"That's normal." He sets down his food, turns to face me fully. "This was a lot. We went from colleagues to... this... in three days."
"Are you having second thoughts?"
"No. But I want to make sure you're not either."
I set down my own food, take his hand. "I'm not. I'm scared of messing this up, but I'm not having second thoughts."
"Then we'll take it slow from here. No rushing. We learn how to do this in the real world."
"What if the real world is harder than the snow globe?"
"Then we work harder." He pulls me into his lap, settling me across his thighs like he did this morning. "But I don't think it will be. I think we just found each other at the right time."
I rest my forehead against his. "When did you get so optimistic?"
"When I met someone worth being optimistic about."
We spend the rest of the evening talking, touching, learning how to be together in normal space. We watch a movie and when he finally leaves it’s late. After many goodbye kisses at the door, he orders me to go right to bed, to text him when I wake up and to eat a good breakfast before I come into work. Even with all of his bossiness, and the anxiety about seeing him at work tomorrow, I feel more grounded than I have in years.
I text the group before bed.
Me: He just left. And I think I'm falling in love with him.
Madison: FINALLY she admits it
Lily: We knew three days ago
Chloe: So obvious
Amber: The best kind of obvious
Maya: Happy for you, babe
Emily: Love is beautiful and love at Christmas? Magical.
Me: It's also terrifying.
Madison: The best things in life are.
I touch the snowflake pendant one more time before climbing into bed.
Tomorrow, we go back to work. Back to reality. Back to being boss and employee in front of others.
But tonight, and every night after, we get to be just Justin and Holly.
And that's more than enough.
CHAPTER 8
The staff meeting starts in ten minutes and I'm standing in the employee parking lot having a minor panic attack. My morning had not gone as intended. I was too nervous to eat breakfast, I left my water bottle on the kitchen table, and as I drove up the mountain to work, my gas light came on. Butterflies flutter around in my stomach, I don’t know what to expect seeing Justin at work today.
I’d taken a rideshare to the shop to pick the car up before work, and it had taken longer than I’d expected, putting me behind schedule. Not only had Justin paid for a new tire, but he’d also replaced all my tires and had the shop catch up on the maintenance work needed. The receipt the secretary handed me about made me fall over. Grateful was an understatement.
After parking, I sat in my car for a second taking breathes in and out. Smell the flowers. Blow out the candles. Smell the flowers. Blow out the candles.Okay, I can do this. I can return to work like absolutely nothing happened this weekend.
The park is buzzing with activity, guests already streaming through the gates even though it's barely past opening. Everything looks normal.
Except nothing is normal. Not anymore.
