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Lena found the squeaker. At the sound, Copper shot up, his head cocked. “Oh, I think he likes it! But no playing tonight, sir.” She set the toy down, then gave his hand a squeeze. “That was so thoughtful of you.”
“Now the other one.”
She did the same routine with the ribbon, only instead of draping it around her own neck, she tied it around his. “You look nice when you’re all festive.” She gave him a kiss on his cheek. “I really like your shirt, Grinch Guy.”
“Hoped you would. Thought you might.” He gave her arm a little push. “Now stop stalling, luv.”
She tore the paper more slowly this time, then eased open the box. She gasped when she saw it, then looked up at him. Her expression was so warm, so genuine, he knew she liked it before she spoke. “You made this?”
“Yeah. For you.”
“I love it. Put it on?” She held the star out to him. It was a Christmas tree star, made of the thinnest strips of wood, woven together at the centre, almost like a celtic knot.
She went to the tree with him, and as he reached up to settle the wooden star atop the plastic tree, her arms went around his waist.
“This is so sweet, Heath. But I thought we weren’t— I didn’t—”
He turned to face her and put his finger to her lips. “Shush. This here is all I want for Christmas.” He tugged at the end of the ribbon she’d tied at her neck, loosening it and letting it slide to the floor. Next, he slipped the strap of her camisole off her shoulder and planted a kiss where it had been. Then, because she wasn’t expecting it, he swept her up into his arms, her shriek and the laughter that followed it the best thing he’d heard all day. At least until later, maybe tomorrow, when he’d make her make all kinds of sounds that were even better.
Tonight, though, they had a dog to take care of. So he plopped her on the couch and turned on the TV. “Elf, you say?”
“It’s my favourite. Next to Coppy. And you.”
Her favourite. That was exactly what he wanted to be.
EPILOGUE
ONE YEAR LATER, DECEMBER 24
The sun beat down on Lena as she worked her way up the climbing wall. She was going to get that twenty-dollar bill, just like she’d done the year before. She glanced down at the small crowd gathered outside the barrier and as she pushed off the final foot hold, she gave a thumbs up.
Copper was down there, but unlike the year before, he was quiet. That’s because this time, his third favourite person in all the world—Carissa—was holding on to his leash.
“Let’s go champion!” Carissa had the kind of voice that cut right through any other noise, and it was exactly the boost Lena needed.
She snagged the bill and swung away from the wall, trying to catch sight of Heath as she rappelled down. She couldn’t see him. Her stomach did a twisting twinge, the kind that spelled adrenaline rush and nerves, but she pushed the anxious feeling away. That was just the hard core deja vu she’d been experiencing all day. So much was the same—the weather, for one, Heath manning the RSL barbecue for another, kicking butt at the climbing wall, obvs— that it was hard not to feel like she’d time travelled to the past. But she knew better than that. This time when she touched the ground, everything was going to be fine. Better than fine. If she couldn’t see Heath over at the food tables, that was only because she had a weird angle. Or because she was rocketing down a rope.
Because this year, she had Heath and she knew it. This year her bestie was visiting, and her dog wasn’t about to have heat stroke. This year she’d broken her streak of coming in second—at home and on the racetrack—and the barns that had stood empty were as full as she wanted them to be. Getting the twenty-dollar bill again was her promise that she was going to keep betting on herself.
She touched earth and there were Carissa and Copper at the barrier, all smiles and wags. She shucked out of the harness, thanked Kane who owned the climbing wall, and headed for the gate.
“Look at you, Spiderwoman!” Carissa gave her a high five as soon as she was through the gate.
“No.” Lena pointed at her bestie. “Never call me that again. Just the word spider makes me think of the Christmas tree incident.” She shuddered and took Copper’s leash.
“I love that story so hard. When you told me he’d picked through your hair for spiders, that’s when I knew he was the man for you.” Carissa looped her arm through Lena’s. “I really like him, Leen.”
“Me too.” Whatever weird feeling she’d had up on the climbing wall dissipated. She pulled Carissa in closer. “Now we just have to find you a hunky Aussie.”
“Speaking of…Heath came by while you were climbing. Said he had to run to the bathroom and he’d meet us over at the dunk tank.”
“The dunk tank?”
“Don’t ask me.” Carissa rolled her eyes and steered them in that direction. “He said he had something he wanted to show you. His man-prowess at hitting a target, probably.”
“He does have really nice arms. I don’t know if you’ve noticed.”
“Girl, I don’t look at my friends’ boyfriends.” Carissa gave her a little push. “But yeah. Kind of hard not to notice the big guns on that one. And the tat.”
