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She’d been reflecting a lot on Max and her life each night as she lit the candles on her advent wreath. She knew that the wreath was meant for reflection on the birth of Christ and she did that too, but she was really focusing on gratitude. For too long she’d been so focused on the negative energy in her life it had been hard to find the positives but not any longer.
She knew it was down to Max.
She also could no longer deny as she watched him talking to her dad about neighborhoods in New Orleans that they could go next for the Second Start program, that she was in love with him. And it did feel like that was the cherry on top of this holiday season. Or maybe the peppermint crumble on top of it. But the truth was, she knew when Christmas was over and Max had successfully launched his Second Start development in The Barrels, he’d be moving on.
In fact, she could hear the plans he was making as he talked to her father. She felt a heavy arm on her shoulder and glanced to her left to see the youngest of her three older brothers—Ollie. “Sis, stop mooning over the man. I’m getting secondhand envy from you.”
She put her arm around his waist and hugged him. “You’re not, you big softy. Now that you’re in love with Colby I get secondhand envy toward you two all the time. Especially when I see the pictures y’all are putting up from the cottage.”
“You could have your own place, you know. I’m sure Max wouldn’t say no to moving in together,” Ollie said.
She shook her head. “I’m not sure.”
He used his arm around her shoulders to steer her into the kitchen where they were alone, then dropped his arm.
“What’s going on? I’ve never seen a couple more in love than you two,” Ollie said.
“It’s not that simple. You more than anyone should know that love doesn’t mean happily-ever-after,” Angelica said. Ollie was a commitment-phobe of the highest order and though he and Colby were married and living their own fairy-tale ending, it had been hard won.
“I know, I know,” he said. “You’re more into the whole relationship thing than I ever was and Max doesn’t seem… Is he like me?”
She shrugged and shook her head. “He’s not like you.”
He had his own issues, Angelica thought. Maybe they were tied to his brother’s death—in fact she was sure of it. Despite her desire to know more, she’d resisted the urge to google him and find out what had happened. She wanted to hear it from him, when he was ready to tell her.
“Is there anything I can do?” Ollie asked.
“Nah. I mean we’re good. I’m really enjoying Christmas this year and I’m glad that you are here with your wife. Y’all’s first Christmas is special,” Angelica said, turning the conversation to him and Colby and hoping he’d take her lead.
“It is. We are both really looking forward to it. Though I’m not really keen on all the driving we’re going to have to do,” he said.
Colby and Ollie lived in Georgetown and so did Colby’s family, which wasn’t that far from Whiskey River but meant they’d be going between houses on Christmas Day. They rejoined the party and she couldn’t keep her gaze from searching out Max where he was talking to Cosima and her friends and she realized she wanted him to stay.
But she knew he couldn’t. It wasn’t like Whiskey River was a hub of industry. She knew he couldn’t stay and that it wouldn’t be fair of her to ask him to.
“Lovely tree you picked out,” her dad said.
“Thanks, Pops,” she said hugging him and putting her head on his shoulder like she had when she was little and he could solve all of her problems.
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing, just wish that I was still little and a wish on the Christmas angel would solve my problems,” she admitted.
“You don’t have to be little to make a wish. I do it all the time,” he said.
“Really?”
“You bet. Three years ago when the boys were scattered to the wind and you were starting to be overwhelmed with your shop, I wished we’d find a new home and that you would all live there,” he said.
“Pops, the angel didn’t make this happen,” she said.
“I think she did. And it can’t hurt to ask her for what you want.”
Max came to join them and her dad excused himself. Max stood behind her with his arms around her. The tree was fully decorated and her friends and family were all talking and enjoying the food he’d brought over.
“What were you two talking about?”
Angelica rested her head on his shoulder and turned to look up at him, noting the faint five-o’clock shadow on his jaw. “Christmas wishes.”
