The snow continued falling long after Ava left the Christmas tree lot.
By the time she returned to the cottage that evening, twilight had settled across Starlight Hollow, painting the sky in shades of blue and violet while thousands of Christmas lights sparkled throughout the town. Smoke curled from chimneys. Warm light glowed through frosted windows. Somewhere in the distance, church bells rang softly across the valley.
Everything about the town felt like a scene from a storybook.
Yet what lingered most in Ava's mind wasn't the town itself.
It was Liam.
She told herself that was ridiculous.
After all, they had only spent a few hours talking beside rows of Christmas trees. People met attractive strangers every day. There was nothing unusual about enjoying someone's company.
Still, she found herself replaying pieces of their conversation as she unlocked the cottage door.
The way he smiled when he talked about his family.
The warmth in his voice whenever he spoke about Starlight Hollow.
The easy way he made her laugh without even trying.
Most surprising of all was how comfortable she had felt around him.
For months, nearly every conversation had felt exhausting. She had become so used to pretending everything was fine that she barely remembered how it felt to simply be herself.
With Liam, she hadn't needed to pretend.
That realization stayed with her as she stepped inside.
The cottage greeted her with warmth and the comforting scent of pine. She shrugged off her coat and boots before lighting a fire in the stone fireplace. Soon flames danced across the logs, filling the room with a golden glow.
For a while she simply sat in front of the fire, watching the flames flicker while snow drifted beyond the windows.
It felt peaceful.
The kind of peace she had been searching for without realizing it.
A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.
When she opened it, Eleanor stood on the porch carrying a casserole dish wrapped in a towel.
"I brought dinner."
Ava laughed.
"I was beginning to suspect that's how people say hello around here."
"It is."
Eleanor marched inside without waiting for an invitation.
"Tomorrow someone else will probably bring pie."
"Should I be worried?"
"Only if you don't like pie."
Within minutes, they were sitting at the kitchen table sharing a meal while the fire crackled in the next room.
The conversation flowed easily.
Eleanor seemed to know everyone in town and possessed enough stories to fill several lifetimes.
Ava listened as she described holiday festivals, Christmas parades, and local traditions that stretched back generations.
The more she learned, the more she understood why people loved this place.
Starlight Hollow wasn't merely a town.
It was a community.
People genuinely cared about one another.
That kind of connection had become rare.
Eventually, the conversation drifted toward Liam.
Not intentionally.
At least not from Ava's perspective.
Eleanor simply happened to mention the Bennett family while discussing the Christmas tree farm.
"Good people," she said.
Ava attempted to sound casual.
"They seem nice."
Eleanor's eyes narrowed immediately.
"Oh?"
Ava sighed.
"What?"
"You met Liam."
It wasn't a question.
"Maybe."
"You absolutely met Liam."
The older woman's grin widened.
"Half the town probably knows already."
"That's impossible."
"This is Starlight Hollow."
Eleanor leaned back in her chair.
"Nothing stays secret for long."
Ava shook her head.
"You're all unbelievable."
"We prefer charming."
The conversation moved on, but not before Eleanor spent several minutes praising Liam's character, work ethic, and general popularity around town.
By the time she left, Ava wasn't sure whether she had shared dinner with a neighbor or listened to an unofficial matchmaking attempt.
The thought made her laugh.
Later that evening, unable to sleep, Ava decided to take a walk.
The snowfall had stopped.
Above her, thousands of stars filled the winter sky.
The air was cold but refreshing.
She pulled her coat tighter around herself and headed toward town.
The streets remained surprisingly active despite the late hour.
Couples strolled beneath Christmas lights.
Families gathered around outdoor fire pits.
Holiday music drifted through the air.
The entire town seemed determined to celebrate every possible moment of the season.
Eventually, Ava found herself standing in the town square.
The enormous Christmas tree dominated the center of the plaza, its lights shimmering beneath the stars.
It was beautiful.
Almost magical.
As she admired it, she noticed an elderly man sitting alone on a nearby bench.
Recognition struck immediately.
He was the same man who had spoken to her beside the tree that morning.
The one who insisted it was the proudest tree in Vermont.
He looked up and smiled.
"Evening."
"Evening."
"Couldn't sleep?"
Ava laughed softly.
"Is it that obvious?"
The man patted the empty space beside him.
She hesitated briefly before sitting.
For several moments, they simply admired the tree.
Then the man spoke.
"Beautiful night."
"It is."
"The stars are especially bright."
Ava followed his gaze toward the sky.
They were.
More stars than she had seen in years.
Far more than were visible from the city.
The old man nodded toward them.
"That's how the legend began."
Ava looked at him.
"The Starlit Wish?"
His eyes twinkled.
"So you've heard of it."
"Only a little."
The man smiled.
"Then you've only heard half the story."
Something about his tone captured her attention immediately.
He settled deeper into the bench.
Many years ago, according to local legend, Starlight Hollow endured one of the harshest winters in its history. A terrible storm struck just days before Christmas, isolating the town from neighboring communities and leaving many families struggling. Food became scarce. Spirits sank. Hope disappeared.
Then, on Christmas Eve, a brilliant star appeared above the valley.
Brighter than anything anyone had ever seen.
The townspeople gathered beneath it and made wishes—not for themselves, but for one another.
A father wished for his children to remain safe.
A widow wished for her lonely neighbor to find happiness.
A young woman wished for her sweetheart to return home from war.
According to the story, every selfless wish came true.
The storm ended.
Loved ones returned.
Families reunited.
And from that day forward, the people of Starlight Hollow believed the stars listened to sincere hearts.
Ava listened quietly.
It sounded impossible.
Yet beneath the Christmas lights and star-filled sky, she found herself wanting to believe it.
"What about now?" she asked.
The old man smiled.
"Every Christmas Eve, people still make wishes."
"And they come true?"
"Sometimes."
His answer surprised her.
"Only sometimes?"
"The stars are clever."
Ava laughed.
"That's convenient."
The man laughed as well.
"Perhaps."
Then his expression softened.
"Or perhaps the real magic isn't getting what you wish for."
"What is it then?"
He looked around the square.
At the families.
The couples.
The children laughing beneath the tree.
"The real magic is remembering what matters."
The answer lingered between them.
For reasons she couldn't explain, it struck something deep inside her.
Before she could respond, church bells rang in the distance.
The old man stood.
"Well, I should be heading home."
Ava rose as well.
"Thank you for the story."
"My pleasure."
He paused.
Then offered one final piece of advice.
"When Christmas Eve arrives, make a wish."
Ava smiled politely.
"I'm not sure I believe in that sort of thing."
The old man chuckled.
"You don't have to."
His gaze drifted toward the stars.
"Sometimes believing comes later."
With that, he walked away.
Ava watched him disappear down the street before turning her attention back toward the sky.
The stars seemed impossibly bright.
For a moment, she imagined making a wish.
Not for a job.
Not for success.
Not even for answers.
Simply for happiness.
The thought felt strange.
Yet strangely appealing.
Eventually she began walking back toward the cottage.
As she passed the edge of town, she noticed a familiar pickup truck parked outside a small diner.
The sight immediately made her smile.
Liam's truck.
She shook her head.
This was getting ridiculous.
Still smiling, she continued home beneath the stars, unaware that Liam was sitting inside the diner only a few yards away, looking through the window at the exact moment she passed.
He watched her disappear down the snowy sidewalk.
And despite every attempt to focus on anything else, he found himself wondering when he would see her again.