“I didn’t spend five years in North Dakota for nothin’,” she quipped, making Forest laugh. The sound was deep and wonderful and made her feel warm all over.
Their next time around, Billy waved from a chair next to Carla. He had a cup of cocoa in one hand and a doughnut in the other. They waved at him, and he grinned so wide.
Mitzi sighed contentedly. “I want this for him so much.”
“You wanted frozen toes and a sugar overload?” Forest tugged on her arm, teasing.
“No.” She tugged back and grinned. “A sense of family. Home. Fun. That smile! Every kid should have that smile.” She put her hand over her heart and let her knees go limp to show how Billy’s happiness hit her right in the heart.
“Have you thought about calling your parents this Christmas?”
She hit a bump in the ice and stutter-stepped to keep herself from falling on her face. “I have. But cleaning up the past is on the back burner until our future is more solid.”
He frowned. “Sorry. I know this whole Snowflake thing is hard on you guys.”
She shook her head quickly. “I wasn’t even thinking about that. I was—” She was embarrassed to admit how far behind she was in rent and how much life was winning. “Just other things.”
He didn’t press the subject, and they skated a couple laps in silence.
A scratchy noise came over the loudspeaker, and Pastor Andrew cleared his throat. “Ladies and gents—it’s time for the mistletoe shuffle! Grab your partner and head on out to the ice for a little smoochin’.” His voice lowered. “Let’s keep it PG, folks. This is a family skate park.”
Forest chuckled. Mitzi glanced at him, but he was watching the ice fill up with skaters and was maneuvering them between slower couples. Celine Dion began crooning “Christmas Eve,”and a feeling of love and giggles filled the air. Up ahead, Pastor Andrew held a fishing pole with mistletoe hanging off the end. He waved it over people’s heads until they kissed, some of them barely keeping their skates on the ice.
Mitzi’s heart began to pound. Was Forest planning to kiss her? She didn’t want him to feel like he had to, so she leaned as if she may be headed to exit. He had an out, and he could take it and save face. She wouldn’t hold it against him. He’d only just told her he was interested in her yesterday. She wasn’t even sure what that included. Oh, stocking stuffers! Could this be any more awkward? Couldshe?
Forest pulled on her arm, bringing her alongside him and skating them right past the exit.
She let out a breath, relieved. But now the fear of actually kissing him took root. Was it possible that she was more worried now than she’d been for her first kiss? What if she missed? They were skating! For the love, was there a harder target to hit than one that was above her and moving fast? Then there were the people around them—she could totally take out the lady with the baby carrier on her chest. That would be horrible.
They came upon the pastor, and he swung the pole right over their heads and got the group behind him. The teenagers started laughing and pointing at one another, none of them brave enough to make the first move.
She glanced at Forest and found him studying her. “Admit it,” he teased, those mischievous cornflower-blue eyes doing that twinkle thing again, “You’re disappointed we didn’t get the mistletoe.”
She dropped her jaw and then narrowed her eyes. “I wasn’t even thinking about it,” she fibbed.
He leaned over and whispered in her ear, his deep voice reverberating all the way down to her skates. “I was.”
She blushed. Hard.
He moved behind her, placing his one hand on her hip. “Let’s try again.”
“Feeling lucky?” she asked.
“Oh, it’s going to happen.”
She laughed. He moved so he was skating backwards in front of her, keeping his hand on her hip. She glanced past him and moved them to the right to avoid a slower group. “I thought the guy was supposed to lead.”
He gave her a saucy grin. “I am.”
Just then the mistletoe appeared over their heads, and those around them whooped. Someone yelled, “Hurry up and kiss her!”
Forest leaned down, and all she could see was him. The cheeks that she longed to touch. His eyes, so full of question and surety—he was sure he wanted to kiss her, and he questioned if she wanted him to. His brows, so expressive when he laughed. And his lips. His lips that were getting closer. He smelled like fresh air and manly body spray and candy canes.
It was the candy canes that had her knees going weak. What man smelled like candy?
She grabbed the front of his coat to hold herself steady, and his lips crushed hers. Her heart pounded and her mind spun. It was over before she could process every feeling inside of her. Her lips were warm and minty.
Forest smiled softly. “Not bad for a first kiss.”
