Cross Country Christmas

Grant returned to the house a few hours later with a silly grin plastered to his face. He wouldn't tell me what he was up to. "You have to wait," he said, smiling the entire time. I grumbled my displeasure, but it was an act. The guests began to arrive before I could quiz him any further. I was pleased to see June again, who greeted me like an old friend. She clucked sympathetically over my foot, though she pointed out if we would have listened to her in the first place, it wouldn't have happened. I had to agree with her, although having a bum ankle definitely had its perks, like being held in Grant's arms.



I lost track of Grant as more and more people came and went. Maggie and June introduced me to everyone, which was a bit overwhelming. After a while, I stopped trying to remember their names. I was in the middle of discussing my food blog with Maggie and her friends when Grant found me.



"Are you ready for your surprise?" he whispered in my ear.



"Yes," I shivered as his breath tickled my ear.



"I'll bring her back in a few minutes," he told Maggie and her friends, scooping me up in his arms. They all sighed collectively. We paused in the hallway and he set me down to help me into my jacket before carrying me out the front door. I'm not sure what I had been expecting when he told me he had a surprise, but he managed to shock me.



Parked in front of the inn was a gorgeous Clydesdale horse attached to a beautiful carriage. Tim sat at the reigns, giving me a small wave.



"Your carriage awaits my lady," Grant said, placing me in the seat before joining me on the other side. He tucked a couple blankets around our laps as Tim urged the horse to move.



"How did you know?" I asked.



"Know what?" he asked, placing an arm around my shoulder.



"This has always been my Christmas dream."



"I knew that, Jams. Haven't you been paying attention? I remember everything, including in fourth grade when Ms. McMillan had us all write our Christmas wishes on the board. Your wish that year was to ride on a horse-drawn carriage on Christmas," he said.



Tears welled up in my eyes. "You made my Christmas wish come true," I said, enchanted as I looked up at him. Who would have thought? Grant—the boy who had teased me and driven me insane—remembered something I had wished for almost fifteen years ago. A tear escaped my overflowing eyes. Grant caught it with his thumb.



"Jams, I want to make all your wishes come true. Merry Christmas," he said, capturing my mouth with his.



I didn't tell him he already had.