When the idea of a double date was first mentioned, I was determined not to go. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Coffee in Santa’s Workshop was fine, just two old friends catching up. But a real date is just what I need to remind myself why we’re not compatible. I realized Amelia was right about me during our “find Mallory a date” conversation, but not for the reason she thinks. Every guy I’ve gone out with was a terrible fit for me—that’s why I couldn’t get past even the minor annoyances. The men Hunter suggested were also horrible matches—and he knew that—but the trivial things I found wrong with those guys only confirmed my suspicions.

Trivial, except the Uber hearse thing. I just can’t.

I haven’t met my soul mate yet.

He’s out there, but he’s not anyone I’ve met yet. If he were, I’d already know.

So, that fact actually made my mind up for me. Go out with Hunter, show him and Amelia once and for all I’ve moved past our juvenile relationship, and part on better terms this time. No unresolved feelings, no unearthed secrets, and no living in the past.

We leave from dinner and drinks at The Cove, and Hunter drives east out of town, so I immediately think we’re going to the lake. But it’s not cold enough yet for it to be frozen solid, so there’s not much point of going there at night. Then I realize he has other plans when we turn north and head toward the mountain. I chance a glance over at him, the soft glow of the dash lights illuminating his face. Feeling my eyes on him, he turns his head in my direction. Even away from the lights of town, riding in his truck under the dark skies with bright twinkling stars, I can read his expression. I can hear his thoughts. I can feel the weight of his stare like fingertips caressing my skin.

“Penny for your thoughts, Snagglepuss.” His lips curl up in a triumphant smile when my bottom jaw drops to my lap.

“Oh. My. God. I can’t believe you brought up that nickname out of all the little pet names you’ve had for me over the years. I’d forgotten all about it, thankfully.”

“Are you kidding? I’ll never forget it. I’m sure I can still dig up your first-grade picture and remind you how you got that name.”

“No. That’s not necessary. All kids lose their baby teeth. I don’t know why I got a special name to commemorate the childhood rite of passage.”

“You don’t know why? Really?”

“No, I have no idea. Tell me.”

“Because even without your front teeth, you were the cutest girl in the whole school. You’re just special, Mal.”

“Yes. Snagglepuss does make me feel extra special. Really.”

Hunter laughs at my sardonic reply, his rich, deep chuckle resonating in the cab. “It should make you feel special. You’re the only one I’ve given that name to—that makes you one of a kind.”

“With good reason. Everyone else calls it snaggle-tooth…not snaggle-puss.”

“Tomato. To-mah-to. Same difference.”

“Your reasoning skills blow my mind, Hunter. They’re not even remotely close.”

His reply to my argument is the same as it’s always been—a hearty laugh at my expense. But for whatever reason, it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

That shit needs to stop.

Halfway up the mountain, he turns into the parking area for Santa’s Village. The place is deserted at this time of night since the kids are all tucked into their beds by now. The thousands of twinkling lights are off, and the entry gates are locked.

“What are we doing here? The park is closed, and all the businesses are dark.” I’m positive he can see the confusion across my face and hear it in my voice.

“Yes, everything here is closed, because it’s after hours. And that’s exactly why we’re here.”

He hops out of the truck and walks around to open my door, taking my hand as I slide out of the plush leather seat. From the corner of my eye, I see Chad doing the same for Amelia, but the warmth of Hunter’s hand wrapped around mine distracts me.

“If you get me arrested for trespassing, Hunter Beckett, I will kick your ass. Chief Land will keep me in the city jail just out of spite and show my mug shot during his scared straight visits at the high school.”

“Stop worrying, Snagglepuss. I’ll take care of you if Chief Land shows up again.”

“We’re not skinny-dipping tonight, Hunter. I mean it.”

“It is a little too cold for that tonight. Maybe we’ll visit the lake this summer and avoid getting caught then. For now, I have other plans, Mal.”

Amelia and Chad appear to be in their own little world—and that world only has the two of them in it. Her arm is wrapped around his elbow, she’s glued to his side, and even their footsteps are in cadence. She’s not questioning why we’re here. I doubt she has even looked around to see where we are. Right now, she only has eyes for Chad. I have a feeling I’m going home alone tonight.

When we reach the gates, Hunter unlocks them with a key from his pocket. I take a step backward and look from the lock to his face a couple of times. “Where did you get that key?”

