Page 22 of Festive Faking
I hated that he was probably right. Instantly, I made a mental note to double my donation to the church for the children. It was nothing more than a bandage slapped over the guilt associated with my privilege, but what more could I do short of renouncing my family name and my stake in the business?
Changing the subject seemed like the only option, so that’s what I did. Gesturing between the two men and Aspen, I asked, “How do you all know each other?”
Luke rocked back on his heels. “You’re hard-pressednottoknow someone in this town, but we go way back with Aspen. I dated her for a few years in high school, and Henry here”—he hitched a thumb toward his husband—“took her to prom.”
My eyes widened as the redhead at my side dropped her gaze to the ground.
Damn, guess she wasn’t exaggerating when she mentioned that Mike wasn’t the first of her exes to bat for the other team.
“You’ve got a good one there, Mac,” Henry said.
“You won’t find a better one,” Luke agreed.
Taking a risk, I grasped her hand and squeezed it gently. “You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know.”
The lights on Main Street dimmed, and someone announced that the tree lighting would commence in five minutes.
“That’s our cue.” I nodded to the men as I began to guide Aspen closer to the massive evergreen. “Nice meeting you.”
They murmured their goodbyes to our backs as we moved deeper into the crowd.
Everyone seemed to be shuffling in the same direction, and I’d have laid odds that it mimicked the guided movements of a cattle herd. Eventually, we could go no further. A wall of people stood before us, awaiting the event of the evening, all eyes trained on the tree.
I curled my arm around Aspen, and a countdown rang out from the stage.
“This is my favorite part,” she confessed, her voice barely audible.
My lips drew closer to her ear. “Oh yeah?”
She gave a slight nod. “The anticipation right before the lights twinkle. If you close your eyes, you can almost feel the excitement.”
Her blue eyes slid closed, and she tilted her face toward the sky, a soft smile gracing her lips. Unguarded and relaxed, she’d never looked more beautiful. I wanted to capture this moment and remember it forever.
In unison, those gathered began counting down the final seconds. “Five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . .”
Aspen’s lashes fluttered open just in the nick of time. “One!”
You’d have thought we were in a cheesy holiday movie the way the lights lit from the bottom to the top of the tree, culminating in the shining star glowing at the highest point.
Everyone let out a cheer, and Aspen breathed out, “Now, it’s Christmas.”
Chapter 9
Aspen
There was no placelike home. Millions of holiday memories came rushing back as I watched that tree light up. It was like I was a little girl again, and the magic of the spectacle threatened to overwhelm me. What I wouldn’t give to go back and warn myself that it would be over in a flash and to enjoy those precious moments when this place had been all I’d ever known.
“I have your ornament.” Mac’s voice in my ear brought me back to reality.
Lord, with how many people had approached to welcome me home since our arrival at the event, speaking with Rose and abandoning Mac with her seemed like a distant memory.
He offered me the horse figurine, and I ran a fingertip over its gray mane. I’d always loved this one so much because it looked like Snowflake. As a girl, I’d been fool enough to think that, someday, my daughter might be the one hanging this ornament on the tree instead of me.
After my many failed attempts at finding a partner, that felt like a pipe dream.
If I was lucky, Tripp and Penny would finally find their way together and I might have a niece I could pass it on to.
Slowly, those in front of us shifted, and we were able to shuffle closer to the tree. When we reached it, my lips pursed, eyes scanning for the perfect spot. I extended my arms, huffing in frustration when I couldn’t quite reach the branch I’d set my sights on.
