Page 31 of Snowed

I nearly dropped my food.

“Stolen Nolan is just as handsome in person!” Grandma announced.

I felt my face heat as I set my plate down. What is he doing here?

“What…how?” I asked as Nolan stood in front of me, smelling like heaven mixed with the cold air outside. It felt like there was a spotlight on us as my entire family gawked.

“I ran into Isla. She gave me your address.” Nolan smiled. “Can we go somewhere and talk?”

“Sure. Follow me.”

I led him to a room at the back of the house where my mother mostly stored her sewing supplies.

After I closed the door behind us, he said, “Why did you stop responding to my messages?”

“I didn’t think you cared all that much.” I tilted my head. “Aren’t you dating someone?”

“I went on a couple of dates with a woman, but that’s over.”

My heartbeat sped up a little. “Oh.”

“The truth is, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you, Joy. I’ve just been apprehensive to bite the bullet because I thought you were still hung up on Davis. But after talking to Isla tonight, I no longer believe that.”

Not sure what the hell my friend said, but I needed to thank her big time.

“The only man I’ve been hung up on lately is the real one behind my fake boyfriend,” I admitted.

He inched closer. “You know, I’ve imagined us doing a lot of things together, but there’s one thing I’d like more than anything.”

“What?”

Nolan placed his hands around my face, bringing me in for a kiss. It was everything I remembered—firm and powerful. As he slipped his tongue into my mouth, I began to dig my fingers into his beautiful mane of dark hair. My nerve endings lit up like a Christmas tree. The sounds coming from the party faded into the distance as we continued to kiss passionately, getting lost in each other.

When Nolan and I finally emerged from the back room, his hair was tousled. I took a few moments to brush through it with my fingers before we reappeared in the living room.

I had no choice but to formally introduce him to my curious family.

Clearing my throat, I said, “Everyone, this is Nolan, my…” I hesitated. What is he exactly?

Nolan finished my sentence. “Joy and I just started dating a few minutes ago, but I swear it feels more like a year.”

I shrugged. Seemed an accurate description to me.

Nolan spent the next several minutes meeting my parents and relatives. And Grandma gave him the official seal of approval. It was a strange first date, but our entire history had been strange thus far. We’d been through a lot virtually together, but this was truly the beginning.

After the introductions were over, we stole a private moment by the Christmas tree.

Nolan took out his camera and snapped a selfie of us.

He winked. “For next year’s Christmas card.”