The Christmas Cabin

by Susan Hatler

  “Hmm.” Aunt Lucy made a disapproving noise with her tongue. “How did that happen exactly?”

  “My friend Kara didn’t talk to her husband before renting the cabin to me, and her husband had rented the cabin to Gabriel at the same time,” I said, trying to force a laugh, which turned into coughing. “It turns out we all went to the same law school. So, uh, yeah.”

  “My ex-husband never had very good communication skills either,” she said. “That’s one of the major factors for our divorce honestly. He could never get even the simplest thing right. One time I told him to pick up a roasted chicken from the grocery store for dinner, and he brought home an actual live chicken for me to roast. Can you imagine?”

  “No.” I pulled on yoga pants and made a sympathetic noise. I didn’t remember my ex-uncle at all, so there wasn’t much I could contribute to the conversation. But I knew my aunt would understand about my frustration with Gabriel.

  “The thing that drives me nuts about the opposing counsel, Gabriel, is his optimism about second chances. It just feels very naïve to me.” My mind drifted to the thing that had gotten to me the most, which had been when he’d asked if someone had broken my heart. He barely knew me after our negotiations these past few months, yet he had been able to ask me the one thing that cut right to the quick. And then there were his amazing kisses in the snow. . . Wanting to change the subject, I rushed on, “How are you doing? What have you been up to?”

  “Me? Oh, just this and that,” Aunt Lucy said. “I went to the Mill Springs Country Club with Emily last night for a holiday mixer.”

  “Was that fun?” I asked, using the towel to dry my hair as I perched on the edge of my bed.

  “Fine, I suppose. Although Emily spent the entire evening flirting with some man she’d just met, who wore a toupee and a loud bow tie. I ended up spending the whole night talking to Walter.”

  “Who is Walter?” I asked, my interest piqued. Aunt Lucy didn’t trust men and rarely spent time talking with them, let alone an entire evening. I stood and grabbed a brush from my dresser, and started to work the tangles out of my hair.

  “Walter is a friend of Rupert’s, the man Emily was quite taken with,” Aunt Lucy said. “Walter lost his wife a few years ago. Poor guy. He was only out with his friend as a favor, and then he got ditched, quite like I did. We commiserated over cocktails, and got stuck eating dinner together thanks to our friends.”

  “That sounds . . . interesting. What was Walter like?” I asked, setting the brush back on the dresser. There was something odd in Aunt Lucy’s tone that I couldn’t place my finger on.

  “He seemed kind. Oh, and he was funny. He hasn’t dated or gone out since he married his wife, so he was flustered by Rupert ditching him. But he pulled my chair out for me and made sure the waiter was attentive to us, which I appreciated. When the hostess came over to chat with us, he pulled a quarter out from behind her ear. It was the corniest thing I’ve ever seen, but the look on that girl’s face? I tell you, I haven’t laughed that hard in years.”

  I heard the front door slam, and my heart skipped a beat. Had Gabriel finally left? No, that was a silly thought. We’d just had a lovely morning together. More than lovely if my swollen lips had anything to say about it. He must’ve gone out to get more wood or something from his car. Yeah, that must be it.

  “I’ll let you go, dear. I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing in Tahoe. I’ll call again in a few days.”

  “Bye, Aunt Lucy,” I said, setting my phone back on the nightstand. I pulled my hair back into a French knot, and looked around my room. My eyes landed on the book that I had brought along to read during the holiday. I could just stay up here in my room and relax.

  But why would I want to stay up here when there was a cozy fire downstairs in the living room? That would be much more relaxing. It was my living room, too, after all. It wasn’t like I was going downstairs just to see Gabriel. Not at all—at least, that was what I tried to tell myself.

  I had settled into an armchair by the time Gabriel appeared from the den off the living room. The thought of him sleeping in there while I was cozy upstairs in the bedroom gave me a slight twinge of guilt. I hoped that he was comfortable in there.

  “I have to run out to my car for a minute. I’ve got some stuff to bring in,” Gabriel said, pulling his hat down over his ears, turning up his collar, and then plunging out into the cold air.

