CHAPTER NINE
HOLLY
But when I turn, there they are. Mom, Dad, and Frost, bearing down on us with huge smiles and matching red scarves. My family. In all their aggressively cheerful glory.
“My family,” I mutter to James.
There's no time to explain further before they descend. Mom gets to me first, pulling me into a hug that nearly knocks me sideways. She's tiny, barely five-two, with blonde hair like mine and an energy level that could power a small city.
“We didn't know you'd be here!” she exclaims pulling back to study my face. “What a wonderful surprise!”
Dad is next, tall and built like a linebacker, and his hug lifts me clean off my feet.
“Dad, I can't breathe,” I wheeze even as I hug him back.
“Sorry, sorry.” He sets me down, grinning, and his eyes land on James with the unmistakable look of a father sizing up a strange man who’s with his little girl. “And who's this?” he booms.
Frost bounds up behind Dad and, despite me just seeing my baby brother a few weeks ago, I swear he’s grown another inch. “Holly's got a boyfriend?” he says, at a volume better suited to calling down to someone at the bottom of a mountain.
“Frost,” I hiss, but it's too late. The whole family is staring at James with expressions conveying various degrees of interest, and I feel my face heating. My family is a lot. There’s no way around it. I feel bad for James already.
James, to his credit, looks only mildly terrified. He extends a hand to my father. “Dr. James Alexander. It's nice to meet you.”
Dad shakes it with enough enthusiasm to dislocate a shoulder. “Frank Winters. This is my wife, Linda, and our son, Frost.”
“A doctor!” Mom says, looking like she might actually swoon on the spot. She turns to Dad. “Did you hear that, Frank?”
Frost rolls his eyes, but Dad’s grin grows wider. “I heard, honey.” He finally releases James's hand and plants his thick fists on his hips. “Good, stable career. I like that. Don’t want any bums trying to date our Holly.”
I love my family, I honestly do, but right now I kinda wish the ground would open up and swallow them. Or just swallow me. Why must they be so embarrassing? I force a bright smile. “Well, it was lovely running into you, but we’re on a date-”
Mom makes absolutely no move to leave as her smile gets even bigger, and I can practically see her planning the wedding in her mind.
“Oh, don't let us interrupt! We were just picking up fudge for the church potluck tomorrow.” She waves a hand at her son who towers over her by a good foot. “Frost go get the fudge.”
I turn to my brother, hoping he can save me and herd our parents away.
“But I want to interrogate the boyfriend,” Frost says, narrowing his eyes at James.
Ugh! So much for hoping my brother would have my back. “He's not-” I stop myself. What is he? We just decided to really try this twenty-four hours ago. I exchange glances with James, who silently raises his eyebrows at me. “We're not putting a label on things yet,” I say stiffly.
“Smart.” Dad nods sagely. “Take your time. But not too much time. You're not getting any younger, Holly, and James here looks a bit long in the tooth.”
“Dad!” I gasp in shock.
“What? I’m just saying it’s obvious he’s older than you.”
I bury my face in my palms and groan.
James wraps an arm around my waist. His voice is low, meant only for my ears as he murmurs against my hair, “Holly, it’s fine.”
“It’s not fine,” I whisper back.
Mom loops her arm through mine, drawing me away from James’ steady arm and from my dad and brother, though her voice carries easily to them. “He's very handsome. And a doctor! I like him.”
“Mom, we've been dating for twenty-four hours.”
She pats my arm, completely not listening to a word I say. “When you know, you know. Your father and I knew after our first date.”
“That's a lovely story,” James says, and there's a genuine warmth in his voice that catches me off guard. “How long have you been married?”
“Thirty-five years this March,” Dad says, pulling Mom back against his side, pride radiating off him. “Best decision I ever made.”
Mom kisses his cheek.
Frost makes a gagging noise behind them. “Please, you guys are so sappy,” he says. “It's gross.”
“You'll understand when you're older,” Mom tells him.
He rolls his eyes. “I'm twenty. Not twelve.”
“Exactly. Still a baby.”
I use the distraction to tug James's sleeve, and we begin backing away. “We really should get going. Lots more to see.”
“Of course!” Mom waves us off, then immediately undercuts it. “But, James, you should come to dinner.”
“Mom!”
“I'd like that,” James says, and I nearly choke on my own tongue.
Mom beams like she's just won the lottery. Which maybe getting a doctor as a son-in-law is the equivalent of that. “Wonderful. I'll text Holly the details.” She turns her smile on James. “It was so nice to meet you.”
James nods. “You too, Mrs. Winters.”
“Call me Linda. Mrs. Winters makes me sound old.”
“You are old,” Frost points out, and earns himself a look from Dad that promises a later conversation.
I pull James away before anyone can extend the conversation further, and we make it three tents down before I stop and turn to him, already bracing for whatever fallout is coming.
“I am so sorry,” I say. “They're a lot. I know they're a lot.”
But James is smiling. “There’s nothing to apologize for, they’re your family.”
I sigh. “They're overwhelming.”
“They're happy. Genuinely happy. And they clearly love you. It's nice.”
“Nice?” I stare at him. “My dad sized you up like a used car and my mom just invited you to dinner.”
“I know.” His smile widens. “It's nice to be included.
My family isn't like that. We're polite and distant. We talk about the weather and whatever meal we happen to be eating at that moment.” He shrugs, and there’s something wistful in his voice when he says, “Your family is warm and maybe a bit loud, but it’s clear that they care.
I didn't realize how much I missed that until just now.”
The tension that’s been bunching my shoulders eases. “You're not running for the hills?”
“Not even close.” He pulls me closer, his arms settling around my waist like they belong there. “Though dinner with your parents might actually terrify me more than today did.”
I like that he can joke about this. “You just met them in public, surrounded by witnesses. Dinner's a whole different level of intense.”
“I'll prepare accordingly.” He presses a kiss to my forehead, brief and unbearably sweet. “Come on. Show me the rest of the market.”
We spend another hour wandering, sampling treats, browsing crafts, and thankfully do not run into my parents again.
James buys fudge for his office staff, and I find a coffee mug with a terrible pun will make a great white elephant gift.
Through all of it, his hand stays wrapped around mine, warm and steady, like he's not in any hurry to let go.
As we walk out of the market, James pauses near the huge Christmas tree.
“Thank you,” he says.
Confused, I blink up at him. “For what?”
His smile is gentle as he stares down at me. “For suggesting the market, and introducing me to your family, even if it was by accident.” His eyes are intense in the glow of a thousand tiny lights. “Mostly for making me remember what this feels like.”
He cups my face and kisses me, his lips warm and firm and tasting faintly of chocolate.
When he pulls back, my heart feels too big for my chest, and the magic of this moment and today hits me.
This is what I’ve always wanted. To feel this connection and to start to believe that maybe it’s finally happening for me.
And that maybe fairy tales really can come true.