I cleared my throat. “I don’t know. I just know she likes to gossip.”
“She was not gossiping by telling me about my son,” Mom chided.
I didn’t bother pointing out that her son was an almost-thirty-year-old man. And fine, maybe the reason we had to do the gingerbread at all was because of a juvenile argument, but I was a man of my word, and I said I’d rebuild it.
And yes, maybe I was an almost-thirty-year-old man who still lived with his mother… but after my father died and I took over the farm, it seemed pointless to have my own place. I gotup with the sun and worked until it went down, sometimes even longer. Why drive to and from a house I would barely occupy because I was always here. Besides, I liked being close in case Mom needed anything. I promised my dad I would not only look after the farm but her too.
I always thought I’d eventually build my own home here on the property, something rustic with large windows that offered sprawling views of the land I worked hard to maintain. But that thought always included a family. Again, it seemed pointless to build a place like that for just me.
Maybe I should have tried harder over the years to have that family I always thought of, but it was hard to do when the person you pictured it with wasn’t there.
“Why don’t you go on and lie down?” Mom went on. “I’ll call Mayor Schroder and see if Brett is available.”
My head snapped up. “What?”
“Well, someone will need to help Toby. He can’t carry it on his own.”
“No.” I was absolute.
Mom glanced up. “Well, why not?”
“Because I said I’d be there.”
“If you aren’t feeling well, you should just stay home. You don’t want to be sick for Christmas. Brett is perfectly capable of helping Toby.”
“Toby is mine,” I snapped.
Mom’s eyes widened as her lips rolled in.
I suppressed a grimace while rubbing my hand over my beard. “What I meant—” I started, but Mom cut me off.
“Oh, I know what you meant. And honestly, it’s about time. If I’d known bringing Brett up would have been what did it, I’d have done so sooner.”
I blinked. Blinked again. “Ah, come again?”
She laughed under her breath. “You think I don’t know how you feel about Toby? I’ve always known.”
There was no way, just no way, she could have known I thought of Toby as anything other than a friend then enemy. I’d never admitted to feeling anything more to anyone—ever. Hell, it took me years to even admit to myself.
She sighed, her whole expression softening as she came to my side, laying her hand on my arm. “I see it in your eyes every time you look at him. I always have.”
Disbelief rippled through me. Slowly, I shook my head. “That’s impossible.”
“I’m sure that’s what you told yourself,” she mused. “So stubborn. But the truth always finds a way, Archer. Even if it needs a little mistletoe magic to help it.”
I made a sound.Mistletoe magic.Even after that life-altering kiss last night, I struggled to believe. Especially after everything that happened this morning.
“I rejected him,” I confessed. “Ten years ago. He tried to tell me how he felt, and I pushed him away.”
“I’d always wondered what happened between you two.”
“Why didn’t you ask?”
“Because I wanted you boys to work it out on your own,” she said simply.
“So why’re you bringing it up now?”
“Because it’s been ten years, Archer. I’m afraid if you let him go this time, you will regret it forever.”
