Page 10 of Wrapped Up in Holly

“But…how?”

“I don’t know, but I know I want to be with you forever.”

His fingers tightened, almost to bruising strength, and he lowered his forehead to mine. “I want you forever, too.”

Whenever I talked about Evan to my aunt and uncle, they told me I was silly. That I was young and didn’t know what I wanted. That I’d change my mind.

I wouldn’t.

And it would be hard with us in different states, but we could figure it out.

“I love you,” I told him, and he kissed me gently.

“I’m sorry for getting upset.”

“I’m sorry for not telling you until now.”

He bent to kiss me again but pulled away suddenly.

“What?”

“I just realized if we don’t go to school together, I won’t be able to get you naked whenever I want.” He dropped his hands to my ass, yanking me against him. “Damn it.”

I laughed. “I haven’t even gotten in yet. I think we can?—”

“You’ll get in.”

His faith in me never failed to make me feel like I could do anything. His support was unflagging. He gave me confidence and was my comfort. There was no way I’d ever give him up. Because he’d never give up on me.

I kissed my appreciation into his mouth before he nibbled down my jaw then sucked lightly at my throat. He’d given me a hickey freshman year, and his parents still teased us about it.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he picked me up, only to toss me onto his bed. I was tall, but he was taller and had no problem throwing me around. He sank on top of me.

“We’re making hot chocolate!” Aiden barged into the room without knocking, and Evan heaved out an aggrieved sigh, hanging his head. “You want some?”

I laughed and pushed Evan off of me. “I do.” When he tossed me an annoyed glare, I held my hand out to him. “Come on.”

Aiden spun away to run down the hall, hollering about us wanting hot chocolate, as Evan readjusted himself in his jeans. I kissed his cheek. “This weekend.”

He linked his fingers with mine. “When? I thought you said you’d help out.”

Every year, the Hart Family Farm organized Hart Holiday Weekends during December, when Santa would come for pictures, and people could buy apple pies for their tables and wreaths for their doors, sip on cider and play some games. “Yeah, but we could sneak away.”

“In our Santa and elf costumes?”

I nodded, and he laughed, towing me to his side. “Whatever floats your boat, babe.”

Evan

Iremoved my work gloves and pressed my hands into my lower back, stretching my spine as I inhaled deeply.

“Hey old man, you’re in the way.”

I took my time turning to Ryan and raised my brow in a challenge. He rolled his eyes, lugging the big wooden picture board around me to the other side of the barn to make room for the trees that were being delivered. We were a fruit farm butimported some items from local bakers and other farmers for special events, though we’d only started selling Christmas trees since I’d come back from Ohio State with plans to expand the business.

Previous to me taking over, we’d mainly relied on the income from the summer and fall when people paid to pick their own fruit: cherries, strawberries, peaches, and apples. We had always hosted Halloween and Christmas weekends throughout October and December, but I’d wanted to think bigger with year round events. Now, we had pie contests in November, a Valentine’s dinner, an Easter egg hunt, and “spring planting” for kids, as well as school field trips throughout the year. It’s all led to tremendous growth.

The issue was, as the farm business developed, I’d had to split my time between my work and my family. It’s why Holly and I started having problems.

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