Page 59 of The One Who Risked it All

I couldn’t help the little laugh that escaped me. “Dad, we’ve been serious about this since high school. We just... couldn’t act on it then.”

Harold cleared his throat, adjusting his reading glasses. “I suppose... well, I suppose we haven’t exactly made things easy for you kids.”

“That’s the understatement of the century, Dad,” Eli quipped, but there was no malice in his tone.

I noticed Rebecca inching closer, a tentative smile on her face. “Maybe we could all use a fresh start,” she suggested softly. “It is Christmas, after all.”

The tension in the room seemed to dissipate further, like ice slowly melting under the warm glow of the Christmas lights. Nathan stepped forward, clapping a hand on Eli’s shoulder. “I think that’s a great idea, hon,” he said, looking pointedly at Harold and my dad.

I held my breath, watching as the two men who had been at odds for so long regarded each other warily. Then, almost imperceptibly, my dad’s lips twitched into what might have been the ghost of a smile.

“Well,” he said, “I suppose stranger things have happened.”

I felt Eli’s hand tighten around mine as we both watched our fathers, hardly daring to breathe. Harold’s weathered face creased with a mixture of emotions—reluctance, resignation, and something that looked suspiciously like hope.

“Then,” my dad continued, clearing his throat, “I guess Harold and I better learn to get along. For your sakes.”

Eli’s arm slipped around my waist, pulling me close. “Does this mean we have your blessing?” he asked, his cocky grin barely concealing the vulnerability in his eyes.

Harold grunted, but I saw the corners of his mouth twitch. “Don’t push me, boy. But... yes. If this is what makes you both happy, then you have my blessing.”

“Mine too,” my dad added.

I felt a rush of emotion so strong it nearly knocked me off my feet. Eli steadied me, his own eyes shining with unshed tears. “Thank you,” I whispered, looking between our fathers. “Both of you.”

As if on cue, Rebecca’s boys chose that moment to race through the room, shrieking with laughter. The spell of the moment broke, but in its place, a new warmth seemed to spread through the room.

I watched in amazement as Eli’s mom hesitantly approached my own. “That pie smells wonderful,” my mom said softly. “Maybe you could share the recipe?”

Eli’s mom’s face lit up. “Of course! It’s an old family secret, but I suppose we’re all family now, aren’t we?”

As conversations began to bloom around us, Eli leaned in close, his breath warm against my ear. “Look at that,” he murmured, nodding toward the room. Christmas lights twinkled merrily, casting a soft glow and reflecting off the windows.

I smiled, leaning into him. “We did it,” I said. The sight of our families, tentatively beginning to mingle after so many years of feuding, was more beautiful than any decoration.

“Merry Christmas, Carla,” Eli said softly, pressing a kiss to my temple.

I closed my eyes, savoring the moment. “Merry Christmas, Eli,” I whispered back, feeling for the first time in years that the words truly meant something.

As the warm chatter of our families filled the room, I allowed myself to hope that this was just the beginning of many more Christmases to come.

I ledCarla through the snowy path, her gloved hand warm in mine despite the frigid night air. Our breaths puffed out in little clouds as we walked, and I could feel the anticipation thrumming through her.

“Are we there yet?” she asked for the millionth time, a hint of laughter in her voice.

“Almost,” I replied, grinning even though she couldn’t see me through the blindfold. “Just a few more steps.”

As we rounded the final bend, the glow of the small fire I’d set up earlier came into view. My heart stuttered in my chest.

“Okay,” I said, stopping us both. “You can take off the blindfold now.”

Carla reached up and tugged the fabric away from her eyes. For a moment, she just blinked, taking in the scene before her. Then her eyes widened, reflecting the dancing flames.

“Eli,” she breathed. “This is... wow.”

I’d spread out a thick blanket near the fire, with a thermos of hot cocoa and a basket of snacks waiting. Raccoon Lake stretched out beyond us, its surface glassy and still under the starry sky.

“You like it?” I asked, suddenly feeling a bit nervous. What if she thought it was cheesy?

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