Free Once Upon a Winter's Heart by Melody Carlson Page A

take a nap anyway.”
    â€œI’ll be home in time to fix dinner,” Emma assured her. “Wait for me.”
    As Emma walked to town, she couldn’t believe how little time it took compared to last night, when it had felt like an obstacle course—okay, it was a fun obstacle course. It was funny, the difference a few unexpected elements could make to a journey.
    Entering the bookstore, it was fun to see the colorful Valentine’s Day decorations suspended from the ceilings and adorning the walls. They really had done a knock-up job last night.
    â€œEmma,” Virginia called out from behind the coffee counter. “You did a wonderful job on the decorations.”
    â€œHow did you know I did it?” Emma asked her as she unwound her scarf.
    â€œLane was down for coffee.” The older woman grinned. “He always gets his coffee here.”
    â€œAha.” Emma sniffed the coffee-scented air. “And I can understand why. It smells delicious in here.”
    â€œWhat can I get you?”
    Emma ordered a latte. “So…did Lane tell you that he helped me with it?”
    â€œI got that impression.” Virginia rinsed a cup in hot water.
    â€œI doubt I could’ve done it without him.”
    â€œHe’s a good guy. Poppi really enjoyed his company.”
    â€œSo I gather.” As Emma unbuttoned her coat, she explained today’s mission. “I know how Poppi loved having his Valentine’s Day table right up front. And I know you and Cindy are probably busy just running this store. Between the back room and the front register and the coffee bar, well, I thought I could help out a little.”
    â€œThat’s right.” Virginia set her latte on the counter. “I completely forgot about the table.”
    â€œI would thoroughly enjoy putting it together.”
    â€œBless you, Emma.” Virginia pushed a strand of gray hair away from her glasses. “Poppi would be happy to know that Valentine’s Day is in such good hands.”
    As Emma sipped the delicious hot coffee, looking around the cheerful bookstore, she wondered if last night had been the final execution of Emma’s Valentine’s Day Grinch. Because today she felt happy and upbeat and hopeful. And yet at the same time there was a faint shadow of melancholy over her. But that was probably due to missing Poppi—especially being here in the bookstore in the daylight hours. She expected to see him popping around the corner with an armload of new books to be shelved. Or talking to a customer, trying to convey his love of reading and the classics, promising “you’re going to love this or I’ll give you your money back.” Very few disgruntled customers ever returned books. If they did, they didn’t usually come into the store again and that was probably just as well.
    Emma perused the shelves, selecting the usual titles that Poppi would pick for the Valentine’s Day table. Of course, she would include the Jane Austen books—after all, she and her sister were named after Austen characters. She also picked the Brontë sisters’ novels and The Scarlet Pimpernel , Gone with the Wind , and Anna Karenina , which though romantic ended sadly…not unlike real life sometimes. She selected Rebecca and Middlemarch , and for younger readers she put out Anne of Green Gables and Little Women . Besides prettily arranging the books on a red table cloth and white paper doilies, she also set out some boxes of chocolates and book accessories that looked festive, and by the time she was done, both Cindy and Virginia came over to praise her work.
    â€œThat looks beautiful,” Cindy told her.
    â€œPoppi would be proud,” Virginia proclaimed.
    â€œThanks,” Emma said. “That was fun. If you don’t mind, I’ll do another little table over by the coffee lounge.”
    â€œOh, that’s a good idea,” Virginia said. “I even have