“Anythin’ for you, sugar!”
Dolly grinned wickedly as she poured generous amounts of vodka into glasses already half-filled with cranberry juice and something that smelled like cinnamon. “Diego’s new boyfriend gets the extra special treatment,” she said, adding another splash of liquor to Hayden’s glass.
“I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?” Hayden murmured to me.
“Probably,” I admitted, accepting my drink with a nod of thanks. “But that’s half the fun.”
The party was picking up steam, with more locals arriving despite the snow. Dolly had cranked up the Christmas music, and couples were starting to dance in the cleared space in the middle of the diner. Lucas grabbed Beau by the hand, pulling him onto the dance floor asJingle Bell Rockstarted playing.
“They’re cute together,” Hayden observed, sipping his drink cautiously.
“They are,” I agreed, watching as Beau twirled Lucas around. “I guess Beau was pretty closed off before Lucas came. He barely said two words to anyone. Just kept his head down and did his work. Then Lucas showed up and...” I made an exploding gesture with my free hand. “Total transformation.”
“Love does that to people,” Hayden said softly, his eyes finding mine.
I felt that familiar warmth spread through my chest, the one that appeared whenever he looked at me like that. “Yeah, it sure does.”
Rowan bounded over to us, his enthusiasm practically radiating off him like heat. “Diego! Merry Christmas! And this must beHayden!” He pulled us both into a tight hug before either of us could respond.
“Careful with the drinks,” I laughed, trying not to spill my Christmas special all over his sweater.
“Sorry, sorry!” Rowan stepped back, still beaming. “Brooks and I are so excited to meet you, Hayden. We’ve heard so much about you!”
“You have?” Hayden said, scrunching up his eyebrows.
“Yep,” Brooks explained, appearing behind his partner with two plates of food. “Diego’s mouth runs faster than a whippoorwill’s ass.” His voice was deep and melodic, just like Eli had described. “Never shuts up about you when Rowan comes to do checkups on the horses.”
I felt my cheeks heat up. “I don’t talk about himthatmuch…”
“Uh-huh,” Rowan nodded. “Whatever you say.” He gave Hayden a wink before turning back to Brooks. Without a word, he took the plates out of Brooks’ hands and sat them down. “Dance with me,” he grinned.
Brooks just glanced back at us with a woeful expression as he was dragged onto the dancefloor.
“So, you talk about me, huh?” Hayden asked, giving me a nudge.
“Can you blame me?” I replied, taking a sip of my drink. “You’re cute and perfect. How could I not talk about that?”
“Stop flattering me,” Hayden whined, his cheeks turning red.
“Not on your life.”
Chapter 25
Hayden
Honestly, I couldn’t have named the slow Christmas song filling the diner. I was far too busy being lost in Diego’s strong arms as we moved slowly around the dance floor. His hands were on my waist, mine around his neck, and my face was buried in his chest, inhaling that rich cologne and masculinity that always clung to him. It was easy to tell that this moment would become a core memory for us, our first Christmas together, and one that I wouldneverforget.
The music wrapped around us like a warm blanket, creating a private world where only Diego and I existed. I felt his heart beating against mine, steady and sure, as we swayed together. Around us, other couples danced. Lucas and Beau, Colt and Eli, and even Dolly was dancing with old Mr. Edwards. But they all seemed to fade into a Christmas-colored blur as my entire being was focused on Diego.
“You happy, Freckles?” he murmured into my hair, his breath warm against my scalp.
I nodded against his chest, not trusting my voice. The truth was, I couldn’t remember ever feeling this content, this secure. The strong cocktail Dolly had mixed me was spreading warmth through myveins, but it was nothing compared to the heat of Diego’s body pressed against mine.
“I’m really glad you decided to stay,” he continued, his hands tightening slightly on my waist. “I know it’s a big decision.”
I pulled back just enough to look up at him, taking in those dark eyes that always seemed to see straight through me. “Best decision I ever made,” I said, surprising myself with how much I meant it.
His smile could have lit up the whole town. “Yeah?”
