When my phone rings, I stare at the screen in disbelief. The name that flashes up shocks the shit out of me, rendering me mute for a moment.

Something must be wrong.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Hunter. This is Mallory. Are you busy?”

“Not too bad right now. What’s on your mind?”

“You went to a lot of trouble to plan and coordinate everything for us the other night, and I realized I acted like a total bitch. I want to apologize for not being more appreciative. And I wanted to ask if you’re free to maybe hang out together tomorrow. I know it’s short notice, but I hoped your schedule would slow down some since it’s only a couple of days until Christmas.”

I’m stunned speechless from her apology and her request. She willingly wants to spend the day with me? Is this a Hallmark movie in disguise?

“Hunter? Did I lose you?”

Never.

“No, I’m here. Just surprised, honestly. First of all, you don’t owe me an apology for anything. I sprang that night on you out of left field. But I appreciate the gesture. As far as spending the day together tomorrow, I think I can make that happen. How about I pick you up at nine in the morning? I have the perfect idea.”

“That sounds great. How should I dress?”

“Comfortable and warm. Wear your good boots.”

“I know you don’t mean my Chanel boots by that comment.”

“Not in the least.”

“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow morning, then. I’m looking forward to it, Hunter. And thank you for being so amiable about all of this.”

“My pleasure, Snagglepuss. We’ll have fun and enjoy the day.”

After we disconnect, I stand rooted to my spot for a few more minutes, just smiling like a crazy man.

“Are you and that horse eloping, or are you ready to move on to the next one?” Chad deadpans as he passes by the stall.

Have I mentioned how great working with my best friend is?

“Definitely eloping. We’ve already picked out our honeymoon spot.”

After I finish working in the barn, I head to the office to find Mom. She’s busy in front of the computer screen again, but this time with a huge grin on her face.

“Are you watching porn at work again, Mom?” Her face turns bright red, and I bust out laughing at her expense. Again. After the first hundred times, you’d think she’d get used to my teasing.

“No, I’m not. Your dad and I wait to watch that together.”

“Whoa—good one, Mom! I didn’t expect that comeback. I’m impressed. What are you grinning about, then?”

“I just finished pulling almost all the financials for the end of the year—well, considering there’s only about a week left this year, it’s basically all. And this has been the most profitable year ever. I’m just so proud of you and what you’ve accomplished with this business.”

It’s never been about the money for me, though it is a nice benefit.

“Glad to hear it, Mom. And you’ll be glad to hear what I’m about to tell you.”

“Oh? Does it involve grandchildren anytime soon?”

“No. But I am taking the day off tomorrow, so that’s a step in the right direction.”

“You’re taking off work? The whole day?” She looks at me with one eyebrow slightly raised, waiting for the punch line.

“That’s right. The whole day.”

“Why? Are you sick? Do you need to go to the hospital?” She sits back and crosses her arms.

“No, I’m fine, and you know it. I’m spending the day with Mallory tomorrow…and this was even her idea.”

“That’s exciting news. I’m happy for you, son. And I’m very glad you’re actually taking a day off. I’ll make sure your work is covered by someone else right this minute. In fact, you should go ahead and leave now.”

“You know what? You’re right. Everything here is covered for the rest of the evening. I’m heading home early.”

“Have fun tomorrow.”

At nine on the dot, I ring the doorbell at Mallory’s, more excited than a little kid on Christmas morning. She tried to keep the conversation casual when she called yesterday, not admitting our time together means almost as much to her as it does to me. But I heard it in her voice—the hesitancy mixed with the hopefulness.

Or maybe that was the sound of my voice.

Either way, I’m just a guy, standing here in front of a closed door, hoping the girl I let go finds her way back to me. Preferably before I’m forced to resort to clubbing her over the head and dragging her off to my cave until she comes to her senses. If not, four or five years as my cave guest should do it.

The door opens, and the most beautiful girl in the world smiles up at me. She sticks her right leg out to show off her boots. “Are these good enough? They’re both comfy and warm.”

“Those are perfect. Are you ready to head out now?”

She picks up a small bag from the foyer table, pulls the strap over her head, and drapes it across her body. “I am now.”

After she locks the door behind her, she starts walking toward my truck. “Are you not going to tell anyone you’re leaving?”

