Chapter 34 Taylen
TAYLEN
The smell of cinnamon and pine fills the air, mixing with the sound of carols drifting from speakers mounted on light poles.
Even though it feels like the festival only started a few days ago, it's been two weeks, and so much has happened.
So much has changed. A few more hours, and the lights will turn off, the music will stop, and in a few days, after Christmas, this piece of land will return to Bastian and me.
“I love being out with you like this,” Bastian says, placing his arm over my shoulder and keeping me close. His eyes catch mine as we pause near a popcorn vendor. “Just being a normal couple enjoying a seasonal festival together.”
“Still not a date,” I remind him automatically, although my smile probably ruins my attempt at maintaining our running joke.
“Of course not,” he agrees easily, using his hold over my shoulder to pull me even closer.
“Just two friends who happen to be disgustingly in love, walking arm in arm at a Christmas festival,” he whispers in my ear, making me shiver, not from the cold but from the memory of his voice in my ear as he pounded into me, making me come hands-free, just before we stepped out this evening. “Totally platonic.”
“Taylen Howard, Sebastian Hall, is that a public display of affection I’m witnessing?” The familiar voice makes us both turn, finding Noelle watching us with an expression of pure delight. Her girlfriend stands slightly behind her, amusement clear on her face.
Bastian kisses my forehead, giving us away.
“I knew it!” Noelle practically bounces with excitement, her hand already extending toward her girlfriend. “Pay up, sweetheart. I told you they’d be official by Christmas.” The twenty-dollar bill changes hands with the sort of ceremony that suggests this bet has been an ongoing topic of discussion.
“You were betting on us?” I ask, feeling all kinds of mortified. My crush on Bastian was supposed to be a secret, dammit.
“Honey, the whole town’s been betting on you two,” Noelle informs me cheerfully, tucking the money into her coat pocket with a satisfied pat.
“Though most people had New Year’s Eve in the pool.
I just had an inside track from watching you bicker at every opportunity and for every single reason known to humankind while we planned the festival.
I even watched you argue over apple and honey muffins, although why you’d argue over that is beyond me. ”
Her girlfriend, Sam, rolls her eyes fondly. “What she means is that we’re happy for you both. Even if some of us are now twenty dollars poorer.”
“Thanks,” Bastian says, the squeeze he gives my hand suggesting he’s enjoying this more than strictly necessary. “Anyway, I should buy my wonderful boyfriend here a hot cider. We’re on a date, you see?”
I roll my eyes as the girls head over toward the stage area.
“Kill me now,” I mutter. “Whole town’s been betting on us.”
“Never mind that, let’s grab some hot cider. I’m all about keeping my promises these days,” he says, and I poke him in the ribs.
Bastian’s arm remains steady over my shoulder as we weave between vendor stalls.
The festival lights continue twinkling overhead like stars brought close enough to touch, making the silver streaks in Bastian’s hair glow.
His smile holds the promise of a more private celebration later, but for now we simply walk together toward Joe’s stall—not on date of course—letting the town we both love witness the happiness they apparently knew was coming long before we did.
Bastian’s family clusters near the counter at the pop-up bar, steam rising from their mugs.
Finn notices us first. “Happy Christmas Eve!” he declares. His shoulders look looser somehow, the tension that normally radiates from him noticeably absent as he raises his mug in greeting.
“You look suspiciously relaxed, little brother,” Bastian observes, accepting the steaming mugs Joe hands him without being asked. “Festival stress finally break you completely?” The teasing draws a laugh from Finn that sounds genuinely carefree, making his transformation even more remarkable.
I take a sip of the cider Bastian hands to me, enjoying the warm spiced drink.
“Tonight will be the first real sleep I’ll have in weeks,” Finn explains, satisfaction clear in his voice.
“Everything’s handled. No work until after Christmas when this whole shebang comes down.
” His smile grows slightly sheepish as he adds, “Though don’t count on me showing up on time for Christmas dinner tomorrow.
I might actually hibernate until the new year. ”
Sylvie moves around her sons over to me, sliding her arm around my waist and pulling me into a warm hug that smells like cinnamon and a mother’s love. “How are you, sweetheart?” she asks quietly, though something in her tone suggests she means more than a simple greeting.
“Good,” I tell her honestly. “Really good.”
“And your parents?” she asks, though the twinkle in her eye suggests she already knows the answer. “Have they made it to the festival yet?” I laugh as I picture exactly where they probably are.
“Somewhere on your farm,” I confirm. “They said they wanted to visit the new calves first. As they say, you can take a Vermonter out of Vermont, but you can’t turn them into flatlanders.”
Henry’s laugh carries genuine amusement as he joins the conversation. “Smart people, your folks,” he says approvingly, pride clear in the way he discusses the recent additions to the herd. “Those calves are something special. Bastian did good work there.”
The praise makes something warm bloom in my chest as I watch color rise in Bastian’s cheeks. Because this is what we’re building, a life where his different talents receive equal appreciation, where farming skills matter as much as musical ability.
