by Elena Aitken
“I was counting on it.” Shay winked at her, gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and disappeared, leaving Julie to wonder what exactly her daughter had meant by that comment.
* * *
Even though it didn’t make sense, Julie knocked on the ballroom door before pushing inside. She wasn’t sure what she expected, but the holiday world she walked into was way more than her imagination could have prepared her for. Julie had heard about the elaborate themes the Holly Berry Ball used every year; it was easy to see that the theme this year was sweets. Oversized candy canes lined the walls, as well as large cut-outs that looked like icing-decorated cookies, and the centerpiece of the room was an oversized gingerbread house. The scent of sugar and sweetness filled the space.
“Hello!” a voice called from across the room.
Julie turned to see a large peppermint walk toward her. A blonde woman poked her head out from around the mint and smiled.
“You must be Eva. I’m Julie. There was a message for me to—”
“Julie!” Eva dropped the mint she was holding and grabbed Julie’s hand. She squeezed it quickly before she pulled her into a tight hug. “I’m so excited to meet you. I saw the wreaths you made last night and they are absolutely perfect.”
“Perfect?”
“Yes, perfect.” Eva waved her arms around, encompassing the entire room. “As you can see, the theme this year is Christmas Confections. But it’s missing something.”
Julie spun slowly and took it all in. As far as she could see, the room wasn’t missing anything. It was absolutely perfect. “What could it possibly be missing? You have everything. I can’t think of—”
“Hot chocolate.”
Julie tried to follow the other woman’s logic. “Hot chocolate?”
“Right.” She started to walk and gestured for Julie to follow, which she did. “I have these balls, see?” She stopped and reached into a box where she pulled out what looked to be a tree ornament filled with hot chocolate mix and marshmallows.
“What is that?”
“Hot chocolate.” Eva gave her a look. “I told you it had hot chocolate.”
“Right.” Julie drew out the word and picked up a ball to inspect it. Her first instinct was right—they were in fact ornament balls full of hot chocolate mix—but she still didn’t see what that had to do with her or her wreaths. She said as much. “I don’t follow.”
For a second, Julie was afraid she’d offended the other woman, but Eva just smiled and laughed before she took a breath. “Sorry,” she said. “Sometimes I forget that not everyone follows along with my vision. Jeff says I need to learn how to share my thoughts and can’t expect everyone to know what I’m thinking all the time. Jeff is my boyfriend,” she continued at an extremely fast pace. “I think I take for granted that he either follows my logic or pretends to. Either way, I’m sorry. I have all these hot chocolate balls that I thought would be fun for the kids instead of the usual hot chocolate bar.”
She shifted tacks so quickly, Julie’s head spun as she tried to keep up.
“Anyway, I need a way to display them. I can’t really just leave them in the box like this, can I?” Julie was pretty sure it was a rhetorical question, so she smiled and continued to listen. “I need a way to hang them to display them because they’re so pretty. So I was thinking—”
“The wreaths.”
“Exactly!” Eva shouted as if she’d just won bingo. “Your wreaths are perfect. We just need to put a striped ribbon on them or something and then we can hang these balls.” Eva walked as she spoke, gesturing to a wall area next to the hot chocolate table. “The kids can come up, select a ball and move to the table here where someone can set them up with some hot water. And, voilà.”
“Hot chocolate.”
“Exactly!” Eva’s grin was infectious. “I knew you’d get it. We’re kindred souls, you and I. You either have an eye for this type of thing, or you don’t.”
Julie couldn’t help the swell of pride she felt inside. There was no way she felt she was on the same level as this woman as far as vision and decorating, but to even be remotely grouped in with her, she’d take it. It was the nicest compliment she’d received in a long time.
“I don’t think Ryan hung the wreaths yet. Maybe I could just—”
“Oh yes. You could go find Ryan and the wreaths.” Something underlying in Eva’s tone caused Julie to take a second look.
“What?”
“Nothing.” Eva tried for innocent, but something told Julie that innocent wasn’t something Eva did. “Just that maybe you and Ryan are—”
“What?” There was no way anyone could have heard about the kiss they’d shared the night before and even if they had, how could this virtual stranger have anything to say about them? Not that there was a them.
“Don’t get all upset.” Eva put her hand on Julie’s arm in a move that was much more settling than she would have expected. “Honestly, it’s just that I was talking to Ryan this morning and there was something in the way he was talking about you. I just got the impression that maybe…well, you know.”
Julie raised her eyebrow. “No. I don’t know.”
“Sure you do.” Eva dismissed her and started working again. “In fact, judging by your response, I’d say you feel the same way.”
She couldn’t argue with that, because as it turned out, she did feel the same way.
“All I’m going to say,” Eva added, “is if you were thinking of spending some more time with Ryan, I know a guy who can hook you up with a romantic sleigh ride. And…” She wiggled her perfectly manicured eyebrow. “I have a feeling the gesture would be very much appreciated.”
* * *
Ryan had to admit his surprise when Julie called him at his desk to ask him for a sleigh ride. Surprise, yes. But only because it seemed like a really forward move, coming from her. But despite his surprise, there was no way he was going to turn it down. No way.
