Page 12 of Christmas Escape
“Once you get to know my mom better, you’ll find out it applies. She’s pretty laid back until something infringes on her traditional plans or threatens her baby birds—AKA me or my sister, Anna, or Anna’s family.”
“That’s sweet. The casserole smells awesome. My family usually has donuts on Christmas morning, so my mom doesn’t have to cook. She doesn’t usually cook most of the time, anyway.”
“Cooking and baking are my mom’s hobbies. That and orbiting her kids. My dad’s gotten her to back off on that a little, though. I promise.” I didn’t want Melody thinking my mom would be one of those interfering mothers-in law. But…
What the fuck, Caleb. Now, you’re thinking about marriage and Melody being your wife? Again?
I couldn’t even feel bad about that. Melody didn’t react to my statement as if it were something strange. Thankfully.
“Did she make the quilt in my bedroom? It’s beautiful.”
“No, that was my grandma.”
“Does she live up here, too? And I guess your sister does?”
“Nah, my gran lives in Florida. She says she’s, and I quote,done with this winter shit. She visits in the summer.”
Melody laughed, the sound of it mesmerizing and distracting me when she spoke again. “Well, I have to agree with her. I don’t know of anywhere else that’s prettier in the summer.”
The timer went off. “Hungry?”
“Starved. I had popcorn and toast for dinner last night.”
“Ha-ha,” I deadpanned. “Well, I have a hot breakfast for you this morning.”
“I’ll be sure to thank your mom later.”
I raised a brow. “I fixed the oven.”
She smirked. “Okay, fine. You can have a participation award.”
“What a relief. I’ll add it to my wall.” I pulled the casserole from the oven and set it on the stovetop. My stomach growled as I pulled off the foil to reveal the perfectly cooked food. Well, something was going right.
Seven
Melody
I’d never had such a pleasant, quiet Christmas morning in my life. Caleb and I ate breakfast together then took our coffee out onto the back porch. I’d been delighted to see he’d decked it out in Christmas cheer for me.
“This is really sweet,” I told him, looking at the twinkle lights blinking happily around the room. “Oh my God!”
“What?” Caleb asked, hurrying to my side and peering at me with concern.
“Sorry. I’m okay,” I assured him, staring at the sweeping mounds of white fluff outside. “I just can’t believe how much it snowed overnight.”
“Oh,” he said, chuckling softly. “You have to stop doing that to me. You city girls are way too excitable.”
“Hush,” I said, rolling my eyes. “How many inches fell?”
“Probably a foot or so,” he answered as he sat on the sofa. “Not as bad as predicted, thankfully.”
“A foot down state would shut down the city,” I said as I settled next to him, curling my legs under me and cradling my mug in my hands. “You act like it’s no big deal.”
“Life here is pretty different,” he agreed.
My stomach knotted at his words. Life here sounded really nice. Laid back. Quiet. Simple.
I sipped my coffee and stared outside, again fighting tears I didn’t even understand. I wasn’t sad. In fact, I was happier and calmer this morning than I’d been in a long time.
