For as long as Nicole Kessler could remember, snow had fallen on Christmas morning in the mountains surrounding Park City, Utah. This Christmas was no different, with flakes dancing beyond the picture windows of Snowberry Lodge, giving the pines their sugared edges and spreading a carpet of pure white over the canyons and peaks of the Wasatch Mountain Range.
Except this Christmaswasdifferent, Nicole thought with a secret smile. So different that she could physically feel the shift in her world, her heart squeezing every time she looked across the room and saw her parents snuggled close to each other on a plaid sofa.
Her father, Jack Kessler, championship skier, former ESPN color announcer, and prodigal ex-husband, hadnotslipped out on Christmas Eve, bound for his home in Vermont as they’d all expected.
Instead, after Nicole left last night to have a holiday celebration with her roommate and best friend, Brianna, Dad had changed his mind about going home. They all knew why—he and Mom were back together and still in love. After ten years of having divorced parents, Nicole’s world felt complete again.
Holding that beautiful thought, she tucked her slipper-covered feet under her on the braided rug and wrapped both hands around a mug of marshmallow-topped cocoa. Her gaze roamed over the chaos of wrapping paper and ribbons that had been conquered by a ten-year-old and his brand-new puppy.
Christmas morning was glorious.
All around her, the people she loved most chatted and laughed while the logs popped and hissed in the stone fireplace and the massive tree glittered like a queen in her two-story castle.
Citrus and cranberry floated in from the kitchen, accompanied by the occasional burst of cold air when one of the lodge guests came in or out. They waved to the gathering and shared a chorus of, “Merry Christmas,” as they passed, some stopping to fuss over the new dog or thank the family for the wonderful accommodations.
Over and over, Nicole caught her parents sharing a quiet look or brushing hands when they reached for their coffee. Or they would lean into each other like it was the most natural thing in the world, exchanging a soft whisper with the easy communication of a long-married couple.
Every time, Nicole felt as giddy as her little cousin half an hour ago when a furry, fluffy bundle of butterscotch curls came bounding in. Benny had nearly collapsed in ecstasy, proclaiming the puppy the “best Christmas present ever!”
Nicole had secretly hoped Jack and Cindy Kessler might realize how much they missed each other when they were reunited. In fact, it was that hope that inspired Nicole to persuade her father to leave his home in Vermont and come back to Snowberry and run the sleigh rides…just for this Christmas season.
So, yeah, best Christmas present ever.
No doubt Nicole wore the same expression of pure delight that they’d all seen on little Benny’s face when his Christmas dreams came true. The same look he wore now, with the little Cavalier-poodle mix curled on his lap, clearly having two speeds—zero and a hundred.
The puppy perked up at the scent of cinnamon when Nicole’s Aunt MJ came in from the kitchen with a tray of rolls that smelled like they’d been made by the angels themselves.
A professional nurturer who ran Snowberry’s kitchen and guest relations, Nicole’s aunt had been up since dawn, bustling between the kitchen and the great room. Her job was to make sure the guests in the six cabins on the property and eight suites in the lodge were loved, fed, and happy. And she did it with style, grace, and the kindest, most cheerful heart ever created.
“Well, what are you going to call him, Benny?” MJ asked her beloved grandson as she perched on the armrest of a chair. “He sure looks like a teddy bear. How about Teddy or Smokey?”
Benny made a face, which was downright comical with his little glasses and childish features that simply didn’t match his oddly mature personality. He stroked the curly, caramel-colored fur, thinking hard. “Honestly, Grandma, I want something that fits a real tech mogul’s dog. Maybe Widget? Wi-Fi?”
They all laughed at that, well aware that he might be ten, but Benny had big plans and an IQ to match.
Red Starling, Nicole’s grandfather, snorted from his armchair. “Back in my day, dogs were named Spot or Duke. None of this high-falutin’ gizmo nonsense.”
“Back in your day, Grumpy Santa wasn’t an influencer.” Nicole grinned at Red, who had a lifetime of experience and opinions and loved to share them all. “But now look at you. Viral sensation. Internet royalty.”
A blush crept beneath Red’s long, snowy beard—the same beard that had been the signature of @grumpysanta in Benny’sTikToks. The two of them—great-grandfather and great-grandson and best pals—had created the account that not only broke Benny’s “no phone” rule, but broke the internet, too. Well, enough to give Snowberry Lodge the attention it needed.
The videos had blown up, bookings had flooded in, and in the space of three weeks, the cabins and suites had filled. That meant the tax bill that had hung over their heads like a possible avalanche was officially covered and the check would go out next week.
Red harrumphed as if being an influencer at eighty-two was no big deal, but since the success, he walked a bit taller, cracked a few more jokes, and smiled without trying to hide it.
“Duke?” Benny repeated, his expression squishing as he shook his head. “He needs a name that sounds like a scientist, not a mayonnaise.” The pup bark-chirped as if in agreement and tried to chew the ribbon from Benny’s wrist.
“How about Rocket?” Jack suggested, lounging with his casual grace. He glanced sideways at Mom. “Fast, reliable, takes off like a shot.”
“Or Cosmo,” she countered, leaning into him. “Not the drink. The…universe.”
“Byte,” Nicole tossed in. “With a Y. Short and nerdy. Adorable.”
“Make it Frostbyte,” Gracie, Benny’s mom, added to the fun. “It’s a play on Christmasandyour mother owns a bakery.”
Behind his glasses, Benny’s golden brown eyes lit up. “I kinda like that, Mom, but…” He looked down at his beloved pet. “He doesn’t have white fur, so he doesn’t look like a Frostbyte.”
“’Cept we almost got a case of it when we got stuck out by the creek,” Red said, reminding Benny of their recent misadventure on the sleigh.
