Chapter Nine
The pass back into town was supposed to open in a little over two hours. Colton and I decided to just stay up while my grandmother went to bed. It seemed like a good idea until I was alone in the living room with him. I was staring outside, watching the wind beat the snowflakes into submission as they scattered across the icy porch.
“The pass might be open, but the driving conditions look awful.” I turned back around and sank onto the couch.
“It doesn’t look great out there.” He sipped a cup of coffee and looked out the window.
I wanted to know what he was thinking. What he was feeling. There was so much history about him that drove me crazy, but the more time I spent around him, the more I wanted to uncover.
“I have to confess something,” he said, his voice low.
He tore his gaze away from the wintry scene outside.
“What’s that? You drained my battery before I left town?” I teased.
He laughed and shook his head. “No. I’m not that clever.”
“Something tells me you are.” I pulled up the Christmas afghan around my shoulders and studied him.
There was no doubt about it. Colton McAlister was extremely good-looking. He oozed sex appeal, but there was something else that kept me wanting to know more. Whenever he looked at me, there was something unknown stirring behind his gaze.
“I already knew where you worked.” He let out a low sigh. “And I knew you recently got out of a relationship.”
His confession took the air right out of me.
“How?” I shook my head.
For the first time in my life, I saw a shy McAlister.
“I looked you up.” His lip curled up on one corner.
“You looked me up?” I brought my brows together in confusion.
“I saw your profile online a couple of years ago and saw that you were with someone and where you worked.”
“Why? How?”
“You’re all over social media and your account isn’t private. As to why . . . because believe it or not, I’ve wondered what you’ve been up to over the years.” He smiled. “I’ve seen your sister around town, but I knew better than to ask her.”
I flashed a wry grin. “Probably a good thought there. She’s got a pretty mean right hook.”
“When I ran into you, I couldn’t help but look you up again, and I noticed your profile said Single.”
“So you’re stalking me?” I hid a smile and he nodded.
“I suppose I am.” He steepled his hands together and leaned forward. “But I’m not very good at it.”
“I don’t know. You managed to get yourself invited to my grandmother’s Christmas Eve dinner, and you’re still here in the middle of an epic snowstorm.” I smiled, feeling a shimmer of hope begin to taunt me. “You’ve also managed to thaw my heart a little toward the McAlisters.”
It wasn’t like I imagined this little encounter would lead to anything, but I wanted to believe I was strong enough to just go with where it went. I’d had such a bad streak with picking men that for once, I wanted to not worry about tomorrow. I just wanted to enjoy a warm and cozy Christmas Eve with an old friend who happens to be very attractive.
“Any particular McAlister, or is that just a general statement?”
“One, in particular.”
He let out a long sigh and stretched out his legs. “Do you ever wonder how things would have turned out if we’d gone to homecoming together?”
More than I wanted to confess.
“In the beginning . . .” My voice trailed off, but my pulse began to rise. “But that’s just kid stuff, right? I’d had a crush on you for so long, and then we both grew up and went our separate ways. No harm done.”
He pushed his features into a blank expression and looked out the window. “What if it wasn’t just a crush?”
“At the time, I thought it was more than that,” I confessed. “But the moment you didn’t show up, I think, was when I changed my mind.”
“I wish I’d been man enough to—”
“You were nineteen. I shouldn’t have expected much.”
He laughed. “Things just seem so easy with you.”
“Rescuing me from a snowstorm seems easy to you?” I didn’t want to let myself hear what he was saying. Come New Year’s Day, I’d be driving back to Washington and this Christmas Eve non-fling would be a distant memory to tell my friends about.
“So you’re finally admitting you were in trouble?” His brow arched. “That I rescued you?”
I chuckled as he stood up and made his way over to the window.
“Whatever helps your ego, McAlister.” I smiled.
“It does. Believe me.”
“Is your dad . . . is he doing okay? Is he stable?”
“Not really.” He waited a few seconds before continuing. “His health has slowly declined, and we’re at the point where he doesn’t recognize any of us.”
Even though his father wasn’t the kindest man, it made my heart hurt to think that he couldn’t recognize his own sons.
“What about your mom? Does he recognize her?”
Colton turned around slowly and cocked his head slightly. “My mom passed away when I was nineteen. I thought you knew.”
It was like all the air had been sucked out of the room. I wanted to say something, but no words seemed adequate. Everything I’d conjured about the McAlisters and their perfect life was all a mirage.
Pain darted through his gaze, but he pushed it away.
