, and I couldn’t help but smile. despite my reservations. The idea of revisiting

the holiday market, a place filled. with cherished

admit, it sounds intrigu from Childhood, was enticing. “Okay, okay, Aria. I'll

admit, it sounds intriguing. But remember, it disappeared for a reason, and that reason might still be there.”

Aria waved her hand dismissively, her enthusiasm undeterred. “Oh, don’t be such a worrywart, Evie! It’s just one day, and it'll be

so much fun! We can't let this opportunity pass us by.”

As I watched her, I couldn’t help but be drawn in by her excitement. Aria had always been the spontaneous one, dragging me

into adventures I would never have dared on my own. She was the embodiment of living in the moment, something I had

forgotten how to do. Perhaps it was time for a change.

With a sigh, I gave in to her infectious enthusiasm. “Alright, Aria, you win. I’ll go to the holiday market with you on Saturday.”

0

You won't regret it, Evie! It's going to be amazing!”

So the ila ught hug.

The day finally arrived, and Aria practically dragged me out of bed with the enthusiasm of a child on Christmas morning. She had

insisted we wear matching scarves that she had bought herself, very much giving in to the holiday cheer.

As we approached the entrance to the market, the air was alive with the scent of freshly baked goods and the sound of laughter.

The familiar twinkle of lights hung from every stall, casting a warm glow over the scene. It was as if time had stood still, and I

couldn’t help but be swept up in the nostalgia.

Aria’s eyes sparkled with delight as she surveyed the scene. “Evie, isn’t it beautiful? It’s just like I remember.”

I nodded, a smile tugging at my lips. “It’s gorgeous.”

We strolled through the market, taking in the sights and sounds. There were stalls selling handmade ornaments, artisanal

chocolates, and intricate wooden toys. The laughter of children echoed through the air as they rode the carousel, their faces lit

up with joy.

As we passed a booth selling hot cocoa, Aria grabbed my arm excitedly. “The hot cocoa was always amazing! Wanna get

some?”

I nodded, my heart warming at her excitement. “Let’s get some.”

We stood in line, the anticipation building with each passing minute. Aria chatted animatedly with the vendor, who had a twinkle

in his eye as he ladled the rich, steaming cocoa into two Styrofoam cups. As he handed them to us, he winked and said, “On the

house, ladies. Welcome back to the market.”

Aria and I exchanged surprised glances before thanking him profusely. It seemed that everyone in town was just as thrilled as we

were to have the market return.

We found a quiet bench to sit on, sipping our hot cocoa and watching the world go by. Aria leaned in, her voice filled with wonder.

“Evie, I can’t believe we almost missed this. I know you've probably never been, but it’s a day worth.

remembering.”

I couldn't help but smile. “You're right. This was exactly what we needed.”

2/6

After a few extra sips of cocoa, we were back on our feet and wandering through the stalls once more. The collections were on

the expensive side, so I kept my observation strictly hands-off.

Aria, on the other hand, was practically bouncing with excitement as we approached a booth selling handmade ornaments.

“Evie, look at these! They're beautiful!”

I nodded, admiring the delicate craftsmanship. As she drooled over the different. designs, I glanced around at the different

vendors. My heart nearly stopped beating when I saw a familiar face amongst the crowd, lingering just a few feet

away.

Timothy was standing by a booth adorned with a beautifully crafted model train set, his eyes fixed on it with a childlike

fascination. As it zoomed through the tiny little city, likely meant to emulate our own, I found myself entranced by his interest in

something so small yet detailed. It made me mourn the gift he’d given me, now reduced to broken glass.

When I looked back at his face, I was stunned to find that he was looking right back at me, his hazel eyes wide with wonder. I

turned away, pretending to occupy myself with the ornaments before eventually abandoning that stall altogether and drifting

along with the crowd.

“Evie?”

He was already by my side, following my pace before I could go any further. I turned to face him, my heart racing, and forced a

smile. “Timothy? I didn’t expect to see you here.”

He chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a way that had always made my heart weak. “I could say the same about you. I

never thought they’d have another holiday market after so long. I’m enjoying the festivities.”

I nodded absently. He still hadn’t seen the email, likely still diligent about waiting. for some free time in his schedule. I could just

tell him to his face, but he looked like he was enjoying himself at the moment.

At this point, perhaps it was best that it looked like a complete stranger had sent them. I’d kept it from him for too long, and my

guilt was growing by the second.

“So, how have you been, Timothy?” I asked, trying to break the silence.

111

0

He shrugged, his expression distant. “Same old, same old, I guess.”

There was so much I wanted to say to him, so much I wanted to explain, but I didn’t know how to broach the subject.

Timothy's gaze kept drifted back to the model train set, and he nodded in its direction, “I used to have one of those as a kid.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “Really?”

His eyes lingered on the train set for a moment longer before he turned back to me, a wistful smile on his face. “They were pretty

expensive, so I saved up enough money to get my own. I could barely take my eyes off of it whenever it would chug around like

that.”

I cracked a smile. “You could still get one, you know. Treat yourself.”

Timothy chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Nah, I’m too old for that now.”

I wanted to reach out to him, to tell him that it was never too reach for the thing that you want...or the person that you want, but

the words caught in my throat.

I mustered up the courage to address the elephant in the room. “Timothy, I never congratulated you on your engagement and

pregnancy. I should have said something sooner.”

Timothy's smile widened, and he reached out to pat my shoulder, then let his. hand linger. “It’s alright, Evie. You don’t need to.

But I appreciate the sentiment.”

“Oh.” I felt more relieved than what was probably appropriate. “I just figured...”

Suddenly, Timothy’s gaze shifted, and he pointed towards the center of the square. “Look, the light show is about to start. It’s the

best part.”

I followed his gaze and saw a massive tree adorned with thousands of colorful lights standing tall in the center of the square. As

we watched, the lights began to flash in time with the music, creating a mesmerizing display of dancing colors.

The sky above the tree erupted in a burst of brilliant fireworks, their vibrant colors. painting the night sky in a breathtaking

display. Timothy and I stood side by side, our eyes fixed on the spectacle above us, lost in the beauty of the moment.

For a brief, fleeting instant, the world around us faded away, and it was just

4/6

A

Timothy and me, sharing a moment of wonder and awe.

For a fleeting instant, our fingertips brushed against each other, a touch so brief that it felt like a whispered secret. We both

jerked back as if shocked, our eyes. locking for a moment before we averted our gaze.

Just then, Aria appeared, holding a tray of pretzel dogs. “Hey, Evie! I lost track of you. Look what I found!”

Aria’s cheerful voice shattered the spell of the moment, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of regret as I watched Timothy step

back.

Aria’s eyes widened in shock as she saw Timothy standing beside me. “Timothy? What are you doing here?”

Timothy seemed caught off guard by the question, his expression briefly clouded with uncertainty. “I was just heading out, and I

ran into Evie here.”

Aria’s curiosity was palpable as she looked between us. “Oh.”

Timothy nodded, his gaze shifting uncomfortably. “Yeah. It was nice seeing you both.”

With a polite nod, Timothy excused himself and walked away, disappearing into the crowd. Aria turned to me, her eyes filled with

curiosity and a hint of mischief.

“So, Evie, what was that all about?”

I sighed, my heart heavy with conflicting emotions. “Evidently he likes the holiday market too.”

Aria’s grin widened, and she gave me a knowing look. “Uh-huh.”

I rolled my eyes, feeling a wave of frustration wash over me. “Aria, it's not like that. We were just talking.”

She shrugged, her expression teasing. “Sure, Evie, whatever you say.”

As we continued to explore the market, I couldn’t help but feel torn about what had just happened. The touches were only brief,

but they had left me feeling embarrassingly flustered. It felt strange, like I was emotionally perusing with another woman’s man

knowing that those two hardly liked each other to begin

with.