Eliza let out a laugh and felt the tightening in her lungs loosen a fraction. Puffcake, on the other hand, was not amused because he was startled awake by the shaking of her shoulders.
The side door opened, and Eliza’s stupid heart sputtered. Lachlan stomped off his boots and threw off his coat and hat, his hair messy and wild underneath. They locked eyes. For a moment, the house grew quieter, like it was waiting for something.
Eliza’s timer on her phone buzzed. “Scones are done!” She announced, already reaching for the oven mitts. Perfect golden brown scones sat on the tray, the cardamom filling the cottage with the scent of Christmas.
Puffcake flapped his icing wings and made a tiny, excited screech.
Lachlan laughed, heading to the bathroom to freshen up. “They smell amazing. Keep up the good work, Snow. Maybe we’ll bring home the gold.”
Gretel’s head snapped toward Eliza, her eyes wide. “Snow?” She mouthed, her hands flexed out in front of her victoriously. Eliza said nothing, but her blush grew a darker shade of crimson.
Eliza sprinkled coarse sugar over each of the scones. The sugar caught in the light of the steam, giving them a frosted appearance, like winter’s first snow.
With delicate fingers, Gretel picked up each one and placed them inside the box. After tying a red bow around it, she looked up, giving Eliza a confident smile. “You ready?”
For a moment, Eliza hesitated. She wiped flour off her cheek with the back of her hand. “I think so. I just don’t know if I can bear the rejection if I lose.”
“That’s the beauty about taking a chance, isn’t it?” Gretel handed off the box like it was the holy grail. Then she winked, “It’s much like falling in love.”
Lachlan came around the corner, dressed and ready. He wore a forest green shirt, a jumper, and matching socks with little Christmas tree cakes on them.
Their eyes met from across the room, and he gave her a warm smile. “I saved these socks specifically for this occasion.” He stretched out on the couch, leaning back in the chair. “‘Cause you’re going to knock them right off later, Snow. I just know it.”
Eliza blushed. She swiped open her camera to take a picture before quickly sending it to Piper, and the messages began rolling in.
Ding, ding, ding, ding.
ELIZA HE IS SO FIT
Looks like Hallmark Casanova’s ready to see you smash it!
Go on, girl! Show em who’s best!
Eliza typed a quick thanks to Piper before locking her phone.
“Hansel’s on his way over,” Gretel declared, throwing her scarf back around her neck. “We’d better get going. We don’t want the scones to get too cold.”
The snow crunched under four pairs of boots as the group trekked their way to Gingerbread Hollow square. The late-afternoon light cast a golden sheen on the frosted thatch-roofed houses as Eliza nervously hugged the box of scones, careful not to slip on a patch of ice.
The twins were up ahead, trying to push each other playfully into the ditches filled with snow and fallen leaves. Several paces behind, Lachlan walked next to Eliza. Puffcake brought up the rear, snacking on the trail of magical breadcrumbs.
The two of them walked in companionable silence for a while, the wind nipping at their cheeks. Their arms brushed every so often, sending threads of warmth up her spine.
“So, I was thinking,” Lachlan started, “After you win, we should celebrate. Nothing fancy. Just the two of us.”
Puffcake blinked twice as if to say, “Um. Hello?”
“Okay, three of us.” Lachlan rolled his eyes. Puffcake seemed slightly appeased, but not fully recovered from the comment. Now that Eliza knew about his history, she could understand why. She wasn’t quite sure what happened to Isadora, but she’d known Isadora was long since gone by now.
Had anyone taken Puffcake in over the years, or was Eliza the first? She couldn’t bear the thought. She couldn’t imagine with his loving personality that she was the first, but it was an Airbnb place, after all. People came and went like a revolving door.
“IfI win,” she nudged Lachlan. “But what did you have in mind?”
Lachlan gave a half-shrug, “You’ll have to wait and seewhenyou win.” He nudged her back to emphasize the last words. The confidence he had in her seemed to radiate off of him. “Surprises build character.”
“Fine,” she smiled. “Though I should tell you now, I hate anything that involves glitter, karaoke, or being the center of attention.”
“Shoot,” he frowned. “I’ll have to cancel the skywriting telegram filled with parachuting exploding glitter bombs.”