“Speaking of appreciation,” Finn says. “How amazing is it that the mayor is giving the band and Taylen an award for saving Winterberry’s Christmas? You can all thank me on my birthday with a nice gift.”
“It’s really not necessary,” Bastian protests. “We just did what needed doing. Anyone would have helped.”
“It’s time the town started rewarding its people,” Finn insists, passion clear in his voice despite his obvious fatigue.
“People who step up when things look impossible, who put the community before personal gain.” His eyes find mine with an intensity that makes my skin prickle. “Both of you deserve recognition.”
Sylvie’s arm tightens around my waist. “We’re so proud of all of you,” she says, her voice filled with warmth.
“Of everything you’ve built here.” Her eyes meet Henry’s across our circle, their love clear in the way they share a knowing smile.
“Some partnerships just make sense, even if it takes time for everyone to see it.”
Joe chooses that moment to refill our mugs, so Sylvie gives me a peck on the cheek and goes to stand by her husband’s side.
“To family,” Henry says suddenly, raising his mug. “And for the grandchildren we can now start asking for.”
I cough when my cider goes down the wrong hole. Did he just…?
Bastian laughs. “How about we enjoy the honeymoon period first, Dad?”
Henry winks. “That’s the best time, son. You two enjoy it.”
I hide my face in Bastian’s coat while he and Finn collectively groan.
“Oh, you young people don’t know how to have fun these days,” Sylvie says. She pats Henry’s butt and pulls him away from the bar toward the stage area where a DJ is playing Christmas dance music.
“I hope my sleep, when it comes, resets my memory,” Finn says, shuddering.
Bastian whispers in my ear. “Do you think you’ll be touching my butt when we’re that old?”
I step away from him. “That’s it. I’m out.”
Bastian catches me, pulling me closer and stealing a kiss.
“Jeez, not you too. What’s in the water around here?” Finn puts his empty mug on the bar and walks away from us.
“I think he maybe had a fight with his whatever, whoever he is,” I say.
Bastian’s eyes go wide. “Excuse me? What do you know that I don’t? Couple rules state that all gossip that comes into the knowledge of one party must be shared with the significant other.”
I snort. “You’re my significant other now, are you?”
He lowers his face down to my level and whispers in my ear with that low, sexy voice I can’t resist. “You bet I am. No take-backs, baby. We’re it.”
To prove it, and to prove we’re on a date, Bastian drags me again to the ring toss booth. Thankfully, he doesn’t ask again about Finn’s…whatever it is…because I genuinely don’t know. I’m trying not to let it bother me. Finn will tell me when he’s ready.
“Watch and learn,” Bastian tells me as the guy from the booth gives him a suspicious look. “This is what we call professional expertise.”
“Pretty sure throwing plastic rings at bottles isn’t exactly like performing sold-out shows,” I observe dryly.
He lines up the first throw, the ring sailing through the air with perfect accuracy, landing around the bottle’s neck with a soft clink.
Another perfect landing draws a few oohs from the audience that’s gathered to watch Sebastian Hall demonstrate unexpected carnival game prowess.
His final throw completes the hat trick, the ring settling around the bottle like it was always meant to be there.
“Show off,” I mutter as he picks the biggest plushy toy in the booth, a cow that looks a little like Miss Maple.
“For you,” he says. “To keep you company when I’m busy with the real cows.”
“You’re ridiculous.” But I still clutch the plushy against my chest, hiding my smile against the soft fabric of the Miss Maple lookalike.
We make our way toward the stage where the mayor is getting ready to do his closing speech, which, to my embarrassment, also involves me going up on stage to accept the award. I don’t know how Bastian does it, being the center of attention when so many people look up to him.
We spot Stone and Nikko among the gathering audience. Stone’s perfectly styled hair falls down in waves over his designer coat.
“Look at you two ticking all the cliché boxes. Falling for your brother’s best friend and winning toys at a Christmas festival,” Stone says, looking around the crowd. “Anyone spot the Hallmark film crew yet?”
I roll my eyes, but it’s Bastian who delivers the best retort. “Speaking of Hallmark. Has the town vet, who happens to be your future neighbor, fallen for your charms yet?”
Stone pouts. A genuine, honest-to-god pout. “I’m starting to think he’s straight.”
Nikko’s attention, which seemed completely taken up by his phone, suddenly turns to us. “Where’s Fox?”
We all look at each other.
“Haven’t actually seen him for a couple of days,” Bastian says.
“That’s because you’ve been fucking like bunnies to make up for lost time,” Stone says. “I saw him this morning at Noelle’s.”
Finn joins the group. “Why all the faces?”
“Have you seen Fox?” Nikko asks, and Finn’s face falls immediately.
“No…I…no,” he says with finality.
“Maybe check your phones in case he messaged,” I suggest.
Nikko’s the first one to react to whatever he sees on his phone, his expression filling with worry. “Looks like Fox has done another disappearing act.”