“I’m Santa, remember?”

“If you say so.” Okay, so that makes a little sense. He’d need access to the place to get dressed before the kids see him. But I doubt the Santa at Macy’s gets his own store key, much less a key to the entire mall. “You know Chief Land still hates me, right?”

We’re so getting arrested tonight.

He swings the metal gate open and motions for me to enter first. With only a slight hesitation, I step through the opening and release my held breath. At least we’ll all go to jail together. When I turn toward Hunter again, he’s locking the gate behind us. Is it odd that makes me feel safe? I mean, if I can’t get out, Chief Land can’t get in.

Hunter wraps his hand around mine again, and we stroll along the deserted footpath, heading toward the very back of the complex.

“This place is amazing. I can’t believe my parents didn’t tell me about it. It literally makes me feel like I’m at the North Pole, walking through Santa’s hometown.”

“That’s the idea. It definitely goes with the theme of the town, but this gives us the opportunity to offer the tourists more choices.”

We stop in front of a small, outdoor ice-skating rink that I didn’t even see yesterday. Hunter asks for everyone’s shoe sizes before disappearing inside to get our skates. When he returns, I’m so excited to lace mine up and hit the ice, I can hardly wait.

“Do they not have ice-skating in Georgia?” Hunter smiles, pleased with himself.

“Yes, there are ice rinks, but they’re all indoors. I miss skating on the lake in the dead of winter, but this outdoor rink will work every bit as well. There’s just something about gliding across the ice underneath the stars.”

“I know exactly what you mean.” Hunter squeezes my hand, and we rise together from the bench.

“Chad, honey, I’ll probably have to hold on to you for the first twenty or so passes until I get the hang of this. I grew up on roller blades, not ice blades.” Amelia’s excuse to stay close to Chad is a valid one—not that either of them seems to mind either way.

Hunter and I step onto the ice, and I’m instantly transported back in time to the cold winter nights when we skated together by the light of the moon. Most of the time, our lips and bodies stayed glued together, only moving our feet enough to continue the forward momentum. Even tonight, I can still feel his arms locked around my waist, his lips on mine, and the taste of him on my tongue. Sometimes, I miss those moments more than anything else—being so completely lost in someone that nothing else mattered.

Not school.

Not grades.

Not my future.

Just him.

When I feel his arms slide around my waist from behind, I instinctively lean back against his chest. Force of habit, maybe. Muscle memory, perhaps. Too long without sex, definitely. The man feels too damn good. And he smells too damn good. And he looks too damn good. And if I go to jail tonight, this still would be so damn worth it.

“You remember, don’t you?” His lips brush the shell of my ear. The chills running down my arm have nothing to do with the cold night air. “How it feels to be in my arms. My lips against your bare skin. All the ways my tongue made you crazy. You remember everything about us, don’t you?”

“How could I ever forget, Hunter?” My whispered reply doesn’t make it any less true.

“Let’s see if you remember how to skate doubles.” He turns me around, keeping one arm around my waist for support.

We begin to move in tandem lap after lap, our actions as synchronized as professional skaters. At least, in my mind.

Until my blade catches on a gash in the ice.

The rest of our movements aren’t so graceful. Even though I see them happening in slow motion, there’s not a damn thing I can do to stop them. Since I was skating backward and holding on to Hunter, my body doesn’t stop when my blade does. My arms are locked around Hunter’s neck, and my grip tightens when I lose my balance, pulling him down with me. On top of me. As I fall flat on my back.

“There are much better ways of getting me on top of you, but you get points for creativity.” His flirty smile would normally melt the thick layer of ice around my heart, but I have a much more pressing issue to deal with first.

As if I’m not humiliated enough already, my uncoordinated landing knocks the breath out of me. So while Hunter lies on top of me, trying to untangle himself without hurting me, I start barking like a seal, trying to remind my body how to breathe again. He rolls to my side but doesn’t get up off the ice.

“Calm down. Just relax. Don’t fight it, and it’ll stop sooner.” When my normal breathing resumes again, he smiles down at me. “There’s never a dull moment with you around.”

When we’re both back on our feet again, I notice the concerned expression on Amelia’s face and the amused one on Chad’s. “I’m fine, Meli. Just watch for that crater in the ice on your next pass.”