The hours ticked by slowly, but finally it was time to meet Julie down at the stables. The second he walked out into the yard and saw Jeff, who used to be the staff horse handler before he took the job working on the hit show Tumbleweed, Ryan knew exactly how the sleigh ride had come to be. Especially when he saw Jeff’s girlfriend, Eva—whose company, Party Hearty, was always in charge of throwing the Holly Berry Ball—next to him. There was no doubt who was behind the sleigh ride invitation. Such a forward move was much more Eva’s style. He made a mental note to thank her later.
“Nice to see you again, Jeff.” He shook the man’s hand and they shared a backslap.
“It’s always good to come back up the mountain for a visit,” Jeff said. “Especially since you guys let me come play with the horses.”
“Let you? You’re doing us a favor by helping out around here. Especially if there’s a sleigh ride involved.” He looked around, but didn’t see Julie or the sleigh. “Um…about that…”
“She’s waiting for you,” Eva chimed in, with a grin so large, Ryan just shook his head. She was definitely playing the matchmaker. Too bad she didn’t realize that he didn’t need any help in that department. As far as Julie was concerned, he was matched the second he laid eyes on her.
“She’s out back, with the sleigh,” Jeff said. “I’m assuming you don’t need a driver tonight.”
Ryan had handled the sleighs a few times. He was definitely no expert, but he could manage for a basic ride. Especially if it meant being alone with Julie. “I got this.”
“Have the team back by eight, okay? I want to water and feed them by a reasonable time.”
“No problem.” Ryan turned to walk through the barn, to the back where Julie and the horses were waiting, but Eva’s voice stopped him.
“Oh, and Ryan?”
He turned and waited.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
Her laughter followed him as he shook his head and went to find the woman he was quickly falling for.
* * *
The s
cene looked like a Christmas postcard and he had to stop for a moment to take it in before he made his presence known. Julie was already in the sleigh with a big fuzzy blanket drawn up over her legs. The snow had started to fall, just lightly and not hard enough to block out the soft glow of the moon through the pines. She looked beautiful, and his heart stuttered a little in his chest. It was ridiculous, given that they’d just met, but that didn’t matter. Not really. Where was there a rule written about how long you needed to know someone before falling in love?
Love?
That was a ridiculous thought. But he wasn’t going to rule it out either. Julie was a special woman. It didn’t take a genius or a long time to figure that out. He’d known that the moment he’d met her.
As if she sensed his presence, she turned and spotted him. A smile spread across her face and he lifted his hand in greeting.
“Hi,” he said. It felt lame on his lips. It was lame. He could have thought of something better than that. “This is a nice surprise,” he added. “I’m really glad you called.”
He couldn’t be sure in the dim light, but it looked as if she blushed a little.
“It seemed like a…Eva came up with the idea.” She laughed. “But I thought, why not?”
“I think it’s a great one.” He climbed up into the sleigh and before he could stop himself, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “It’s going to be a great night,” he added when he pulled back a little. He was still close. Really close. Close enough to kiss her properly. But he forced himself to wait.
Ryan settled himself into the seat next to her and picked up a blanket of his own to cover his legs with. It wasn’t a cold night, but it could get cool in the trees, and he wasn’t going to let a small detail like the temperature cut his trip short. He noticed a basket at their feet.
Julie saw him looking. “Just a few snacks and some adult hot chocolate.”
“Adult hot chocolate?”
“There’s some Irish Cream in there. It keeps you warm.”
He looked at her seriously. “I don’t think I’m going to need any drink to keep me warm tonight.”
This time she did blush. Hard. He reached over and squeezed her leg quick before he grabbed up the reins and with a quick flick, started the horses into motion.
* * *
They rode through the paths, laughing and joking easily while he navigated the sleigh down the trails and through the trees. Conversation flowed easily and Ryan couldn’t help but feeling as if he’d known her forever. When they stopped to share the hot chocolate, it was natural to move in closer to her on the bench. He slid his arm around her shoulders and this time, didn’t hold back when the desire to kiss her presented itself. Her lips were soft and sweet, like chocolate. The kiss was slow and sensual, and when he threaded his fingers through her hair, a soft groan escaped her lips, urging him to continue. He would have been satisfied to kiss her under the night sky with big, fluffy flakes falling all around them, but Ryan was aware of the time, and reluctantly he pulled back and flicked the reins to urge the horses to once again move.
Only they didn’t.
“What the—” He looked around and still in his romantic daze, it took him a moment to realize that although the horses were trying to move, it was the sleigh that was stuck.
“Ryan, I think it’s the—”
“Sleigh,” he finished for her.
He stood, looked over the edge and almost smacked himself on the head with his stupidity. He’d inadvertently parked the sleigh in a muddy track that was only thinly disguised by the light layer of snow that was falling. “I can’t believe I did that,” he said more to himself than anyone else. “Can you handle the reins? I need to push.”
