For a heartbeat, we just stand there, the glow from the tree reflecting in his eyes, the snow settling on his shoulders, and the world around us shrinking to just this quiet, shared space.
The spell is broken when Hayes and Emmy’s laughter echoes into the air, drawing my attention away. She smacks him lightly with a napkin, he pretends to scowl—but there’s a hidden warmth in his eyes. A sweetness that reminds me that Mistletoe Bay isn’t just magic in the air. It’s magic you find in people.
Nathan clears his throat, breaking the reverie. “Come on, Pope. I think it’s time to get the rest of your crew safely off the dock before I have to call in the cavalry.”
I roll my eyes playfully, but the heat in his gaze lingers as we walk side by side. And even as the crowd disperses, even as the lights twinkle and fade in patches, I feel it—the faint, thrilling spark that tells me this is just the beginning of something unexpected and extraordinary.
four
. . .
Nathan
Quiet.
That’s all I want tonight. A fire in the hearth, a stiff drink, maybe a book I’d been meaning to read for weeks. A rare evening without radios, patrols, or Tessa Pope.
Between the week of holiday hustle and bustle that typically follows the tree lighting, and keeping an eye on our resident trouble maker, I’m exhausted.
With the way the snow is falling, chances are good that things will be quiet tonight. If not, I'm confident that my deputy chief, Shane Lockwood, will be able to handle it.
Thank goodness.
I slowly and carefully pass Holly Point Lighthouse, the beacon cutting through heavy snowfall like a sentinel. My cabin, tucked a little off the road just past the famous lighthouse ,promises solitude, and a reprieve from the madness of the holiday season.
The weight of the world, or more like the weight of the town, began to melt away as I navigated my patrol vehicle down myunplowed driveway and put it in park. Good thing the town invested in a SUV with 4-wheel drive for the department.
Shutting off the engine, I sit back in my seat, resting my head back and blow out a long breath. I’m not typically the type for ‘car sitting’ but tonight I feel like I’m mustering up the energy just to open the door and climb out.
The warmth that I know is waiting for me inside my personal sanctuary eventually motivates me enough to face the cold.
Snow crunches under my feet as I make my way up the steps and unlock the front door.
Inside, I go through the familiar routine: boots off, coat hung, firearm secured, duty belt on the rack. The furnace hums as I build a fire and let the flames take hold.
A hot shower washes away the week. I'd done my part to kick off the holiday season without a hitch, and I was feeling it. Worth it? Absolutely. But I'm glad I can finally breathe.
Outside my bedroom window, the snow has thickened, coating everything in white.
I always love the stillness that comes with a snowfall like this one.
Tonight will be peaceful.
Calm.
And all mine.
Hungry and ready for a drink, I make my way back to the kitchen to pour a glass of my favorite Bardstown bourbon and pull a frozen pizza out of the freezer. I’ve just set the oven to 450 degrees and took the first sip when my cell phone starts ringing.
Shane’s name flashes on the screen and I groan. He wouldn’t be calling if it wasn’t something urgent and beyond his control.
“Lockwood,” I answer.
“Chief, I know it’s your night off and I wouldn’t call if…”
“Yeah, I know,” I cut him off. “What is it?”
“I just got a call about a car in a ditch. Dispatch wasn’t able to get a lot of info before the call cut out. Thankfully, wewereable to get a ping on the GPS before we lost signal. It looks like it happened out by your place. Right around where the road splits between the lighthouse and Snowberry. Dispatch said it was a female caller.”
