Page 62 of Love, Lies and Sleigh Rides
Kade’s eyebrows bunched together as he looked at her hand in his. He, too, seemed at a loss for words.
“I’m so sorry, Fallon. For jumping to conclusions, for blaming you. For expecting you to understand our family traditions when you didn’t have the context for it.”
She had to look down as her vision blurred.
“I also wanted to come here to personally invite you for Christmas.”
She was shaking her head before he finished the word “Christmas.”
“I can’t, Kade. It’s a day for families. It’s just too…personal.”
“I don’t buy that.” He leaned forward and reached for her other hand.
Fallon gazed at him as he fought a playful grin. His wide shoulders and the thick, natural waves in his dark hair did crazy things to her pulse. He had the best eye crinkles too. But the feelings stirring inside her were more the result of Kade’s thoughtful nature, his gentle understanding of how the holidays affected her.
“You still have no idea what Behar holidays look like, do you?” he said. “It’s basically just an extension of the December First party. Sometimes there are more friends than family.”
Fallon swallowed. It would be nice to see Elaine and Fred again…
“If you say you can’t, I’ll know you’re lying. June already mentioned you didn’t have any solid plans.”
“That’s funny. I usually go over to celebrate with her. Guess I’ve been uninvited.”
He shrugged. “Guess so.”
Her food sat untouched in front of her. She picked up her fork again, moving lettuce around in her salad, thinking.
“I get that this time of year makes you feel uncomfortable,” he said, his voice even softer. “I don’t want to force anything on you. But you said you felt at home with my family.”
“I did say that, didn’t I?” Kade nodded when she glanced at him.
“I’m not one to forget something like that. You, on the other hand…” he said, pausing to lean sideways and dig into his pocket with a gleam in his eyes. “You didn’t think I’d let you get away with leaving this behind, did you?” He dropped something on the table.
She chuckled. Her Christmas tree pin.
“Where did you find this?”
“The woman at the motel said she found it on the floor in your room. I went there the morning after the parade looking for you.”
“You did?” She choked on the words. The idea of Kade looking for her the morning after the parade twisted her insides. And she’d left town without giving him a second chance.
He nodded.
She cleared her throat. “I wish I could take it back. What I said at the auction house. About—”
“I honestly don’t remember what you said,” Kade interrupted. “I know you didn’t mean it.”
“I didn’t at all.” She swallowed. “I’d rather not rehash it either.”
“You’ll come for Christmas then?”
She fingered the pin, then slid the clasp off and slipped it into the fabric of her shirt, securing it in place.
“I would love to.”
ChapterTwenty-Four
The aroma of smoked ham and sage from Christmas dinner still hung in the air as Kade helped dismantle the extra tables set up in his parents’ dining room to accommodate the full house. He, Tyler, and Tim moved the tables back into the basement and when they returned upstairs, Pops was snuffing out the candlesticks on the dining room table to make room for the card games. Kade rejoined Fallon on the couch, who sat contentedly with a glass of cider, watching the scene unfold before her.
