The girls spotted another vendor cart and asked if they could go look. “Stay where we can see you,” Gabe warned, and they promised before running off, heads already bent together in conversation.
Comfortable silence stretched between the two men as they sipped their cooling hot chocolate. Christopher had been Gabe’s best friend since they could walk. Sometimes words weren’t necessary.
“So,” Gabe said after a moment. “You and Isabella.”
It wasn’t a question. Christopher’s expression shifted slightly, becoming guarded. “What about me and Isabella?”
“I’ve known you a long time, Christopher. I see how you look at her.” Gabe paused, choosing his words carefully. “She’s notyour usual type.”
Christopher’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. “I don’t have a usual type.”
“You have a pattern,” Gabe corrected gently. “Nice women. Fun women. Women you leave when orders come through and never look back.” He met his friend’s eyes directly. “You heard how Isabella struggles. How she’s given her entire life to make sure her daughter has everything she needs. What she’s trying to do for Maddy with the special school.” He paused. “Don’t mess around with her, Christopher. Don’t start something you’re not going to finish.”
The tone was friendly, but the warning underneath was clear.
Christopher was quiet for a long moment, his gaze fixed on where the girls were examining jewelry at a craft booth. When he spoke, his voice was serious in a way Gabe rarely heard. “I’m not messing around with her, Gabe.” He paused, and something vulnerable flickered across his face. “Something’s happening to me. Something I didn’t expect and don’t quite know what to do with.”
Gabe started to respond, but movement caught his eye. The girls were heading back toward them, Trinity holding a small bag and Maddy gesturing animatedly about something.
Gabe looked at his friend with genuine astonishment. “It’s about time you fell in love.”
Christopher’s eyes widened. “It’s too soon to be love. Wait. No. You think...” He trailed off, looking genuinely stunned by the possibility.
Gabe laughed, not unkindly. “It happens like that sometimes, my friend. Sometimes it’s a slow burn. Other times it hits you like a freight train.”
The girls reached them before Christopher could respond, both talking over each other about the handmade earrings they’d found.
“Can we go to the dance studio now?” Trinity asked. “Please? The matinee performance should be starting soon.”
“Let’s go,” Gabe said, standing and trying not to wince at the protest from his leg.
They arrived at the dance studio just as the Christmas pageant was ending its first act. The small theater was packed with families, but they found seats near the back. The stage was beautifully decorated to look like a winter wonderland, complete with a backdrop of snow-covered trees.
The young dancers performed excerpts from The Nutcracker with the kind of earnest dedication that made even imperfect techniques charming. Trinity sat on the edge of her seat, completely mesmerized. She leaned forward, her trained eye catching every movement, every technique.
Maddy was equally captivated, though Gabe suspected she was more enthralled by the costumes and story than the technicalaspects.
He glanced at Christopher and saw his friend watching Maddy’s rapt expression with a soft smile. There it was again. That tender look that spoke volumes about feelings Christopher probably hadn’t even fully processed yet.
After the performance ended, the girls discussed what they’d seen with the kind of detailed analysis usually reserved for professional critics.
“Did you see those fouettés in the second act?” Trinity asked as they walked toward the parking lot. “They were really good for such a young company.”
“The snow scene was so beautiful,” Maddy agreed. “I loved all the sparkles on the costumes.”
They stopped at the public library’s gingerbread showcase next, a local tradition where bakers displayed elaborate gingerbread houses in competition. The creations ranged from classic cottages to elaborate castles to a full-sized replica of the Castillo de San Marcos.
The girls explored while Christopher and Gabe followed at a distance, giving them space while keeping them in sight.
“You’ll figure it out,” Gabe said quietly. “Just don’t break Isabella’s heart. Because it’s not just her heart you’ll break.” He looked meaningfully toward Maddy. “She’s a package deal. That little girl in there comes with her. And from what I’ve seen, she is already getting attached to you,” Gabe said.
Christopher nodded, taking that in. “I know.”
“Good.”
Christopher let the moment breathe, then shifted toward him. His tone stayed easy, but worry sat under it. “So when are you going to put yourself out there again? Or are you still signing up for every dangerous op you can find so you don’t have to sit with what’s been chasing you for six years?”
The question landed. Gabe looked away. “We’re not talking about me.”
