Page 22 of Mountain Gift

Our trip was a success. And now the car is filled with a comfortable silence, the radio playing softly in the background.

I glance over at Caroline, her profile lit up by the fading sunlight. She's beautiful, her brown hair glowing against the sunset like a halo.

I feel a warmth spread through me, contentment settling in my bones.

"If you could have any type of car, what would it be?" I ask, breaking the silence.

She looks at me, a bit surprised. "Oh, I like my Buick just fine, Boone."

"I know you do," I reply with a chuckle. "I'm just saying,ifyou got a new car, what would you want?"

She giggles then, a sweet sound that sends a jolt of affection through me. "Hmm... let me think."

After a moment, she turns to me, a twinkle in her eyes. "I think I'd like a baby blue pickup truck."

"A pickup truck, huh?" I laugh, raising an eyebrow at her. "You planning on hauling something?"

She rolls her eyes playfully. "No, silly. I always liked the idea of riding around in a big, sturdy vehicle. Plus, the color is cute."

"Got it. A cute, baby blue pickup truck. I'll keep that in mind."

"In mind for what?"

"Nothing," I reply with a grin, refusing to give anything away.

As we pull up to her house, I put the car in park but don't move to get out.

"I've got a few errands to run, sweetheart. But I promise I'll be back before dinner."

She nods, a soft smile on her face. Leaning across the center console, I press a kiss to her lips, savoring the sweetness of the moment.

Pulling away, I watch as she steps out of the car, her figure bathed in the soft glow of the porch light.

And then she's gone, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the promise of another evening spent with the woman I'm falling for.

Chapter Seven

CAROLINE

Back at the house,I try to keep myself busy. To distract from the possibilities buzzing around in my head.

Boone is going to be out of the house for the rest of the day. This is my time to figure out how I feel. To figure out what I should do.

Heading into the kitchen, I grab full rolls of fabric and felt and haul them into the living room. I need to keep my hands busy.

When I'm working on a project, it helps my mind slow down. Recharge. And as I begin to sew and my mind finally calms, I can finally think.

Spending time with Boone today reminded me all over again why I love arts and crafts so much. It's for the joy—the fun. And for the past seven years, at least when my daughter isn't around, those are two things that I've been sorely missing.

But Boone is able to bring them back. The time we spent in that class together was the most fun I've had with another adult in such a long time.

I spend the next few hours adding to the living room's decor.

Wrapping two branches of fake pine together, I form a little circular nest. As I set this on the side table beside the couch, I think about what to put in it. What kind of sweet little creatures would settle in a Christmasy nest like this?

Eventually, I decide to fashion a tiny toy bird and an even smaller baby bird to go with it. But in that big nest all by themselves, it just seems so lonely. Incomplete.

Before I even realize what I'm doing, I make another bird. A bigger one. As I set him next to the mother bird. They just look so perfect together it makes my heart sing.

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