Page 76 of Mistletoe Kisses

Selfishly, now that the secret was out in the open, the odds of Arlo staying connected to Dahlia Springs were much higher. There were more reasons beyond just me.

“How do you feel about them knowing?”

Arlo took a slow sip from his cocoa and licked the whipped cream from his mustache. “Terrified, but mostly relieved I don’t have to be the one to bring it up. Also disappointed in myself that I couldn’t muster the courage to do that. It was my one dare for the trip.”

“You still fulfilled your dare. They know who you are, and now you can build a relationship as a family. Who verbalized it first doesn’t really matter, does it? And you’re the one who came here. They met you halfway by mentioning it first. It’s not on your shoulders to carry all this burden.”

“You’re so smart.” Arlo yawned.

“How about we put on a movie and snuggle?”

Arlo smiled and nodded as he shifted close and pulled a blanket over our laps.

I started the first Christmas movie I found on Netflix and tried not to dread dropping him off at the airport tomorrow. I had to remind myself that his leaving wasn’t the end but a new phase of getting to know each other and figuring out what was between us beyond his vacation.

A short while later, my phone buzzed.

Warren: Is Arlo okay? Reed’s aunt saw him run off and you go after him.

Lucas: Yeah, he’s okay. I’ll tell you about it later.

Warren: Okay. Glad he’s all right. And thank you for what you did. I don’t want to interrupt your time together anymore, but seriously. Thank you. And if you need me for anything, I’m here for you. Especially after Arlo leaves.

Lucas: Thanks. I’ll keep you posted.

I couldn’t even worry about my own impending heartache right now when all I wanted to do was support Arlo.

Chapter33

Lucas

I rummagedthrough the basket of clean laundry that I hadn’t sorted yet to pull out anything lingering of Arlo’s. Seeing our clothes mixed gave me a glimpse of a future with Arlo that almost seemed possible.

When flipping through a mental list of the people I’d dated, I couldn’t remember clicking with anyone like I’d connected with him—and definitely not so quickly. There had been a couple of guys where I’d thought that maybe, with more time together, we could’ve moved in that direction. But with Arlo? I already knew in my gut that we’d be great together.

“Are you excited for Christmas?” Arlo’s attempt at being cheerful was sweet.

“I am. I’m counting on Mrs. Monroe to bring her ornament-shaped shortbread cookies. The best part of the community Christmas Eve party at Bee’s Dahlia Farm.” I handed him an undershirt and two pairs of boxers I’d unearthed.

“I love shortbread. Excited for Christmas Day with your family and theEmpire Recordswatch?” He folded the undershirt and tucked it inside his suitcase.

I sat on the edge of the bed and watched as he separated our lives while retrieving his toiletries from the bathroom. “Yeah. That’s always fun. Have you sorted out your Christmas plans with Keaton and his family?” It was hard to imagine not spending the holiday together, given that we’d spent so much of the time leading up to it basically in each other’s pockets.

Arlo zipped his toiletry bag. “Keaton’s dad is going to grab me from the airport. We’re going to stay with his parents through Christmas before temporarily moving into his brother’s basement. Feels like I’m in college all over again except worse because this time I’m jobless and relying on the kindness of others.” He frowned.

He sounded hopeless and looked increasingly morose when he talked about his life back in Minnesota. I hoped he found something that made him happy. A happy Arlo was the most beautiful thing in the world. He deserved to be adored and loved and appreciated for his contributions.

“I don’t have a date set to celebrate Christmas with my mom. We’ve never gotten this close to the holiday without our own celebration planned. That makes me sad.” His suitcase was overflowing, and there was still a pile of souvenirs on the bed.

“I don’t know your mom, but I’ve been getting to know you pretty damn well, and I’m confident she’ll come around. You’ve had over a year to get used to the idea of you knowing, but she’s only had a couple of days.”

Arlo dropped to sit next to me. “You’re right.” He stared at the pile next to his suitcase. “Could we swing by a box store so I could buy a duffel bag for all of this? I knew I went overboard on stocking up on Dave’s coffee. It’s just so good.”

“I can ship some to you anytime you want.”

“You’re just angling for my address.” He grinned and leaned in, puckering his lips.

I happily met them and gave him a lingering kiss that left him smiling when I pulled back. “Maybe. It could be nice to send you surprise gifts once in a while.”

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