  I stared after him for a moment, feeling an acute absence when he left the room. A moment later, reality came crashing down on me that I was falling for him way too fast. So, I opened the new bestselling thriller novel I’d brought that promised to keep me engaged from the first scene to the last page.

  As I stared at the words on the first page, I was disappointed to find that I kept rereading the first sentence. I had a feeling that had more to do with me than the author’s efforts at a gripping hook. My mind wandered to the spot where we’d found our Christmas tree and our heart-melting kisses. What I had thought was a simple valley full of pine trees had turned out to be a field full of Christmas magic and miracles.

  Those kisses. . . I shivered with pleasure as the memory flooded my senses.

  Suddenly, the front door opened, jarring me back to reality once again. Focusing on the first page of my book, I managed to get through the first paragraph as Gabriel deposited a large cardboard box at the edge of the living room. Then he headed back outside and I wondered why.

  What was wrong with me? How was I forgetting everything that I had vowed? After everything I’d been through, hadn’t I told myself that I would never need a man again? Never beg a man for attention? And above all else, that I would never give my heart away? One kiss from a handsome man and I was turning into a puddle of goo. Not smart. No, it was best to recommit myself to my principles, here and now. I would simply read my book and let Gabriel go about his business this weekend. Yes, that was a good plan.

  Gabriel came in again, and placed three smaller boxes on top of the large one. Then he winked at me, and blew me a kiss. I pretended not to notice, even as my face heated. I hadn’t had this reaction to a man ever. I had dated plenty of men, too. I’d never had a problem keeping an emotional distance, so what made Gabriel so different? Whatever it was made him especially dangerous to me, and to my heart. I had to stay focused on keeping my heart safe.

  The third time Gabriel came in with a bitter cold draft from the ever-worsening storm outside. I looked up and was stunned yet again by how my tummy flipped. I loved how his brown eyes lit up when he was excited, and how his lips had felt on mine. I felt myself flush again, and glued my eyes to the book, where I still wasn’t past the first page.

  When I glanced up again, I found Gabriel watching me. He set a tiny box on top of the others. “Wonder what’s in the box?” he asked.

  “No, I’m just reading my book over here by the fire,” I said, lamely.

  He grinned. “Yeah? What’s it about?”

  “Um . . .” I stared back at him, my cheeks heating to what must look like an all-out lobster red. I flipped the book over quickly, because my mind couldn’t formulate words. I’d forgotten what little I’d read. So embarrassing.

  “Sounds intriguing.” He chuckled, and then disappeared into the kitchen.

  I shook my head. Well, that had gone well. Not. Apparently I had a knack this holiday season for making a fool out of myself. I wished the chair would open and swallow me whole. How could I even relax when I was tied in knots like I was? Ugh, the whole atmosphere up here was so idyllic with the snow falling, the fire crackling, and the scent of pine hanging heavy in the air. But all I could focus on was my pounding heart.

  Gabriel reappeared a moment later carrying two mugs with him. He handed one to me. “Hot spiced apple cider,” he said.

  “Oh, thank you,” I said, surprised by the gesture. I blew on the steam coming out the top, then took a tiny sip and felt my resolution melt a little.

  “Would you like to decorate the tree with
me? It’s as much yours as it is mine,” he said, taking a sip of his cider and tipping his chin toward the tree that he had set up on a stand in the corner of the room.

  A warm feeling spread over me that he wanted to include me in his plans, and I couldn’t resist. “I’d love to,” I said.

  “I put the lights on first, so it would be easier for us to decorate around them,” he said, opening the biggest of the boxes that he’d brought in.

  I was amazed to see layers of ornaments nestled in pretty paper. I picked up a tiny mouse sleeping in an acorn, and turned to him. “This one is adorable. Can I put it on the tree first?”

  “Sure, that was always my dad’s favorite ornament,” he said, wistfulness filling his voice. “I think it would be fitting for it to go on the tree first.”

