I wipe a chilly tear from my cheek. “You know…I don’t think I’ve ever been able to see this side of town. People talk about how quaint it is here, but most of my life has been hiding. Wearing a mask. Acting straight. And in all of that acting, I never got to feel a part of this place.”
“Do you feel a part of it now?”
I take a deep breath, another tear rolling down my face. “Yeah. I do.”
Even with flunking out of community college, I like where my life is going. The thing is, some—most—of that was luck. Stumbling into this crazy extended family who decided they want to support and accept me. I love it, but something about the element of luck doesn’t sit well with me.
“The kids like us, the ones who are growing up and starting to discover themselves—I want them to know this exists for them too.”
Junior looks deep into my eyes, nodding. “I agree. What do you have in mind?”
“I don’t know. But I want to do something.”
“Then we will.”
I know he means it, which makes me swoon all over again. Just as I’m about to suggest we make our way back to the truck, we spy Trip and Sam with their kids. Sam waves us over and gives us huge hugs.
“Oh my God, y’all. This is amazing!”
Trip leans in for another round of hugs. “You two are a big part of this. Junior especially, with this festival thing we’ve got going on. It was a damn good suggestion.”
Junior shrugs, humble. “That was just words out of my mouth. It wouldn’t have gone anywhere if you and your dad hadn’t gone to the city council about it.”
“Still, keep up the good ideas.”
“Will do.”
Sam grabs my arm. “I’m sending out invites for Christmas dinner. Are you doing something with your mom?”
“I don’t think we’re doing much this year.”
My mom’s doing okay with her new job at the Broken Oak, but it’s been tight, and I’m grateful I’ll have a few yard jobs this spring.
“We’re gonna have a big to-do at the house. We’d love it if you and your family would join us. Genuinely.”
I dip my head. “I’ll talk to my mom about it. She’s kept to herself because of my dad all these years, and I bet it’ll be nice for her to get to know a little more of the community.”
“Absolutely.”
There goes that feeling in my chest again.
They break off and sign up for a hayride before making their way to the end of the street. We stop for hot cocoa, and I buy a black beanie from a vendor before heading back to Junior’s truck.
Before we get in, he pulls me to him, wrapping me up with a warm hug and a kiss.
“I’m glad you signed up for the Christmas Cleanup.”
“I’m glad you volunteered to be my partner.”
“Volunteered? Are you kidding? Trip thought he was assigning me to you, but I wasn’t about to let you go with anybody else.”
“Really?”
His hand comes to my jaw as his thumb brushes my cheekbone. “Really. The second I saw you with that black eyeliner and that cute top, I was a goner. And once you opened your mouth at that first meeting, nobody was going to get in my way.”
I tilt my jaw for another sweet kiss, then whisper in his ear, “I have a feeling this will be the best Christmas ever.”
“Me too.”
