Page 23 of Stuck Together

“I have a better I idea.” I pointed to the craft table by the main entrance. “Let’s go make Christmas ornaments.”

Chapter 8

Logan

When Madison suggestedwe make Christmas ornaments for the resorts tree, I wanted to object. I hadn’t made ornaments in years and it was a tradition I had long ago decided to leave in my past. But the look of joy and excitement on her face caused me to cave. I couldn’t tell her no.

Watching her smile and laugh was something I missed more than I cared to admit. Our departure from each other’s lives had been so abrupt and painful, I didn’t have the mental capacity to process all the little things about her that I missed. I had been so hung up on the big things, like how I left after that night. Or how she never came back to give me a chance to make up for my stupidity.

I’d spent so much time hung up on that one huge mistake and how it made me feel, that these small, simple pleasures in her company were lost to me. If I had taken a moment to remember her smile, her laugh, and her gentle heart maybe I would’ve tried harder. But the only thing that stuck with me was how she never showed up for any weekend, break, and vacation ever again. She simply vanished from my life and never came back.

“There.” She held up her ornament—a Christmas tree with lots of glitter and shiny beads. “I think mine is finished. How about you?”

I held up mine. I decided on a snowman. I had just put on black beads for the eyes when she dragged me out of my thoughts. “I just need to give this guy a nose and then I’m finished too.”

“Great. I’m gonna go hang mine on the tree.” She looked so happy. It should have made me feel good to see her this happy, but it didn’t. It left me feeling empty with an ache in my chest. I lost so much more than my heart when she vanished from my life. I lost my best friend, the joy that permeated everything she touched, and that gorgeous smile that used to light up a room.

With the nose securely affixed to my snowman, I stood beside her and hung it next to her ornament. I felt her eyes shift to me, but I could bring myself to look at her. There were too many emotions swirling around inside me that I couldn’t make sense of. Looking into her eyes right now would be a mistake.

I glanced down at my watch. It was nearing 10:00 pm. “Ready to head back. It’s getting late.”

“Sure, let me grab my coat.”

I watched as Madison walked back to our table and slipped on her coat. She wrapped her scarf around her neck and my breath hitched at the mere sight of her. She was more beautiful today than she was when we were kids.

I was taken by her beauty all over again. Not just because of her long golden silky hair, or her long legs and curvy hips. Those things certainly added to her beauty, but it was the person she was on the inside that truly made her beautiful. Madison was everything a woman should be—kind, sweet, generous, genuine, and pure.

“You ready?” She looked up at me with a smile.

I nodded, unable to find my voice. It had only been a couple days since she reentered my life and she already had me so shaken up I couldn’t think straight. I managed to put my own coat on but made no move to head out the door. My eyes were fixed on the Christmas tree and I couldn’t seem to pull away.

“Logan, are you coming?” Madison’s hand rested on my forearm. I turned toward her and the look of concern on her face made me want to wrap my arm around her and hold her close. It had been a long time since a woman looked at me like I mattered.

“Yeah, sorry.” A heaviness settled in my chest as I walked past her. I could feel her eyes on me as we walked toward the door, but she didn’t speak.

A blast of freezing air hit us as soon as I opened the door. A few more inches of snow fell while we were eating, and the sidewalk was covered again. The snow was falling faster than the grounds keepers could keep up with it.

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