Page 16 of Mr. Winter
I think about that day a lot. It's bittersweet. The moment I felt like we were moving forward, he disappeared. I feel like I want to cry. Kim squeezes my hand.
"Look at it like this, he showed up for a reason. You may get answers sooner than you think. We could kidnap this Espen fellow and use him for ransom."
"And this, Hurricane Kimberly, is why we're best friends."
Chapter 8
Arden
The tree lighting ceremony is always one of the biggest holiday draws. People come from all around for this moment. It’s a huge event, but I can't feel my usual joy. First, it’s a reminder that Old Man Winters is really gone, and it’s a nod to my personal turmoil.
What the hell is up with Jack and how does Espen play into this?
I shake it off and take a sip of my hot apple cider because it’s still unusually cold. The red dress I’d originally picked out for this is a hell no. I opted for a long-sleeve, red jumpsuit with tights underneath. Christmas themed knitted gloves, earmuffs, and a trench coat. Mr. Fairhope approaches, looking like a gray-haired Mack with the same piercing, blue eyes. The boys got their height from him. And while Deacon looks more like his mother, it’s obvious that Mr. Fairhope looks like prime sugar daddy material if he were on the market. His usually slicked back hair is hiding under another damn Stetson, although he’s wearing a suit that’s perfectly tailored for him, and a long wool coat. I swear those Fairhope men have a Stetson addiction. I’m pretty sure they have their own line made just for them. They all rock them well, but I wouldn't tell them that.
“Arden, darling,” he greets me with a similar drawl and a matching Fairhope smirk.
I almost answered, “yes, Daddy?” but I found my religion.
“Good to see you, Sir. Welcome to the ceremony.”
He smiles and pats my arm. Usually, he’d hug me, but this is work, and he’s legit my boss. “Listen, I heard that Espen Winters is on the list of bachelors for auction.”
It was an ambitious ploy, but if it’s out there he’s less likely to back down.
“Yes, sir. He is.”
“Impressive. I’ll have to see that.”
Shit. Now, I’m on his radar. I have a little over a week to really make it happen.
“Of course!”
I bounce in place, putting all my energy into being cold as he waves to where Mack is chatting with his sister and brother-in-law while cuddling his niece. Although he gets on my nerves, I know he’ll be a great dad one day. He spoils the hell out of Averie and me, but I’d never admit it to him. Deacon and Kimmie are nearby cuddled up and in their own world looking every bit of a happy couple. Deacon has to be here otherwise I know I wouldn’t have seen them tonight. Tomorrow, my best friends will marry the loves of their lives—finally—I’m choosing to focus on that for my source of contentment.
Edward appears, and after a welcome speech from Mr. Fairhope, Edward flips the switch. We cheer as all of downtown lights up along with the tree. Not to be outdone anywhere else, we also have fireworks to begin our countdown to Christmas. We singO Christmas Treeas a group, while families or couples hug, then it breaks off into a huge celebration with games, food, and rides.
Usually, I’d drag Mack around and try to do everything, thus being one of the last to leave, but I’m not in the mood this year. The festivities will carry on until Christmas, so I won’t miss much ducking out on the first night. Ensuring I first collect my bag of kettle corn popcorn and some dutch oven apple pie for the road, I make my excuses to leave. I have to get Espen Winters in a tux and on that stage next week. Hopefully, the answer is at the bottom of my bowl of pie.
Since almost everyone is in town. I don’t have much traffic getting home. My phone chimes the moment I enter my home.
Mack: Goodnight, asshole.
Me: Night ??????
I strip and jump into a hot shower to warm up then change into some comfy pajamas. My pie waits for me in the kitchen where I warm it up and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Looking over my notes of the things I need to accomplish to finalize the option, I find that Maralee can handle everything else except going to war with Espen Winters.
* * *
Espen
I know exactly how festive Fairhope is, but it still bothers me to see it in its full Christmas glory, just the way Papa would have loved. This is when it truly comes to life with holiday cheer. It’s all amplified with the constant festivities. He used to be in the center of everything, and when I’d come for Christmas, he made sure I experienced it all. Now, some things emphasize the pain of loss. I talk to my mother often enough, and while he was her father, she didn’t have the magic. Her sorrow is as expected for anyone who's lost a parent who they adore, but she has the option to forget for a moment.
For me, it’s never-ending. I’m pulled into two different directions. There’s an empty part of my soul where the loss festers, yet my power surges from inheriting his. It's like constant buzz reminding me of all the moments we’ve missed—like this one. He would've loved attending Deacon and Kimberly’s winter wonderland themed reception with all the people he adored celebrating a much-anticipated union.
Averie is dancing with a hunched over Mack. He bends to spin her. Her ringlets fly around while she twirls in a flower girl dress, although she didn’t need to perform the duty. The pure joy in her big eyes used to be what I was about. Fun. Her carefree giggle tugs at the part of me I had to tuck away. I miss the simple days. Now, I have forces I didn’t know existed to watch and combat if need be. Fairhope used to be sacred ground, ripe with the essence that makes mythical beings strong. I’m one of the gatekeepers who keep the undesirables away while ensuring the human inhabitants’ blissful ignorance to what goes bump in the night.
An attack hasn’t happened for at least a century and may not happen now, but it’s a chance I don’t want to take. Fun Jack must remain serious Espen and continue to train. Another peal of laughter pulls my attention to Averie, but this time I notice the snowflake bracelet. My heart hurts. Papa considered himself the great grandfather of Fairhope, and he celebrated the birth of each child like they all derived from his bloodline.
