“I can’t go anywhere. My kids are here, Landon.”
“I called Fern and her and her husband made it here this morning on snowmobiles. They’re waiting downstairs. They’re going to stay and watch the kids while we go talk.”
“Who needs to talk? We know that this won’t work. We know that Karter knew that and that’s why he was okay with what I did. I had to do it.”
He leans down and takes my hand in his, his mouth caressing my knuckles and turning my knees to jelly. His breath is warm on my fingers and goosebumps dance up my arm.
“Karter was hung up on the friend thing. But he loved both of us and I find it hard to believe that he wouldn’t want his two best friends happy.”
“You are just not thinking clearly.”
“I am. For the first time in my life, I am.” He holds out a coat and shakes it. “Now come on. Consider me your own ghosts of Christmas past, present and future.”
“You’re being ridiculous.” I roll my eyes. But hope sings in my blood. Maybe…
He wraps me up in the coat as he stands me on my feet and then he holds out a pair of gloves and a hat. I slip them on and he leads me out the door and downstairs.
We stop at the front door and two people holding hands on the couch in front of the fireplace smile at me. She’s dark and exotic-looking and he’s gazing at her like she hung the moon and the stars.
“Have fun, you two!” They call. “We’ll take good care of the kids if they wake up.”
I slip on my boots and glare at Landon. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing but I think it’s all a mistake. Nothing’s going to change.”
“We’ll see.”
He leads me out the door and down to a sleigh drawn by two milky gray steeds. “I think you remember Artemis and Lancelot.”
Smiling, I pat them gently on their silky muzzles and the nuzzle into me, warm breath fanning my fingers even in the gloves. I do!” I look around. “Where’s Mr. Anderson?”
“He let me borrow the sleigh and horses. He’s got a bit of a cold so he’s laid up right now.”
“Oh. I hope he’s alright.”
“He is. Now, climb on up and we’ll head to our first stop.”
I step up into the sleigh and he covers my lap with a soft, warm plaid blanket. Then he hands me a thermos. “Hot cocoa. I think that’s still your favorite.”
“Yeah.” That’s one of the reasons I still have that extra twenty pounds. I love my hot cocoa and chocolate.
Landon climbs up in the sleigh and clicks to the horses, who immediately step forward, jerking at us.
Then the sleigh smoothes out and we move in a whirling, exciting kaleidoscope of frozen land and fairy breath dancing in the air. The horses snort out foggy breaths.
And I sit there and hold the thermos, frozen in memories.
It takes what feels like forever. But suddenly we’re sitting in front of a house that I know well.
“Do you still live here?”
He shakes his head. “My dad still does but I moved out ages ago. But I brought you here because this is where we met. You were with Karter when he came over the one night after my mom died. I was sitting there, shell-shocked and so damn sad that I couldn’t even eat. And then this pretty little girl sat down next to me and covered my fingers with her own. She told me that it was alright to be sad. But that I should always remember the good times with my mother. That she wouldn’t want me to stay sad.”
“You understood. And you didn’t try and change me. I don’t think you ever even told me that it wasn’t okay to cry. You just sat down beside me and listened. That meant so much to me. I idolized you and your brother.”
“And that’s why I say this won’t work.”
“Wait.” He holds up a hand. “Just wait. And listen.”
We pull away from his house and then we’re setting out towards the old storefront for their company.
