Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
CHLOE
Itry to stay focused on the long line of fans. Some are shy. Some are bouncing with excitement. But every time I look up, I can’t help but glance over to Drew, who’s standing near the hot chocolate booth with his hands in his coat pockets.
He has the same soft smile on his face he wore when he handed me the flowers. My body wants to melt like the whipped cream on top of a peppermint mocha. I can’t believe he was so thoughtful and remembered I like tulips.
But I also notice the faint shadows under his eyes and the way he leans slightly against the booth, like he’s trying not to look tired. I make a mental note to keep things low-key tonight. He’s doing all of this for me.
I sign another postcard and pose for a photo with a little boy who tells me I “jump better than a dolphin.” I thank him and hand him a candy cane before turning back to the next guest. But the whole time, my heart is ticking down the minutes until I can spend time with Drew.
When the last signature is scribbled and the final selfie snapped, I step away and finally let out a slow breath. He’s still waiting. For me. Me. I can’t believe this is really happening!
I throw a thick parka over my dress, then head straight for him. I’m not about to waste the extra time to change. “Sorry that took so long.”
“Chloe, don’t apologize. You were doing your job.” He grins and hands me a fresh cup of cocoa. This one’s topped with twice the peppermint bark, two marshmallows, and a cinnamon stick that doubles as a stirrer.
My heart flips. “You really are trying to win best date of the season, huh?”
He lifts a shoulder. “Just playing to my strengths.” Then he hesitates. “Actually . . . I was wondering if you’d help me with something.”
“Sure,” I say, sipping the cocoa. It’s perfect. “What’s up?”
“I need to pick out a Christmas tree.”
“It’s December twenty-first and you’re only picking one out now?”
He gives me a crooked smile. “Let’s just say I want this one to be special.”
I arch my eyebrow. “Is this a ‘you grew up doing this every Christmas’ kind of tradition? Or more of a ‘you forgot and are now scrambling’ kind of thing?”
He laughs. “It’s a little of both. We always helped pick out the family tree when I was a kid. But the last few years? Life got in the way. This year, I want to make it count.”
I file the information away for the future. Another piece of him I hadn’t seen before. “Where are you going to put it?”
He zips his mouth closed and tosses away the key.
I cover my mouth with my hand and giggle. “Okay, I get it. Lead the way.”
“Do you need to change first? I don’t want you to freeze.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I’m fine. These have a fleece lining,” I say pointing to my tights. “And the parka feels like a weighted blanket.”
“Wow, that’s smart. I didn’t know it was something skaters wore.”
“We don’t normally.” I giggle. “It was just for tonight since I knew it’d be cold out here.”
We fall into step, following the snow-dusted path past the glowing booths. The sounds of laughter fade the farther we walk, replaced by the soft hush of falling snow and the crunch of our boots.
The pine trees grow taller and thicker the deeper we go. Drew slows down near a quieter patch at the edge of the farm, where it’s just the two of us and rows of trees stretching in every direction.
He glances around, then says lightly, “I think the one I’m looking for is out this way.”
I raise an eyebrow. “And you know this how?”
He just grins. “Call it intuition.”
“You sound like Emma.”
He’s got one hand stuffed in his coat pocket; the other brushes against mine every few steps. He doesn’t take it, but I’m not about to waste an opportunity, so I make the move. His hand is warm, and a little larger than my own.
“Are you really not going to tell me what this tree is for? Will I have to keep guessing until spring?”
He chuckles, sending a cloud of breath into the cold air. “I promise, you’ll find out soon enough.”
I roll my eyes. Trying to extract secrets from the Sullivan siblings is like taking a bite of toffee. It’s so darn hard!
He stops in front of a tree and tilts his head, studying it. “What do you think? Too short?”
Before us is a perfectly cone-shaped tree, close to six feet tall.
Its branches are dusted with a light coating of snow, as if someone sifted powdered sugar over them just for effect.
I cross my arms and pretend to consider it, even though I have no idea what he’s looking for.
“Depends. Are you trying to make a statement or play it cool?”
He laughs. “Let’s say it’s somewhere in between.”
“Then this is it,” I say, stepping back to admire it from a few different angles.
He gives me a playful side-eye. “I’ll add a tag to it so one of the guys can cut it down.”
I nod and exhale slowly. Spending time with Drew is everything I’ve ever wanted, but there’s something beginning to gnaw at me from the inside out.
A quiet anxiety that’s been building since the moment our kiss ended, and the real world started creeping back in.
“Drew . . . what happens when I return home to Sequoia Valley?”
He doesn’t answer right away, continuing to stare at the tree. The wind picks up, rustling the pine branches overhead. He slides his hands into his pockets, then turns to face me.
“We figure it out,” he says simply. “We call, we text, we do cheesy video chats where I try and make you laugh. And when I get some time off, I come to visit you. That is if you want me there.”
I search his face. “You’d really do that?”
“For you? I’d risk flying through a blizzard with a sleigh and eight reindeer.”
I laugh. “Even Donner? He’s the temperamental one.”
“I’ll bring backup carrots.”
He reaches for my hand and laces our fingers together.
“Look, I don’t know how all of this will work out.
But I know how I feel about you. And I’m not about to let a little thing like geography get in the way now that we’ve finally decided to try being together.
Especially when I should’ve said something a few years ago. ”
I nod. My fingers tighten around his. “You’re not the only one who should’ve said something sooner.”
He blinks in surprise.
“I used to overthink everything. And I still do. Especially when it comes to people I care about. It’s easier to stay quiet than risk messing things up.” I take a deep breath. “But you make it easy to talk. This. Us. It’s all new for me.”
His gaze softens, and I feel it again—a flutter in my chest that tells me this isn’t just a crush anymore.
“Okay,” he says. “We’ll figure it out. Together.” His grin spreads slowly, melting whatever lingering doubt was lodged in my chest. “Come on, Jingle Blades. I’ve got one more surprise for you.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Does it involve glitter?”
“Thankfully, no.” He leads me down another path, away from the hustle and bustle of the booths. I hear it before I see it—the steady clop of horse hooves, the jingle of harness bells, and the soft creak of wooden wheels rolling over fresh snow.
Just ahead, a horse-drawn carriage waits for us, draped in garlands and twinkling with delicate white lights. Red plaid cushions line the bench seats, and a thick wool blanket is already folded neatly across one side
I stop in my tracks. “Oh Drew, do we get our own carriage?”
“Uh-huh.” He grins and winks. “It’s one of the perks of being part of the family that runs the place. We can make anything happen.”
A worker gives us a cheerful wave as he opens the little door. Drew offers me his hand and helps me step into the carriage. The seat cushions are soft and warm. He climbs in beside me and settles the blanket over both our laps as the horses move forward with a gentle nudge from the driver.
The wheels creak, the bells chime, and the world slows to a hush around us. The lights from the farm’s main barn twinkle in the distance. We pass rows of evergreens dusted with white and strung with lights.
“I used to think this place was kind of corny,” Drew admits, tucking one arm around my shoulders. “But sitting here with you? I think I was wrong. Being with you here is my idea of a perfect night.”
“That line was corny, but you know what? This is my idea of a perfect night too.” I lean into him, resting my head on his shoulder as the cold melts into the warmth between us.