Enveloped in festive sprigs studded with tiny, shimmering stars, Kat gaped in breathless awe.
“Do you know why people kiss under mistletoe?” Jack stood so close, she felt his warmth clear through her coat and scarf.
Trying to focus on his question—and not the overwhelming urge to kiss him right then and there—she murmured, “I have no idea.”
“The truth is, no one knows for sure. But there’s one legend I’m particularly fond of.” He smiled and the sight made her heart flutter just like the first time they met.
“In Norse mythology, the nefarious god Loki used a spear made out of mistletoe to kill the son of Frigg, the goddess of love. When the gods were able to bring her son back to life, Frigg declared the mistletoe a symbol of love, and promised to kiss anyone who passed beneath it. I like this version of the legend because it’s all about redemption.”
“It is?” Kat asked, not following his logic.
“For the mistletoe. You see, it could’ve gone down in history as the plant that killed Frigg’s son. Instead, it became a symbol of love. And if couples don’t kiss when they’re underneath it, they’ll have bad luck.” He met her gaze, his lips quirked in a mischievous grin.
“Bad luck?”
“Atrocious, awful, appalling luck.” He inched closer, and a tingle skittered down her spine.
“Well, we certainly don’t want that, do we?”
As Jack lowered his lips to hers, playfully sealing their good fortune, a whisper of hope washed over her.
No matter what life brought their way, they would look for the good.
And together, she knew they would find it.
Epilogue
As Reed Hollis cradled the cup of hot chocolate warming his hands, he observed the Christmas Carnival festivities unfolding in front of him as though he were watching a movie.
He couldn’t help feeling a sense of detachment, noticing how everyone else’s lives seemed to move on without him. In the past year alone, all of his closest friends had either gotten married or engaged. And as they huddled around the fire pit together—two-by-two except for Reed—the contrast had never been more pronounced.
But Reed had resigned himself long ago to being perpetually single.
How could he settle down when his heart remained firmly in the past?
“Do you think they’ll give anyone else a chance under the mistletoe?” Grant chuckled, gazing at Jack and Kat canoodling under the arbor.
“I think it’s sweet.” Cassie snuggled closer to Luke, tucked into the crook of his arm.
“It’s kind of a strange tradition, when you think about it,” Colt pointed out. “Isn’t mistletoe poisonous?”
“It’s also a parasite,” Luke added. “Some of the lumber I work with comes from trees that were killed by mistletoe.”
Reed bristled on behalf of the misunderstood plant. It often got a bad rap, but as a horticulturist, he’d learned even weeds had their use. Plants—among many things in life—were rarely all good or all evil. And he often came to their defense. “While it’s poisonous to humans, many animals rely on it for sustenance,” he explained. “And early research shows an extract from the plant might be beneficial in fighting cancer.”
“Really?” Penny asked, sounding particularly intrigued by the information. “Mistletoe is quite multifaceted, isn’t it? It can mean so many different things to different people.”
“Yep.” He smiled behind the rim of his paper cup, appreciating her observation. She’d articulated one of the qualities he loved most about plants in general, especially flowers. Each one had been given a meaning. A white rose stood for innocence and purity, while a blue one, the rarest of them all, represented something wholly unique and unparalleled. And yet, each bud could also hold special meaning for specific individuals—whether it was simply someone’s favorite flower or marked an important occasion.
“Well, ten bucks says they’re next.” Colt nodded toward Jack and Kat, who still appeared lost in their own mistletoe-covered world.
“I’ll take that bet,” Penny told him. “Eliza and Grant already have their date set for the spring.”
“That didn’t stop you two from beating us to the altar,” Eliza laughed good-naturedly.
“That’s true.” Penny blushed.
“And it still didn’t come quick enough.” Colt swooped in for a kiss.
