Page 32 of Wicked Love

“Wanna go and see that cabin now?” I asked when Grace stepped back. “The lady I talked to on the phone said there was a fireplace. We could light it up and make the place ours. What do you think?”

“I’d like that. I was thinking of calling it a night anyway.”

Walking to our car following a back alley, we arrived in front of a small village exhibition made of five-foot-tall buildings. A bakery, a school, a hospital, a dozen houses, and half-sized characters. Fake trees and snow completed the magical display.

“I’m speechless,” Grace announced.

“Me too.” I grabbed her hand as we admired every detail.

Grace shivered.

“Let’s get out of here,” I said.

We reached the car a minute later and blasted the heat as we drove through the town toward the mountains. Twice, we had to stop to admire the decor. Enveloped in hundreds of light garlands, entire streets brightened the dark night. Inflatable snowmen, Santas, and reindeers filled the front yards.

Sets of lit Christmas tree trio had been placed in every park or green space we passed by.

“It feels like we’re living in a dream,” I said. “I don’t have enough eyes to take it all in.”

“We should come here every year. Make it a tradition. It’s impossible to be sad when you live in Mistletoe Creek. From now on, it will forever be my happy place.”

Grace read the instructions on my phone that the lady I rented the place from sent me. Navigating the steep, dark roads at this late hour turned out to be more challenging than I would have thought.

“I think it’s the third one on our left,” Grace said as she repeated the directions for the second time. “We should arrive in three…two…one…” I stopped in front of a long driveway. It was so dark we couldn’t see anything. “Joe, are you sure we’re not lost? It’s kind of scary out here.”

I looked around us, and Grace was right. We could barely see five feet in front of us. I had no idea if other people lived around. I scratched my head after I checked the map once more. “It’s supposed to be here.” I released the brake and pressed on the gas, turning into the driveway. Moon rays filtered through the tall trees surrounding the property. It seemed like we were entering a haunted forest.

The cabin appeared in front of us all of a sudden.

From here, it didn’t look like anything the lady promised. Somber and uninviting, I was tempted to drive around and leave. My curiosity won, and I put the car in park, not turning off the engine. Just in case. “Gimme a sec. I’ll see if I can find a light switch. I’m sure we can illuminate this place.”

“You’re going to leave me alone?” Grace’s voice quivered as her eyes darted between me and the house. “Are you sure it’s safe to go in?”

“We won’t know unless one of us goes in.”

“Oh. Be careful then.”

I exited the comfort of the car, my body on high alert and my hands balled into fists at my sides. Standing on the threshold and after entering the four-digit number, that the woman had sent me, on the touchpad serving as a lock, I let myself in. My chest constricted. I couldn’t see a thing and had to sidestep to the right so that the car’s headlights cast a glow inside. Why did I leave my phone in the car?

I stepped inside. A chill ran through me. This place required warmth. And lights. I ran my hand over the wall on my left, and my fingers connected with a switch. The exterior of the cabin turned into a light show when I flicked it on. “Whoa.” I blinked, dazzled by the colorful display as I returned outside. We hadn’t just rented a cabin in the woods; we really had booked an oversized gingerbread house.

Grace exited the car and came to stand next to me. “Joe…it’s…wow.”

“I know.”

She slipped her mittened hand inside mine as we stood still, taking in every detail.

The exterior siding was dark brown wood. Multicolor masses resembling candies lined all the edges, and what looked like giant lollipops framed each side of the front door. Fake dripping snow resembling icing covered the roof under a layer of dozens of oversized red and white starlight mints. Candy canes acted as shutters on both sides of every window.

I blinked, at a loss for words.

I felt like a kid in a sweet shop, unable to stop salivating at the display.

Grace tugged me forward. “Let’s see the inside.”

The first floor consisted of a small kitchen doubling as a dining room and a living room. A large double-face boulder fireplace stood in the middle. The scent of wood burning regaled my nose. Like the exterior, there were touches of color everywhere inside too, but mostly in the form of accessories. Candy-shaped pillows. Lime-green throws. Multicolored kitchen chairs. Paintings of desserts on the walls. A fully decorated Christmas tree occupied the far corner. The delicious fragrance of the freshly cut pine filled the house. Light garlands had been wrapped around the banister leading to the second floor.

Upstairs were three bedrooms. A larger one and two smaller ones. The small ones shared a Jack and Jill bathroom while the master one had its own en-suite. Each bedroom had been designed according to a theme. White and silver winter wonderland. Red and black lumberjack plaid decor. And navy blue and gold midnight hour.