Chapter 20
HOLLY
After dinner with my family in Candlewood on Christmas, I stop by the Adler’s home for a visit with a treat in hand.
Despite growing up regularly hanging out between my house or Layla’s, a bundle of nerves dances in my stomach when I knock on the door. I’m familiar enough to walk in, yet I linger on the doorstep debating how to act when I see Caleb after our date.
My heart swells at the perfect memory. Thinking of those messages he saved makes me misty-eyed again. I copied them to my phone and read some of them again before I got out of my car.
He’s made me so happy.
Although he’s moving to Mayfield and staying in New England, he’s still a professional hockey player. Once the season starts, I can’t help wondering if things will be the same as they are now.
I shake my head to dispel the doubt creeping in from the back of my mind.
The door opens, interrupting my thoughts. My heart flutters at the affectionate expression on Caleb’s face.
“You came,” he says in a mix of surprise, relief, and pleasure.
“I stop by for dessert every year,” I answer with a blush, not bringing up how it was only when I knew he wasn’t home for the holidays in recent years. “I brought this.”
I hold up the extra pecan butter tarts I baked for his family. Thankfully by bribing Leo and Hazel to give me a hand, we were able to make enough of my annual specialty to share with everyone before we closed up the bakery for the holiday and returned to our hometown in Vermont.
The corners of his eyes crinkle. Glancing over his shoulder, he sneaks a hug and a quick kiss before taking my hand to lead me inside. I lick my lips, wishing we could linger in the entryway, just the two of us like our snow globe bubble in the mountains.
He carries the tray for me. It inspires a picture of what our future might look like in another seven years as a couple arriving together to visit family. I bite my lip as butterflies swirl through me.
“You just missed Elijah’s call. He’s in Toronto since his team’s scheduled to play an away series right after the Christmas break,” he says.
I slip my hand free from his before we reach the living room where everyone else is. Layla has a crown made of wrapping paper and gift bows. Mr. Adler’s cheeks are rosy from drinking and laughing with her. Mrs. Adler bobs her head to the holiday music, waving at me cheerfully.
Layla pops to her feet with a cheer as she runs across the room in a blur of her vivid red hair to hug me. “Holly’s here!”
“Merry Christmas.” I squeeze her.
Caleb lifts my baked goods out of reach. “I’ve got dibs. Anyone else want some?”
“Don’t you need to get back to the gym to maintain your professional athlete body.” She taps him in the stomach with the back of her hand.
He grunts with a smirk, two bites deep. “Can’t stop me. Not when it comes to Holly’s baking. Shit, these are good. I could eat the entire tray.”
A stifled groan of appreciation escapes him. My cheeks heat. I’m unable to control my face, feeling like it’s written all over it that I’m in love with him. With effort, I attempt a normal smile.
“They taste different than the last time I had them,” he muses curiously.
“I’m glad you like them. Half are the traditional recipe with brown sugar. Half are maple. I was testing out a twist on the classic to see if I wanted to add them to my bakery’s seasonal menu,” I say.
Layla finally manages to snag one from Caleb’s keep away game, melting as she tastes the pastry. “Oh my god. Mom, Holly made your favorites. They’re better than ever.”
“Thank you, Holly,” Mrs. Adler says.
I smile. “Of course.”
I spend time with everyone to hear about their Christmas, finding excuses to be near Caleb. My hand brushes his and we keep sneaking glances.
Afterwards, Layla tugs me away. “Come upstairs. I want to show you my options for New Year’s Eve outfits for Girls’ Trip: Take Two.”
Her bedroom is full of nostalgic memories.
K-Pop posters are still plastered on the walls of the groups our friend, Hana, introduced us to in high school.
Her massive book collection I still borrow from as a curated taste library.
The cozy blanket fort in the corner where we spent most of our sleepovers beneath fairy lights exchanging secrets.
I sit on her bed as she models each option for me. We decide on matching sparkly silver and gold rompers, then plan out a dance playlist to take us to midnight at our private party for two.
I have no doubt Caleb would love to peel the sexy little number off me at the end of the night. My lips purse to the side. Layla hasn’t invited him to come with us. He might be busy with training once he’s signed with his new hockey team, anyway.
Maybe next year we’ll get to spend New Year’s Eve together and I’ll get to kiss my boyfriend when the clock strikes twelve. At the very least, I’ll call him to hear his voice while I’m at the cabin.
After our time there, the thought of going back without him strikes a sharp chord in me.
The cabin might be his family’s, but in my heart it will forever be branded as our space from now on.
By the time we return downstairs, I’m bursting with the need to tell my best friend about falling for her brother.
Except I don’t have to worry about finding the right words to tell her. Instead, Caleb waits for us at the foot of the staircase.
The story Layla’s telling trails off as he catches me by the waist and pulls me in for a kiss when I reach the last step, easy as that.
Wide-eyed and flushed, I press my fingers to my lips. I can’t believe he did that. My attention flies to his smiling sister behind me. She nudges me to get me moving again.
“You don’t seem surprised about your brother randomly coming up and kissing me,” I say.
Layla gestures between us with her brow quirked. “Well, yeah. There’s been an obvious vibe going on between you two since you got here. I can see how he’s looking at you, and the glances you’ve been sneaking at him. You both have no idea what subtlety is.”
“Oh. I didn’t mean to hide it from you, but I wasn’t sure when to tell you about us,” I say.
“I’m happy you two finally got your heads out of your asses,” she replies with a laugh. “Seriously, me and Eli had bets going for years on who would crack first.”
Caleb snorts and hugs me against his side, right where I belong. We fit perfectly together. I lean my head on his shoulder, not fighting the soft smile that breaks free.
“Who had money on seven years ago?” he asks.
Layla gasps, pointing at us. “I knew it! For the record, you two suck at sneaking around.”
My mouth pops open. “There’s no way you suspected us. We were careful.”
She shakes her head. “Yeah, sweetie, no. You weren’t as discreet as you thought.
” She tallies on her fingers. “June, his car smelled like your perfume. My family’s July 4th barbecue, you both disappeared around the same time and I found one of your bows from your braids that day in a bush.
Two weeks after that, I heard you laughing in his room—I’ve known you since we were kids, so, duh, I’d recognize it. Should I keep going?”
“Oh my god. You have more?” I turn my mortified face into Caleb’s chest.
“Your brain is something to be feared if you’re pissed off,” he says to his sister. “How do you remember shit like that?”
Layla taps her temple. “I am an iron vault. I see all. I archive all. This is why you and Eli could never beat me at games like hide and seek, because I memorized all your best spots.”
He chuckles wryly. “This is why you never mess with the middle child.”
“Damn right,” Layla crows.
“You never said anything. I’m sorry for keeping it from you back then.” I pull away from Caleb to hug my best friend.
She squeezes me back fiercely. “Don’t sweat it, girl. I wasn’t mad at all. I was hyped, because our childhood bestie dream of becoming sisters might come true. Then I was pissed at him for whatever he did to make you so sad at the end of the summer.”
“Oh, is that why you were suddenly giving me so much attitude and ignored me when I was home on break from school?” Caleb scoffs.
Layla flips him off. “Oh, you hush.”
“Give me my girlfriend back.” His hands snake around my waist and tug me into his chest.
Layla holds on. “She was my friend first.”
“Play nice, children. Hey—wait, don’t tickle me!” I yelp.
The three of us wrestle, stifling uncontrollable laughter. Layla plays dirty jabbing her brother in the side, but he wins out in the end by scooping me into his arms. I cling to him and throw my head back with joyful amusement.
If this is my future, I look forward to every minute of it.