“The same kind that brings his mother.” I had to go there. He practically shoved me into it. “Look, we’re hungry. Missy is exhausted, and I was on my way out. She mentioned that your niece wanted a night with Noel, and I asked if she wanted to grab a bite.” Not the entire truth, but somewhere in there the details are all structurally correct. “Trust me, not in a million years could I see myself ending up with your sister.” Not up until a few weeks ago when it all became clear as that lake that sits on the edge of town. I do my best to keep that goofy grin from buoying back to my lips. I can’t help it. I can truly see myself ending up with his sister, and the thought makes me want to smile like a loon all day long.
His chin remains tucked to his chest. “And you just so happened to score a window seat at the busiest restaurant in town on a Friday night?” He closes his eyes a moment, his chest rumbling. “Maybe Tanner is right. You are the golden boy, and a window seat at Le Roux is just something that happens for you.” His brows harden as he makes it no secret to let me know how ticked he is. “It took my mother a week to get this reservation. My father couldn’t make it. I’m his stand-in.” He leans in and jabs a finger into my chest like a bullet. “Stay away from my sister or this will be your last meal.” He shoves his way out the door, and an iced breeze snakes in past him.
“Night, night!” Joy Winters blows me an air kiss as she sprints out the door to catch up with her overprotective son.
I head back to the table and gird myself for whatever might come next. Perhaps an epic breakup before we get to any other would-be epic event.
“Are you still speaking to me?” I wince as I take a seat.
Her brows hike into her forehead. “According to my mother, we’re getting hitched at the community center Sunday night for all of Gingerbread to witness.” She sighs while cracking open her menu.
“A Christmas Eve wedding? Nick might let me attend, but he’ll make sure I spend our wedding night at the morgue.”
Her lips pull back as if she might be sick. “I guess my brother isn’t onboard with the idea.”
“He’s not even onboard with thehintof an idea.”
The waitress appears and takes our orders—we both agree to try the specials since neither of us is familiar with French food, and our dinner is delivered in record time.
Missy and I make small talk, laugh about the past, and circle around the future as if it didn’t exist. But judging by that megawatt smile of hers, of mine, the laughter that never seems to cease between us, the future doesn’t really matter, not tonight anyway. Missy and I are sure of one thing, each other.
Once we’re through, we head back out into a festive Gingerbread night as the crowds gather down by the official town tree lit with ten thousand bright lights. Carolers stroll up and down Main Street decked out in traditional Dickens’ garb, their voices melding together as they sing “Deck the Halls” with its cheerful refrain.
Missy reaches over and takes up my hand, our fingers threading together effortlessly, and it feels like a milestone, like maybe there is a future for us after all.
A horse-drawn carriage, forged to resemble a well-lit sleigh, jingles its way down the street, and Missy gives an enthusiastic hop when she sees it.
“It’s Santa’s sleigh! Oh, Holly and I used to come down every year and ride it up and down Main Street. It was so much fun. But she has Tom and Savanah now. It’s been years since I’ve been on that thing.”
“Hey!” I flag down the driver, and he comes to an abrupt stop. The ornate bobsled is lined with garland, and every last inch of it glows with twinkle lights.
“What are you doing?” she gasps as though she were truly frightened. “Are you crazy? We can’t parade ourselves up and down Main Street. That’s the least platonic thing in the world. Someone might see us! And worse yet, someone might misconstrue what’s happening, thereby causing every business establishment on Main Street to experience a rent hike!”
The driver backs up, leaving me no time to decode what just streamed from Missy’s beautiful lips.
“Can you go down Bloomwood instead?” I point to the street to our left, and the driver gives a thumbs-up. “We’re in.” I help a giggling Missy inside first before sliding next to her with my arm wrapped around her shoulders.
She looks up at me with her jaw to the floor as if the act of wrapping my arm around her were entirely salacious.
“What?” I can’t help but grin at her. “Baby, it’s cold outside.” I pull her in tight as the horses trot off at a decent clip. The glowing sleigh we’re in glides down the street and makes a sharp left onto far darker, far quieter territory.
Missy snuggles in close, her hand scratching over my chest as she bats those impossibly long lashes at me. “I can’t believe we’re doing this!” Her affect changes on a dime, and it looks as if she’s about to cry. “I can’t believe I’m doing this withyou. You were my first real crush, Graham Holiday.” Her smile melts quickly. “My first real heartbreak.”
A hard groan comes from me. “What did I do now?” It doesn’t matter. I’m already disappointed in myself for it.
“You didn’t do anything.” She reaches up and scratches the scruff on my cheeks. “You simply got on with life and moved to New York. I just chalked it up to destiny and the fact we both must have different ones.”
My heart warms as much as it breaks to hear it. “Nope. I’m back, and it’s safe to say destiny played a big part in that.” Here Missy is, in my arms, looking like an angel that drifted down from heaven, and I want nothing more than to tell her she’ll always have me in her life, but my stomach knots up because that leaves New York with a giant question mark over it. Instead, I muster up the strength to tell her the one thing I know for sure. “Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”
A throaty laugh escapes her as she gives me a playful swat. “Only about two dozen times. Is that your best one-liner?”
“I’ve got one more, but I’ve been saving it just for you.” I swallow hard as my eyes steel over hers. “I love you, Missy. I have loved you for so long, and I didn’t know what to do with it. There’s no one else for me—just you.” I give a slight nod as she tries to drink down what this might mean.
“Oh, Graham”—she wraps her arms around me tight and offers a firm embrace before pulling back, her lavender eyes hooking to mine—“I love you, too.” Her lips press together tight. “I’ve always thought you were way out of my league, and I can’t imagine why you’d even consider me as a prospect, but I’m glad you do.” Her cheeks flood with color. “I have loved you for far longer than I even wanted to admit to myself.”
I gently curl a finger under her chin. “You are in the only league I’m interested in—a league of your own. There’s just you. I love you, Mistletoe Winters.”
Her cheek glides up one side seductively, and carefully I land my lips to hers. Missy and I share a kiss that answers all the tough questions about the nebulous future. It’s happening. It’s ours. It’s within our grasp.
We share passionate kisses, dark and deep, that explode the lid off any platonic theory I may have sold to her brother. And as much as I might be sorry for Nick, in no way am I sorry for us. Nope. Missy and I are happening. And no matter how ambiguous the future might be, we’re going to figure it out together.
I’m in love with Mistletoe Winters.
And she’s in love with me.
