Page 11 of Once Upon a Thanksgiving
Mom breezes in, raising an eyebrow. “You look flushed, Autumn. Not coming down with something, are you?”
I try to ignore it all and rush to my room to change into warmer clothes.
When I get outside, the tree lot is packed with kids running wild, neighbors dropping hints, and every single person in town is suddenly full of questions.
Mrs. Halpern corners me at the cocoa stand, whispering like she’s delivering a state secret. “You know, dear, Jack’s a catch. I heard he volunteered to help at the bake sale. All the women are talking about you two.”
“Good to know,” I mumble, cheeks on fire.
Jack arrives not long after I start working. I try to tell him he doesn’t need to help, but he smiles and helps a customer.
Mia snaps photos of us hauling trees and posts them with captions like#MurphyMagic #HolidayHottie. Every time Jack and I pass each other, sharing a wink, it feels like the whole town is watching, waiting for a show.
By lunch, I’m hiding in the barn, pretending to take inventory while my heart races in my chest. Jack finds me, pausing in the doorway, one eyebrow raised. “You hiding from me, or from the family circus?”
“Both,” I admit, trying to sound casual. He shuts the door behind him, crossing the barn in three strides. His arms are around me before I can protest, pulling me into his warmth.
I press my forehead to his chest and exhale slowly. “I feel like I’m going to jump out of my skin. Everyone knows about us. I’m not sure what to do with it. With any of this.”
Jack tilts my chin up, his eyes serious now. “Autumn. Talk to me. What’s going on in that head?”
My throat tightens, but I force it out. “I want you. I want all of this. But I’m terrified. I’ve never felt this much, this fast. I’m scared I’ll lose myself, or mess it up, or you’ll change your mind once the holidays fade and the real world comes back. My life is in the city and yours is here.”
He holds my gaze, gentle but firm. “Hey. I’m not going anywhere. I don’t want you to hide how you feel. I don’t care if everyone in this town knows. I want all of you.”
I swallow, blinking back tears I didn’t expect. “It’s just I’ve always had a plan, Jack. I don’t want to get lost in someone else’s life, no matter how good it feels.”
Jack smiles, brushing a tear from my cheek. “We’ll figure it out, together, yeah? Even if it’s scary.”
Something inside me loosens, all the tension melting away. I press a shaky kiss to his lips, letting myself believe him.
“Okay,” I whisper.
His arms tighten, lips warm on my forehead. We stand there, wrapped up in each other, the rest of the world fading. For the first time all day, the noise inside me goes quiet.
Chapter ten
Jack
The tree lot glows under Christmas lights, every bulb flickering against the deepening blue of a cold November night. The ground’s slick with half-melted frost and pine needles, and the air crackles. I spot Autumn near the cocoa stand, cheeks flushed from the wind, hair escaping her beanie. She’s laughing at something Mia says, and the sound makes me smile.
The evening passes in a whirlwind. We dodge excited kids with cocoa mustaches, play referee as Connor and Mia argue over who sold more trees, and haul a massive blue spruce together, barely managing not to drop it on our toes. When we’re alone, her fingers slipping into mine, and we share a quick kiss behind the wreath display that leaves us both grinning.
By closing time, we’re both exhausted, our jeans streaked with sap and cocoa, but neither of us wants to leave. I find her inside the barn, alone, the noise finally fading. She’s lost in thought.
I come up behind her, sliding my arms around her waist. She leans back, fitting into me like she’s always belonged there.
“Come home with me again,” I whisper against her ear. “Let’s disappear for a while.”
She melts into me, her head tipping back onto my shoulder. “I thought you’d never ask.”
The drive to my place is quiet, but the silence between us buzzes with want. She slides her hand onto my thigh, fingers tracing slow, distracting patterns. By the time I park, my heart’s pounding, blood rushing hot.
Inside, the house glows. We shed our boots and jackets in a trail, her giggle echoing down the hallway as I pull her in for a kiss against the wall, my hands tangled in her hair.
We barely make it to the living room. I lift her onto the couch, her legs wrapping around my waist. We kiss deep and slow, tongues tangling, teeth nipping. She tugs at my sweater, mumbling, “Off. I want to see you.”
I obey, yanking my shirt over my head. She sits up, hands roving over my chest, nails scratching lightly down my abs, her mouth following the same path, kissing, biting, teasing. I groan, pushing her back, helping her out of her sweater, then her bra. Her nipples harden in the cool air, and I take one into my mouth, sucking until she gasps, arching up to meet me.
