Max’s eyes widened. “Wow.”
“I know, right? Granted, the gazebo has been refurbished since then, and the festival's name was changed about twenty years ago. It used to be just the Mistletoe Festival, but the townspeople voted to change it to Mistletoe Mania.”
We walked around the park and ate almost a dozen cookies between us. Everywhere I turned, people gazed lovingly into each other’s eyes and shared sweet kisses. My heart longed to be with someone else and there was no denying it anymore. All I could think about was Jake. It wasn’t fair to Max; he deserved to be with someone who could be fully in love with him. I honestly didn’t think that would ever be me. Even if Max was my true path, I didn’t feel it in my heart. And if I didn’t feel it, there was no way he could be the one for me. I’d always believed that being in love was one of the strongest emotions a person would experience in their lives. What I felt for Jake was just that. I couldn’t imagine ever feeling that way about anyone else; I didn’t want to.
“No one’s in the gazebo,” Max pointed out. “Want to sit down for a while?”
The gazebo had been covered in mistletoe in addition to the twinkling lights, ribbons, and garlands. I couldn’t do it.
I stepped in front of Max and closed my eyes, my pulse skyrocketing. The burn behind my lids was too much to bear, and I let the tears fall when I finally glanced up into Max’s genuine gray gaze.
He stared into my eyes for a few seconds, and then I noticed when the realization hit him. His smile fell and he nodded. “I was wondering when this was going to happen,” he said.
“What?” I asked, my voice thick with sadness. I didn’t want to hurt him.
Max reached for my hands and held them. “That you want to be with Jake. I saw it the day I came to your house. How he looked at you and you looked at him was undeniable. I just chose to ignore it.”
More tears fell down my cheeks. “I’m sorry, Max.”
He shook his head and squeezed my hands. “There’s no need to be sorry. I didn’t tell you this, but I ran into Jake, and we spoke.”
My heart stopped. “What did you talk about?”
Max smiled. “You, of course. Jake admitted he wants to be with you. And when he said you’d chosen me, I didn’t believe him; it didn’t feel real.” He lifted one of my hands to his lips and kissed it. “We have a connection, Lydia. When I talk to you, it’s as if we’ve been friends our entire lives. I feel like I can tell you anything.” Slowly, he let my hands go and wiped away my tears. “Maybe that’s as far as it’s supposed to go with us . . . friends. I want you to look at me the way you look at Jake, but it’s not there. He has your heart, Lydia. And Iknowyou have his. He let you go to be with me, and I know it killed him to do it.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist. “I’m so so sorry. What are we going to do now?”
Max hugged me tight and let me go. “Weare going to stay friends. My grandfather and your nana are seeing each other now. If they were ever to decide to get married . . .”
My mouth dropped. “Then, we would technically be considered family.”
He chuckled. “You’re right. Might be a little awkward at the family gatherings. I’m sure there will be some of those in the future.”
He was right. I hadn’t thought about what the future of our families would be like if John and my grandmother’s relationship turned serious.
Max hugged me again. “Go find Jake. He’s the one who should be here with you right now.”
Hearing him say that made my insides flutter with anticipation . . . and impatience. I wanted to find Jake, needed to more than anything.
“What about you?” I said, letting him go. “Your car is at my house.”
He shook his head. “Don’t worry about me. I’m sure Violet and Ben will take me there. Now go.”
I didn’t waste any more time. With my heartbeat pounding in my ears, I rushed out of the park and across the street to the gallery where my Honda was parked in the private lot behind the building.
It was like I couldn’t get there fast enough. All I wanted to do was tell Jake how much I loved him and wanted to be with him. In my heart, I knew I’d made the right decision. There wasn’t even a choice that needed to be made; I knew it was Jake all along.
I was only two steps away from my vehicle when Margaret’s voice stopped me.
“I see you’ve made your choice.”
Gasping, I jerked around to face her. She was dressed in her usual red sweater and black pants. When I looked down at her mistletoe, it shimmered with magic just like mine did at times.
“Where have you been? I needed your help,” I said.
She nodded. “I know. I chose to ignore you. You needed to figure things out on your own.”
I threw my arms up in the air. “But I didn’t choose either of the paths you gave me.”
