I tried to ignore the way my name sounded in his mouth. “Fine. Lead the way.”
The drive from the rink passed in comfortable silence, with Kip leaning forward between Cole and me to find a Christmas station. I’d given up protesting the holiday music, especially because it seemed to help jog my memory.
Iwantedto remember.
When I woke up from this fever dream that I was in, I was going to invest in a good therapist.
We climbed into the hills, the city lights of Palm Springs spreading out below us.
“Where exactly are we going?” I pressed my forehead against the cool window, watching the lights below.
“Somewhere quiet,” was all Cole gave me, his voice a low rumble that was barely audible over the Christmas carol playing softly through the speakers.
I snorted, rolling my eyes. “That’s not ominous at all. Nothing says, ‘trust me’ like being vague about our destination while driving into the hills at night.”
“Don’t worry, we’re not taking you to our secret murder cabin.” Kip’s face split into a grin that was meant to be reassuring but somehow made me more suspicious.
“The fact that you specified ‘murder cabin’ rather than just ‘cabin’ is concerning.” I crossed my arms, fighting the smile that threatened to ruin my mock suspicion.
“I can’t deny that our intentions aren’t entirely good.” Thetruck slowed as Cole turned down a road and pulled into a small turnout near the edge of a cliff.
My breath caught at the sight of Palm Springs glittering below us like a carpet of diamonds.
Kip was out of the truck before I could unbuckle, practically vibrating with excitement. There was something contagious about his joy, and I smiled as I climbed out of the truck.
The desert night air immediately bit at my cheeks. The sky stretched endlessly above us, impossibly vast and scattered with more stars than I’d ever seen in the city.
Kip dropped the tailgate and shook out a blanket with a dramatic flourish before spreading it out. “Your throne awaits.” He offered his hand with an exaggerated bow.
I hesitated, eyeing the makeshift seating arrangement. “Won’t we freeze our asses off?” My one gripe about Palm Springs was how chilly it got at night.
Cole shut the back door of the truck, a thermos in one hand and a small silver flask and bag in the other. “That’s what this is for.”
The three of us sat with our legs dangling off the edge, the city lights sprawling below us as if we were sitting on the edge of the world.
Kip pushed up the sleeves of his sweater, revealing his muscular forearms. He took the thermos from Cole and unscrewed the top, releasing a cloud of fragrant steam into the night air. “Hot chocolate delivery, coming right up.”
“Of course it’s hot chocolate.” I rolled my eyes but couldn’t fight the smile tugging at my lips.
Cole pulled three Christmas-themed travel mugs from the bag he had, poured in a shot of cinnamon liquor, and handed them one by one to Kip.
I took a mug from him and inhaled the aroma. “Thanks.”
He nudged my shoulder. “This is my special recipe. The secret ingredient is love.”
Cole gazed out at the lights below, his profile outlined in starlight. “It’s his grandmother’s recipe. He makes it every year at the...”
The moment the hot chocolate touched my tongue, the world around me dissolved.
I was fourteen, steam rising around me as I stirred the heavy copper pot on the stove. The grand kitchen of the North Pole stretched endlessly in both directions, with counters dusted with flour, spices in glass jars reflecting the light, and elves bustling about with trays of sugar cookies and candy canes.
“Careful there, Miss Neve!” a man in a green apron called out as I ladled the hot liquid, filling mugs one by one on my delivery tray.
“I’ve got it, Figgy!” I bit my lip in concentration as I began sprinkling a special blend of spices on the hot chocolate before adding marshmallows I’d made the day before. “Dad says I make the best hot chocolate in the North Pole.”
“Better than Hollyberry? She’ll jinx your mittens if she hears that!”
I giggled, placing the final touch of powdered candy cane on the tops.