  I placed the ornament on the most prominent branch that I could find. When I turned around, Gabriel was holding out another ornament, which looked like a snow globe.

  “This one is so sweet,” I said.

  “My dad gave that one to my mom on their second Christmas together,” he said, shoving his hands in his pockets and rocking on the balls of his feet. “She said it was her first Christmas without snow and this was the only way he could give her some.”

  “Sounds like he was a very thoughtful person.” My heart caught in my throat, and I had to turn away so he wouldn’t see the emotion on my face. His family had so many sweet stories and their traditions seemed embedded in the very fabric of their family. I was surprised that he hadn’t gone on the cruise with his mother for the holiday.

  We continued to unpack the box of ornaments, and by the end I had to admit that the little pine had a lot of personality and charm. Once we were done, I looked around at the empty boxes. “Where’s the tree topper? Do you have an angel or a star?”

  A shadow crossed Gabriel’s face. He dropped down on the edge of the sofa.

  “Did I say something wrong?” I sat down next to him and put my hand on his arm.

  He shook his head, raking a hand over his face, and taking a deep breath. “We had an angel. But five years ago, my dad was putting the angel on top of the tree, and he fell off the step ladder.”

  I gasped. “How awful.”

  He nodded. “The angel broke, my dad hit his head, and we thought that was the end of it. A few days later he died of an aneurysm. We have no way of knowing if the two events are connected, but we suspect they were. Christmas just hasn’t been the same since.”

  “I’m so sorry,” I said, rubbing my hand over his back.

  “My mom remarried this year. She and her new husband are on a cruise. They wanted me to come with them, but I just can’t yet. Her new husband is a good guy, and I’m happy for them. But Christmas has always been our holiday up in Tahoe. I want to keep it that way a little bit longer,” Gabriel said, his voice catching.

  “I understand,” I said, my throat tightening. Then I reached out, and pulled him into my arms. I laid my head on his chest and listened to his heart beating fast. We stayed that way for a long time, until his breathing returned to normal. When we broke apart, we leaned back against the sofa with his arm still curled around me, and my head on his chest.

  “Why are you up here by yourself at Christmas?”

  “I’m not by myself. I’m with you.”

  “You know what I mean . . .”

  I flinched, but given what he’d just told me, I knew that I needed to at least try to be as open with him. Taking a deep breath, I sat up, and wrapped my arms around my knees, pulling them close to my chest.

  “You asked me if someone broke my heart, and the answer is yes. There was a guy, Curtis. He broke my heart, and I acted like every weak woman cliché there has ever been. Since then I’ve been on my own and strong, just like my aunt. She raised me after my parents left when I was young. Her motto in life is that divorce is the best thing that ever happened to her.”

  “I’m sorry about your parents.” He slipped his arm around me again, and pulled me closer. “Tell me more about the joker who was idiotic enough to let you go.”

  I sighed. “Curtis and I met during my first year of law school. I thought we were going somewhere, but he had bigger and better plans, and they didn’t include me.”

  “What a fool to not realize what an amazing woman he let go,” he said, then his lips captured mine before I could register what was happening. The sweetness of the kiss didn’t mask the electricity that ignited the second his mouth was on mine. I leaned into him, so I could taste and feel every second of this kiss. It was every bit as sizzling as our first kisses, but this time I was acutely aware of how emotionally involved I was becoming with this man.

  His phone let out a series of beeps from the coffee table beside us, and we broke apart. He ran a hand over his face, looking every bit as dazed as I felt.

  “Just get it,” I urged as it beeped again.

  “Sorry about this.” He took a deep breath, picked up his phone, and swiped it on. He read something on the screen. The corners of his mouth turned downward, and his brow furrowed in a way that caused a flicker of worry to ignite in my stomach.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “I’m worried that if I tell you, it will spoil our evening,” he said.

  I felt another jolt of panic, but I decided to fight it off. If I was going to let myself care about Gabriel—even if it was only for the holiday—then I needed to enjoy the time I had with him.

