Eventually, the string of Christmas lights behind Piper’s eyes plugged in. “Yeah, yeah, maybe we have a few things in common.” She put the photo back and groaned. “But you don’t have to remind me, my brain’s already fuzzy enough from last night and—oh, my god.”
Her eyes had gone wide, her body stiff. “What?”
“Nothing,” she squeaked and yanked the blankets up over her head.
“Just remember last night?”
Her groan told him that yes, she did.
Santa’s Village was everything Kol dreaded it would be: overrun with humans, children especially, and filled with depictions of elves that should have had Piper laughing and needling him. But she hadn’t really brightened since that morning. She was embarrassed, sure, but there was something else making her exceptionally glum, and it didn’t help that Michaela’s mother came to pick her up, and the little girl hugged Piper for far too long with a tearful goodbye.
All of the MacLeans loaded up and traveled to Hiberhaven’s downtown to visit a few streets and a massive farmer’s field that had been transformed into a makeshift North Pole. Buildings were covered in twinkling lights, facades converted to look like toy shops and reindeer stables and hot cocoa stands. Kol asked he if she’d like to get some spiked in hopes that would coax out Piper’s smile, but it didnot.
He tried to hold her hand as they strolled down one of the residential roads, equally packed with tourists, but she slipped hers into her pocket. He offered her the extra bag of granola he had taken to carrying around, but she declined, eyes cast down and sad.
I did that, he thought, but short of taking her behind the reindeer stables and burying his face between her thighs, he wasn’t sure how he was supposed to cheer her up. He knew how rejection stung, and they hadn’t even had a chance to talk about it as she had busied herself with catering to her family all day, insisting she was fine, no discussion needed.
As they walked down one of the busiest streets, a feminine voice called Piper’s name from somewhere ahead of them.
She lifted her head, big eyes bewildered, and then they fell like a homing wyvern on a young woman barreling through the crowd. A smile finally broke out on Piper’s face. “Lacey!”
The two met in a tight embrace. The stranger was Piper’s age with pin-straight, blonde hair and a white peacoat, and as she hugged Piper, she squeezed her eyes shut and shrieked happily.
There was a man who had to dodge the crowd to catch up with Lacey, and he offered Kol a polite nod which he returned because that was what the partners of squealing women did, even if they were only playing the role of said partner.
“I didn’t know you were coming!” Piper pulled back but grinned so wide her eyes watered.
“Neither did I, but you know how Mom is—she just decided at the last minute we were making the two-hour drive which my bladder was not happy about.” She laughed and rubbed her belly.
“I didn’t realize you were so far along!” Piper’s mouth hung open at the swell of Lacey’s stomach that had been hidden by her thick coat. “You did this,” she said, scrunching up her nose and shooting a glare at the man.
“Guilty,” he said, and then all three laughed.
“And who’s this?” Lacey had turned her eyes on Kol, friendly and open, but he wished he could sink into the shadows and be unseen.
Piper’s face blanched, and she made rushed introductions. Lacey was her friend from high school—“I’m yourbestfriend,” the woman corrected—and Ethan was Lacey’s husband of three years. “And this is Kol,” said Piper, touching his arm.
“Your…” Lacey’s gaze drilled into Piper, unblinking.
“Boyfriend.” Piper’s touch turned into a grip, and she tugged him toward her. He lost balance only for a moment, and even with the strained way she said it, he grinned like a kid who just found out he was definitively on Santa’s Nice List despite all the naughty things he’d done.
“Well, hello, Kol, the boyfriend that Piper completely failed to mention and now I don’t even get to interrogate because we’re about to leave!” Lacey shook his hand and then dug around in her purse until she pulled out her phone. “You know, I actually did text you on the way. Ugh, stupid mountains.” She showed Piper the screen. “It never sent because I have zero reception here. I’m sorry, but I thought you were just ignoring me. Again. We gotta hang out, okay? My window of freedom is shrinking!”
Piper laughed guiltily. “Yes, definitely. I’ll actually text you this time. Promise.”
They hugged again, and Kol keenly watched Piper’s face, the way her smile moved around with sincerity and solemnity at once, how she sank into the hug, and how Lacey squeezed her back. It lasted a long time as crowds passed them on either side, and Lacey said something into Piper’s ear that made Piper nod and squeeze her eyes shut tight. When they finally released one another, Lacey reminded her again to call and announced she needed to use the bathroom before they loaded into the car.
Piper watched her friend walk away, arm linked with Ethan’s, and then she was quick to turn and hustle the other way.
“Hey, wait up.” Kol hurried after, but Piper was as quick as a jackalope, surprising when her legs were so much shorter than his. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she said, a lie if he ever heard one. Head down, she made her way to the end of the residential street, expertly maneuvering around the tourists.
“Somethingiswrong,” he called, catching up. “Did she say something shitty to you?” He glanced over his shoulder at the crowd, never considering that he’d want to fight a pregnant lady, but if she’d said something nasty to Piper—
“No, not at all. Lacey really is my best friend, I just didn’t think I was hers anymore because I’ve been so…” Piper rubbed at her face. “I’m fine. Let’s go this way.” She didn’t wait for his answer, diverting off onto a lighted path that ran into the woods.
There were far fewer people on the trail that snaked through the trees, but Piper was still moving fast. The sun set early in winter, and despite it only being late afternoon, it was dark enough for the Christmas lights to be needed. The snow sparkled under the rainbows they cast, and other couples passed leisurely arm-in-arm, but Piper kept pace a few steps ahead of Kol then swerved off the path and into a more thickly wooded area.
