Chapter 17
HOLLY
We don’t have to spend Christmas at the cabin, after all. The following morning, we get the all clear from the road crew that plowed our exit.
The abrupt change from my bubble disorients me slightly.
We can finally return to reality, and I’m not sure how that may alter things between us.
Do Caleb and I work together once we leave our snow globe tucked away from the world?
I want to believe we can after all we’ve shared here. My heart is completely his, more entangled than the first time we fell for each other. It will crush me far worse if he breaks it again.
I swallow the sharp pain irritating my throat as I finish packing. Shaking my head at myself, I cram my slippers into my suitcase.
“Why did I overpack so much for a weekend trip?” I mumble.
The extra stuff I brought came in handy for the length the trip ended up being, but I regret my choices now that I have to fit it all back into my bags.
Caleb appears in the doorway and knocks on the frame. He has my hair ribbons and bow clips in a bag.
“Here, I got all the decorations off the tree.”
I hug the bag, fighting the swirl of melancholy. Sure, I have my freedom in time for Christmas. Except it ruins my mood to think of the tree he picked out and chopped down for me won’t make it through the holidays. The memory of decorating it with him causes a longing pang in my chest.
He lifts my chin with a crooked finger, eyes flickering between mine. Without another word, he kisses me. I drop the bag of ribbons to wrap my arms around his neck.
“There. That’s better. Now you’re smiling again,” he says.
My cheeks grow hot. I didn’t say anything, but he read me easily anyway. A laugh puffs out of me and I duck my face, twirling a lock of hair from my ponytail around my finger.
“Are the cars dug out from the snow?”
“Yeah. I’ll take your bags down for you. Leave them to me.” He catches me around the waist before I take more than a step and inclines his head with a pointed look. “I mean it. Don’t let me catch you trying to cart them downstairs by yourself.”
I fight off a smile and fail to hold it back. “Okay, okay. They’re all yours. Thank you.”
“Good.” He winks, stealing one more kiss before he leaves the room we’ve shared every night since we kissed in the hot tub.
I fluff the bedding I washed again, running my hands over his pillow. When I hug it and tuck my face into it, I still faintly smell his woodsy aftershave. Flopping onto the bed with a sigh, I close my eyes.
Going home means returning to my bed alone. I’ll miss sleeping next to his comforting presence.
It’s amazing how quickly I grew accustomed to being wrapped in his arms at night.
I stay like that for several minutes, imagining my head is resting on his chest listening to his steady heartbeat.
When I’m finished packing and can’t hold it off any longer, I wheel my bags to the top of the stairs to make it easier for Caleb to grab them.
After a quick check in the kitchen to make sure I got all of my baking ingredients and supplies, I head out to the porch for one last look at the breathtaking view.
It truly is a winter wonderland when it snows here. Vermont is beautiful year round, but there’s something so magical about New England in the cold months.
As I’m capturing a few more photos to savor the stunning landscape from the back of the cabin, I hear the familiar honk of a goose call.
“Greta?” I lean over the railing and find her beak rustling through the bushes below.
She clucks in response, fluffy tail feathers wagging. I smile and pop inside to grab the last of the cranberries for her. She eyes me with a sideways look, then waddles over for me to bid her goodbye.
We might have been at odds, but I feel a sense of kindred spirit with her attitude.
“So, are we cool, Greta?”
I toss her some berries and crouch down to take photos of how cute it is when she gobbles them. I can see why Caleb adores her when she coos and comes closer to ask for more. Smiling, I offer her a handful, mimicking the way I watched him feed her when she was sheltered in the shed.
“You’re not so bad,” I decide.
She honks happily, flapping her wings. I stroke her chest with the back of my fingers.
“There you are,” Caleb says from the porch. “My girls are finally getting along.”
I shoot him a wry look. “We’ve reached an agreement. We’re willing to share you.”
He laughs, bracing his hands on the railing. Greta calls to him, staying by my side to enjoy more cranberries.
“I’m going to lock up.” He nods to the cabin.
“Okay. I’m just saying bye to Greta before we go.”
When I no longer have food to bribe her with, she ruffles her feathers. I expect her to give me the cold shoulder again and go off to forage for more treats. She hangs around, though. I take a photo with her when she’s near me and send it to my siblings.
Hazel
Aww, she’s so cute! I want to hug her!
Holly
We had beef, but now we’re cool. Tell me why I kind of want to get a goose now?
Leo
Don’t geese have teeth? Creepy.