“They’re already gone. Mom is at Gran’s again. Amelia went in to work with Dad, but they didn’t need me. Dad is only seeing patients half a day today, and they’re discharging the animals that had surgery recently during the last part of the day.”

“So no one would notice if I just decided to kidnap you and keep you all to myself?”

She stops walking and looks over her shoulder at me with a sly smile on her face and in her eyes. “Oh, they’d notice, all right. And they’d probably pay you to keep me.”

“That sounds like a win-win to me. Getting paid for keeping you all to myself and making you my personal love slave? I’ll take that combination any day.”

“You’ll get tired of me and want to get rid of me in no time. Trust me.”

After we climb into the truck, I wait to start the engine until she looks over at me. “I’ve known you most of your life, Mallory. I haven’t gotten tired of you yet. I think it’s safe to say I never will.”

Her face falls a little before she catches herself. “Let’s just try getting through one day first and see how you do with that.”

A simple nod is my only reply before starting the truck and our day together. The sidewalks in town are full of people doing last-minute shopping, picking up a few more stocking stuffers and extra food before the big day arrives. “Have you finished your Christmas shopping?”

Small talk always helps break the ice. Right?

“Actually, I finished earlier than normal this year. I’m usually one of these people, picking through whatever’s left over because I couldn’t make my mind up earlier in the season. Have you?”

“Yep—no shopping for us today. I have other plans.”

“What do your plans include? You didn’t give me any clues other than comfy and warm boots.”

“That’s all the clues you need right now. You’ll see soon enough.”

Our idle chat carries on until we nearly reach our destination. That’s when she suddenly stops talking and takes notice of where we are—and where we’re headed. I turn into my driveway and flaunt my sly smile in her direction. “Thought we’d have some fun away from the crowds today.”

“Sounds good to me. I’ve dealt with enough people in the clinic this week to last a lifetime. The whole town brought their pets in before the holidays hit.”

“A day with no social interaction is just what the veterinarian ordered, then. Let’s have some fun.”

Her eyes are fixed on our surroundings when I slip out of the truck and walk around to open her door. With her hand in mine, I help her out and lace our fingers together, keeping the connection intact while we walk toward the barn.

“Hunter, this place is beautiful. The old horse farm I remember was barely kept up. You must’ve worked day and night on everything—the fence, the barn, and even the driveway.” She turns to look around, still holding on to my hand, before looking at me. “This really is an amazing place now. I’m so proud of you.”

“Come on. Let me show you around.”

We walk through the barn first. The outside is large but unpretentious, not giving away the secrets held inside. The long, wide corridor is lined with offices and stalls. The entire inside is tongue-in-groove wood slats, stained in a rich English Walnut shade. When I first started my business, I considered doing everything out of one barn. Having loads of strangers at my place on a daily basis quickly changed my mind about that idea.

Today, I’m infinitely thankful for our privacy. The constant hustle and bustle of a busy working barn doesn’t exactly create a romantic atmosphere for rekindling old flames. But our seclusion today gives Mallory a chance to remember every little thing about us. Like how we spent so much time on horseback, scoping out the mountain trails and looking for places to blaze new ones. The horses hear us and poke their heads out, looking for food and attention. Good thing Mallory is willing to provide that to them in spades.

“Is my favorite horse here?” She lovingly strokes the first one she rushed to, grabbing a handful of grain on her way to hand-feed him.

Her horse is a black Tennessee Walker named Jet. He was the one she rode every time we went out on the trail. Every weekend, we rode the same path and cut the trail that leads off this property now and up to Santa’s Village.

“He sure is, and he’s waiting for you.”

Her head jerks up, and her jaw drops open. “Where?”

She quickly scans the other half-doors until she sees his head emerge from inside the stall. She moves swiftly to greet him, slowing only enough not to scare him with her sudden movements. With a soft voice, she speaks to him, calling him by his name until she’s sure he remembers her. She reaches up to rub him behind his ear, and he lowers his head until his jaw rests on her shoulder.

Just like old times.

Her other arm moves up to his neck until they’re embraced in a full hug. Jet knows her, without a doubt, and is just as happy to be with her again as she is to see him. I step behind her and rub his muzzle as I say hello.

