Page 64 of Catching the Mistletoe

“Wow. That’s stunning.”

Mack glanced over, clearly pleased with my reaction. “Told you Wisconsin had more than cheese and football.”

Every once in a while, we’d pass small towns, each one appearing cuter than the last. Quaint little cafes, art galleries, and, yes, cheese shops, all decked for the holidays. But what really got me were the lighthouses. They stood tall and solitary against the winter sky, like guardians watching over the lake’s icy expanse.

“Man, I love lighthouses.”

“Yeah? That’s random.”

“Yeah, I guess because they’re so...phallic.” Ooooh, and there was that look, with his eyes lighting up with amusement. It was seriously the best.

As we drove further up the peninsula, the lake began to really show off. Ice formations clung to the shore, each one uniquely twisted and contorted by the wind and waves. It was as though nature itself had turned into an artist, sculpting abstract pieces from ice and snow.

Finally, Mack slowed the RV and turned onto a barely visible driveway. Trees lined either side, their branches heavy with snow, forming a sort of natural tunnel. I looked around avidly, trying to figure out what the fuck was going on. The driveway opened out into a clearing, and my eyes bugged out of my head.

“Oh wow. This is so cute!”

In the middle of the clearing stood a small log cabin, all warm and cozy looking. Smoke curled from the chimney, and the windows were framed with twinkling lights. A giant Christmas tree stood in the front yard, its branches also weighed down with snow. Mack parked the RV and I all but scrambled out. “So, this is where we’re staying?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh.” It took me a few moments to adjust, because this was not at all what I’d been expecting.

“You...you don’t like it?”

I turned back to Mack, my heart rolling over at the concern I saw swirling in his eyes. “I love it! It’s just that I thought we were going somewhere totally different.”

“Like where?”

“I dunno, like a party or something. Or that Mom and Dad and everyone had driven up to meet us.”

“No, this is just for us.”

The way he said it had goosebumps rippling across my skin. “Just for us?”

“Yes.”

My eyes roved over the sweet little cabin, then back to Mack, standing there so unsure. Then it clicked. Oh. Fuck. This was a romantic getaway. Mack had planned a fucking romantic getaway for us. Which meant only one thing...

I smiled, taking his hand and pulling him toward the cabin. “Well, come on then, let’s go inside and check out our love nest!”

His eyes sparked with relief and amusement, and he followed me up the snowy path, his hand warm in mine. The moment we stepped through the door, I froze and the breath whooshed from my lungs. On every available surface were candles, already lit, their flames dancing in the gust of wind from the open door.

It was set up perfectly, just as adorable on the inside as it looked from the outside. It was one big open room, with a kitchen and eating area at one end and a living area in the middle. At the far end was a massive, comfy looking bed, draped with a quilt and surrounded by pillows. There was a brick fireplace with a crackling fire already going.

“Oh, my god.” It was so incredibly sweet that I didn’t know what else to say.

Mack shut the door behind us and shrugged out of his coat, hanging it on a hook. “So you really do like it?”

He seemed nervous, which was cute as fuck. “Yes. I love it.”

His shoulders sagged in relief. “I’m glad. Evelyn helped me book it.”

“Wait, so Evelyn knew this was happening?” Okay, that weirded me out a little bit.

“Obviously not the specifics. I just said that if there were any breaks coming up, you were getting a bit sick of the RV and constantly being on the road, and that you could do with a break.”

I huffed out a breath of relief. “Good one.”

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