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Gratefully, the following years weren’t nearly as tough as the first. That wasn’t to say things had been easy; merely manageable. Still, Holly looked forward to enjoying more of the festivities this year.
Just under a completely different set of circumstances than the one she was in presently.
And no, the freaking irony of her current situation hadn’t gone unnoticed either.
The closer they came to the center of town, the more electric the vibe among the crowd. Children of all ages gathered with parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters. Some waited patiently. Others struggled to stand still no matter how hard they or their parents tried to rein them in.
And a few of the youngest crowd shared their frustrations at ear-splitting decibels.
Holly couldn’t blame them. For many, it had likely been a very long day.
Upon reaching the circle, they, along with every other spectator, jockeyed for position as close to the small makeshift stage as possible. Fortunately, Trey Prescott and his daughter had scored a spot of prime real estate directly in front of the towering Douglas fir, and the minute Sophie saw the twins, she eagerly beckoned Emme and Wren to join them.
“Can we?”
Simultaneously, Chace and Holly looked at each other to ensure they were on the same page before giving the go-ahead the girls were obviously anticipating, since they were halfway to where Sophie was standing before Holly finished ther-eof her monosyllabic “Sure” response.
Not that Holly expected anything less. Just like she wasn’t surprised when the crowd immediately took advantage of the tiny space created when the twins moved forward. The shift packed everyone as close as sardines in a can, Holly and Chace included, since they were all but glued to each other’s side from shoulders to boots.
The scene was reminiscent of old times. Only when they were together Holly never stood beside Chace as if she were a statue with her hands stuffed into her pockets and all but holding her breath for fear the expansion of her lungs might nudge her body more tightly against his. And if that happened, Holly was sure he’d feel the jackhammering of her heart as it vibrated her entire body.
“You okay?” Chace murmured, his breath warm against her ear.
Did he read minds now? Certainly seemed like it.
Afraid she couldn’t speak coherently, Holly nodded, praying whoever was in charge of the tree lighting would get this show on the road before she spontaneously combusted from a lethal mixture of overbearing memories, an overstimulated nervous system, and the overwhelming yearnings she couldn’t seem to escape.
Before she could crawl completely out of her skin, Mayor Hudson stepped up to the microphone, welcomed everyone to the festivities, and said a few words about the history and tradition of Christmas in Hickory Ridge before turning the mic over to Santa.
“Ho, ho, ho,” the jolly old elf, who bore a striking resemblance to Culver Duncan, bellowed. “Is everyone ready?”
A thunderous variety of affirmations followed.
“And everyone has been good boys and girls this year?”
Another round of exuberant confirmations rang out from the crowd.
“Then, I guess we’re ready, Mrs. Claus.” Santa covered her gloved hand with his on the lever-handled switch and began the countdown. “Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.” They pulled the switch, and thousands of red, green, yellow, blue, and white lights illuminated the massive tree from top to bottom.
Cheers,oohs,ahhs, applause, and wolf-whistles erupted from the spectators before everyone joined Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the mayor in singing “O, Christmas Tree”. When they reached the refrain, Holly’s vision blurred as an onslaught of unexpected emotions flooded her system.
What the hell was that all about?
She never got teary-eyed before at the tree lighting. Or when singing any Christmas carols. Not when she and Chace were a couple or in the years since they’d gone their separate ways. Granted, Holly had shed many tears, but never in public.
And especially for no apparent reason.
Maybe it was all too much. Sean’s accident. Lyss’s flying to Germany to be with him. Chace’s arrival to help with the twins. Barely getting any sleep the night before with him under the same roof. Then fully participating in the kickoff of Christmas in Hickory Ridge with him and the girls.
All that coupled with the memories of the Christmases they had shared, it was no wonder she was on sensory overload.
When the song ended, Wren, Emme, and the Prescotts joined Holly and Chace. “Have you ever seen so many lights on one tree in your whole life?” Wren exclaimed, her eyes as big as saucers.
Grateful for the distraction and the thinning crowd, Holly moved forward a few steps, putting a bit of space between her and Chace. She immediately missed the warmth of his body against hers. “Well, it’s a mighty big tree, so I imagine it needs a lot of lights, don’t you?”
“Yeah, but they’re all so bright and twinkly.”
That was true. Rather than remaining static or blinking intermittently, the multi-colored lights flickered like candlelight, much like the flamelike bulbs inside the lantern-like top of each lamppost. Altogether, the twinkling provided a cozier ambiance for the evening festivities.
