Page 91 of Joy to Noel
“You know, I’d kiss you without mistletoe as an excuse.”
I sharply swivel around at the sound of that voice.
The sound ofhervoice.
That sassy, snarky, cheeky voice.
Madison is wearing a smirk to match her inflection, and everything in me wants to kiss her until she forgets how to ever smirk again. Except, not really, because Ilovethat sass on her lips.
But I need to know what she’s doing here. I need to know whatwe’redoing before I jump right in to kissing her.
“You’re here?” The statement comes out as a question. A very loaded question.
Why are you herenow? Howhereare you?
The smirk falls from her expression as she slowly steps toward me. “I’m here because I owe you the world’s most massive apology. I was wrong to not tell you that I was struggling and my future here could be in jeopardy.”
“MJ, it’s okay—” I start, but Madison cuts me off.
“No, it’s not okay. I knew what a struggle it was for you to be vulnerable with people—what a big step it was for you to trust me. I was constantly pushing you to open up, but when I should have been open with you, I hid instead. I was wrong, and I hurt you. I’m so sorry,” she says with no hint of sarcasm. My heart drums in my chest, the honesty in her apology filling me with love-fueled adrenaline.
Sass sparks fire in her eyes again as she adds, “I drove to WritInc this morning, and I told Chad exactly where he could put his job offer.”
A sly smile fights its way to my lips. “So cheeky,” I say, and Madison gives me an innocent look.
“I told him he could offer the job to someone else, obviously. What wicked things are you thinking I’d say?” she asks with a toss of her hair.
I still need her to spell things out—to be fully transparent. But I also can’t handle the lack of physical contact between us anymore. I step forward and loop a hand around the small of her back, tugging her to me. Her forest-green sweater is soft beneath my fingers, her warmth seeping through.
“So what are you saying?” I clarify.
“I’m saying that this is home. This is where I want to be. You. Noel. Our friends. All of it. Even if it’s reckless, even if it’s not the right thing on paper,” she says, running her hands up my chest. “I’m saying I love you madly, so I’ll do whatever it takes to stay here with you. Because I realized old William was right. ‘For where thou art, there is the world itself.’”
I move a hand to cup her face, tracing my thumb down to rest on her chin. “‘I do love you more than words can wield the matter.’”
Madison’s eyes roll as she drops her head back. “No, no, no, NO! You cannot pull a line about love from Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy!Especiallynot from that lying, evil excuse for a daughter! This lady doth protest too much!”
Her protests cease, however, as I solder her lips against mine. She returns the kiss with equal fire, with the fervor that results from coming to the brink of losing love.
I kiss her hungrily, greedily, thoroughly, with zero care for whether any tourists have become unwilling spectators. I finally tear our lips apart but press our foreheads together, murmuring, “I love you, Madison Joy. ‘Where thou art not, desolation.’ So please don’t leave again.”
Madison pokes a finger in my chest, pointing straight to my heart. “My path,” she says.
And I kiss her again.
My arms are firmly wrapped around Madison as we stand on the sidelines of the parade, cheering for the floats that pass by. She may have promised that she’s not leaving, but I’m holding her extra tight tonight, just for good measure.
The parade includes floats depicting traditional Christmas movies, the high school marching band playing “The First Noel” on loop, dozens of costumed town residents throwing candy and trinkets to the kids, and finally culminating with Santa and Mrs. Claus. I burst out laughing when I recognize Clara and Clark on the float—Clark looking far less merry than the jolly old man himself.
“How did Clara convince him to do that?” I ask in Madison’s ear.
“It’s taken two years of begging. He probably only agreed since tomorrow is their first anniversary. I’ll bet you twenty bucks he refuses to do it again after tonight,” she replies.
I shake my head. “I don’t agree to bets I know I’ll lose.”
Madison waves her hands wildly above her head, trying to catch Clara’s eye. When Clara notices, she beams and blows a kiss in our direction. I catch Madison’s raised hand in mine, inspecting her nails.
“All one color, huh?” I observe.