“I’m so sorry. I had no idea.” I shook my head. “I can’t even imagine.”
“When she died, our entire family fractured apart. She was the glue that kept us all together. When my dad had a bad day, she shielded us.” He smiled. “When she was gone, there was no one to shield us from the man my father really was. It was a tough lesson. I felt sorry for my younger brothers.”
I nodded, watching him make his way over to where I was sitting. He looked down at me, and I felt such a connection with him. It was the same sensation I’d felt many times before. It didn’t matter if he was giving me his candy cane or offering to take me to homecoming when he found out no one had asked. That was the Colton McAlister I always saw behind his fancy name.
“Your mother would be so proud of you,” I said, reaching up to touch his hand.
“I think she’d be okay with how we all turned out.” He swallowed hard and his gaze locked on mine. “But I don’t think she’d be happy with how much we’ve worked. What we’ve given up.”
“But that’s something you can change.”
Colton linked his fingers through mine and didn’t let go.
“If I’m lucky.”
“Maybe it’s more than luck.”
“Maybe.” He pulled me up from the couch. “You know, I was always jealous of your family. How close you all were.”
“Really?” I couldn’t believe my ears. “We all spent every waking second at the hardware store. After school, weekends, holidays.”
“But you were all together and you seemed so happy.” He slid his arms around my waist.
“We were. We are, actually. It’s been hard being away from them for so long.”
“Why were you?”
“I thought I wanted to see the world, and then I ran into someone and thought I fell in love.”
“So you didn’t know if you loved him?”
“I think I loved the idea of love.” I bit my bottom lip, embarrassed by my confession. “He wasn’t a good guy, but I wanted to make it work. I wanted to prove that leaving my family and my home wasn’t in vain.” I let out a sigh, and he slowly ran his fingers up my spine.
“But you’re home now.”
“Only until New Year’s Day.” I looked up at him through my lashes, hungry for more of the connection we shared.
“Only until New Year’s,” he said softly.
We stared at one another for a few seconds, the same hunger and desire flashing through his gaze. I brought in a ragged breath, and his eyes fell to my lips. We stood silently for several seconds, and I felt so close to Colton, wanting so much and hoping for even more.
Colton’s eyes came back to mine, and I fisted my hands in his shirt as he pulled me into him, his mouth finding mine. His kisses started softly at first, but the little moan of desire that escaped my lips guided him to let go. His tongue swept against mine, and he slid his fingers into my hair, his kisses only deepening with every passing second.
I kissed him back, craving the connection and eager to erase everything else from memory as he wrapped me in his arms.
“Colton,” I whispered between kisses, surprised with how full of longing my voice sounded.
“Yes, love?” He parted his lips from mine.
“This is the best Christmas Eve I’ve ever had.”
“Me too.” He ran his hands over my hair and smiled. The look of longing spilled through his gaze as his lips hovered close to mine.
“There was no mistletoe,” I said breathlessly as he cupped my face and I closed my eyes for more.
“Are you two ready?” My grandma’s voice called from the stairs. “The pass will be open in twenty minutes, and I want to stop by and drop off some more cookies for Wilma and Lester. You remember how to get there, Colton?”
Colton’s body shook from silent laughter as my arms slid along his chest.
“Well, that was nice while it lasted,” I whispered, looking into his heavy-lidded gaze.
I took a step back, but he’d linked his arm around my waist, not letting me go very far.
“I remember.” Colton smiled, his eyes still locked on mine, sending a quiver through me.
“Should we really be dropping off sugar cookies in the middle of the night?” I asked.
“Nonsense. It’ll be four by the time we get there. That counts as early morning in my book.”
“Not everyone reads the same book, Grandma.” I grimaced.
“Fine. We’ll just set them on the porch and hope a wild animal doesn’t get to them first.” She scowled and trundled off toward the kitchen.
“She is strong-willed.” Colton chuckled under his breath.
“I just hope she doesn’t send me to be the delivery person.”
Colton ran his hands along my back, and I felt my body melt into his. “Hopefully, they don’t have any guns.”
I flashed him an evil grin. “That would fit for how this Christmas has gone so far.”
“Really?” he grumbled, pulling me in tighter. “I think it’s going supremely well.”
“Is that so?” My eyes fell to his mouth once more. The chemistry zipping between us was surging through me.
“Very much so,” he whispered. “I couldn’t imagine a better way to start Christmas morning.”
My stomach dipped into a happy bliss as I looked into his beautiful eyes, the same ones that had mesmerized me so many years ago.
