Page 16 of Let it Snow
Lucy saw so many things behind those pools of jade, so many feelings that she felt as well.Love, gratitude, and a bit of sadness that it would be the last time they were able to be together.Max had wanted to make her promises of more, but she knew better than to count on that.He was a successful pastry chef, and even if he did move back to England, there would be little opportunities for him in the tiny town too far north of London, and Lucy couldn’t stand the thought of him giving up his passion, his livelihood, to while away in the country with her.
Blinking away the moisture that threatened to fall, Lucy made one last trip into the kitchen to gather as many biscuits as she could as well as the gingerbread cottage replica she had finished the night before.As she carried the miniature Inn over to the reception area where it would stand in pride of place for all those who entered to admire, she tried to focus on all the good that had come of Max’s visit.He had helped her decorate and bake some biscuits, but more than that he had helped her realize the people who loved her that had passed would always be a part of the tradition because they were a part of her.Lucy was a product of the love given to her by her mother, her grandparents, and now Max.No matter how empty the house might be at times, it would always feel like a house filled with love because the spirit of those people would remain with her for the rest of her life.
After depositing the ginger cottage on the front desk and placing trays piled high with biscuits on the various tables scattered around the main floor of the Inn, Lucy went upstairs to prepare herself for the day’s event.As it was Christmas, she put on her favorite forest green velvet dress to reflect one of the colors of the season.The other would be present in her strawberry hair she left down and styled into loose waves.After putting on just a smattering of make-up, she headed back downstairs just in time to greet the first attendees for the biscuit decorating.
“Happy Christmas Eve,” Brent exclaimed as he entered.He was arm in arm with his fiancé, his senior parents trailing behind them.“Are we the first to arrive?”
Lucy smiled at her long-time friend and greeted each of the guests with a welcoming hug.“You know you’re the first.You always are,” she reminded him.Brent was a wonderful friend, and while she may have retreated into her grief a bit over the last year, he remained one, always offering his silent support and never leaving her alone for too long.Lucy pulled back from their hug and smiled at him.“Thank you.”
Brent raised one dark eyebrow, his expression confused.“What are you thanking me for?”
Lucy shrugged before stepping aside and letting him hang up his coat.“For being a good friend.”Friends weren’t always easy to come by, and she would remember to thank him more often.
“You’re very welcome,” he said, his expression morphing into a knowing smirk.“But I thought you might be thanking me for bringing a certain traveler to your Inn about a week ago.”
Lucy grabbed his hand and pulled him over to one of the tables set up for decorating.“That, too,” she said, her eyes trying to convey just how much she meant it.Max had been the best holiday surprise she didn’t think to ask for.
After helping the four get settled in with their supplies, she turned to make her way into the kitchen to start some tea brewing, but a hand on her arm stopped her.When she turned back, she saw a sad smile on Brent’s face.“I wish I could have kept him here longer for you.”
Lucy nodded, thoughts of Max’s leaving still a bit raw, but there were so many good memories mixed in there too, that she felt a smile coming over her face.“Same.”With a pat on his hand, she disappeared into the kitchen.It was the room in the house that held her fondest memories, and now she had more to add to the pile.While she might miss Max terribly, as long as she remembered their time together, he would always be there with her.
***
Hours later, most ofthe townspeople had made their way through the Inn as had other travelers looking for a Christmas activity to do while they toured the area.The biscuit decorating was good word-of-mouth advertising for her business, but, unfortunately, she still hadn’t received any reservations for the next few days.Lucy had hoped there would be at least a few people in need of last-minute accommodation, but it seemed as though everyone was on top of things this year, so she would be spending Christmas alone.Brent extended an invitation to his parent’s house for Christmas Eve dinner, which she had graciously accepted, but the day of would be hers and hers alone.It wouldn’t be all bad.Perhaps she would sit in front of the fire and reminisce about her time with Max to pass the time.She had certainly been thinking of him a lot that day.
As the day went on and more people made their way into the Inn for the event, Lucy found herself thinking of Max each time she explained the ginger biscuit tradition to someone or told them about the special place the recipe held in her heart.She kept the thoughts of the man that held another special place there to herself, though her thinking of him had become so frequent over the course of the day that she could have sworn she had seen a glimpse of him nearly ten minutes ago.That was ridiculous of course, but she supposed it wouldn’t be a total surprise she would hallucinate the man she had wanted to be there so badly.
