Chapter 14
FOURTEEN
LIAM
Cassidy isn’t all cocoa and candy canes, Liam thought as he fed her Christmas lights. He could see that now: She carried her own darkness, a pain she hid from the world.
One moment, she looked like she had unquenchable confidence, like when she was welcoming him into her shop.
She beamed like the whole world was made for her.
And the next, she seemed so small and unsure, like when he’d rejected her offer to grab the lights from her apartment.
He hadn’t meant to hurt her. He just… couldn’t go into her bedroom.
Then there were the quieter moments. The way she watched people, as if memorizing how to belong. There wasn’t much he missed when it came to Cassidy.
Sure, there had been an instant attraction between them. And the truth was, he wanted to know her. Really know her.
But that’s exactly why he had to be careful.
She couldn’t be a weekend fling. She was in Maple Falls to stay.
He couldn’t hook up with her and then pretend things were casual, not when every moment with her felt anything but.
He wasn’t ready for something real, something long-lasting, and he might never be.
Liam had loved someone once, and it had shattered him beyond repair.
He wouldn’t make that mistake again. Cassidy deserved someone whole.
Maybe he could just be her friend?
He just had to keep his damn boundaries intact.
No matter how good it felt to be near her, how tempted he was to kiss her.
Friendship was the best he could offer. But he wasn’t going to suddenly pretend that he loved Christmas. Just like he wasn’t going to ask her to dim her holiday sparkle to suit him.
They worked together in silence, stringing the lights around the tree. Cassidy was on the ladder; Liam was on the ground. He fed her the strands as they moved from branch to branch. Somehow, among the gathering crowd and falling snow, they got it done right on time.
“Perfection. I had all the faith in the world in you two,” Mayor Bloomfield said, strolling over. He tugged down on the red velvet lapels of his sport coat and rocked back on his heels, admiring the tree. “That’s a gorgeous spruce, son. Your family should be proud.”
“Always an honor,” Liam replied.
“And those lights?” Mayor Bloomfield clapped. “You do have an eye for Christmas décor.” He nodded to Cassidy.
Liam watched her beam under the mayor’s praise.
“Thanks. I wanted it to be perfect,” she confessed.
“Well, you two certainly saved the day,” the mayor said, voice booming just enough to carry to the nearby onlookers.
“And after the recent… disruptions, I know the whole town appreciates it. Whoever’s behind these incidents—we’ll get to the bottom of it.
Mark my words. The so-called Gingerbread Jerk won’t ruin another Maple Falls tradition on my watch. ”
He gave a meaningful pause and then added, “Let’s just hope there aren’t any more surprises hiding in the shadows, hmm?”
Cassidy’s eyes flicked toward Liam. “Fingers crossed,” she murmured.
Liam took a step back and watched as Cassidy surveyed the tree.
She was still arranging lights here and there, making sure it was just so.
She was such a perfectionist, and the mayor was right—she really had a talent for this.
Something shifted in his chest as he felt equal parts admiration and dread.
If he hadn’t realized it before, he realized it now.
Friend or not, Cassidy was going to be hard to beat for the Christmas Light-Up Display Competition.
As much as he liked her and could not get enough of her contagious smile, he couldn’t let her win.
His family needed that prize money. The llama rescue project was too important to him, to Jackson.
His brother deserved it after the hell he’d been through.
Not to mention the promotion that winning the competition would bring to the family farm shop.
He knew how important the first year of business was to a new store, and just like Cassidy, he had a lot to prove.
He had to win, and that meant Cassidy had to lose. But tonight, he didn’t want to think about any of that.
All he wanted was to have fun at the tree lighting ceremony—for Cassidy’s sake. For their new friendship that felt so natural despite their differences, and seemed to be building very fast.
For the first time in four years, Liam felt like he could put aside the dark memories that surfaced this time of year, the bitterness and guilt it dragged up. He knew he couldn’t let it go completely. But he could go back to being a grinch tomorrow.
