And within the span of two days, it would all be over.
“You gonna fill me in? Or do I need to become a mind reader?” Lance pressed his fingertips to his forehead and shut his eyes, as though attempting to pull Holden’s thoughts into his own brain.
“I kissed Rachel last night.”
Lance slapped the countertop. “I knew it!” He hit his palm on the surface again and smirked. “Iknewyou two were sneaking around. You said you weren’t, but I know you better than that. I knew you had feelings for her.”
“We’re not sneaking around,” Holden corrected. “This hasn’t been going on long.”
“I beg to differ, my friend. This thing with Rachel has been going on just shy of two decades. I think that’s probably the longest courtship on Snowdrift Summit record.”
“I’m not courting her. I’m barely dating her,” Holden insisted. “And I only have two days to do that.”
Squinting at his buddy rather than rallying another comeback, Lance said, “Then you better plan something pretty epic.”
“That’s what I’m trying to do. But everything I come up with seems so dumb. It’s like I don’t even know how to date her.”
“I bet it’s hard to plan a date for a woman you’re only used to competing with.”
The light bulb in Holden’s mind flashed on, sudden and bright. “That’s it!” Reaching across the counter, Holden grabbed Lance by his shoulders and shook him wildly. “Thank you! You just gave me an idea.”
* * *
Holden hadtheir entire day planned, starting with a trip to Bitter Cold Coffee Bar.
He had picked her up from her parents’ place early, surprised to find her already waiting on the porch, admiring the dawn as it crested over the ridge. She appeared cold with a reddened nose and watering eyes, but couldn’t seem to pull herself away from the scene.
Holden couldn’t blame her—the morning was spectacular with a watercolor sunrise that painted the skies in a delicate wash of yellows, oranges, and pinks. It was almost enough to keep Holden in bed that morning, his vantage point from the loft the best seat in the house.
But the thought of spending the entire day with Rachel was even more spectacular than that showy sunrise. It filled him with more warmth, at least. And when he glimpsed her as he pulled into the driveway, he would argue she was even more lovely.
Rachel’s beauty rivaled that of Mother Nature, and if pressed to give an answer, Holden would declare Rachel the winner.
She was breathtaking in every way.
They talked the whole way into town. Not about anything earth-shattering, just small talk that came easy and felt comfortable.
And she beamed when the truck drove up and settled in front of Bitter Cold.
“I would say we’re back where it all started,” she spoke over the engine that hissed as it cooled. “But I think that was actually in Mr. Matteo’s eighth grade class. And the thought of setting foot on that middle school campus has my anxiety shooting through the roof.”
A chuckle passed through Holden’s lips. He unclipped his lap belt and regarded her from his seat. “I’m good with not doing that. Junior high was rough. Let’s just say this is where it allrestarted. Rachel and Holden 2.0.”
“I like that,” she agreed with a single nod.
Holden jogged around the back of the truck to reach Rachel’s side before she opened the door first, careful to avoid the slick ice on the sidewalks. If this was going to be a true date, he would treat it like one. And that meant pulling out all the stops.
With his hand pressed gently to her lower back, Holden guided her into the coffee shop. Carols played over the speakers. Several baristas joined in, their melodic voices filling the space with holiday cheer. Even the workers who weren’t singing danced along, bells strung around their necks and on their hats jingling merrily in time.
Holden loved this, loved the holidays in a small town.
He could tell Rachel did too, the evidence in the beautiful smile lifting her cheeks to her eyes.
They slipped past a mother wrangling a crew of little ones, all bundled and dressed for a day of snow play. They looked like puffy marshmallows with legs as they bounced off of one another. All of those layers made them waddle and teeter unsteadily. Holden smiled at the sweet sight.
A new carol came on and the café workers cheered their recognition. It was clearly a favorite, as it should be. Who didn’t like “All I Want for Christmas is You”? It was practically Christmas carol royalty.
“Do they do this in the city?” Holden turned to ask Rachel. He kept his hand loose at her waist. “The free song and dance routine with a cup of coffee?”
