Page 69 of A Pen Pal for Christmas

“Seriously?” he teased. “I was barely eighteen in those photos.Gross.”

This had me laughing once again, and I fought the urge to shove him.

“You’ll like me better in my uniform now.”

“Oh, yeah? Why’s that?”

He flexed his arm with a cheesy grin. “I’ve gained a lot of muscle since then.”

I sighed heavily, narrowing my eyes at him. “Okay, let’s stop before you get a bigger head.”

He gave a low chuckle, leaning in just enough to keep his words for me alone. “Only if we can switch to talking about how you look tonight. You’re stunning, Sofia. That dress… I don’t even have the words.”

I felt my cheeks warm as I glanced down at myself. The dress was black—my favorite, fitted through the bodice with a gauzy skirt that swished when I moved. There were the tiniest black sparkles strategically placed within the folds that made it so when I’d put it on, it had instantly made me feel like a dark, edgy queen.

And the way Hudson’s eyes hadn’t left me since we arrived confirmed that I’d made the right choice.

“Don’t have the words, huh?” I asked. “Maybe you can write it in a letter?”

“Maybe I will.”

The crowd finally parted, revealing the rest of the hall. The local teens had outdone themselves with their handcrafted decorations and the set for the traditional Nutcracker performance. I loved that all of this was put together under the watchful eyes of Holly and Nick, too. I could picture them someday taking on the roles of Santa and Mrs. Claus, handing out gifts to the kids.

Everywhere I looked, I spotted something else that made me smile, and the lighting was fantastic. Twinkling lights had been draped around the ceiling with sheer fabric in deep tones of green and red, and I was a sucker for those lights and the ambiance they created. My gaze landed on a massive Christmas tree in one corner of the room, its branches heavy with handcrafted ornaments created by the townsfolk.

“So beautiful,” I said, looking around.

“Very,” Hudson agreed, but when I glanced up at him, his eyes were on me. “The decorations aren’t bad either.”

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t fight the blush or my answering smile. “Come on,” I said, tugging his arm. “Let’s go mingle.”

The room was alive with movement and chatter, and I felt a surprising wave of contentment as I took it all in. These people—thistown—felt like home in a way I hadn’t quite felt when I’d visited last year. Sure, I’d started to warm up to all things Snow Hill at the beginning, but by the time Christmas came around, the snowstorm of the century and my disastrous love life put an end to the warm-and-fuzzies real quick.

But now, I truly felt like I was home.

On the far wall, Ida and Joan stood near the punch bowl with their heads bent together. Whatever they were whispering about had Joan gesturing wildly and Ida nodding sagely, the perfect image of two women absolutely loving the fact that they knew something no one else did.

The warmth of Hudson’s hand on my back drew me from my thoughts. “You okay?” he asked, his voice low.

“Yeah. Just… Happy. Taking it all in.”

“Good. That’s all I want for you.”

I smiled shyly as he took my hand, leading me through the crowd. Laughter and conversation filled the room, and it seemed like everywhere I turned, there was a familiar face or a moment that made me smile.

I caught sight of Robin in the corner, deep in conversation with the mayor and Derrick—the Snow Hill Sleigh Ride drinker. He leaned casually against the wall, and Robin laughed at something he said. I’d seen Derrick at The Hearthstone a few times since that first night. Looked like he’d decided to stick around for a while after all.

Turning toward the dance floor, we spotted Jamie. He was spinning the receptionist from the hair salon in a move that would’ve been impressive even in a ballroom competition. She clung to his arm, laughing as her bright red heels became a blur against the polished floor.

“Think he missed his calling?” I asked Hudson with a laugh.

But then Holly and Nick swayed into my line of sight, their kids tucked into their arms as they moved as one. Nick held their daughter, Noelle, who was happily sucking on the end of a candy cane, while Holly carried their younger son, Chris. His chubby little hand smacked her cheek as she danced, and I shook my head, marveling at how the four of them looked like a Christmas card brought to life.

“Ah, there’s Grace and Tommy,” I said, tugging on Hudson’s hand. “We should grab some food before they eat it all.”

My brother and sister-in-law stood near the refreshments table with Jack, playfully arguing over something. Grace had a glass of cider in one hand and an oversized cookie in the other, clearly making the most of the miles of free food brought in by Holly’s catering connections.

We passed a group of kids darting toward the stage, where Santa and Mrs. Claus had set up shop. The line to see them stretched halfway across the room, and I couldn’t help but smile at the little ones clutching brightly wrapped presents. Presents that I’d helped my friends wrap,thank you very much.

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