Page 62 of Christmas Cove

“And what were we building, exactly?”

She could tell he wanted to hear the words. He wanted her to confide in him, the way he had confided in her. “I like you, Leo. A lot. And I think you like me too.” America’s words fell out like a waterfall, and were more scattered than she liked, but continued despite the mess. “I never planned on any of this. I came here to write a story for the magazine. The mayor had requested a feature on the Christmas traditions of the Cove, of which there were none when I arrived.”

“That’s what you kept getting at with your questions. No wonder you were confused.” He shook his head in disbelief as he spoke. “I never requested a feature,” he said.

“No, you didn’t. But I didn’t know that at the time. Besides, I needed something to write about. So, I decided to bring back Christmas, whether the town wanted it or not. When I found out you were the mayor, I figured you had been the one to ask the magazine. I was confused. And I said things I shouldn’t have when we were at the dance.”

“So, you thought I was the bad guy?”

“Sort of. It was a misunderstanding, I admit. But the truth is that I had no right to put myself in the middle. That’s not what a professional writer does.”

“You’re a great writer,” Leo said and pulled out a crumpled sheet of paper and unfurled it. She recognized the writing as her own, as he flipped the page over.

“My fears,” she said. “How did you—”

“I need to know why you decided to stay after seeing that our town wasn’t what you expected in the first place.”

America knew exactly why she had stayed, and it had little to do with her job. “I stayed because that first day when you brought me a tree and things to decorate it with, it felt like home. You felt like home in a way that I don’t fully understand yet,” America said and eyed the paper. “Where did you find that?”

“It was on the ground over there.” Leo read the words she had scribbled, “I’m afraid I will never be a real writer, and more afraid that I’ll leave Christmas Cove and never see Leo again after this assignment.”

She took the paper, with its singed corners, and read her words again in her mind.

“Did you mean it?” he asked, with a tender note in his voice and a flex of his fingers where they wrapped around her hands.

America looked at him, though her brows scrunched in the middle and pulled at her cheeks. “Yes. I meant it all.”

“And are you still afraid of that?” he said, pulling her closer to him. His heat radiated off him and his gaze pierced her. “The part about never seeing me again?”

“Yes. But the fear didn’t burn in the fire like it was supposed to,” she said.

Leo’s fingers came to the side of her neck and played with the little curls, sending a shiver to her core. He pulled out his paper from that night, blackened from grazing the fire. “Mine didn’t burn either.”

Taking his paper in her hands, she unfolded it and read the words. “I’m afraid America will leave, and I’ll never get the chance to tell her that I’m falling in love with her.” America sucked in a breath.

“Apparently, we’re both bad shots since we both missed the fire,” he laughed.

America couldn’t hold in her giggle for long, though it alternated with tears of joy. “You love me?” she asked between giggles.

He nodded and pulled her in close. “I love you, America Greene, and I never want to be parted from you from this day forward.”

If a kiss could be a promise, this one was it. His lips pressed into hers as his hand cradled the back of her head. He touched her lips lightly at first and then deeper and with more power. Her eyes closed tightly, as though she could feel their passions uniting like when the sun plunges into the water on the horizon at sunset.

Leo pulled away, breathless, before opening his eyes again. His relaxed face lit up with a smile, though his brows formed that little U in the middle. She worried if the kiss had been bad. Or—she looked at his feet, thinking she’d stepped on his toes.

“I need to apologize to you, too,” Leo said, and America listened, unsure of anything he had done that warranted an apology. “I’m sorry I got your hopes up about pulling off Christmas here in town. I was sort of carried away by your excitement. But in truth, when you offered to help decorate Main Street, I jumped at the chance to spend more time with you.”

America felt a blush warm her cheeks. She had wanted to spend more time with him, and all along he was egging her forward so that he could be with her, too. “You’re forgiven.”

“Just like that?” he asked.

“Just like that.” America nodded and bit back a giggle. He was so cute when he was vulnerable. “Don’t you think it’s funny that we both had the same idea to keep each other around?”

Leo laughed. “I don’t suppose this means you can stay for a while. I’d really like to get to know you more and maybe go on another date.”

“I think I can stay for a while.” America took his hand and began up the shore towards the gravel path. “You know that Victorian on Main with the pink trim?”

“Manner Manor?”

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