She kept all that to herself.
“He’s a sweetheart,” Mom said, still turned to look at Elise. “And he clearly cares about you.”
“He cares abouteverything,” Elise said, sharper than intended. “That’s exactly the issue.”
Her mother didn’t press again, so it was quiet except for Bing Crosby crooning about aWhite Christmas, which her father put on repeat until they reached Snowberry Lodge.
There, Dad pulled around back to the kitchen door because it was the only entrance without stairs and how Elise always got in and out of the lodge.
Her whole body prickled as she unclipped her chest strap, braced as her dad lowered the van’s lift, and rolled into the crisp Christmas air. The tension was understandable, since she was minutes from seeing Wade.
Inside the kitchen, warmth wrapped around Elise instantly. Cinnamon rolls baked in the oven, pine-scented candles flickered, and a familiar chorus of Starling, Kessler and McBride voices drifted from the great room.
“Elise!” MJ swept over, hugging her lightly and avoiding bumping the chair. “Merry Christmas.”
“And to you, Aunt MJ!” Elise grinned. “Nic texted me this morning. I heard you and Matt made a huge discovery last night.”
The older woman flushed. “I thought I had ghosts. Turned out I had the phone of a construction worker.”
They laughed about that, then she moved with her parents to the great room and set their gifts beneath the tree. A bunch of conversations overlapped, while Newt bounded through the room wearing a big red ribbon and bow as a collar. She hugged and helloed, and tried not to spin her chair in every direction looking for the man who was not in the room.
Not surprising. He was a lodge guest, not family, and not obligated to attend the festivities.
Disappointment went to war with relief, and—oddly enough—relief won. She didn’t have to look him in the eye and pretend she wasn’t stung, rattled, and cracked wide open.
“Elise!” Nicole swung down beside her and plopped onto the sofa. “Merry Christmas, lady!”
“Merry Christmas. You look like you swallowed a secret.”
Nicole flashed a guilty smile. “Me?Nooo.” Her knee bounced. “Okay, maybe a tiny one.”
“Where’s Cameron?” Elise asked.
“Uh… around.” Nicole picked up her phone and gave a soft gasp as she read the screen. “Okay, then. Let’s take a walk.”
“A walk? Now? Where are we going?”
“Stop interrogating and show me why you’re called Hale on Wheels.” She gestured toward the kitchen. “Chop-chop, sister.”
Elise followed, more curious with every passing second. On the way, Nicole grabbed a jacket and tossed Elise her fur poncho from where she’d left it in the mudroom.
“We’re going outside?” Elise asked.
“Do the wordsChristmas surprisemean nothing to you?” Nicole quipped.
They crossed the plowed path to the stables, breath visible in the crisp air. At the big door, Nicole paused dramatically.
“Are you ready?” she asked.
“I’m actually not sure.”
With her fiftieth sly smile, Nicole pushed open the stable door, letting in a rectangle of bright, icy sunlight.
“Elise,” she said softly. “Go on.”
Elise rolled forward on instinct, expecting…honestly, she had no idea what to expect.
What shedidn’texpect was Wade.
