She grinned when they walked past the bakery, and she saw Emily had managed to rebuild her famous pie tin tree. It looked bigger and shinier than ever, stacked high in glinting, silvery layers.
The café had a cute window scene, too. Anita had run a snowflake coloring competition. Dozens of snowflakes were colored with markers, paint, crayons, and glitter. They dangled inside her front window by invisible string, fluttering in the café’s circulating air. Cassidy smiled, watching the children point out the ones they’d made.
By the time they reached the town square, the sky had deepened into inky blue and stars had begun to appear. The town’s Christmas tree lit up the square. As did all the surrounding holiday lights.
Clusters of townspeople gathered around in thick coats and colorful scarves, but what stood out most was that everywhere she looked, people sported their Team Cassidy and Team Liam sweaters. Cassidy couldn’t help but smile. It looked pretty evenly split.
The Boy Scout troop had set up a hot cocoa pop-up that was nothing like Cassidy’s. It was only powdered cocoa mix with hot water, but she couldn’t resist. She loved supporting the local kids. She and Liam both got a cup.
People milled around, greeting neighbors, waving to friends, humming along with the brass band as it assembled for one finalround of carols, leading off with “Jingle Bells.” She found herself singing along, letting the warmth of the moment wrap around her like a fresh blanket out of the dryer.
Liam leaned in close, just enough for her to hear, and deliberately sang the alternate words to the chorus. She elbowed him, laughing at his Batman rendition as he grinned down at her, unapologetic.
“What? They’re the only words I know,” he said, and she was sure he was lying.
“You’re incorrigible.” Cassidy grinned.
They found their friends hanging out on the sidewalk near the café. Zoe had just finished stringing up a cluster of mistletoe on the streetlight, hoping to inspire some holiday romance. Kit stood nearby, spiked cider in one hand, the other waving animatedly as she told a story to Rachel, the girl she was now lowkey seeing. Madison and Zach were tucked in close, stealing a kiss in the shadowed doorway of the Kettle. Cassidy slid in beside Kit, Liam at her side, the gentle brush of his arm against hers grounding her like always.
Then the microphone screeched softly, and the crowd hushed.
Mayor Bloomfield stepped up onto the platform, cheeks pink from the cold, his long wool coat buttoned to the neck. He adjusted his Santa hat and tapped the mic again.
Cassidy’s stomach fluttered.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “I have to say, this has been the most spirited Maple Falls Christmas Light-Up Display Competition in recent memory. And it was close. Real close.”
Someone in the crowd started chanting, “Llamas! Llamas!” while others shouted, “Cocoa Corner!”
Cassidy felt Liam’s hand slide into hers. He laced their fingers together and held tight.
“But the winner of this year’s light-up, by just one vote,” the mayor added with a dramatic pause, “is Liam Hawthorne and the Hot Honey Farm Shop!”
The crowd erupted into cheers and applause. Cassidy clapped, then stepped back to let him have his moment.
But he turned and tugged her forward.
“What? No,” she said, surprised. “You won.”
“And I want you up there with me.”
He didn’t let go of her hand as he climbed the wooden steps to the small platform stage. She followed, cheeks flushed, eyes wide. He stood before the town, not nervous at all, just certain.
“Thank you, Mayor. And thank you to everyone who came out and voted,” Liam said, his voice steady. “I’m proud of what we built here, and I mean that. Not just the display. But the community. The heart behind it.”
He glanced at Cassidy, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
“I know many of you know about the children’s hospital fundraiser Cassidy was running,” he continued, turning back to the crowd. “And I also know how much you’ve supported the expansion plans for the llama sanctuary. I’m grateful for that. Truly.”
He took a breath. “So, I wanted to say the prize money is going to the children’s hospital. Because that’s what matters most of all. Our kids.”
A quiet hush swept the crowd before it broke into another round of applause, louder than before.
“And thanks to the support you’ve all shown my shop this season, my family can still move forward with the sanctuary expansion. So, in a way… we both won.”
Cassidy felt her throat tighten, tears burning at the corners of her eyes as she looked at Liam.
Then he looked down at her, and everything else faded.
