Page 41 of Holly and Ivar
“Good night, Holly.”
“Good night, Ivar.”
The door closed, and for a long moment, he simply stood there, feeling that same earthly hum of peace, life, and promise.
***
Holly
Later, lying in bed, Holly stared up at the ceiling, the day looping through her mind in flashes.Her thoughts spun, circling back to one thing.One person.
Ivar.
After all that had happened, it was Ivar who grounded them.Who grounded her.Tonight at the brewery, she’d been a version of herself who laughed and teased.Holly the person, not Holly the Santa.
Her phone buzzed on the nightstand.The screen lit up.
Ivar Nilsen.
She smiled before she even opened it.
Ivar: Trivia champ still awake?
Holly: Just taking my victory lap.
Ivar: Pretty sure I carried the team.
Holly: You answered one question.
Ivar: It was the winning question.That counts for at least five.
Holly: Technically true.And fine, partial hero status granted.
Ivar: I’ll take it.
(pause)
Ivar: Thanks for today, Kringle.All of it.
Holly: Same, Ranger.Same.
CHRISTMAS EVE COUNTDOWN
DAYS
22
tasking through the snow
Holly
Holly’sphonebuzzedforthe fifth time in the last minute.
She set her coffee mug down, squinting at the screen: a string of messages from her brothers, her sister, one from Rita full of exclamation points, and a terseCall me when you canfrom her father.
News about the Yule Tree had apparently spread.
She’d expected excitement.What she hadn’t expected (read: wanted) was the avalanche of follow-up questions.
