Page 65 of A Christmas For Holly

Kai frowned. “But you instigated the kiss.”

“I never said alcohol and imminent breakdown made me rational.”

“How did it go with Lucas over the last few days?”

“He helped. He’s seen me at my worst now.”

“And he still has feelings for you after you were honest about everything.”

I blinked at Kai. “How did you know?” I asked.

Kai chuckled. “It was always obvious he felt something for you.”

“It was?”

“Sure.”

“It was good here with him, and although he knows about all the chaos in my head, he says he’s falling in love with me, and I don’t understand it, Kai. How can he see the mess I am and still care?”

Kai let out a long breath, uncrossing his arms as he leaned back, his gaze steady and calm. “I’m guessing your therapist said you need to stop assuming you’re unworthy of people caring about you. I care about you, Bailey cares, your aunt and uncle have been blowing up my phone, and as for Lucas—he’s cared since you first met, way,wayback when. He just didn’t know how to process it.”

I blinked at him, my chest tightening at the simplicity of his words. He made everything sound so easy, so obvious, but the knots in my stomach told me it wasn’t. Still, I nodded, knowing he wouldn’t let me off the hook that easily. And maybe, deep down, I didn’t want him to.

A sharp horn blast cut through the quiet, and I scrambled to stand, my heart leaping at the thought that it might be Lucas. Ihurried to the window, but my hopeful smile faltered when I saw a bright pink SUV pulling up outside. Not Lucas.

Kai stood, stretching as he gave me a small, knowing grin. “That’s Jeremiah, town taxi driver,” he said, pulling on his coat. “He’s here to take me back home.” He stepped closer, wrapping me in a firm hug that caught me off guard. The warmth of it lingered even as he pulled away.

“But your truck?”

“Yours to use,” he added, handing me the keys and then gesturing toward the vehicle he’d arrived in. “I already called the garage to come dig out and tow your car and Lucas’s, so don’t worry.”

“Kai, thank you, I don’t know what to say?—”

“Also, day after tomorrow, ten a.m., down at the rink, you’re coaching the under-tens.”

I gaped at him. “I’m what now?”

He clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Coach Hollister, temporary appearance one day only.”

“I can’t.” My monster reared its head, and I pressed a hand to my chest. “I can’t get in a rink, I can’t.”

Kai placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “They’re kids, there’s no pressure. You could skate in circles, and they’d love you.”

I nodded because he wasn’t giving me room to argue, feeling an odd mix of gratitude and emptiness as he stepped away, heading for the cerise taxi. The moment the door shut behind him, I waited for the panic to set in. The chickadee was back in the tree at the front, chirping at me, although I couldn’t hear. Maybe he was thanking me for the food, or telling me I was being an idiot—who knew.

Kai didn’t hate me. He’d hugged me, and he and Bailey had already forgiven me for judging them both.

Lucas wanted to spend Thanksgiving here and said he had feelings for me, but he was giving me space to settle my thoughts.

Wishing Tree felt like a magical, over-the-top Disney dream. All that was missing was the tiny chickadee on the branch bursting into song, talking, or maybe coming inside to tidy the cabin.

I pointed at him or her. “Don’t you fucking dare!”

Chapter 26

Lucas

I missedHolly more than I wanted to admit, and our texts, which came in fits and starts, and only because Holly would walk out to the far tree to get a signal, didn’t help. We’d been apart one night and two days, and I wasn’t sure I could last another night without seeing him when every message reminded me of how much better things felt when he was around. Even now, as I tried to focus on admin for the Christmas Lights Parade, my phone sat on the counter at the store, taunting me with the last message he’d sent about the best kind of hot chocolate, and now he was asking questions about elves.

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