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“You going to let those cookies burn?” He smirks.
I squeak and almost fall off Brendan’s lap, but he makes sure I don’t. I look over to Laura, who’s leaning up against the wall eating what looks like the roof of one of the gingerbread houses I made.
I point at her. “You don’t eat those!”
She stops before she takes another bite, inspecting the cookie roof. “I don’t taste anything wrong with it. I’m trained to detect that.”
For once, I actually know she isn't joking. I bet she truly is trained for something like that.
“It’s decoration.” I wiggle to get off Brendan’s lap. He doesn't let me.
“Well, don’t make it so yummy then.” She walks over and plops down on the love seat. “What’s for dinner?” She polishes off the roof.
“Where did you even come from?”
“I live over that way.” She points to the back of the house.
“You’re so full of it.” I shake with laughter.
Brendan whispers in my ear that he invited her.
“I’d rather be full of dinner.” She pats her stomach. “Do I get a kitten?” she asks as Charlie pokes his head out of the cat house.
“No,” Brendan and I say in unison.
I’m keeping all the kittens. I don’t care if I become a cat lady anymore. Maybe one day I’ll become a mommy too. Wife, mom, best friend—I could get extra, extra lucky and Laura could turn me into an aunt.
Laura pulls another cookie out from her pocket, then bites the head off a gingerbread man. It’s going to take a special kind of man to tie her down. I smile, realizing how lucky I am that I found mine.
I really do have it all. I’m winning this life thing, even if I’m a little weird.
If I’ve learned anything, it’s that life is short, and you need to enjoy every moment while you can. Make as many memories as possible with the people you love and don’t let anything keep you from experiencing happiness. Whether you love Christmas, knitting or sitting around reading a book, enjoy each moment. Don’t be afraid to take a chance, and if opportunity comes knocking, open the door, it could be your Brendan on the other side. It could also be an assassin or a spy, so maybe check the peephole first.
Brendan finally lets me go, and I rush to the kitchen and pull the cookies from the oven. Something outside catches my eye, and I squint through the frosty windows. Far across the valley, lights flicker, then start to blink steadily. The people who live there have strung lights.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. It’s not a competition. It never was. All the same, I turn back to the living room where Laura and Brendan are chatting about the kittens.
“Brendan?” I should let it go. Their house is over a mile away. Just let it go. I smile down at the gingerbread ladies I just took from the oven. “Never mind. I’m letting it go.”
“Letting what go, angel?” He walks into the kitchen, then spots the glow through the window. Pulling me into his arms, he gives me a devious smile and presses his lips to my ear. “Looks like we’re going to need more lights.”
EPILOGUE I
Spring
The tiny orange fluff ball tries to climb my leg. I sit on the floor and help her to my lap. Her two brothers scurry over, one chasing the other’s black tail.
Charlie sniffs at them, then goes about his business. He’s a bit of a paws-off sort of dad, but sometimes he cuddles with them and lets them nip at his tail and ears. Mrs. Claws watches from her perch atop the Christmas house. Ariadne didn’t want to take it down—or any of our decorations, for that matter—so we are Christmas all year round, and I couldn’t be happier.
“This one made it all the way to our room.” Ariadne strides in, her candy cane pajamas rumpled as she sits beside me, another orange kitten in her arms. “A real traveler.”
I stroke its soft fur as it kneads Ariadne’s chest. “Hey, that’s my job.”
“Don’t be jealous of the kitten.” She laughs.
“I’m not jealous.” I’m totally jealous.
“What’s on the agenda for the day?” She leans against me as the kittens amble all over us.
