Page 61 of Holly and Ivar
Laughter rippled through the crowd, but when Emma’s grin turned mischievous, Ivar’s stomach sank.
“Next up…” she said, milking the moment, “Ivar Nilsen and—” she paused, her voice full of mischief—“Chad Hale!”
Ivar and Chad exchanged polite smiles.
“I thought Rowan and I were judges,” Chad said.
“Like I said,” Emma replied, “we’re changing things up this year.Holly Kringle and Rowan Hale are judges.”
Ivar gently nudged Holly.“Judge now, eh?”
“I’ll have you know that this is far from my first Christmas tree judging contest, so I’m bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to this event.”
They both laughed, but he’d noticed something missing from their banter today, like she was distracted.She’d opened up so much in the last few days, laughing more, trading playful texts, but today she seemed quieter.Granted, the protection of the Yule Tree was important, but he could feel her stress, and there was something else.
Holly tapped his arm, then pointed to Chad.
He muttered something under his breath to Rowan.The man was not happy about this, but to his credit, he was willing to go along with it.
Emma clapped her hands.“All right, everyone.Teams ready?Remember, we’re looking for the town tree.We need something tall, symmetrical, and full of Christmas spirit.And no cutting yet!Just mark your finds with the red ribbon.”
“Good luck, Ranger,” Holly said, reaching up and placing a kiss on his cheek.The brush of her lips against his skin sent a ripple through him, like sunlight spreading across frozen water.The warmth she left behind burned faintly, as though her magic had marked him.
“You have 15 minutes, starting… now!”
Ivar joined Chad and directed him into the forest.They were on the outskirts of town, so it was quiet, with just the hush of wind through pine needles, and the faint creak of the snow underfoot.To Ivar, it was heaven on earth.Chad clearly didn’t share that opinion.Though he kept a measured pace, his posture was stiff, like he was so tightly wound, the slightest thing would set him off.
“You do this every year?”Chad asked, breathing hard.
“The town does, yes,” Ivar said.“I usually help with the cutting and the transportation.”
“So they paired me with a rookie?”
“I am the park ranger, so I do know my way around the forest.”
They trudged deeper.The air had that crisp, resinous smell that made Ivar’s lungs ache in the best way.He took a deep breath, feeling grounded, happy, home.
Chad grew even quieter.
“You don’t like the forest much, do you?”Ivar asked.
“No, not really.I prefer the city.It’s alive and energetic.”
“Most people think the forest is still.It’s not.It’s alive.You just have to listen.”
“Alive?”Chad sounded almost panicked.“You mean the trees and animals, right?”
“Well, of course it’s alive.Otherwise, the trees would be dead, but what I mean is…” He paused.What did he mean?“You have to think about the entire ecosystem.Everything has its role, and everything works together.It’s not about trees, or plants, or animals.It’s what they create together, the forest as a whole.”
“You’re pretty philosophical for a park ranger.”
“Apparently I am.”
Chad walked ahead, Ivar following in his footsteps.He started feeling a bit off.With each step, the air grew heavier, the light dimmer.The forest blurred, reshaping itself.A boy ran ahead of him now.He was bundled in a blue coat, his laughter sharp against the cold air.Snow sprayed beneath his boots as he ran, oblivious of the ledge ahead.If he didn't stop, he'd run right off the edge.“Look out,” Ivar yelled as loud as he could.The boy turned, fear in his eyes.
Ivar stopped short, heart pounding.The image flickered, dissolving into mist.The boy was gone.Only Chad stood there, staring at him.
With the same eyes.