Undeterred after that unfortunate incident, we keep skating together, although now we’re both facing forward and watching for nicks in the ice. When the moon is high in the sky and the snow starts to fall again, Hunter steers me to the exit.

“It’s time for the next surprise.”

“I’m not sure I’ll survive any more surprises tonight.” I laugh at my clumsiness, knowing I’m not hurt. I’ve fallen on the ice too many times in my life for this one to be any different.

We leave through the back entrance of the park—the one next to the horse stables. There, drenched in moonlight and waiting in the deepest part of the snow, are two horse-drawn sleighs.

“Hunter, this is perfect. It’s been so long since I’ve been on a sleigh ride.”

“Let me help you in.” Once we’re seated, he unfolds the blanket and spreads it across our legs. Then he reaches down below the seat and pulls out an insulated mug and hands it to me. “This hot chocolate will help warm you.”

The velvety smooth liquid slides down my throat as easily as the sleigh rails slide across the snow beneath us. Amelia and Chad are in the cart behind us, so our only company is the driver with his back to us. The snow starts to come down harder, but the moon still shines brightly through the scattered clouds to light the path. We really are riding in a winter wonderland, and I find myself naturally gravitating closer to Hunter. The wind blowing in our faces is cold, but we snuggle under the blanket well inside the carriage, taking turns with the thermos until the last drop is gone.

The large draft horse pulls us with no effort at all, over hills and around curves. Everything is quiet except the sound of his hooves striking the snow and his occasional snort. The woods are comforting and inviting, almost as much as the arms of the man beside me. For a moment, I get lost in a memory of him and me, how strong our love once was. It hits me how much of a hold he obviously still has over me.

Without even realizing it, I relax into him, my cheek presses against his chest, and his arms wrap around me. I feel his lips on the top of my head. Then they move lower, closer to my temple, because I’ve lifted my head to meet him. Then on my cheekbone, just below my eye. If I lift my face a little bit more, our lips will touch. If I completely give in and relax the rigid control I’ve held on to since the day I left Cringle Cove, I’ll have the one thing I’ve craved the most but denied the hardest.

But I close my eyes and lower my head back to his chest instead. I’ve been here before—lost in Hunter, blinded by love and eventually jilted by it too. That’s one place and time I never want to visit again. My moment of weakness passes. The beauty and allure of this town and this man are working hard to pull me back in, but I’m stronger than I used to be. I left it all behind once before. I can do it again.

With a glance down at my watch as I sit up, I make a show of checking the time. “It’s getting late, and Amelia and I have to get up early tomorrow to help Dad in the clinic. I’m sorry to end this perfect night, but we really should be getting back.”

Hunter nods, but he’s not fooled. Not that I was trying to fool him—I’ve made my stance clear, except that momentary lapse in judgment. “Of course. Wouldn’t want you to get in trouble for being late on your first day on the job, would we?”

“Very funny. Dad has enough going on right now. I’d feel bad if I overslept and caused him more trouble.”

His expression turns serious. “How is your Gran doing, Mal? How’s your dad holding up?”

“Uh, he’s fine. Gran only had hernia surgery, so she’s basically fine—just a little sore. That surgery is robotic-assisted now, which isn’t a big deal at all. Mom’s only helping her because she’s old and shouldn’t drive for a few days. And because she’s a demanding, hateful old woman who expects everyone to cater to her every whim.”

“Oh, okay. Are you going by to see her while you’re home?”

“I had no intentions of seeing her, but my best friend in the whole wide world volunteered us to take over one day to give Mom a break. Not that I don’t want to help my mom, but I’d rather do anything else. That’s what we were arguing about when you and Chad arrived tonight.”

“It’s only for one day. Maybe you’ll be glad you went.”

“Yeah, I doubt that. At least Amelia will be with me, though, so I won’t be the only one to suffer.”

The trail loops back around to the spot where we started, and soon we’re heading back down the mountain road to town. Conversation in the truck revolves around what a great night this has been—mainly from Amelia and Chad. Hunter and I chime in to keep the awkwardness to a minimum, but we both know it’s there regardless of our acting abilities.

I’ve already made a similar decision about Hunter that I did about Gran.

Only one day with her. Only one date with him.

At the end of our break, my time in this town will come to an end. For good.