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Charity let her arms fall to her sides and took a step closer. He put his arms around her waist and she reached up, resting her hands on his forearms.
“I’ve been holding this in for a while,” he said. “But it was what I said the last time I saw you when we were eighteen and still dating. It feels natural to say it again. I love you.”
The flood of emotions that rushed through her made it tough to talk at first. All she could do was stare up at him, wondering how she lived even one day without him in her life.
“I love you, too,” she said. “Now, kiss me so I can enjoy some of this eggnog and look at my beautiful tree.”
And that was exactly what he did. As his lips pressed against hers, his arms tightening around her, she knew she was finally home.
26
Nic stood at the back of the sanctuary at First Baptist Church—the very church where they’d met to go caroling. Had that only been a few weeks ago? It felt like a lifetime.
He’d stepped out for a minute to take a call, and now the plan was to head back to his pew and enjoy the rest of the Christmas Eve service with Charity. But Pastor Murray was wrapping up the service. He’d be better off staying back here until everyone filed out rather than making his way back to his seat.
“I hope you all have a blessed Christmas, and I’ll see you back here Sunday,” Pastor Murray said.
That was when Nic thought better of where he stood. Every pew was jam-packed, which meant he’d just be in the way. He stepped out into the lobby and eyed the hot cocoa machine.
That small move had him pushing back through the crowd, two cups of cocoa in hand, when Charity emerged. He handed her one of the cups.
“No marshmallows tonight,” he said.
She smiled and glanced over at the growing line in front of the machine. “Looks like you got it just in time.”
Nic nodded. “That work call gave me a head start on the competition.”
Those words brought a frown to Charity’s face. “An emergency?”
He’d just taken a sip of cocoa, so he swallowed before speaking. “Some teens were smoking and tossing their cigarettes onto the ground. Dane wasn’t sure how to deal with them.”
Dane was one of the youngest park rangers on the team. Not that Nic was the most senior member by any measure. But his experience at the farm seemed to have junior rangers looking up to him.
“Better step out of the way or we’re going to be trampled.” Nic nodded over to the left at the people streaming from the sanctuary. “Are you ready to go?”
“Definitely.”
She smiled and they started toward the exit. They were heading over to Charity’s parents’ place. Her mom was making dinner for all of them, including his parents and sister, who’d been invited to join.
“Ho, ho, ho!”
Nic heard Santa before he spotted him. He was on the sidewalk to the right of the main entrance. People were streaming past and a couple of kids had stopped for a picture, but now they moved away, the mom waving her thanks before following her kids to the parking lot.
“Santa!” Nic said, looking around. He certainly didn’t want to get in the way of any children who wanted to talk to him. “I thought you were heading back to the North Pole today.”
Santa laughed, hands on his belly. Had this guy worn the same suit every day since arriving in town? Or did he just have a closet full of the same pants and jacket?
“I had to check in on my favorite couple,” Santa said. “I finally figured out you belong together.”
Nic looked over at Charity, who’d come to a stop next to him. She stared at the guy with the same quizzical expression Nic no doubt had.
“How did you know we weren’t together already?” she asked.
“The mistletoe brought you together, of course,” Santa said. “And it’s going to bring other couples together as well. Just you wait and see.”
He pointed at Charity as he said those final words. Then he looked around.
“Well, I’d better be getting back to the cabin,” Santa said. “I have a lot to do tonight. There’s a little something hanging over there for the two of you.”
