Page 4 of Mountain Gift

Inwardly, I feel a wave of emotion crash over me. I love my family, my brothers, and the wonderful women they married. I’m so grateful that we’ve all stayed close, always there for each other. The fact that they would go to such lengths to make me happy… I'm overwhelmed. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I manage a small smile.

“That sounds wonderful," I say. "I'd love that."

"Good," Penny replies, a warm smile lighting up her face. "We're looking forward to it. The rest of the girls will be there, too."

Sophia glances at the clock on the wall and gently nudges Penny.

"We should probably get going, Penny. We have a lot of preparations to do. We'll see you later, Caroline."

"Definitely," Penny echoes, rising from her seat. "We have to make sure everything is perfect for tonight. See you later, sis."

The café door closes behind Penny and Sophia, and I find myself lost in a whirlpool of memories, all leading me back to Boone.

It's strange. No matter how hard I try to move on, my thoughts always find their way back to him. That night at the reception, we were in a world of our own. It was as if the world had stopped just for us, and we were the only ones left standing.

Every day since then, he's been on my mind, and I think of what could’ve been.

It's not often that you connect with someone on such a profound level. And I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if I had been brave enough to see him again?

Would things be different now?

As I gather my things and prepare to end my shift, a plate of Christmas cookies catches my eye in the break room. Baked to a perfect golden brown and decorated with festive red and green icing, they are a tradition at the Chocolate Moose Cafe.

Legend has it that these cookies are magical and make Christmas wishes come true. I can't help but smirk at the old tale, though, deep down, a part of me clings to the whimsy of it. As I reach out to take a cookie, a silent wish forms in my heart, a wish with Boone's name etched all over it.

Dear Santa, please let me see Boone again.

Chapter Two

BOONE

My phone buzzes loudlyon the table next to me, waking me with a start. With my eyes still closed, I paw for the phone.

"Hello?" I groan, rubbing my eyes.

"There he is," a baritone voice booms on the other end of the line. "We were starting to get worried."

I recognize the voice instantly. It's Callum Walker, my best friend.

"Just wanted to see how the move is going," Callum continues. "But by the sound of it, I would guess it was rough."

I rub my eyes and prop myself up on my elbow. "Actually, you just caught me waking up."

"Aren't you supposed to be on the road?"

"Nope. Got here last night."

He lets out a low whistle. "You got here from Texas that quick?No wonder you're sleeping in this late. How's the new place?"

I frown, peering around at what's supposed to be my new home. I've just moved from my hometown of Barton Beach, Texas, to Cooper Hills, Wyoming. And so far, things haven't been going as planned.

Everywhere I look, there's something else to clean up or fix. The walls are stained with years of grime and paint. The windows are streaked from dirt and rain. And the carpets are worn down from years of neglect.

"Not great, honestly,” I tell him. “This place is a mess. A pipe burst last night and flooded the whole bathroom. Even got some water in the kitchen."

I don't mention the problems with the central heater or the fact I almost had to sleep in my car.

"Shit," Callum says. "Want me and Cody to come by and give you a hand?"

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