Can you believe it? In a few hours, I’ll be engaged!” A frigid gust of wind slammed the door to the Kool Kreme ice cream store behind Elle Sutcliffe. In the busy summer months, the silvery chime that announced new customers never stopped ringing. Now it echoed sullenly through the store, its tinny wail mirroring the empty, forlorn feel of the place. Elle stomped her feet on the floor mat to dislodge some of the fresh snow she’d tracked in, and gave Ricki Delaney, her best friend since high school, a shaky smile. “I hope you’re right, but --” Ricki waved Elle’s concern away with a flip of her perfectly manicured nails. “But nothing. It’s Christmas Eve. Mike’s been waiting for the perfect time to pop the question. This is it.” Unconvinced, Elle yanked the scarf off altogether and draped it over the hook on the wall. Her shawl followed. “You started dating right out of high school. You know as well as I do those teenage crushes never amount to anything.” Ricki’s spine stiffened.