“What are your plans for after they light this beauty up?” Liam motioned to the tree.
Before Cassidy could answer, Madison, Zach, and Kit appeared from the Kettle, bottles of spiked cider in hand.
“There you are,” Madison said. “Kit’s trying to wrangle us all for sleigh photos before the crowd gets worse.”
“Like you don’t want to get in Santa’s sleigh. Look at that thing.” Kit used her cider to motion down the street at the candy-apple-red sleigh in front of the Santa House. The volunteers had gone all out with the sleigh, a wall of wrapped presents, and a glittery backdrop.
“You want one?” Zach asked, offering Cassidy a bottle of cider.
She reached over and accepted it.
“Hey, where’s mine?” Liam asked.
“Probably back at the Kettle.” But even as Zach said those words, he was opening his coat pocket and taking the third and final bottle out of his inside pocket. “I figured we’d all want one.”
They twisted off their caps and clinked their drinks.
“To Christmas,” Kit said.
“To Christmas,” everyone echoed—except Liam, who simply couldn’t go that far. He took a sip and glanced away, pretending not to notice the way Cassidy was watching him.
The group stayed huddled together, chatting, sipping their ciders, and then, with the crowd gathered, the countdown began.
“Three… two… one…”
Mayor Bloomfield flipped the switch.
For a heartbeat, everything was still.
Then—whoosh—the tree came to life in a dazzling cascade of color.
Multicolored lights rippled from the topmost star down through the thick evergreen branches.
The hush that followed was unexpected. Like the whole town had stopped breathing for a moment.
A kind of reverence hanging in the air. All that warmth.
All that hope. It hit him harder than he’d expected.
He’d skipped this moment for the last four years.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cassidy. Her hands were clasped together, chin resting on her fingers, eyes wide and glowing in the soft light.
“It’s beautiful,” she said reverently.
Beautiful, Liam thought, looking at her.
“Oh no,” Madison said suddenly, turning to Zach with faux alarm. “I completely forgot to turn on the, um… Christmas tree in the great room.”
“Tragic,” Kit deadpanned, sipping her cider.
Madison ignored her. “Zach, do you think you might be able to help me with that?”
Zach didn’t hesitate. “I’d be crazy not to.”
Cassidy watched as Madison laced her fingers through his, tugging him toward the inn with a look that made it very clear the tree wasn’t the only thing she needed help with.
“You sure it needs two people?” Liam called after them.
“You haven’t seen how many lights she strung on that thing,” Zach tossed over his shoulder with an unapologetic grin.
Madison laughed, bumping into him as they disappeared down the street, hands locked, the rest of the festival forgotten.
“They’re so cute,” Kit said, watching them walk away.
Cassidy smiled then glanced around the square. Liam followed her gaze.
The crowd had really grown. The jazz soloist had been replaced by a brass quartet and a group of carolers. The festive singers were dressed in 1800s Dickens-style apparel, complete with bonnets, plaid throws, and full wool skirts.
Kit tilted her head. “Hold up. Is that Rachel from Zoe’s wreath class? The one with the red beret?”
“I think so…” Cassidy said, finding the woman in question.
“Wait, is she eying me up?” Kit stood a bit taller, tucked her hands in her wide-legged jeans pockets, trying to look cool and casual. “I thought I picked up a vibe from her.”
“She was one hundred percent flirting with you last week,” Cassidy confirmed.
Kit grinned. “Ha, I knew it. I haven’t had a woman look at me like that in a long time.” Kit drew out the last two words.
Cassidy laughed. “Go. Maybe you’ll find some mistletoe over there.”
“Mama can hope.” Kit winked at Cassidy. “You two have fun. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do—which, to be fair, is a short list.”
And just like that, she slipped into the crowd, leaving Cassidy and Liam alone in the middle of the square.
Cassidy looked over at Liam. “Go on. You can leave. I’m fine hanging out by myself. I know you’re not into all this.”