“Of course. Just show me what to do.” Without hesitation, she slid over on the bench and took the leather reins from him. The horses were well trained, and it wouldn’t take much, but he gave her the basic rundown of what to do.
“Pretty much, when I push, I’ll need you to get the horses moving at the same time so together we can get this thing out of here.”
“No problem.”
Julie looked a lot more confident behind the reins than Ryan felt about getting things moving again, but there was little choice. He was going to have to push. He stepped out over the side of the sleigh and immediately his foot sank in the mud. With the recent warmer weather, followed by the snow, there was no doubt that the trail was muddy. He should have paid more attention when he stopped. But of course he wasn’t thinking about that at the time. All he’d been thinking about was getting another kiss from Julie.
And it had been worth it.
So worth it.
“Are you okay back there?”
Ryan forced himself to stop thinking about the kissing and focus on the task at hand. After all, that would be the only way to get to another kiss.
“I’m good.” He moved into position and tried to get as much grip on the sleigh in the mud as possible. “Ready?”
“I’m ready.”
“Okay,” Ryan yelled. “Go.”
The horses lurched and pulled and with Ryan’s shoulder pressed into the back of the sleigh, it moved, too. But as the horses were able to pull it out of the rut, there was nothing to brace himself on. Ryan’s feet slid out from under him, landing him face down in the cold mud.
It took him a second, but he pulled himself up and wiped the cold mud off his face.
“Oh my God, Ryan!” He turned to see Julie come toward him. “Are you okay? That was quite a—”
Her words were swallowed as she slipped and fell right next to him into the mud. He knew he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t help it. She looked so damn cute sitting next to him with mud all over her jeans, and a smear on her cheek. Ryan started to laugh. She looked at him, shocked for a moment before she, too, started to laugh.
But the moment couldn’t last too long. After all, it was cold in the mud. Ryan pulled himself to a standing position, wiped his hands as best he could on his jeans and then reached for her. Once she was standing, he didn’t immediately let her go. He was tired of playing it safe, skirting around the true feelings he was having for this incredible woman. It was time to let go and show her exactly what he was feeling. He wrapped his hand around her head to hold her close; his other hand cupped her cheek and stroked the soft skin there with the pad of his thumb. Julie closed her eyes as his thumb traced over her skin until it found her lips. He gently parted them before he brought his mouth to meet hers.
Once again, she tasted sweet, like chocolate. Ryan was beginning to think it had less to do with what she’d been drinking, and it was just her natural taste. Sweet, just like she was. He couldn’t get enough. His mouth explored hers, and his hands held her close to him, although she was definitely not going anywhere.
With the stars overhead, the snow lightly falling, and an amazing woman in his arms, it was going to be a perfect Christmas.
6
Christmas Eve was one of Julie’s favorite days. It always had been, but this year was especially different. The night before and the sleigh ride with Ryan had been absolutely perfect. Even the slip in the mud. Maybe even because of the slip in the mud. She giggled like a schoolgirl and pulled the pillow up over her head to stifle the noise.
It was ridiculous and cold and of course—muddy.
It had been perfect.
When a moment that had the potential to turn into a disaster actually turned into a good thing—no, an amazing thing—it was moments like that that mattered.
She felt like a teenager. Again. Every day she woke up feeling a little bit giddier, sillier, like a girl in love. Not that she could be in love. That was ridiculous.
Or was it?
There was a knock on the door and before she could respond, it opened and her daughter ran in and jumped on her bed.
“Good morning, Mom. It’s about time you woke up.” Shay rolled to her side and stared at Julie.
“You must be the only teenager in history who wake
s up at the crack of dawn,” Julie moaned. “It’s not normal. Shouldn’t you be sleeping? At least until noon.” She protested, but Julie was happy to have Shay exactly the way she was. Especially considering she was still willing to crawl into bed with her mother. Julie always had and always would cherish these special moments.
She lifted the covers. “Get in here and cuddle with your mom.”
As she knew she would, Shay obliged and crawled in next to Julie, pulling her own pillow under her head. “So,” she said. “Are you going to tell me about your day yesterday? You were out late again last night.”
“And again, how exactly would you know what time I came home when you were supposed to be in bed?”
Shay rolled her eyes in response.
“Besides, how was your day with Jeffery? I think that’s the real question.”
Shay blushed and tucked her head into the pillow. “No big deal. We spent most of the day in the pool and there was another movie last night. It was okay.”
“Just okay?”
“Yup,” she said. “Just okay. I mean, he lives in Vancouver—it’s not like it’s ever going to be anything.”
“You’re sixteen,” Julie said. “It’s not like it’s going to be anything anyway.”
Not like with Ryan.
The thought popped into her head so quickly and unexpectedly, it took her off guard. Would it be anything with Ryan? And was it anything anyway?
“Tell me about your night.” Shay propped herself up on her elbow and stared down at her mother. “How’s Ryan?”
“You really want to know?” Julie didn’t make it a habit of talking about her love life with her daughter—of course, it’s not as if she ever really had a love life to speak of until recently. If that’s what it even was. A love life?