Holiday Stories Book One Valentines Day
What follows is an excerpt from my short story, True Treasure.
Two weeks from today marked Aunt Sophie's scheduled return from her Alaskan cruise and tour. While she viewed glaciers, a tornado damaged her beloved cottage, Birch Lane Haven.
As her only niece and nephew-in-law, Mark and I decided to help fix this...somehow. Insurance only did so much. To overcome the shortfall, we and a handful of volunteers planned to achieve a miracle for her.
Mark and I volunteered to hunt down replacements for her treasured antique pieces that didn't survive. Off we drove in his Dodge Ram pickup with complete trust in the others to supervise and assist with the repairs. I clutched photos of the cottage interior from past Christmases and birthdays, so we knew what items we sought.
"The shop is a mile away." I stared at the map app on my phone for directions. "Turn left at the next intersection."
"Do you know if they have any of the things we're searching for?" Mark asked as the truck hurdled down the road kicking up dust.
"No, but the owner may be familiar with other shops."
"Are you sure?"
"Not at all. Antique shopping is new to me."
Mark sucked in a breath but said nothing.
"Think of this as a quest or a treasure hunt like your favorite movies you watch over and over again." A smile accompanied my suggestion.
He snorted, and I'm certain he rolled his eyes.
"What if she wouldn't want the same old stuff? Maybe she'd prefer newer furniture."
"Crap! I didn't consider that possibility. We'll search for similar pieces. If we strike out, we'll buy new. Here's the turn."
When he hit the brakes, the truck skidded around the corner.
"Remind me why we agreed to do this."
"She's my only aunt, as you well know, she has no one else, and I love her almost as much as I love you."
"I appreciate you rating me above her. Love you, too." He squeezed my knee.
His words and actions prompted a flutter in my stomach, and my heart skipped a beat. We'd been married a year, and he still affected me in the most romantic of ways. "The shop is on the right."