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She reached for the door, then paused, turning back to him. “Thank you,” she said. “For today. For…everything.”

He held her gaze. “You don’t have to thank me.”

“I know,” she said softly. “But I want to.”

That did something to him.

Something he wasn’t entirely prepared to deal with.

“Come here,” he said quietly.

She didn’t hesitate.

Leaning across the console, she met him halfway, and the kiss was soft—slower than the ones they’d shared the night before. Not rushed. Not heated. Just…tender and meaningful, and neither of them was in a hurry to pull away. But when she finally did, her hand lingered against his cheek for a second longer than necessary.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he said. “Tomorrow.”

She smiled, then slipped out of the truck, closing the door behind her.

Reece watched as she walked up the path, pausing at the door to glance back at him with a small wave before disappearing inside.

He sat there for a minute longer than he should have. And then two. His hands rested loosely on the steering wheel as the quiet of the cab settled around him.

It had been a good day.

But now that she was gone, the space she left behind felt a little too noticeable.

And a little too quiet.

Reece exhaled slowly, leaning back in his seat as realization hit: The problem wasn’t the day. It wasn’t even the questions.

It was him not wanting this to end.

And he had no idea how to make sure it didn’t.

ten

“Looks like it’s going to be a white Christmas,” Martin said, handing Alesha a cup of cocoa.

“Isn’t it always a white Christmas in Harbortown? I can’t imagine there not being snow on the ground in December.”

It was the day before Christmas Eve, and fresh snow was falling. Accepting the mug, she walked over to the big front window and let out a happy sigh. People were walking around shopping and smiling, and the bookstore was packed. When she turned and looked at her father, he looked so happy and completely in his element that it made her heart ache.

He knew all those years ago where he belonged and what he wanted. He made the sacrifices, even though they caused a lot of hurt.

She was a casualty of that decision, but…

If she really thought about it, she still had a great life. Did she miss having her father around? Of course. Did she wish her mother would have been more flexible so he could visit more often? Definitely. But ultimately, growing up in Oregon had been better than she realized. She’d made a ton of friends, did well in school, had extended family around all the time, and found her passion in working with authors so they could market and promote their books.

Books.

Turning, she looked at the bookstore with fresh eyes.

The Lit Loft wasn’t just busy, it was alive. Every chair filled, every corner humming, people lingering, and looking to her father for recommendations or just to share in the delight of what they found. She watched him move through the space with nothing but pure joy on his face.

He’d built this. Not just the store, but the feeling of it. The way people settled in and stayed. The way no one seemed rushed to leave.