She loved being there.She loved Colin.And she loved his family.Even if his youngest brother had been completely distracted.Something was going on with Justin, but whatever it was, he wasn’t talking about it.
As Tricia walked away, the heat from the fireplace started to get to Holly.She quietly slipped on her coat and stepped out onto the porch.
She inhaled the cold air and immediately smelled snow.Even though there was close to a foot of snow on the ground, it smelled like there would be a fresh coating by morning.
She stood there, leaning against a post and staring out at the pristine snow.Her heart was full, and there was nothing she needed.She was grateful for this Christmas and for all the love that had filled in the cracks in her heart, making it whole once more.
“And what are you doing out here.”Colin’s voice came from behind her.
She turned to him.“I just needed a breather after that last round of charades.”
“We’re going to practice before next year.”He smiled at her.“We can do better.”
She laughed.“I don’t know if any amount of practice is going to help us.”
He sighed.“We were pretty bad, huh?”
She laughed again.“We were awful.”
“I don’t know if I’d go that far.”He stepped closer to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.“Do you know what I’m thinking now?”
She loved this playful side of him.After all of the stress and disappointment of dealing with her parents, it felt good to let go and enjoy the holiday.
“You’re planning to go sled riding.”
“What?”His brows rose high on his forehead.“Maybe it’s you who is bad at charades.”
“Hey.”She lightly slapped his bicep.“I am not.But charades isn’t about trying to read each other’s minds.”
“It isn’t?So, that’s why I kept getting it all wrong.”
She smiled and shook her head.“What I think you should do now is kiss me.”
“Kiss you?”His voice was soft and charming.“Well, I don’t know.”
“Colin…”
He was teasing her and enjoying every moment of it.“So, would you rather have a kiss or a present?”
Her eyes widened.“A present?”
He pulled a small box out of his pocket and handed it to her.“You got me another gift?But I don’t have anything else for you.”
“Just open it.”
She felt guilty.She should have known that he’d do something like this.But at his prodding, she unwrapped the small package and found a small black velvet box.
Her stomach quivered with nerves.It was too big for a ring box.Still, he’d gotten her jewelry.
She pried the box open.And stared inside at… Wait.Is that a blue dog collar with white crystals?She picked it up, and a little silver dog bone dangled from the collar.
She sent Colin a puzzled look.“You got me a dog collar?”
He let out a laugh.“It’s for Tater Tot.”
She smiled.“That’s good because a dog collar isn’t my style.”
“You should look in the box again and see if that is your style.”