Hazel
Shut up, Leonard.
Leo
Not my name… [eye roll emoji]
Holly
I don’t think geese have teeth. Anyway, we’re about to leave the cabin. I should be back in Mayfield by this afternoon.
Hazel
Finally! I was worried I’d have to make your famous butter tarts and it wouldn’t turn out as good.
Holly
Don’t say that, yours tastes just as good! Hopefully I’ll still have time to make them before we all drive back to Candlewood for Christmas.
Leo
What time exactly do you think you’ll be back? I have a paper I need to send to my professor. I’ve been too tired to finish it by the time we close the bakery.
Blowing out a breath, I tap out a reply that when I hit city limits, I’d let him know. I want to scold my little brother for mismanaging his time, but I can’t. They’ve both been covering the shop for me while I’ve been stuck here.
Stress creeps in at the edges of my mind. There are so many things I need to do when I get home, including making sure Leo’s grades aren’t slipping by having to work overtime for me and baking my annual dessert contribution to our family Christmas dinner.
Sighing, I pet Greta one last time. “You have it so much easier than me. I wish I could wander through a charming woodland looking for tasty berries.”
The goose nibbles at the hem of my coat, mistaking the floral pattern for a treat. Chuckling, I head to the driveway.
I stop in my tracks when I come around to the front of the cabin. My car is warming up for me and it’s pulled out of the spot I parked in, turned out for an easy exit. I won’t have to make a million point turn to maneuver it because it’s already seen to.
Caleb finishes locking up the cabin and storing the key in the security box. He catches me standing there in stunned silence and smiles.
“You’re all set. I took care of your car for you. Also checked everything over to make sure it’s safe for you to drive. Your oil was a little low, so I topped it off.”
An overwhelming rush of emotions swell in my chest—gratitude, surprise, affection.
I turn away with a breathless laugh, blinking away the wetness clinging to my lashes. This is unbelievable. I can’t believe I’m going to cry over all the little things he does for me. They’re such simple gestures, yet they touch me.
He’s the only person who always thinks of me first.
God, I love him. How have I gone so long without him in my life?
“Holly?” He spins me back to him, concern crossing his face.
“Sorry, the wind got in my eye.” It’s a better excuse than admitting to him I’m getting emotional because he got my car ready for me.
“Let me look.” He cradles my face, tilting it with rapt concentration. “Ah, I see the problem.”
He kisses me. I melt against him with a smile. His laid-back charisma makes me feel lighter.
Brushing my fringe out of my face when we part, he sighs ruefully. “I know we have to get out of here, but letting you out of my sight is the last thing I want to do.”
I nudge him. “You have to. You have a longer drive than I do to get to the city.”
He’s heading down to New York for a meeting tomorrow with his agent and the new hockey franchise establishing itself in New England.
“I know. Still…” He rests his forehead against mine. “This hasn’t been nearly enough time to make up for how long I’ve missed you.”
“Go,” I urge with a pleased laugh. “Good luck at your meeting. Will you tell me how it goes?”
He grins. “I’ve got a good feeling about it from what Trevon’s told me. No matter what, it keeps me here. I’m definitely taking the offer, so if you let me take you out to dinner when I’m back from New York I’ll tell you all about it.”
“Dinner?”
“A date,” he clarifies with a hopeful expression that pierces my heart.
I tilt my head. “Caleb Adler, are you asking me out?”
“Are you saying yes?”
I pretend to think about it. His arms lock around me and he swings me around. I squeal, dropping my head back.
“I’m not stopping until you give me an answer.” He holds me tighter.
“Yes, I’ll go on a date with you.”
Slowing our spin, he lowers my feet to the ground with a charming smile that makes me swoon.
“I can’t wait to take you out to dinner,” he murmurs. “I have something else important I want to tell you.”
I bite my lip at the reverence in his tone. He slips his hand in mine and walks me to my car, opening the door for me. I climb in and roll the window down, reluctant to say goodbye to him. He leans in to give me one last kiss.
“Drive safe and let me know when you get in, okay?”
“Thanks, I will. Text me when you make it to the city?”
He nods. “I’ll see you soon.”
For a moment, I have the urge to blurt that I love him.
The words creep up my throat, dancing to the tip of my tongue. Before I decide if I should or not, he pats the hood of my car and steps back to let me go first.
I wave and pull out, watching him in the rear view mirror. The wind messes up his thick brown hair as he tucks his hands in his pockets and watches me until I’m gone.
The moment I’m on the road, I already miss him.