Page 17 of His to Unwrap

“Colored lights it is.”

She hands me a box and we spend the next few minutes winding the strands around the tree. I take every opportunity to brush against her. Her smiles light up the cabin, the sparkle in her eyes settling into my heart. There’s a tenderness to the moment, like the intimacy of family, and it once more reminds me of my grandmother.

I dig out my phone and scroll for a music app. It’s not the same as her old record player, but it will do. I set the phone on the table just as an old Bing Crosby song begins.

“I love this song! It’s not Christmas until I’ve heard it.”

“It was one of my grandma’s favorites. We decorated the tree to it every year.”

“You must have really loved her.”

“I miss her, especially during the holidays.” Maybe it’s time to bring some of her things out of storage. Honor her and my grandfather for taking on another child instead of enjoying their last years together with only grandparent duty. “They taught me about love.” The words slip out before I even realize I’ve thought them.

Madison moves closer and puts her hand on my arm. “They did?”

I nod. “God knows my parents didn’t know anything about it. I used to wonder how my mother could have been related to the sweetest, kindest people and turn out the way she did.”

“I’m glad you had them. I’ve been lucky. My parents are still very much in love after thirty years. They’re spending Christmas in Paris this year to celebrate. My dad says it was love at first sight. He knew she was the one from the very first meeting. They met and married within a month. Do you think things like that happen anymore?”

I stroke the silken skin of her cheek, threading my fingers through her black locks and stare into the clearest, prettiest eyes I’ve ever seen. “Do I think people can meet and fall in love in the space of a day, and have a love that lasts forever?”

Madison nods, her body swaying closer. I wrap my arm around her waist and tug her close. “If you had asked me last week, I would have said ‘No’.”

“And now?”

“You make me think anything is possible, angel.” If love like that does still exist in this world, and if I was fortunate enough to deserve it, I’d want it to be with Madison and no one else.

“I feel the same,” she replies, going up on her toes to kiss me. It’s sweeter, more precious than all that came before.

“That’s good, because it looks like you’re stuck with me through at least tomorrow.” I gesture to the window where heavy snow is still falling.

“It’s so beautiful here. We get snow in the city, but never this much. By the next day it’s already dirty and starting to melt. Then it’s just a slushy, ugly mess that blends in with all the other ugliness.”

“How did you end up there?”

She frowns and sits on the couch, patting the seat beside her in invitation. I sit facing her, one arm over the back of the brown tweed couch I’ve been meaning to replace.

“I discovered how much I loved cooking as a teen. I thought that was the dream career. Go to a top culinary school, then to New York and work my way up to Head Chef. It took years of training and hard work, but I finally made it to the city. Within a month, I’d accidentally met Chef Alastair. I’m not sure why he liked me, but he took me in and continued my training.”

She’s curled up on my couch, wearing only my flannel shirt and socks, looking more beautiful than a goddess and she doesn’t know why he liked her? “Hmm.”

“When he startedSpiced,everything changed. Working at a five-star restaurant was already different than I expected. Stressful instead of fun. The show makes all that worse. One day I woke up and realized that I wasn’t living my dream. It was the dream I thought all chefs weresupposedto have.”

“Now that you’ve quit?”

Her gaze skates to where her cell phone sits on the side table. “I’m not sure.”

“Will you stay in New York?”

“No.”

Her response is immediate, and for some reason, it fills me with relief. Which is fucked up, because it’s not like she declared she was moving to Montana.

“Go back to where your parents live?”

She laughs. “No. I think they’re busier than I am.” She smooths the hem of the flannel over her thigh, drawing my eye as sure as if she was a magnet. “Amanda suggested I move to White Falls.”

My lungs hitch. “Is that something you would consider?”

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