“Hey, Jet. Looks like your girl is home. You’ve missed her, haven’t you, buddy? You look happy to have her back again.”

“He didn’t miss me. He didn’t even know I was gone.”

“The hell he didn’t. He looked for you every time he saw me. He’d run the fence line, neighing loudly, calling for you. He finally gave up after a while of not finding you.”

“I’m sorry I left you, Jet. I’ve missed you too, buddy. More than I even realized.” She turns her face toward me, and I see tears glistening in her eyes. “You don’t fight fair.”

“No such thing as a fair fight, babe. And when the stakes are this high, I’ll do whatever I have to do to win.”

“To win what?”

“You, of course. Everything I do is for you. Always has been. Always will be.”

“Hunter, you make it damn near impossible to stay mad at you.”

“Good. I’m glad to hear that. Now, are you ready to saddle him up and go for a ride in the snow?”

“Absolutely. I’m ready to go right now.”

She leads Jet out of his stall and finds his gear in the tack room. I watch her as I get my horse ready. She takes her time grooming him first, talking to him, and stroking his thick winter coat with her fingers. When we’re finished with the last pieces, I help her up onto his back before we ride toward the trail.

They move as one unit, their movements synchronized and fluid. Her broad smile says more than her words could convey. She’s truly happy for the first time since she’s been home. The reason why she lost that spark is all my fault. If only I’d found another way out of our predicament. But no good comes from dwelling on what went wrong in the past. All I can do is rectify those mistakes in the present.

“He’s just as smooth as I remember. Who’s been riding my horse to keep him in shape?” The challenge in her tone makes me smile.

“Mostly me. Chad rides him too. Sometimes, the other trail guides will take him out for a spin. He’s not really a beginner’s horse, so none of the guests ride him.”

“Good. I don’t like other people riding my horse.”

“Fine by me. As long as you come back and ride him yourself every week.” She doesn’t agree, but then, she doesn’t disagree either. I’m counting that as progress.

Halfway up the trail, we stop to give the horses a break while we explore on foot. She stops a few paces ahead of me and stoops down to examine something on the ground.

“What’d you find?”

Before I know what hits me, she’s cackling and running to hide behind a tree. I dry off my face from the snowball she just pegged me with, then scoop up a handful of my own. Another one zings past my face before I find shelter, and her laughter carries on the mountain breeze all around me. It’s the sweetest sound I’ve heard in forever. Or, technically, the past several years.

We exchange trash talk as the snowballs hurtle past, sometimes connecting but mostly just barely missing the target. We move through the trees stealthily, using them as shields and hiding spots as we try to get closer to the other. Never mind that her constant giggling gives away her position—it’s the thrill of the chase that we’re enjoying the most.

While she’s busy making an arsenal, I steal up behind her and wait for her to realize I’m there. When she finally senses me standing close to her, she shrieks loudly then laughs even harder. She tries to stand to run away, but her hands are full of snowballs she doesn’t want to crush, so she stumbles a few steps. I use her imbalance to my advantage and tackle her to the ground, caging her in my arms to soften the landing.

One minute, we’re laughing and play-fighting, trying to smear snow in each other’s faces and shove handfuls into each other’s shirts. The next minute, our lips are locked in a heated kiss and the rest of the world has ceased to exist. Her gloved hands slide across my scalp. Her fingers grip my hair, tugging lightly when our kiss deepens. Every taste of her drives me to need more—like a constant craving flowing through my veins. The velvety feel of her tongue gliding against mine is its own aphrodisiac, never quite giving me enough to quench my thirst.

It’s strange how a kiss answers a million questions with only one word. Mallory. She’s everything I need. All that I want. And the only woman I love—have ever loved and will ever love. Without a doubt, I will never be completely happy or feel whole without her by my side. I’ve always known no one else could take her place in my life and my heart. This kiss simply seals my fate—it’s her or no one for me.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, a realization that she’s still lying on her back in the snow brings me out of my Mallory-induced oblivion long enough to break the kiss. When I pull away and look into her eyes, I see my own emotions mirrored in her gaze. Knowing my Mallory, she’ll fight this feeling when she comes to her senses. She’ll try to put us back in a little box, pushing it into the back of her mind. Out of sight, out of mind.

What I need is a plan to ensure she doesn’t run away from me again.