Across from me, Ashley scribbles something on her piece of paper. I’m so tempted to peek and see what she’s written.
The wish of my heart…
What does that even mean?
I quiet my thoughts and close my eyes, telling myself to picture what I would want if I could have anything. Slowly, an image forms. It’s blurry at first with no defined edges, then it slowly comes into focus.
The marker slips from my grasp, rolling along the table.
“What’s wrong?” Ashley asks, eyebrows knit with concern.
I’m not telling her of all people.
The picture I just saw in my head was Ashley smiling at me from across a room I’ve never been in, which wouldn’t be a huge deal if she weren’t also wearing a wedding dress.
Chapter Thirteen
ASHLEY
“Carter, are you okay?”
The man looks like the Ghost of Christmas Past just came for a visit.
He pushes a hand through his thick dark hair, working his jaw, the bandage on the corner crinkling. “Yeah, I’m good.”
An awkward chuckle falls from my lips. “Do you have everything you ever dreamed of and want for nothing?”
I meant it as a joke, but he doesn’t laugh. Instead, his eyes are steady on me, and something in his gaze unsettles me. “There’s definitely something I want.”
I nod slowly, but his eyes still don’t leave me. “All right, well, I’m going to go put mine on the tree.”
I step away from the table, away from the awkwardness of this exchange, and walk to the far side of the tree, where my wish won’t be front and center for Carter to see. I find an empty branch and wrap the ribbon around it so that my bell dangles nicely.
When I come back around the tree, Carter is still staring at his blank piece of paper as if he’s puzzled.
He glances over. “Would you mind grabbing me some more eggnog?”
“Sure, I was just thinking I want some more too.”
I give him a small smile and head back over to the food and drink table. My dentist waylays me, and I take a quick minute to chit chat with her before politely excusing myself.
As I approach the tree again, I watch Carter put the cap back on the marker and set it on the table. Then he goes over to hang his paper bell on one of the branches.
I commit to memory where he hangs his because I’m so curious what he wrote—an urge to sneak back later and read it takes over, which makes me a terrible person. I deserve a lump of coal in my stocking.
He turns away from the tree, and I try to appear completely normal, as if I wasn’t spying on him a little. At first, that same look is on his face as when he was deciding what to write, but then his charming smile transforms his face, and he steps away, breaking the distance between us.
“Thanks.” He takes the cup from my hand, and our fingers brush.
Our gazes come together, the invisible string between us pulled tight.
Carter’s mouth opens, and I’m desperate to know what he’s about to say, but Ester approaches from the side, dragging us both from what I feel was going to be an essential moment.
“Merry Christmas, you two.”
We both mumble Merry Christmas.
“Good to see you again, Carter. How are you enjoying your visit to Mistletoe Falls?”
