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Clusters of bright lights cover the sky as far as the eye can see, and it’s one of my favorite things about living out here. Stars are harder to see from the town because of the light pollution, but out here? There are so many you couldn’t possibly count them all. They light up the night sky in the most staggering way.
I reach down and snag the flask of hot chocolate and pull out two tin cups to pour it into. After adding a healthy amount of peppermint schnapps to it, I set them on the side of the truck before tugging Chip down next to me and handing her one.
“Whew. That’s strong,” she says after a sip. I take a sip of my own, and the chocolate and mint is delicious.
“Shhh. Let me liquor you up and entertain you with my knowledge of the constellations.”
“You know constellations?”
“Nah. I just wanted to sound smart for a second.”
She snorts out a laugh, and I smile.
“Where’d you live before you moved here?”
“Idaho. I lived in a small town about an hour over the state line from Jackson Hole.”
“Why’d you move?”
“Mm.” The little humming sound from her throat makes my dick twitch in my pants, but I ignore it in favor of learning more about the woman making it.
“My gran died.”
My heart pinches in my chest. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. We knew it was coming.” She shrugs. “Breast cancer.”
“What about your parents?”
“Mom took off when I was a baby. Never knew my dad. It was just Gran and me.”
“Chip.”
Her eyes stay trained on the stars as she says, “It’s funny. She’s actually the one who gave me that name.”
“Chip?”
She nods and takes another sip of her drink. “I used to love her chocolate chip cookies. She used to call me her little chocolate chip, and eventually, she shortened it to chip. It just kinda stuck. Didn’t help that I was a tomboy growing up, so I thought it was cool.”
She turns to me, and I can just make her features out in the moonlight as she continues, “What about you?”
“Ah. I’ve lived in Mistletoe Creek my whole life, other than during college. Went to college in Arizona on a scholarship. Wanted to see what it was like living in a city for a little bit, and college cured me of that notion.”
“Not a city guy, I take it.”
“No. It’s too loud and crowded. Plus the heat in the summer is relentless. At least here we have a bit of elevation to cool things off a little.”
“Hmm. And your parents?”
“They live in Sarasota, Florida. Retired down there when Dad’s arthritis got too bad for him to work. Mom was a teacher here in town.”
“Do you miss them?”
“Sure.” I nod. “But they come up for most of the holidays, or I go down and visit them for a little bit when I have the time.”
“But Mistletoe Creek is home?”
“Yeah. I like the familiarity of it. Being able to head into the grocery store and recognize my neighbors. I’m on about a dozen planning committees for the town, so I know just about everyone and everyone knows me. There’s comfort in that.”
