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He winces, running fingers through his hair. “Yeah, I had a bunch of voicemails from my parents when I got up this morning. They’re pissed off.”

I make a face. “Do we have to see them? I know Christmas is supposed to be about family and all, but this is…”

Ares tips my chin up and leans in to kiss me. Immediately, the anxiety starts to ease. “We don’t have to go anywhere, firefly,” he says. He looks at Tate and Callan and then down at me. “My family is right here.”

49

BRYNN

Christmas is a lot nicer this year than it has been in recent memory. I spend it with the guys, eating good food, watching movies, and relaxing. The stress of dealing with my family doesn’t go away completely, and I give in and go over to their house on the day after Christmas.

I had to sit through a lecture from my dad about what the family name means and how I chose a Thornton over my own family. It became pretty clear that he was more upset about that than the fact that there are two other men involved as well, which really told me everything I needed to know.

I told them that I would come see them again before we left, but that I wasn’t going to be discussing the rivalry or my love life with them at all.

Ares’ parents are pissed off as well, but Ares made it clear that he wasn’t going to be begging his mother for forgiveness. As far as he’s concerned, she’d better beg him for forgiveness if she wants to have a relationship with him going forward.

I wish I’d been there to see that.

Ares told me how his mother was the one who orchestrated the whole thing with Genevieve, and that put her comment from the festival in perspective for me. Ares’ eyes were full of pain when he said it, and I just leaned in and kissed him.

I’m not holding on to the grudge anymore. I’ve seen firsthand with my family and his how damaging grudges can be, when no one is big enough to just let it go. I know Ares still feels guilty for not believing me back then, and I know he’s going to spend the rest of his life making it up to me, even though he really doesn’t have to.

Now, a few days after Christmas, we’re packing up our stuff to head back to Atlanta. I basically never left the cabin after Christmas, just going to get my things from my parents so I could stay with the guys, and I go over my checklist three times to make sure I’m not forgetting anything.

“You should teach Ares how to pack,” Tate says, leaning in the doorway of the bathroom while I open drawers to make sure nothing’s been left behind. “I’m pretty sure he just opened a drawer and dumped stuff in his bag with no folding, no organization, nothing.”

I shudder at the idea of that. “He didn’t really. Did he?”

Tate laughs. “No, but it was close enough. He just found a sock under the couch that he’s pretty sure is his.”

“Did you just go run and tell on me to Brynn?” Ares calls from the living room.

“Maybe,” Tate replies.

“Can we please get this show on the road?” Callan asks, sounding exasperated.

I laugh at their antics, sliding past Tate and into the living room where my bags are near the door. It takes another half hour of banter and laughing and good-natured bickering, but eventually the rental car is packed up and ready to head to the airport.

The weather has been holding steady, and there’s no major snow in the forecast until after the new year. We’re all holding on to hope that that stays true.

Ares catches my hand as I go to get in the car, looking down at me. “I talked to Dani last night,” he says. “And I wanted to update you.”

“What did she have to say?”

“She was offering me the chance to go to LA now that the show I moved to Atlanta for is done. More opportunities out there, more chances to get cast.”

“Oh,” I say, swallowing hard. “I didn’t know that was on the table.”

“It’s not,” he says. “I told her that I’m going to stay based in Atlanta. There’s a lot of good work being done there, and a lot of studios cropping up. If I need to, I can fly out to LA for big stuff, but I want to stay based where you are. Where my friends are. My life is there, and I’m not leaving you again. I’d have to be dragged away.”

I smile up at him and meet him halfway in a kiss.

“I’m glad to hear it,” I say, my heart so full it feels like it might burst.

From inside the car, Tate honks the horn. We laugh and pile into the car, ready to head out.

Driving out of Hope Falls, I feel better about it than I have in years. Things are going to be strained with my family for a while, but it feels like something that was broken here is finally being mended, and I like that. I like being able to think about this place without being overwhelmed with pain.