  “Then don’t tell me,” I said, gesturing toward a box on the bookshelf. “Let’s play a game of Scrabble instead. I’ll bet I can beat you.”

  His brows rose, but then he smiled. “You’re on.”

  “But, first . . .” I leaned forward, brushing my lips across his over and over again.

  Chapter Five

  I woke up the next morning feeling wonderful. Everything felt so picture perfect that I half-expected little woodland creatures to burst through my frost-patterned windows to sing me awake. The snow had stopped falling and the sunlight glinted off the snow, looking like millions of diamonds sparkling over the white ground. My mood was so good, I decided to go into town to do some shopping.

  When I got back from my trip into town, I had the perfect Christmas gift for Gabriel and I was still feeling high on life. I’d found an angel tree topper in a sweet little shop and now I needed to wrap it before Gabriel returned from wherever he had gone.

  Just as I was done placing it on the top shelf of my closet, my phone rang. I scooped it up, thinking that maybe Aunt Lucy was calling again to tell me more about this guy Walter. When I saw on the screen that the caller was Kara, I was vaguely surprised.

  “Hi Kara,” I said, feeling guilty for my urgent calls. “Sorry about all those messages.”

  “No, you were right to call,” Kara said, sounding vaguely out of breath like she had just run up a set of stairs. “I only just received your messages. Tell me exactly what happened.”

  “It really doesn’t matter,” I said. “Things have worked out—”

  “You’ve always been so nice,” Kara interrupted. “But you don’t have to worry about hurting my feelings. We messed up, and I want to know what happened when you arrived. Your messages were kind of jumbled.”

  Reluctantly, I said, “Well, if you really want to know.”

  “I do. I really do,” Kara said.

  I walked over to the window and looked toward the woods. I could just make out the path we had taken when we headed off to get the tree, which made me smile. “When I got here Gabriel Hart had already taken up residence.”

  “Evan’s friend. Right. And?” Kara prompted.

  I pinched the bridge of my nose, and walked over to my discarded clothes from the night before, unable to believe I hadn’t folded them like I usually would’ve done. Bending down to pick them up, I set them on the bed. “There isn’t anything else, really,” I said. “He was actually very gracious. He let me have the bedroom, and he took the den.”

  “The mix-up is all Evan’s
fault, I swear,” Kara said, with a sigh. “He told me to take care of the cabin and then he goes off and emails people. He’s impossible!”

  I started folding my clothes from last night, remembering with a rush of pleasure the firelight Scrabble game and the slow, sweet kisses we had shared. I wasn’t going to tell Kara about those, but I really wanted her to stop feeling so bad about everything. “Everything has worked out fine, so don’t worry at all.”

  She inhaled a sharp breath. “It’s worked out? What do you mean?”

  “Gabriel is actually very sweet,” I said, scooping up my clothes and setting them in the dresser drawer. “I never would’ve guessed it when I first met him. He seemed so antagonistic against my client—”

  “Wait, you knew him before you got to the cabin?” she asked.

  “He was the opposing counsel in a divorce case I’ve been working on,” I admitted, wondering what she’d think of the irony.

  “Wow,” she said, blowing out an audible breath. “You left that out of your messages, and Evan certainly didn’t mention anything.”

  “Well, don’t worry about me. Gabriel has actually been a fun, uh, cabin mate. In fact, we chopped down a Christmas tree yesterday and . . . he kissed me. He’s a really good kisser,” I said, a smile curling over my face.

  “Now we’re talking,” Kara said, her tone finally relaxing. “Tell me more.”

  I laughed. “He cooked dinner for me, and we played Scrabble by the fire. We decorated the Christmas tree together, and he made me hot spiced apple cider. To tell you the truth, it’s really been more lovely than I could’ve imagined for a Christmas weekend getaway.”

  “You always got excited about Christmas when we were in school,” she said, using a reminiscent tone.

  “Yes, and Gabriel is the same way,” I said, sitting down on my bed. I grabbed one of the goose down throw pillows, and began working a feather poking out of the seam.

  “Your weekend reminds me of when Evan and I were first dating,” Kara said.