Page 68 of Mistletoe Kisses

We followed a paved path surrounded by trees that edged a large yard. I sucked in a breath when we got a full view of the enormous gray brick house with a red roof. There were more windows in varied sizes than I could count. It had elements that reminded me of a castle, with its grand stone entrance and circular rooms on each side of the front that mimicked towers.

“Do you like historic homes?” Lucas asked.

“I’m not sure I’ve ever been inside one, but they’re pretty great to look at from the outside. This is incredible.”

Lucas paid our entry fees and grabbed us each a map. It said the French Renaissance-style home had been built in the 1900s and was over sixteen thousand square feet. I couldn’t imagine living in a house that big.

“You’ll love the inside, and since it’s a clear day, you’ll love the outside too. C’mon.”

When we entered, we were greeted by an elderly woman in a reindeer sweater playing ”Jingle Bells” on something called a hammered dulcimer, according to the sign. It looked like a board with strings on it, and the woman used two mallets to play the strings.

Each room was bursting with decorations. It was a lot to take in, but it all worked. Fluffy garlands with large, red poinsettia flowers draped along the curving, wide double staircase with live poinsettia plants in the center of every other stair. One bedroom had anAlice in Wonderlandtheme with character dolls on the bed and towering trees filled with tea party-themed ornaments. Somehow, those dolls weren’t as creepy as the B&B ones. A round room with tall ceilings broughtThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobeto life.

We lingered through theGrinch-themed room.

“When I was a kid, we came here on a field trip. It might’ve been this room where I snuck off while the chaperones were distracted.” Lucas grinned.

“Where’d you sneak off to?”

“See that door? It opens to a restricted area, so the chaperones couldn’t go looking there. Eventually, someone who works here found me playing with an old and probably priceless doll.”

“You were such a troublemaker.” I smiled at him. I loved hearing stories of young Lucas and his shenanigans. I couldn’t imagine being so unafraid. I’d been the ultimate boring rule-follower growing up.

We passed through the attached bathroom, and I chuckled at theStink, Stank, Stunksign on the toilet.

Lucas shared stories of times he’d gotten in trouble as a kid as we wandered through the rest of the rooms open to the public. I fell harder for him with each adorable story.

After we made it through the house, we stopped at the gift shop, and I bought myself a few postcards to remember the trip.

“Ready to go hang out with the pups? There’s a view you’ve gotta see.” Lucas grabbed my hand, and we walked into the brisk December air.

I got carried away imagining exploring other parts of Portland with Lucas. Coming back in the spring to see the cherry blossoms Ron had told me about. Painting our faces in rainbows and watching the Pride parade in June. A future with Lucas unfolded behind my eyes.

We found Warren and Reed walking along a path around the house. Warren smiled when he saw us holding hands. Before I could get embarrassed, the dogs tugged against their leads as they tried to get to us. It was the cutest thing I’d ever seen.

“Clearly, I’ve been replaced as their favorite.” Lucas smiled warmly at me as I crouched to let Prancer and Vixen jump and put their paws on my knees.

“Go have fun. We’ll watch the kids.” Lucas took their leashes as Warren and Reed waved and walked off.

Eventually, I stood, and the dogs jumped at my shins.

“What I want to show you is over here.” He handed me one of the dog leashes, and I beamed at him.

We walked in step with each other as the dogs led us like they knew where Lucas wanted to go. An opening in the trees provided what had to be the best view in Portland. The city’s tall buildings stood immediately below, with the Willamette River behind them. The city grew more rural in the distance, with rounded hills in lightening shades of gray filling the space in front of Mount Hood, which towered in the distance. It was covered in snow and fully visible in the clear winter sky.

“We should take a selfie.” Lucas turned so the stunning view was behind us. I followed, and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close.

I smiled into the front-facing camera. Not because it was the thing to do for a photo, but because seeing us together on his screen made me so dang happy I couldn’t help it. He took another while he kissed my cheek, then suggested we hold the dogs for a third pose.

“Would you like me to take a picture for you?” a woman about my mom’s age asked as she approached.

“Yes, thank you.” Lucas passed her his phone.

“Such a cute family.” She waved at the dogs.

He squeezed me tighter at her words. After she passed back his phone, I was still reeling at the thought of other people so easily viewing Lucas and me as a unit. He sent me the photos without asking. Would it be weird to set one as my phone background? Maybe I’d wait until I got to the airport to do that.

We stood and took in the mountain and city landscape below. The longer we stood there, the more my emotions swelled within me until I could barely breathe. I didn’t want the moment to end. I didn’t want the trip to end. I needed Lucas to know how special he was to me.

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