Chapter 10
Harris
Tyler was waiting for me at the start of the House Lights Tour.
Technically, the walk could be taken in either direction, but there was an official place to start, on the corner of Center St by the Visitor’s center.
His smile when he noticed me walking toward him was enough to make my stomach tighten. He was as happy to see me as I was him.
I walked right up into his space, and when his smile grew, I decided to kiss it off his face. Tyler immediately sagged against me, letting me control things, but giving back just as good as he got. I absently registered the wolf whistle but didn’t care that we were on display.
When I pulled back, Tyler licked his lips, then breathed out. “Hi.”
“Hi. Ready to see the lights?”
He nodded and I took his hand. We were both wearing gloves in deference to the cold, but I wished we didn’t have to. I wanted his skin on mine. I would just have to wait.
We strolled along and I watched Tyler’s face as he took joy in the decorated houses.
I’d seen it all before. I made it a point to do this walk at least once during the Winter Festival.
I might not be one for joining in general, but seeing all the houses decorated was a treat.
Most of the houses put up the same decorations every year, so it wasn’t anything new to me.
But clearly Tyler had never seen anything quite like it.
“Every single house,” he said more than once, awe in his tone. I mentioned that was the point of the walking tour but he just shushed me. He was too entranced with the lights and decorations, the blow-up reindeer and the candy canes, the faux candles and the ornaments.
On the corner of Maple Ave was one of the first hot chocolate stops, and Tyler lifted his brows. “Refreshments too? Makes sense, want to keep people warm. You want one?”
I shook my head. “Let’s wait until we get to Candy Cane Lane. The Costas have a stand there in the gazebo and it’s got the best selection. Then we won’t have to carry our trash throughout the whole thing.”
He nodded. “I’ve stopped there for coffee and pastries a couple of times. Outstanding. I think the owner is a friend of Barrett’s because the first time I was with him and she came out of the back to fawn all over him.”
Tyler let out a short little laugh, amused by that. All I could do was nod. “We all went to school together. Barrett and Lisa were in the grade below me.”
Even I heard the slight bitterness in my tone. I thought I’d gotten over that. Tyler squeezed my hand but didn’t say anything to that. After a moment, he bumped his shoulder to mine.
“Sorry,” I muttered. “Lisa is great. So is her whole family. At least she doesn’t look at me with pity like some of the others.”
Tyler hummed thoughtfully. “I think…” He glanced at me then moved us so we were out of the way of passing pedestrians.
“Maybe some people in this town are always going to be sad about the way you grew up. Maybe guilty they never did anything to help. But the ones who don’t?
Those are the ones who you should give your time to. ”
I blinked at him. I’d never thought about it that way.
That maybe some of the townsfolk, especially the older ones, felt guilt about ignoring my upbringing.
It was a different time in a lot of ways, and back then, people usually turned a blind eye unless there was straight-up abuse.
Besides, I certainly hadn’t been open and forthcoming about exactly what I was going through.
“That’s pretty insightful.”
“Therapy, man,” Tyler said with a chuckle. “Part of me thinks everybody needs it on some level. I know it’s helped me immensely with everything I’ve gone through.”
I opened my mouth to say that our experience wasn’t the same.
He’d served, gone through deployments, nearly died, and then got a medical discharge.
But I snapped my lips shut before I could utter the words.
I knew better than to compare our traumas and just because I viewed his as worse didn’t mean I didn’t have any.
“You’re right about that. Fortunately for me, I have the horses.” They’d been my own kind of therapy. Healing them had healed a part of me too. Then I thought about it for another second and added, a little ruefully, “And Luce and Janice. They made me talk a lot.”
Tyler’s lips quirked up. “Good. Come on.”
We continued our walk, made it down Lawerence St., and the happy, delighted squeals of children met our ears. Tyler glanced at me, perhaps not expecting the sound, and I tugged him along. We’d made it to Candy Cane Lane.
Bright lights greeted us, the Candy Cane Lane sign the town had provided proclaiming the entrance.
Bruce the Spruce stood in the yard of Henry Wentworth’s house—he also did Bruce’s voice—and was quiet for the moment.
We must have caught it between tellings.
