Page 56 of Knot Sharing the Ice

I'm ready to embrace it.

To embracethem.

As I pocket my phone and rejoin my family, I can't quite keep the grin off my face. Christmas has always been my favorite holiday, but this year?

This year, it feels like magic.

Chapter

Nineteen

CARTER

The crisp winter air nips at my cheeks as I scan the crowded town square, my eyes searching for a familiar face. The festive atmosphere buzzes around us—carols drifting from hidden speakers, the scent of cinnamon and sugar wafting from nearby food stalls, children's laughter mingling with the general hum of conversation.

It's a scene I've witnessed countless times before.

But this year, everything feels... different.

"You sure she said she'd meet us here?" Jayce asks, scanning the crowd impatiently.

I nod, trying to quell the nervous energy thrumming through my veins. "Yeah, this is the spot."

My gaze drifts over the familiar landmarks of my hometown—the old clock tower, the quaint storefronts decked out in twinkling lights and garlands. I've walked these streets more times than I can count, but never has it felt quite like this. There's an anticipation in the air, a sense of possibility that makes everything seem brighter, more vivid.

We usually alternate where we spend the bulk of the holidays, making sure to hit up each of our hometowns inturn. And I always spend at least a day or two with my mom regardless. But this year, when I suggested we come here for the whole shebang, no one argued.

And now I know why.

The universe—or fate, or whatever you want to call it—had plans for us here.

"I've got to hand it to you, man," Jayce says, clapping me on the shoulder. "You hit the hometown lottery. Who knew this little slice of Americana was hiding our scent match?"

I can't help but laugh, the sound carrying on the frosty air. "Trust me, if I'd known Ember was here all this time, I would've dragged you guys back a lot sooner."

"Speaking of our girl," Mason says, his voice low and reverent, "there she is."

My head snaps up, following his gaze, and suddenly, the rest of the world fades away. Ember's walking toward us, bundled up in a cozy ensemble of pink and blue—the same colors she wore the day we met her. The sight of her steals the breath from my lungs, just like it did that first day at the rink.

She spots us and a smile blooms on her face, bright enough to rival the twinkling lights surrounding us. As she gets closer, I notice something different about her. There's a relaxed set to her shoulders, a softness in her eyes that wasn't there before.

It makes my heart race with hope.

Hope that doesn't feel quite as dangerous now.

"Hey," she says as she reaches us, a little breathless. "Sorry I'm late. Mom wouldn't let me leave without forcing about a dozen cookies on me to bring along."

"No complaints here if they're half as good as her pumpkin pie," Jayce grins, already eyeing the paper bag in her hands.

Ember rolls her eyes, but there's fondness in the gesture. She looks at each of us in turn, her gaze lingering a beat longer thannecessary. "So, what's the plan? What do you all want to do first?"

We exchange a brief look that makes it clear the immediate answer in all our minds is, "You."

But we're gentlemen, dammit.

Or at least trying to be.

"Well," I say, offering her my arm without thinking, "we've got to start with the classics. Hot chocolate, gingerbread decorating, and of course, the ridiculously overpriced carnival games."

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