“Always.”
“Let’s go, then.”He was pleased to see that Tilly had brought her thick jacket because what he planned for them wasn’t indoors.“You up for a walk?”he asked once they got outside.
“Sure.I didn’t do much today, apart from walking around, telling everyone where to go and what to say.”
“Good.”He hooked her elbow through his and started toward Miracle Lake.When he’d first heard some of the guys talking about skating on the lake, he’d liked the idea, but hadn’t liked it too much going by himself.Now he had Tilly to go with him, and he wanted any excuse to hold her hand.Or put his arm around her to keep her steady.Although he imagined she would be a more than capable skater.
“Are we going skating?”
“We are.And before you ask, I got some good sleep after our last call-out.”
“Oh, yay!”She clapped her hands.“I haven’t been able to get out to the lake this season.I usually go a couple of times a year.I didn’t even make the tree lighting and stroll, like I always do, because...you know.”She waved her hand around.“I also missed the mayor announcing our event and how she wanted everyone to get excited about it and come to the town square by six in the evening.I think the whole town is aware something is being planned.How could they not with the rehearsals taking place at the high school?The fact it’s been kept a secret for this long is impressive.”
Zach didn’t think he’d ever get tired of hearing the way she chattered away.Whether it was when she was nervous or happy, he adored this little quirk of hers.But he had to admit he would’ve loved to have experienced the tree lighting and stroll with her.To be able to see the way her face would’ve lit up when the switch was thrown and the lights came to life on the tree.
Maybe next year they could do it all together.
That thought would’ve scared him months ago, but now he wanted to make it happen.
Would Tilly want to experience it with him or not?He hoped so.Like the conversation about his job, he could wait to ask her.
Tonight he wanted to live in the moment and appreciate this lead-up to the holiday season—something he hadn’t been excited for in a long time.“I think everyone who is part of the show knows how important it is to you and the need to keep it quiet.This is the first time the town has seen anything like this, so they’re keen to make it a huge surprise.”
A shimmer of doubt appeared in her eyes.“What if no one likes it?What if they think it’s silly and don’t follow the group around?Don’t join in with the Carols by Candlelight at the end?For us to win the contest, the judges not only have to be impressed by the show but also that it entertained the people who lived here.”
“Hey, Tulip, it’s going to be amazing.Everyone is going to love it, and the whole town is going to support you one hundred percent.They’re not going to turn their backs on one of their own.Believe it.”Zach wasn’t saying those words to appease her or make her feel better.He meant them.Marietta was a supportive town.No way would anyone not show up and follow the Nativity play to all the stops.
“Do you really think so?”
“I do.Now, let’s go skating.Will you hold my hand as we go around?Keep me steady on my skates?”
Tilly laughed, like he wanted her to.“I think I can manage that, but only if you promise to get me a hot chocolate as a reward for making sure firefighter Zachary Langley doesn’t embarrass himself in front of the residents of his new town.”
“Deal!”
Chapter Sixteen
The sound ofblades scraping over the ice, kids laughing, and Christmas carols playing in the background filled Tilly with seasonal joy.The rehearsals were going well, but she was still stressed about being able to pull it off.She still thought that everyone expected her to fail.Chelsea may have announced that something was happening, but everyone knew she was the one organizing it.The places where Mary and Joseph were going to stop knew it was her.She’d had some people come up to her when she was walking around the grocery store, asking what she was planning, but she hadn’t breathed a word.
Carol Bingley, the town’s gossip, had mellowed over the last couple of years, but she’d commented to her that she hoped that whatever Tilly was doing, she wouldn’t walk away from it before it was completed.Tilly had assured Carol she wouldn’t.
And she wouldn’t.
It wasn’t just herself she would be letting down.It would be everyone involved in the show.But mostly she didn’t want to let Zach down.He’d been the rock she’d needed to be able to follow through when things had gotten tough.
Now they were skating side by side, their fingers firmly entwined, and she felt like she could conquer anything.With a burst of speed, she went ahead of Zach and turned so she faced him.Skating backwards, she took both his hands.They were surrounded by teenagers, families, and other couples, but her entire focus was on the man in front of her.“I couldn’t have gotten this far without you.You know that, don’t you, Zach?”
“Yes, you would have.You’re stronger than you think you are.”
That right there was why she hadn’t given up—Zach’s unconditional support and belief in her.“Maybe.I guess we’ll never know.”
Zach skated them over to the bench where they’d left their things, right near the hot chocolate stand.
“You read my mind.”She smiled up at him as they removed their skates.
“It was always the plan.”Zach leaned down and pressed his lips against hers, and it took all of Tilly’s willpower not to grab the front of his jacket and prolong the kiss.But there were kids around, and she was sure their parents would prefer it if they kept it PG-rated.
Zach gave her a wink, and she admired the way his jeans cupped his ass as he walked toward the stand.She didn’t know how or why Chelsea had chosen Zach to help her, but she had to admit she was very glad that she had.
