Page 25 of Under the Mistletoe

Beck

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt so bad. All I could do was lay in bed—half-awake/ half-asleep and cover my eyes with my arm, protecting my eyes from the light. I hated it. I wanted to get up and check on Ava, but the dull ache in my stomach and my pounding head kept me bound to the mattress.

I groaned as I rolled to my side, and I was trying to get comfortable when I heard a loud crash. It was immediately followed by a loud thud and then endless giggles. I could hear Torch’s deep voice, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. There was more movement, rustling, and then Ava’s excited squeals. I wanted to get up to see what was going on, but just lifting my head off the pillow felt like a monumental task.

Ava sounded happy, and that was all that mattered. Knowing Torch and hopefully my mother would keep an eye on her, I let out a sigh and let my head sink back into the pillow.

The sounds continued—laughter, shuffling, and what I swore was the unmistakablethunk thunk thunkof a hammer. I couldn’t imagine what they were doing. I wanted to yell out and demand answers, but my throat was dry, and my body refused to cooperate.

So, I did the only thing I could.

I closed my eyes and prayed that my house would still be standing when I woke up.

The next morning, I felt a little less like death warmed over and more like myself. The house was quiet now, and that alone made me suspicious. I eased myself out of bed and wrapped myself in my comforter before shuffling down the hall.

I rounded the corner into the living room and stopped dead in my tracks when I finally saw what Torch and Ava had been up to.

There was a real Christmas tree in the corner with twinkling white lights adorned on every branch, and fresh pine garland was on the mantle with our stockings hanging beneath. They’d even put out the Christmas village I’d inherited from my grandmother.

Torch was on the couch with one arm slung over the back and one under Ava, who was curled up next to him. They were both fast asleep, and I couldn’t help but smile as I stood there, taking it all in. It wasn’t perfect—the tree was leaning a little, and some of my village was missing —but it was beautiful.

I was on the verge of tears when Torch opened his eyes and spotted me standing in the doorway. He sat up, rubbing the back of his neck like he’d slept wrong, and smiled. “Hey, what are you doing up?”

“What… what is all this?” I croaked, gesturing to the tree.

A sheepish grin spread across his face as he answered, “You said you needed to get your tree up, so... Ava picked it out herself. She also told me where to put everything.”

“That sounds about right.”

“Yeah, she’s bossy like her mom, but she did good, don’t you think?”

“Yes, she did great. You both did.” Tears filled my eyes as I whispered, “Torch, you really didn’t have to?—”

“I wanted to.” He nodded over to Ava. “She did, too.”

“Well, thank you,” I looked back at the tree and the messy, wonderful magic they’d created, and for the first time in days, I felt like all was right in the world. “It’s perfect.”

“Glad you think so.” Being careful not to wake Ava, he slipped his arm from beneath her and stood. “Why don’t you go take a hot shower, and I’ll scrounge us up some coffee.”

“Coffee sounds wonderful. Thanks.”

I turned and headed down the hall to the bathroom. I walked over and turned on the water, letting it warm while I got undressed. I took a quick glance in the mirror and cringed when I saw the dark circles under my eyes. This stomach bug had done a real number on me, but I hoped that I was over the worst of it. I stepped under the hot water, and my aching muscles felt an immediate relief.

I closed my eyes and thought back to seeing Ava nestled up next to Torch. She was clearly taken with him, and I couldn’t blame her. I was pretty taken with him myself. It was hard to believe that the man who’d spent so many years ignoring me was now so attentive and thoughtful. It made me wonder what had brought on the dramatic change.

It had taken a bit more effort than I expected to wash my hair and bathe, and I quickly became exhausted. I turned off the water and stepped into the cold air. I stood there a moment, hoping it might help shake the cobwebs, but no such luck.

I wrapped myself in a towel and shuffled to my dresser, grabbing the first pair of sweats I could find. Combing through my wet hair felt like a workout, so I gave up halfway and left it to dry however it wanted. I sat down on the edge of the bed and tried to catch my breath before heading to the kitchen.

The faint smell of coffee drew me in like a lifeline, and I couldn’t wait to take that first sip. When I walked into the kitchen, Torch was leaning against the counter with his mug inhand, and he looked far too handsome for a man who’d spent his night sleeping on the sofa.

He watched as I entered the kitchen, and it didn’t take long for his brows to furrow and for him to demand, “Sit. I’ll get your coffee.”

“I’m fine.”

“Sit.”

I considered arguing, but he was already on his way over to the coffee pot. I walked over to the counter and sat down on one of the stools. “Where’s Ava?”

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