Page 75 of Mountain Protector

I asked the same question every year, and the answer was always the same.

“Never,” he would laugh. “Watching this movie istradition. And come on, how can you not love it? The lamp? The gun? The lamp post? It’s hilarious.”

I’ll admit the movie does make me laugh. Though I still prefer watching movies likeLights On for Christmas, which was really cute, orThe Candy Cane Caper, the most recent new release.

At the end of the evening, I’d head home and cuddle by my electric fire—no gas fireplace in my old condo—and watch whatever was on Hallmark until I fell asleep. It was a simple Christmas, and I had no complaints. If anyone had asked, I would have told them I was happy the way things were.

And I was. Mostly.

But now everything is different.I’mdifferent.

Now, I really know how it feels to be in love.

I don’t live by myself anymore, but with the man who feels a lot more serious than just a boyfriend. Boyfriend doesn’t seem like the right word to describe what I have with Knox. But what other option is there? The next step is fiancé, and I don’t think we’re there yet.

Although.

If Knox whipped out a ring on Christmas, I’m pretty darn sure I’d say yes.

Not that I think he’s going to. But if he did, I think I’d accept.

And Christmas. That’s another big change. Instead of spending the day with just my dad, I have a whole group of people to celebrate with. Knox. Winter. His teammates, who have become so much more than protectors to me, they’ve become friends.

“Can I get you guys anything else?” Our server, Alice, stops by the table with a very wobbly stack ofdishes in her arms. From the way the dishes are swaying, they look one stiff breeze away from crashing to the floor. “A refill on coffee? Any pastries to take home?”

Knox touches my hand. “Do you want any more coffee, Lark?”

“I’m good.”

He glances at Alice. “I think we’re good, Alice. Thank you.”

“Okay.” A bell dings in the kitchen, and she winces at the sound. “I really wish we could find another server. Ever since Mario quit, it’s been crazy, especially during breakfast. I don’t suppose either of you know anyone?”

“Sorry,” I tell her. “But I’ll keep an ear out.”

The bell dings again, and she makes an aggravated sound. “Sorry. I’d better get back there. So… the check?”

“When you have a chance,” Knox replies. As Alice leaves, he glances around the cheerful diner, and I just know he’s picking out little details he’d like to fix. After spending so much time with him, I know it’s practically a compulsion. Everywhere we go, he makes little offhand comments likethey should really fix that paint joborthose railings need to be replaced.

I get it, though. It’s his job to notice things like that.

“When are you starting the kitchen redo?” I ask. Last I knew, Knox and his crew were supposed to be upgrading the kitchen at Breakfast Bliss, but they still haven’t started.

“After Christmas. It was going to be sooner, but then things got pushed back, and they didn’t want to close during the week of Christmas, so…”

What he’s not saying is the days he took off to spendwith me put him behind. That despite having a competent crew, it’s not the same as him being on site.

A stab of guilt spears through me.

“Songbird.” Knox lightly squeezes my hand. “What are you thinking about that made you look sad all of a sudden?”

While my first instinct is to smooth things over, I know that’s not how I want our relationship to work. If Knox is bothered by something, I want him to tell me.

“Just feeling kind of bad about your jobs,” I admit. “That you’re behind because of me.”

His face jerks in surprise. “Lark. Don’t think that. I’m slightly behind, which is not a big deal, because of choicesImade. And I don’t regret staying home with you for a second. Everyone on the crew understands. So do my clients. So, please, don’t feel bad.”

His gaze is so earnest, so affectionate, it’s impossible not to agree. “Okay. I won’t.”

---