Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 96970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
“I don’t know what that means,” I said. “And I’m leaving here in a bit to serve hot drinks at the Starlight Spectacular. Our food truck is doing hot cocoa, cider, and these cinnamon stick things—”
“Just give me an hour. Please?”
I blew out a breath. Thankfully, Tavo had already taken charge of prepping the truck for the event with Karim’s help. “What exactly am I supposed to do?”
“Doesn’t matter. Just get him to Timber and keep him occupied.”
Since Judd was back to work at the firehouse, which was particularly busy today as they helped prepare the holiday light display on Slingshot Mountain’s ski slope, I was honestly happy to have my own distraction.
What could I say to get him to Timber that he would believe?
“Adrian!” I said when he answered his phone. “Thank god you answered. I need backup. Legacy’s asshole fire chief just called in another ‘random inspection,’ and I’m about to lose my fucking mind. Can you come keep me company while he’s here and help me not commit homicide?”
Thankfully, he didn’t particularly care that when he showed up, there was no inspection or any chief.
My bad.
Instead, he drowned his sorrows in my spiked hot cocoa and told me the story of the miscommunication between him and Maddox. Poor Adrian was completely twisted up about it.
“It’s going to be okay,” I said firmly.
He stood up. “What do you mean? Do you know something?”
I nodded. “I do. And I have a question for you. Have you told Maddox how you feel? Like, specifically?”
Adrian dropped back down on his stool. “I’ve told him I want him. That I… that I have…” He hesitated, but I could tell he had strong feelings for our grumpy hardware store owner.
I smiled at him in understanding. Why did it always seem so much clearer when it was someone else experiencing it? “Have you said the words ‘I love you, I want to stay here, I choose you over everything else’?”
Adrian’s eyes widened. “Not exactly.”
“Uh-huh.” I leaned against the bar. “You know what’s not complicated? Telling someone you love them. Everything else is just noise.”
“But…”
“And if you love him, Adrian,” I said softly, “then trust him.”
Before he could respond, Tommy appeared beside us.
“Adrian! Perfect. I need you to—”
Adrian shook his head. “No. I’m sorry. If someone needs cookies or a ride or to be saved from a rogue fire inspection, you’re gonna need to find someone else. I have to find Foster. I have to get to—”
“Slingshot Mountain?” Tommy finished. His smile was suspiciously bright. “Good, ’cause I’m here to drive you. To make sure you get there safely.”
I hid my own smile. Maddox had roped in another Marian for whatever grand gesture he was planning for Adrian.
As soon as they left, I raced to the kitchen, gathered my crew, and headed to the mountain.
Even though I’d attended the Starlight Spectacular for the past three Christmases, this one was different. As I passed out hot cups and paper envelopes of warm treats, I finally felt like a true local.
“Thanks, Alex!” Mrs. Hoffman called as she hurried away with her drinks.
“Alex, thank god you’re here,” Tim, a regular customer at Timber, said, rushing up and yanking out his wallet. “I promised my niece one of those cinnamon things she got last time. She’s been talking about them for literally an entire year.”
We stayed busy until the lights went on in an exciting reveal, and everyone’s attention was pulled away by the display.
The moon shone down on the snowy slope as the colored lights danced and flickered to the sound of synchronized holiday music. Everyone stood around in clusters of happy couples, families, and friends.
As I watched my community and hundreds of tourists enjoy the festive moment, I remembered another conversation I’d had with IndexEcho all those years ago. About spotlight moments.
His voice came warm and smooth from behind me as Judd’s arms snaked around my middle, and his lips found his favorite spot below my ear.
“Sometimes in life, we have those spotlight moments, don’t we?” he murmured. “When all the world seems just right, and we’re caught between wanting to live it and wanting to capture it.”
“Which one are you going to do?” I whispered, leaning back against his solid frame and enjoying this perfect moment as fully as I could.
“Live in the moment and capture the man,” he said softly.
We stood there together like that, watching the faces of our family and friends turn all the colors of the rainbow while the hushed, white winter around us lay thick and clean like a blanket full of promise.
This was our fresh start. Here, together.
DrunkenPoet and IndexEcho.
Alex and Judd.
The names we carried didn’t matter as much as the connection. And I’d never felt more connected to anyone before.
I’d thought it was coincidence that had drawn us together twice… but now I knew it was fate. There was a part of me I knew would thrive now that my heart was safe in Judd’s keeping, and I was determined to make sure the same was true for him.