Page 20 of Let it Snow Queen
Fox signed something to Gallow that I didn't catch as they suddenly jogged up ahead of me. The sun was setting over the pointed evergreen trees and casting a purple tint over the blankets of glittery white. “What’s up?” I asked, stompingthrough the fresh powder to catch up. We reached the porch steps, and the guys looked up.
“Wait here,” Fox said.
I didn't have time to question them as they disappeared inside, the screen door slamming with a bang. After a few moments, the door propped open, and a strong arm waved me wordlessly inside. Raising a skeptical eyebrow, I kicked the snow off my boots and toed them off at the door. When I walked inside, my mouth dropped.
Garlands of fresh balsam, holly, and pinecones draped the doorways and mantel. A fire blazed next to a wide, fluffy tree, lit up with carefully placed tea lights. The smell of popcorn and chocolate invaded my senses while my eyes fogged with tears. Gallow and Fox each appeared next to me and wrapped an arm around me. I liked our easy intimacy in the hot springs . . . but something inside me enjoyed this moment of having them both hug me more. “Do you like it?” Gallow asked.
“Are you kidding me? It’s beautiful. It looks like Christmas. How did you pull it off?”
Fox grinned and bopped my nose. “What do you think?”
Koji stomped out of the kitchen, a red apron tied around his waist. “Dough is ready. I don’t know how well cookies will bake over a fire but let’s try. No way in hell am I using that oven. Oh, and the popcorn is ready to string up. I thought stringing it around the tree would look nice.”
I faced him in shock, piecing it together. “You did all this? And we’re going to bake cookies and string up popcorn?”
He shrugged. “It wasn’t a big deal.”
“It is a big deal,” I argued softly.
Koji held his tray of cookie dough. His shirt sleeves were rolled up at his forearms. How did he look so good all the time? “I was bored,” he countered.
“You guys planned this.”
Gallow gave me a squeeze before stalking toward the fire. He threw a log on the flame and turned to us. “You deserve a Christmas. It’s not your fault you’re snowed in with us cranky bastards.”
“Speak for yourself. I’m always pleasant,”Fox signed.
We all laughed as Fox joined Gallow. He worked on threading the fishing wire while Gallow checked to ensure the tea lights wouldn’t light the tree on fire. When I pulled my stare from those two remarkable men, I caught eyes with Koji, who was staring at me.
“What?” I asked, forcing some surliness into my tone. He was still my enemy . . . even if he decorated the house out of boredom.
“You like it?”
The sincerity in his expression sucked all the sarcasm right out of me. The man was standing in an apron, holding a pan of cookies, cookie dough he’d made to try to bake over the fire for us, or . . . maybe for me. “I more than like it.”
His answering smile threatened to melt my heart. “The guys told me what you said in town earlier. We all thought this might cheer you up.”
My face flushed in embarrassment. “They told you all that? Cool, something else you can make fun of me for.”
He sighed deeply, his eyes sweeping from me to his friends. “My mom always made a big deal out of holidays. My sister and I didn’t always have a ton of gifts under the tree, but we always made our ornaments, baked cookies, and left carrots for the reindeer on Christmas Eve. I never knew how much effort that all took until I was grown. Single moms . . . They’re the real magic. You know?”
A breath of emotion left my lips. I fought to swallow it down before he noticed. “Let’s see how bad I fuck up these cookies . . . and how long Gallow lets us keep candles on the tree.”
He left me standing in a puddle of tears as Gallow responded, “This is a fire hazard.”
Drying my eyes, I shrugged off my coat and joined them.
Fox threw a popcorn kernel at me and tapped his leg. I chuckled and cozied into his lap in front of the fire. “My dad always pats his lap for my mom.”
“Now I do it for you,”Fox replied, giving my neck a soft kiss.
We strung popcorn on a wire and ate Koji’s mushy sugar cookies. At that moment, the only thing I felt was missing was my little boy. That realization both excited and terrified me. I wanted Dec here . . . with all of us.
Chapter 14
6 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS
Koji’s offering of peace and goodwill evaporated over the next week. I counted six days until Christmas when I woke up to sunshine and warmth for the first time since I’d been on that mountain. Stretching, I stumbled into the kitchen wearing only a long T-shirt dress and grabbed a water bottle. “Looks like you might get your Christmas wish and get out of here on time,” Koji said brusquely from the kitchen table.