Page 20 of Her Christmas Lumberjack

10

NOLAN

I’m backon my feet, heading toward the frozen lake, when I hear footsteps. For a moment, I stop, listening hard. But the wind is whistling in my ears, and I figure I must have imagined it.

I keep moving, my strides lengthening as I walk through the Christmas trees. Guilt sits heavy in my gut. I need to get back to Aurora. I can’t leave her to spend Christmas alone and miserable. My chest tightens when I remember the tears that rolled down her cheeks. I wish she’d trusted me with the truth, but I know she’s sorry. I could see it in her eyes.

Fuck.

My girl has brightened up my world since the moment I met her. Before she came along, I was miserable, going through the motions. But Aurora makes everything feel magical again. Christmas. The farm. All of it. She brought me back to life, and she deserves to know that I forgive her for lying. Hell, I would forgive her for anything. Because the only thing worse than losing Mistletoe Christmas Tree Farm would be losing Aurora.

My Aurora.

I’m running now, nearly out of the fir trees, when a figure bursts out from behind a row of pines in front of me. Thosefamiliar green eyes meet mine, that heart-shaped face glowing as she barrels toward me. Before I can say a word, Aurora throws her arms around me and I hug her back tightly.

“I’m sorry—” I say.

“Nolan, the farm is yours!” she says at the same time.

“What?”

Aurora pulls back, beaming at me. “The new will—it’s a forgery. Samuel faked it.”

Every muscle in my body seems to relax. I was doubtful about Samuel’s claim as soon as Aurora mentioned it. My Grandpa leaving the farm to Ralph goes against everything I know about my family history, and it makes way more sense that all of this was just another one of Samuel’s cons. I sag with relief.

“How did you figure out it was fake?”

“The signatures.” Aurora takes a step back from me. Now that her initial excitement about telling me has worn off, it’s almost like she’s not sure she’s allowed to touch me. “After you left, I compared the two wills, and the signatures were slightly different. My boss got a handwriting analyst to confirm it.”

I nod, reaching out to grab her hand, drawing her back to me. “Thank you, Aurora.”

“Don’t thank me. This is the least I could do after everything…” Her voice tapers off before she adds, “I’m so sorry, Nolan. I know it won’t make things right, no matter how many times I say it, but it’s true.” Her eyes flicker up to meet mine. “I really don’t want to lose you, but I understand if you hate me.”

“Hate you?” Emotion rises in my chest, and I shake my head. “Aurora, I could never hate you. I love you.”

Her lips fall open. “I…you do?”

“Of course.” I reach down to cup her cheek, fingers tingling as I touch her soft skin. “You haven’t lost me, sugar. I forgive you, and I’m not going anywhere. That’s a promise.”

Then I close the distance between us and crush my lips to hers, kissing her sweet mouth until I don’t know where she ends and I begin. She kisses me back desperately, her hands running through my hair. When I pull back, she beams at me, eyes glittering with emotion.

“I love you too, Nolan,” she says. “I promise I’ll never lie to you again.”

My heart jumps. I never dreamed this perfect woman would love me back, but as she melts against me, her head resting against my chest, I know she means it.

“I believe you, sugar.”

My hands run through her hair, wet from the snowflakes that melt as they hit us, before I lift her into my arms and carry her bridal-style through the trees.

“Let’s get you into the warm,” I tell her. “Rudolph is probably wondering where we are.”

“Good idea.”

I carry my girl back to the cabin, happiness rushing through my veins. Everything I need is right here in my arms, and I squeeze Aurora tight, shouldering open the front door. As predicted, Rudolph barks excitedly, jumping around when he sees us. I set Aurora down and we pet him, giving him plenty of attention before we sit on the couch, warming ourselves by the fire. As I cuddle her close, I hear the snowplow approaching, clearing the forest road outside. The sound makes me tighten my grip on Aurora. She has a career, a whole life waiting for her back in the city. Soon, she’ll have to go back to it.

Fuck it, guess I’m moving to Denver.

It won’t be easy, leaving the farm. I know Declan will keep things going, but I’ll miss my cabin, Cherry Hollow, all of it. But it’s worth it. For Aurora, anything is worth it.

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