“It looks as if Marshall is extending the invite. Why don’t the two of you join us?”
“Hard pass,” Wes says. “My New Year’s resolution is to minimize strife. I’d like to start that a little early.” He spots Laken and Coop. “Have fun,” he says before taking off in their direction.
Ezrina’s deep crimson eyes meet with mine, and it feels as if she’s piercing my very soul.
“I know,” she gravels it out like only she can.
“You know?” I lean in. “About the gift?”
“It is well.” She examines both of us before taking off for Nev.
Logan takes my hand and kisses the back of it.
“My queen.” It comes out with a sorrowful smile. “Let’s do this.”
We’re about to hit the door when Mia hops in front of us.
“Chloe, guess what?”
“I’mSkyla,” I over enunciate “And I was never Chloe. I wasRory,” I say my sister’s name lower than a whisper just as Melody Winters strides by, pausing to wink my way. “Speaking of the witch.” I nod over to her and Mia shrugs.
“Whatever.” She pulls me in. “Great news. Rev and I picked a wedding date—Valentine’s Day. Be there or I’ll have to kill you myself.” She gives a cheeky wink herself. “You’re standing up for me along with Melissa.” She frowns as if it were a necessary evil. “Just wear pink. I’m wearing red, so I’ll want to stand out. I’d better find Lexy and shore up the rest of the details. Time is of the essence!” She trots off, and a laugh gets caught in my throat.
“I guess there’s no time like the present,” I say.
Logan wraps an arm around my waist as we head out into the icy fog.
“Can’t say I blame them.” He lands a sweet kiss to my cheek. “I wish I would have married you the day we met.”
“It would have saved a heck of a lot of heartache,” I muse. “But fate had other plans.”
“Better plans.” He plants a kiss next to my ear as we come upon the woods next to the Landon house. “We have the boys.”
A faint blue glow lights up the mist in the thick of the evergreens, and we make our way over, and soon a small sea of faces appear before us.
But one in particular…
“Daddy!” I bolt his way, collapsing my limbs around him, and he feels every bit solid. “I love you. I’m so sorry everything has gone to hell,” I say. I didn’t dare bring any of it up when I saw him at the wedding, but it feels as if that apology I feel I owe the universe should be given right now. “I’m trying, I really am. But I have screwed this up twelve ways to Sunday. And Rory, she—”
He pulls back and brushes the hair from my eyes.
“I know,” he whispers. “I know all about it.”
The mirrored version of myself to his right catches my eye.
“And you,” I spit the words out, and Marshall pulls me close to him as if his arm were a hook.
“I believe Merry Christmas is the proper greeting, Ms. Messenger,” Marshall says it tight, like the warning it is, but I choose to ignore it.
My mother glows as if she were lit from the inside. And next to her is the embodiment of wickedness, Demetri, and then Gage next to him. An odd holiday gathering if ever there was one.
“I’m not feeling so merry.” My lips part, and just as I’m about to demand that my mother tell Gage the truth, Logan takes my hand.
No. Not now. Not with Demetri here. If Gage hasn’t told him, we’re not either.
I nod, glaring at my mother.
“Hello,” I say, untethering myself from Marshall and Logan. “So you’re here. About a month too late.”