Every yard in the cul-de-sac had plenty of decorations and people were milling everywhere, kids were running around, and the line at Costas’ stand was ten people deep.
“Holy shi—crap,” Tyler breathed, changing his word halfway through because of the children.
“Just wait,” I murmured, because out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bruce light up. I turned Tyler toward the tree just as Henry’s voice, deepened and roughened up, began to speak.
“We all know that Santa is a busy man. He works hard all year, see? Making magic isn’t easy and anyone who says it is, is just plain wrong. Harrumph. Santa needed a vacation this year and that’s how he ended up here.” Bruce let out a big, put upon sigh.
“You see all those presents? They just keep appearing, because wherever Santa is, magic happens. Santa had to call the elves to set up a post office to send them back to the North Pole. But then the reindeer started showing up. First Blitzen. Then Vixen, then Dasher and Dancer. Bah!”
“Oh my god,” Tyler whispered, his gaze transfixed. “This is amazing.”
I laughed and stepped behind him, wrapping my arms around him.
As much as I wanted to watch his face, I wanted to hold him more and we clearly weren’t going anywhere until the story was done.
Tyler leaned back into me and I nosed his collar out of the way so I could kiss his neck.
He shivered, and I liked to think it was because of my lips and not because my nose was cold.
“When Rudolph landed, he was in a tizzy. So worried about not getting everything done in time. He’s keeping his exercise up, even though he’s here, so he can lead the sleigh on Christmas Eve. Important job he has, even if he’s in my way.”
The reindeer in question was, in fact, on the same lawn as Bruce, lighted dumbbells and a workout bench right beside him.
“But don’t you worry, kiddies. Everything is right on schedule.
Santa assured me of that himself. So even though he’s relaxing, he’s still checking his list. Twice.
So be sure to be good and kind and nice, so that when Santa finishes his vacation, those presents you see will be delivered to you! Happy Holidays!”
Bruce let out a ho ho ho that sounded like he was a chain smoker, and then once again went dark.
Tyler stayed still for just a few seconds, then he turned quickly and looked up at me.
His eyes were bright and happy, and I had the urge to kiss him.
So I did, hard, though I kept it short since there were little eyes everywhere.
“Ooh rah,” Tyler said, laughter in his voice. “This is fantastic.”
“I liked last year’s story about the trolls trying to take over Christmas better, but this one was good. The kids that live here all get together every year and write the story. Ryan’s a teacher, and he takes all their ideas and makes it coherent.”
“This is the best thing I’ve ever seen,” Tyler said.
He stepped back and grabbed my hand. I chuckled as he pulled me along, pointing out the lighted decorations that made up the story.
The elves at a post office that took up two whole lawns, the reindeer spread out all over, and Santa himself, in a recliner, with an umbrellaed drink in his hand.
I always enjoyed the nonsense that the West End residents came up with but seeing Tyler’s utter joy in it made it all the better.
After we made sure we’d seen everything, we got in line at Costas’ stand. Lisa herself was behind the counter making drinks and her husband Eddie was manning the register. All the drinks and pastries sold were at a deeply discounted price, but the Costas couldn’t give it away for free.
It didn’t take long before we made it to the front. Lisa lit up when she saw me and practically jumped across the small counter to kiss my cheek. “Harris! Look! And it’s only the first night.”
She pointed to her left, and my gaze landed on the donation box.
It had a glass front and a slit in the top, the sign there proclaiming it for donations to my sanctuary.
They did it every year, and honestly, it was a huge help.
Even though things had only been going on for a couple of hours, it was already three-quarters full.
“That’s great. Thanks, Lisa.” I pulled out my wallet, but she gave me a glare. I glared right back. She always tried to give me free drinks and I always turned her down. I won the staring contest as she gave in with a heavy sigh.
“What can I get you both?”
“Just black coffee for me.” I turned to Tyler. “What sounds good to you?”
Tyler’s gaze was glued to the menu board. “Do you have anything that’s sugar free?”
Lisa squinted. “Why would you want sugar free?
Tyler’s eyes tightened but he never lost his smile. “Never mind. I’ll take a hot chocolate please, no whip. I can guess the carbs in that.”
