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He says this like Ty and I are a normal couple that has always been here. I look around and realize everyone else thinks it’s normal that we’re together, and they accept us.

Maggie moves toward me. “Jenna, Sugar!”

I barely have time to say anything before she pulls me in for a hug. “I’m so glad you’re here. Where have you been?”

“I just saw you a few days ago,” I say with a laugh.

“That’s forever.” She waves me off. “Hey there, Sug,” she says as she hugs Ty, too. His eyes widen in surprise at the gesture of the woman he barely knows, but he hugs her back.

Ty is already laughing at something Maggie has said to him, and God only knows what that was.

He already fits in like he’s been part of this town forever. I think about what he said about his own family and it makes me sad they are missing out on him.

From the other side of the skating rink, Poppy’s brother, Owen, flies across the ice with three boys from school, laughing so hard I can hear him all the way across the square. Poppy stands near the railing with Ellie bundled so completely in pink blankets that only her tiny face is visible. Ollie wraps an arm around Poppy’s shoulders before leaning down to kiss the top of her head.

She smiles and waves when she sees me, and I wave back.

Near the Christmas tree, Jack has one arm around Cami while she tries to feed him a bite of caramel popcorn.

“I don’t want popcorn.”

“You do,” she insists.

“I don’t.”

She pops it into his mouth anyway.

He chews. “Huh. That’s really good.” Then he reaches for more.

She grins. “Told you.”

Ty comes up beside me and his gloved hand slides into mine. I glance up at him. He’s smiling at all of them. Not like an outsider watching someone else’s family. Like someone who genuinely enjoys being here.

Walker calls him over to help straighten the giant Christmas tree. Then Jack ropes him into carrying boxes of ornaments.

Mack drags me toward the skating rink.

I watch him laugh with Walker. He even high-fives Owen after he lands some kind of skating trick.

But what really gets me? When I see him hold Ellie when Poppy needs both hands to help Owen with his skates.

He fits here. My chest tightens. How did this happen so fast? Then a thought sneaks in that catches me completely off guard.

Maybe it’s because this is who Ty has always been. The kind of man who shows up. The kind of man who makes people feel safe.

He looks up across the crowd and catches me staring.

Instead of waving, he simply smiles and then walks back over to me. Without a word, he slips his arm around my shoulders and pulls me in tight.

His gloved hand covers mine. “You okay?”

I nod. “I think so.”

“You don’t sound convinced.”

I look around the festival. At the couples and the kids. The laughter and traditions of Bridger Falls being carried out. The life that kept moving while I stayed away. Because the memories hurt too much back then. But now? Things have changed.

“I forgot what this felt like,” I admit. “I forgot what it felt like to belong.”