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He disappears into the Kringle gift shop without looking back.
I look to Rogue. “Hale didn’t set this up, did he?”
Rogue shrugs. “Who knows? The sneaky bastard might have. Can’t say that he didn’t do me a solid.”
His words have me smiling, and we grab the tools we need before setting off to explore the tree cutting area. I go for the Fraser Fir, the big one that’s almost nine feet tall. Once Rogue has finished cutting it down, the Kringle brothers come out to help us load it.
On our way back to the cabin, I tell Rogue, “I need to see Lucky.”
We stop at my apartment so I can get Lucky and gather some things. Even though Lucky won’t look at me, I still manage to convince him to get into the cat carrier. I also pack a bag while Rogue wanders around my apartment.
“I like the angel you left behind.” I feel almost shy admitting that to him when he spots the dollhouse missing the figurine.
“You do good work on these. Are they from a kit?”
I shake my head. “No, they’re all my own designs.”
Maybe it’s some misplaced childhood urge to create a home, to have a place where I finally belong.
We gather my things and drive back to his cabin where he hauls the tree inside. Watching him work, his muscles straining as he sets up the tree, is so sexy.
“What do you have for ornaments?”
“I think I have some in the attic.” He brings out several containers that are carefully organized.
He hesitates as I reach for a box, and I pause, realizing that these probably have memories attached to them. Finally, he says, “They were my late wife’s. We don’t have to use these. New traditions are good too.”
“If they make you happy, then I’d like to use them. I think they’re special because they have history.”
“We can use these and mix in some new pieces too.” It almost sounds like he’s making future plans, but maybe that’s just the little girl in me hoping she finally found a family.
9
ROGUE
“I think he likes it here,”Susie says and nudges me.
She’s wrapping ribbon around the tree and nods to where Lucky is. His cat tree is in the corner, but he isn’t on it. Instead, he’s curled up on his dog bed with Daisy.
I expected some animosity between the two when they first met, but after a quick sniff, Daisy seemed to accept Lucky. The cat strolled right over and curled up in the corner of her bed. Now the two of them are snoring together. It’s an unusual match, but it works. Kind of like me and Susie.
When she told me what happened to her as a kid, my heart broke for her. My beautiful girl has faced so much heartache and loss. I want to spend the rest of my time making her happy, filling her life with sunshine the way she does for everyone else.
Before she got in the shower this morning, I told her I’d make breakfast. While I was doing that, I put in a call to the Kringle brothers.
When we were at the Christmas tree ranch, Ledger slipped me an engagement ring. Maybe to some people, it would seem we’re moving too fast. But I’ve spent months longing for this beautiful woman.
Out of all the people in the world, I know how short life can be. There’s no point in waiting. I know that Susie is meant to be with me. We’re going to get married and be a family together.
It’s probably too much to hope for kids. Hell, I never imagined myself wanting them again. But Susie has me wishing for a second chance.
“What do you think?” Susie steps back and peers at the tree. She’s used all of our family ornaments, but she’s added her own flair and twist.
“It looks like something I’d see in your dollhouse,” I tell her approvingly.
She beams at me. “I saw a news article last week about a woman who makes them full-time. She sells them online.” She shakes her head. “Can you imagine getting to do that?”
I think of my big garage where I spend my days working on my motorcycles. It would be easy to partition part of it off and create a little workshop for my girl. We could spend our days out there together and our nights in the cozy cabin, making love.
