Page 76 of Christmas at Hart's Ridge

He dragged the stocking toward us, pulled out the cheerful red envelope, and slid open the flap. His eyes scanned the contents of the card, his expression inscrutable. “Full time. What does that mean?”

“It means I’m staying in Hart’s Ridge, so I’m staying at Goat’s Tavern as a full-time server. Emma wants me to teach ballet at the community center, too. I think I’ll start with one class a week and then transition to more when you get back from the AT.”

The silence stretched, lengthened.

It made me nervous. Luke was rarely silent. I fidgeted with the faux fur trim of the stocking.

“What do you think?” I asked finally, unable to take it anymore.

“It’s a nice thing to do. Thank you.” His tone was polite, with no hint of happiness.

I rolled up onto my knees, searching his face for clues. “Are you mad about today?”

“What do you mean?”“Like, I told Ethan that you wanted to leave for five months. And then we told your friends. I went behind your back even though I knew you wouldn’t want me to.”

His expression softened. “No, Red. I’m not mad about that. You pulled my head out of my ass. Thank you for that.”

“Okay,” I said. “So what’s going on? You’re being weird.” I nudged his shoulder playfully. “What’s wrong, Luke? You don’t like my present?”

“I fucking hate it,” he muttered.

I rocked back on my heels. “What?” I whispered.

“I…” He cleared his throat. “That sounded ungrateful. I’m sorry. It means a lot that you would do this for me. You are…I don’t deserve you. I know that. But I don’t want you to work full time at Goat’s while I’m on the trail.”

I frowned. “Is this because you think I’m giving up ballet for you? We talked about that. I’m not even putting my teaching plans on hold. I can do both. Trust me, after dancing ten hours a day, waiting tables and teaching a weekly class will be cake.”

“It’s not that. It’s that I don’t want you working at Goat’s at all. I want you with me. On the trail.” He shook his head. “That's not what you want. I get it. Backpacking is different from hiking. Of course you don’t want to sleep outside for five months. Maybe you could meet up with me when I go through North Carolina, try it out for a few days. We could—”

I launched myself at him, knocking him backward on the couch. I wrapped my arms around his neck, raining kisses all over his face. “Yes,” I said between kisses.

“Yes to North Carolina?” he asked, returning the kisses every time one landed on his mouth.

“No. Definitely no to that. Yes to everything else. I want to go with you. I want to sleep outside for five months.”

He grabbed my face with his hands, halting the kisses, and stared at me. “You do?”

“Absolutely, I do.” Happiness broke over me like a wave. “The mountains. The stars.You.”

“It’s going to rain sometimes. A lot, probably. Some nights will be cold. Some days will be miserably hot. And bugs. There will definitely be bugs, Bethany. You didn’t start hiking until fall. You have no idea how awful bugs can be.”

I laughed. “That’s what bug spray is for, silly. As for the rest of it…” I nearly vibrated with adrenaline. “Bring it on. I want an adventure. Especially if that adventure is with you.”

“That’s what you should have written on your Christmas card. I like it a hell of a lot more thanfull time.”

“I didn’t want to invite myself along on your adventure. You’ve been planning this since before we got together. I figured, maybe this was something you wanted to do alone. Find your true self in the solitude and all that.”

“I don’t need to find my true self. I know who I am.” He chuckled. “If the choice is between being without you or being with you, I’m going to choose with you. Always.”

I melted against him. “Really?”

“Yes, really.” One corner of his mouth tilted up in a half smile. “Didn’t you read what I wrote in your notebook?”

I shook my head. “I haven’t added to the list since last night. Anyway, I figured I knew what it said.” My cheeks flushed, remembering.

He grinned. “Do you have it with you?”

“I always have it with me.” I clambered off him and reached for my bag. My notebook was on top. I flipped to the right page and read the last sentence out loud. “Gave my future hus—” I stuttered to a stop, my voice dying. My heart pulsed hard in my throat as I stared at him, a question in my eyes.

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