Chapter 9
Toby
Ten years ago (That night)…
A nudge to the back of my arm made me look up as a paper cup piled high with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle appeared in front of my face.
Smiling, I reached for it. “You read my mind.”
“I mean, if we have to endure this tradition, we can at least do it with hot chocolate,” Archer replied.
My fingers brushed against his as I wrapped them around the cup, and even through the gloves, I felt a warm electric jolt course up my arm. Our eyes met and lingered for only a few seconds, but it was long enough to make my heart skip a beat.
He cleared his throat and pulled back while I tugged the cup closer.
“Thanks for this,” I said, swiping the top off the peak of whipped cream.
“The line is super long. Figured I might as well get yours while I was getting mine. Otherwise, you’d be in line half the night.”
I glanced around to look through the crowd at the line at Bab’s hot chocolate table across the street. The line was halfway down the block.
“Sometimes it amazes me there are even that many people in this town,” I remarked.
When Archer didn’t reply, I lifted my eyes to find him already staring.
“What?” I wondered.
“You have whipped cream all over your face,” he observed.
“Well, there is a lot on here.” I defended myself, swiping my tongue around my lips to clean myself up. “Did I get it?”
He made a sound. “Maybe if you hadn’t shoved half your face in the cup.”
My eyes crossed as I tried to see my own face. “Where is it, then?”
Archer laughed under his breath and reached up, swiping the tip of my cold nose with his gloved thumb.
The warmth of his finger and the sweetness of the gesture made me sway into the platonic touch.
Our eyes met again, and this time he didn’t immediately look away.
This time, I saw the awareness I felt reflected back at me.
Lifting his thumb, he showed me the white cream against the dark fabric of the glove. I pulled back, but he caught my chin between two fingers, keeping me in place.
The crush I’d been secretly harboring for too many years flared to life, burning as brightly as the string lights illuminating Main Street. A practiced reflex, I tried to shove it back into the box I locked it in, but before I could even get the lid closed, Archer spoke.
“Not so fast,” he said, his voice richer than the hot chocolate in my cup. “You have it on your cheek too.”
My lips rolled in as his fingers gently swiped the skin beneath my eye.
“There,” he murmured, lifting his hand. “Try not to wear it next time.”
My head bobbed, and I lifted the cup for a sip, using it to cover the fact that I was robbed of speech and air.
The sound of static and then a piercing squeal from a microphone thankfully turned everyone’s attention to the large Victorian-style gazebo in the center of the town square.
“Can everyone hear me?” the mayor asked as he climbed the steps to stand in the entrance of the large octagon. The entire thing was already draped in evergreen garland, icicle lights, and red ribbon.
In the center was a Douglas fir from Hodge Farm that had just been lit up in the tree lighting ceremony.
It glowed at the mayor’s back and was filled with ornaments of all shapes and sizes.
It was yet another tradition for every family to bring an ornament during the week it was first set up and hang it on the tree, so when it was lit, it would truly belong to the entire town.
With that part of the evening already done, it was time to move on to what most people considered the most important part of the Winterbury Christmas tradition.
The raising of the mistletoe.
“Friends, family, and neighbors, we are brought together once again for the most magical night in Winterbury with the lightning of the tree generously donated to the town by Hodge Farm.”
People clapped and cheered, and I flashed a grin at Archer who nudged me with his shoulder.
“We are well on our way to another festive and beautiful season. But as we all know, it can’t be Christmas in Winterbury without the mistletoe!”
People whistled and cheered, and some others made kissing noises.
Suddenly feeling shy, I darted my gaze to Archer, once again finding him already staring. I looked away just as quickly, my cheeks warming even as fat snowflakes drifted from the starlit sky.
“This mistletoe…” The mayor held up a large green cluster topped with a massive red bow.
“It’s one of the things that makes this town so special.
It only grows on one tree here in Winterbury.
And it grows as a reminder to us that love and unity are the cornerstones of our community.
There’s also that little detail that if you kiss under it and your love is true, you will never be parted.
” He paused to smile. “So if you aren’t ready to commit to forever, fellas, you better watch where you stand. ”
People laughed, and I rolled my eyes.
“He says the same thing every year,” Archer said out of the corner of his mouth.