He pulled out his phone and tapped at the screen. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the app and could guess what it was for. I nudged him. “Is it really okay?”
He gave me a smile. “Yeah. I’ll just bolus a little, and then if I need more, I’ll do it then based on what my blood sugar does.”
“Goddammit,” Lisa muttered. “I’m so sorry. I forgot things like that exist and it is utterly my failing. I was caught up in the excitement but that’s no excuse. I apologize for my insensitivity.”
Tyler seemed taken aback by that for a moment but then his smile became more genuine. “I appreciate that. Thanks. Maybe you have the label of your hot chocolate I could read?”
“We make the mix ourselves, but I can tell you what’s in it if you promise not to share our secret recipe.” Lisa winked, which made Tyler laugh.
“You got it.”
I left them to it as I stepped to the side to pay Eddie.
He was just finishing up with the customer in front of me, and he gave me a wide grin and a fist bump when he saw me.
He didn’t give me shit about trying to pay, which I appreciated.
That done, I stepped to the side, and I waited for Tyler to finish up.
A few minutes later, he walked over with two cups in his hand.
He handed me mine and I took a grateful sip, even though it was still a little too hot.
“You good?”
Tyler nodded, stretched to kiss my cheek, and then said, “I want to walk around again. I feel like I missed stuff the first time.”
And so we did.
There had been a few seconds of debate on whether Tyler should drive himself to my place, but when I told him that I’d make sure he got back into town and to his truck whenever he wanted, he easily capitulated and got in the cab.
“Probably early is best,” he said as I pointed the truck toward the ranch. “I have to bake so many cookies tomorrow.”
I snorted a laugh, but when I realized he was serious, I cut it off. “How come?”
“Helping Morgan.” Then he explained about the cookie swap and how Morgan had overcommitted himself again. He was smiling as he said it. “So I’m gonna get my mom’s recipe, go shopping, and make a fuckton of cookies.”
“You’re welcome to use my kitchen if you want,” I offered without thinking.
“Really?”
I shrugged. I hadn’t been planning on saying it but that didn’t mean the offer wasn’t genuine. “Sure. It’s gotta be bigger than Hawley’s kitchen.”
“It is and I appreciate the offer. But, see, Morgan wanted to help with whatever is left when he finished with opening day of the Market.”
“So tell him to come over.”
Christ, who was I? I didn’t host people.
I didn’t let people into my house, except for the guys and only then if it really needed to happen.
As much as the whole ranch was a sanctuary for horses, my house was my personal sanctuary.
Sure, I’d had a few dates over in the past few years, and Tyler of course was welcome any time, but letting him bake in my kitchen?
Letting Morgan, and most likely Barrett, come and hang out? That was new territory.
I chalked it up to my desire to keep Tyler close until he left. I wanted to spend as much time as I could with him, and if he was in my house, that would be a whole hell of a lot easier.
“Ooh rah!” Tyler slid his hand onto my thigh. “Thank you. Your kitchen would be great. Thanks.”
I grabbed his hand, brought it to my mouth to kiss his knuckles, then kept hold of it as I set it back on my thigh. Making Tyler happy made me happy.
As we got closer to the ranch, nerves started to swell.
I had one more surprise in store of him and I wasn’t sure how he was going to feel about it.
I mean, I was pretty sure he was going to like it, to appreciate it, especially given what he’d told me about his childhood, but still.
I could be reading everything all wrong.
I’d texted Ben when we’d left the tour, having already arranged things with him. It was perfect timing. I’d no sooner parked the truck and gotten out when I heard the distinct jingle of bells. Tyler paused with one foot on the ground, head lifted as though he was listening.
“Come on,” I urged softly.
Ben came around the corner in just that second, driving the horse and sleigh we used for the sleigh rides.
He’d been at it all day, but the horse looked fresh, so I wasn’t worried about working Rudy too hard.
Rudy, Raymond, and Marshal were all trained to pull the sleigh.
Ione could have too because she was a big girl, but I liked to use the geldings because they were all draft crosses.
“Oh my fuck,” Tyler whispered, and then he whipped his head to look at me. I smiled and stepped closer.
“Wanna go on a sleigh ride?”