“I’m all ready.” My grandma set two large shopping bags next to her, and one of them had a cookie platter sticking out the top. “Just be a doll and unplug the Christmas tree, would you, dear?”
I quickly stepped back from Colton to see my grandma smiling slyly as I unplugged the lights.
“At this rate, we’ll get there in time for Christmas breakfast.” My grandma clapped her hands, and I only hoped I’d survive dropping off the Christmas cookies to make it to breakfast. Most people didn’t appreciate their doorbell being rung at four in the morning.
Colton walked over to my grandma and lifted both bags from her, and she looked at him adoringly, which I never thought could happen in a million years. A Tuckerman and a McAlister sharing the Christmas spirit.
“All right.” I smiled. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
The snow had slowed down as we made our way outside and into Colton’s truck. I helped my grandma into the front seat and crawled in behind Colton and her with the cookie platter on my lap.
Colton turned on the radio to let Christmas carols drift into the car while my grandma began rattling off what she’d bought for my parents and sister. All my mind could do was fall back to the kiss with Colton.
It was incredible. The kind of kiss that made a person foggy with desire and need they didn’t know they had. I glanced up and caught Colton staring at me in the rearview and I rolled my eyes, feeling my cheeks blush.
He smiled, and I clutched tighter onto the cookie platter.
“There it is,” I said, seeing the glowing lights off in the distance. “That’s the house. They have every single square inch covered in white light.”
“I can’t imagine what their electric bill is,” my grandma muttered under her breath as we drove down the driveway toward the home.
Surprisingly, the lights inside were all on and I suddenly worried less about my safety.
“Looks like I lucked out.” I grinned at Colton in the mirror and he chuckled.
“The Tuckermans have always been a lucky bunch. Don’t you forget it.” My grandma’s finger whirled in the air as Colton parked and got out of the car.
“What a gentleman.” My grandma released a happy sigh. “I bet he’s coming over to help you out of the car.”
I held in a giggle as Colton opened the door and took the cookies from me and helped me out of the SUV.
“You’re coming with me?” I asked, relief spreading through me.
“I couldn’t let you go to the door alone.” He grinned as I circled my arm around his and we made our way to the front door.
Before we even had a chance to ring the doorbell, a man in his late forties swung open the door.
“Merry Christmas,” I said as Colton handed him the platter of cookies. “My grandma wanted to make sure that Wilma and Lester had enough cookies to share with all of you.”
The man’s eyes filled with love and he nodded. “So many people did.”
I glanced at Colton, who was watching the man carefully.
“I’m really relieved you’re up. My grandma was adamant that we drop them off on our way out of town.” I smiled.
“My kids will love these. Thank you.” He took the platter and glanced behind us at the car. “And your name is?”
“We’re the Tuckermans. We live down the road a ways, or actually, my grandma does,” I explained, feeling extremely awkward.
“I know if my parents were still with us, they’d eat them all up for breakfast.” He smiled fondly and my heart dropped.
“Still with you?” My mouth went dry and Colton traded a glance with me. “Did they leave?”
My mind flashed to their son letting them in the house last night.
“Ms. Tuckerman, they passed away two years ago.” He pressed his lips together. “I thought you knew.”
I shook my head and Colton stared straight ahead without even a blink.
“I’m so sorry,” I stammered, wanting to run off the porch.
He looked down at the cookies. “They’re here in spirit. These are their favorite kinds. Well, I’d better get back to the present opening or I’ll never hear the end of it. Thanks again.”
“Absolutely.” Colton shook the man’s hand, and we both slowly trundled toward the SUV in a state of shock. “I’m so confused.”
“I don’t get it. We all visited with Wilma and Lester. We drove them home. We drove them here, to this very place, and he opened the door for them last night and they walked right in. Let’s not mention this to my grandma.” I opened the car door and climbed in.
I craned my neck to look at my grandma as Colton climbed into the SUV.
“So were they happy about the cookies?” she asked, beaming.
“They are. He said they’re Wilma and Lester’s favorite.”
“Well, good. Then it was all worth it. Another Christmas deed to check off the list.” My grandma sighed and tapped me on the knee.
It was as if someone behind some strange curtain was orchestrating this entire Christmas holiday, and at this point, all I could do was hope we survive the Christmas madness and then sort the facts out later.
I certainly had no intention of arguing with the Mannings’ son about whether his parents were dead or alive. I knew what I saw and none of it made sense. I glanced at Colton, who seemed to be the only thing in the last twenty-four hours that was as clear as day. He was a changed man, and after all these years, I still had feelings for him.