“Definitely has this whole speech memorized,” I whispered back.
Archer smirked into his hot chocolate, and my stomach did a little somersault. Sure, this entire thing was cheesy AF, but it was hard not to get caught up just a little. Especially after helping Archer and his father shoot it down and tracing the letters carved in the trunk of the old oak tree.
H + B
Especially, especially after your secret crush brings you hot chocolate and teases you about getting it on your face.
“As we raise the mistletoe,” the mayor boomed as he hooked the bundle on the end of the pulley-style system they’d rigged, “let us remember it isn’t the decorations that are most important… but togetherness and love.”
With that, someone farther inside the gazebo pulled the rope, and the mistletoe slowly rose. Everyone in town watched in silence, an unspoken moment for the couple who taught us this lesson.
When it reached the top, the pulley came down, and it swayed beautifully with its shiny green leaves and berries so white they matched the flurries of snow.
Only then did people cheer and clap.
“That’s it for the ceremonies tonight, folks. Please enjoy each other’s company and browse all the open shops. Wishing all of you a very merry season.”
Music started to play through the speakers, and people began milling about.
“I’m going to hit a few shops and see if I can find something for my mom,” Archer said.
I bobbed my head. “Yeah, okay.”
When I didn’t follow, he swung back around. “You’re coming with me.”
My stomach swooped. I really wished it would stop doing that. “I am?”
“Don’t you need presents?”
I shook my head. “I already got my parents something.”
“Of course you did,” he teased. “Shopaholic.”
“I can’t help if I’m good at finding gifts.” I defended myself.
Archer snorted. “Which is exactly why you’re helping me.”
I pursed my lips, pretending like I had to consider it even though I was already one hundred percent in. “And what do I get out of this?”
“I won’t tease you for liking to shop?” He tried.
I shook my head once.
“My undying gratitude.”
I tapped my lips, then shook my head.
He made a sound like he was irritated, but then he smiled. “I’ll buy you a bowl of chili at Bab’s.”
“With cheese?”
“Cheddar.” He confirmed.
“Deal.”
He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder. “Let’s go.”
“Can we eat first?” I asked, trailing after him.
“No.”
We went to three shops and one of the pop-up stands that was only there for the night of the raising. By the time we were finished, Archer had a gift for his mom, dad, and grandmother. It took longer than it should have because we had to stop and talk to everyone we knew… which was, well, everyone.
And the girls had to stop and flirt with Archer.
They never tried to flirt with me. I didn’t really care much because, well, I had a secret crush on the same guy they did.
Besides, I didn’t blame anyone for not really noticing me when Archer was standing there.
He had that all-American thing going for him.
You know, muscular from all the farm work and playing football.
His smile was easy and wide, and he never seemed to get nervous when talking to people.
His sandy brown hair and blue eyes were a classic combination, and he was tall.
Not to mention his family was one of the founding families of Winterbury.
We were finally on our way to Bab’s for the chili I was promised when two girls from school stopped us on the sidewalk.
“Hey, Archer. Hey, Toby,” they chimed in unison. Both were wearing earmuffs and long coats, and one of the girls, the one who especially liked Archer, was holding a paper cup with a lid.
“Hey,” Archer said, and I waved.
“Where are you going?” she asked, and internally, I winced. I’d been hoping we could get by with a wave.
“Bab’s for some chili.”
“We just left there. Her hot chocolate is the best,” she said, holding up her cup like we couldn’t already see it.
“Who are you shopping for?” her friend asked, gesturing toward the bags Archer was carrying.
“Christmas present for my mom.”
Both girls oohed and aahed.
“Oh my God, it’s so sweet you’re getting your mom something,” she said, stepping forward to lay her hand on Archer’s arm.
Something hot and uncomfortable burned my gut. Actually, it wasn’t something. It was jealousy. Obvious jealousy. It drove me crazy how she just reached out to touch him. I wanted to be the one to do that.
But how could I? He never really said he was into guys.
He never didn’t say it either.
And when I came out to him last year, he’d been totally cool about it. No judgment at all.
“Can I see what you got her?” the girl asked, batting her eyes at him.
He parted the bag and let her peek inside. She squealed and fawned over how great it was.
“Toby actually picked it out,” Archer said, and my heart zinged.