“Listen, I don’t even know what all this entails.”
“Why am I not surprised?”
“How about you just be nice and tell me what’s on the agenda?” He nudged her elbow with his. “That way I can brace myself.”
“I might have memorized the Chamber of Commerce brochure…” Cassidy confessed.
“Why am I not surprised?” he replied, copying her.
She rolled her eyes. “Do you want to know what’s going on or not?”
“Sorry. Continue.”
“Let’s see, for starters, there’s the tree ornament raffle.”
“Ah, yes, a classic. Did you donate one?” Local businesses each donated a special ornament for the raffle. Liam had included a handcrafted snow-covered tree from the Hot Honey Farm Shop.
“No, I found out about it too late,” Cassidy said, a little deflated.
“Well then, you’re allowed to enter. What else?”
She perked up. “There’s the Christmas wish tags. You write something down, toss it in the bonfire, and your wish is magically granted.”
Liam exhaled, casting a skeptical glance toward the community park where the fire crackled at the center of the square.
Cassidy sighed. “You don’t have to do it. It’s just… kind of fun. Or you can just go home, and I’ll walk around by myself. I told you—I don’t mind. I know you hate Christmas.”
Her voice was casual, but Liam caught the flicker of disappointment beneath it. And that, more than anything, was what made him stay.
Liam wanted to make Cassidy happy, he really did.
He just wished it involved something less Christmassy, like a pitcher of beer and a round of darts at the Kettle.
He shouldn’t be here—shouldn’t let her get too close.
But he was here. And what if tonight gave him a good memory in a season that hadn’t been kind to him?
“‘Hate’ is a pretty strong word. Besides, it’s been a hell of a day. Let’s end it on a high note.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. You pick. I’ll do anything.”
“Even the sleigh photo op?” Cassidy teased.
“No. Anything but that.”
“Oh, come on. It’s got a red velvet seat and everything.”
“I’m not climbing into a giant fake sleigh, Cassidy.”
“Okay, fine. But will you do the Christmas wish?”
Liam bobbed his head from side to side, weighing his options. “Fine. One wish.”
“Deal.” She beamed and linked her arm through his. “Baby steps.”
Liam could see the bonfire and feel the warmth of it before they even got in line.
Cassidy picked up a tag, tapping her pen against her chin. “What should I write?” She looked over at Liam’s tag. “Wait, you already have something? Let me see!”
“Nope, that’s not how this works.” Liam scrawled something quickly and folded it in half.
“Oh, no fair! You have to show me.”
“Nope. It’s a wish. If I tell you, it won’t come true.”
Cassidy rolled her eyes but smiled.
Liam caught sight of her tag—“Don’t screw this up”—and his teasing faded.
His gaze met hers. He wanted to tell her that she wouldn’t.
That she belonged here, in Maple Falls. That her shop would thrive.
That her life would be filled with love and joy, because that’s what she was filled with.
She was brave in ways that had nothing to do with chocolate or Christmas lights.
She was opening herself up to a whole new life.
But he didn’t say any of that. Because if he did, she might think he meant more than friendship. And right now, that was all he could give her.
“Ready?” he asked, folding his wish a second time.
Together, they walked toward the fire.
“On the count of three?” Cassidy asked.
Liam nodded. “One, two, three,” they counted together, and then tossed their tags into the fire.
The blue and orange flames licked at the edges of the paper, scattering their wishes into the night. He wondered—just for a moment—if it was possible to ever truly forgive himself. To stop living in the past. To stop measuring every happy moment against what he’d lost.
To let go of the guilt. The what-ifs. The endless replays.
Probably not, he thought.
But maybe… maybe his past didn’t have to haunt him every time the snow started to fall.
He glanced at Cassidy. The way she smiled at the firelight. The way she made space for joy, for life. Trained her gaze to focus on that.
Maybe he wasn’t ready to let go of his past yet.
But for one night, he could show up for someone who was living in the present.
And that was something.