As she passed by a table, she looked down and saw fresh tea had been poured into cups for the guests that sat there.Lucy shook her head.She must really be losing it if she was imagining Max and now had forgotten that she filled tea cups moments earlier.With a smile, she checked in with the group that was currently creating an absolute mess of their biscuits but looked like they were having the grandest time doing it.
“How are we all fairing?”she asked, trying to ignore the glob of icing that plopped onto the rug.
“Wonderfully,” an older woman told her.“This is definitely an event we’ll be coming back to town for.And I just love the charming young man who’s helping you out.”She leaned in closer to Lucy and stage whispered, “I would hold onto that one if I were you.”
Lucy nodded, slightly concerned that the elderly woman was hallucinating a few things herself.There was no one helping her out today, but when she glanced over at the kitchen door, she could swear she saw it swinging on its hinges slightly.“Thank you for coming,” Lucy told the woman absently as she walked cautiously over to the kitchen.After she slowly pushed the door open and peered inside, she had to blink a few times to make sure what she was seeing wasn’t another conjuring of her tired mind.“Max?”She could hear the hope in her voice, and as the man at the island peered up at her and smiled, her heart nearly burst open with emotion.“Is that really you?”
Dream Max’s smile widened as he rounded the island and came over to her.“Of course, it’s me, my darling,” he insisted, his voice laced with amusement.“Who else would I be?”When he opened his arms, she walked in automatically, sighing with relief when she felt the solidness of his body next to hers.Dream Max was indeed very,veryreal and very welcome.
Lucy wrapped her arms around his middle and took a shuddering breath.She wanted him to be back for good, but that may be too much to hope for.“What are you doing here?”she asked, her voice shaking with nerves.
Max looked down at her, his brow furrowed.“I came back to right a very egregious wrong.”He pulled her over to the island and picked up a tiny ginger biscuit person, one that looked to have blonde hair and be wearing a green sweater, much like the man who decorated him.“I noticed that your ginger cottage was missing something.In addition to a ginger Lucy, there should be a ginger Max, too,” he explained.His eyes searched hers, and he put the biscuit down on the tray before cupping her face.“Unless that’s too presumptuous of me.”
Lucy sniffled, the thought of him being a part of her cottage, a part of her life, had her heart nearly beating out of her chest with how happy it made her, but did he mean just today, or something more permanent?She leaned up on her tiptoes and brushed her lips against his.“It’s not presumptuous at all.I want you here.”Her voice was solid and sure, just like her heart.“I love you, Max.I should have told—”
The rest of the sentence never made its way out of Lucy’s mouth because it was too busy being kissed by Max.His lips pressed against hers so fiercely she couldn’t be sure he didn’t permanently imprint himself onto her.If he did, she wouldn’t have minded.She was his for the taking, and if there was evidence of that on her face for the rest of the world to see, all the better.
After devouring her mouth for a good few minutes, Max pulled back, his face slightly red and his breath coming in short.He stared at her so adoringly, Lucy thought she might cry.A rogue tear escaped and tracked down her cheek, but Max scooped it up with his thumb before clutching her tightly to his chest once more.
“I love you too, Lucy.So very much.”The declaration was so wonderful to hear that a happy sob escaped her chest.Max pulled back, his face panicked.“Don’t cry, my darling.”
A small laugh burst out of her as she sniffled.“They are happy tears.I promise,” she vowed, holding onto him again and knowing that now that he was there with her, she was never letting him go again.Lucy laid her head against his chest, enjoying the steady sound of his beating heart as she did, but eventually, noises from the other room alerted her to her neglected duties.“The event.I have to get back.”She leaned up and kissed him briefly one last time before turning toward the dining room.She stopped short and peered at him over her shoulder.“You are staying, aren’t you?”
Max smiled and joined her by her side, interlocking their fingers together.“Always,” he promised.“Notfor now, butfor always.”
The words were like music to her ears, but before they left the kitchen, another thought occurred to her.“What about your family?”
Max chuckled and led them out to the dining room.“Well, seeing as how I was rather melancholy over not being with the woman I loved, they didn’t find me particularly good company.”She felt awful that she had contributed to his family having a lackluster holiday, even if it wasn’t directly her fault.At her worried expression, he leaned down and kissed her temple.“But if there happens to be room at the Inn, they would love to come down and join us as soon as possible.”
Lucy’s worry slipped away and she smiled happily.“For you and your family, there is always room.”And with Max back by her side, there was now more room than ever in her heart.
