by Parker, Ali
“Candy canes!” Autumn exclaimed as she pointed to the lights that lined the path between the cabins.
“Look over there,” Hazel said, pointing to where I had arranged the inflatable nativity scene.
Cadence looked at me with a smile. “You decorated.”
“I did,” I said with a grin, staring into her beautiful green eyes.
“Is this for us?” she asked in a quiet voice.
I shrugged. “I wanted it to be special.”
“This is great.”
“There’s more. Let’s get your bags put away and I’ll show you around.”
Laura stepped onto the small porch. “I’m going to get settled.”
“We can meet back here in ten minutes?” I suggested.
“That works for me,” she said with a smile.
I turned to Cadence. “I’ll take your suitcase.”
“You didn’t have to do all this,” she said.
“I wanted to. I had a lot of fun. I have another surprise, but I need a few minutes. I’ll be back here to walk all of you over to the dining hall.”
She grinned. “What do you have up your sleeve?”
I leaned forward, dropping my voice to a whisper. “It’s not what’s in my sleeve.”
She blushed. “You’re so bad.”
“Does that mean I get coal in my stocking?”
“It means you might just get very lucky,” she said with a wink before spinning around. “Autumn, Hazel, let’s go put our stuff away.”
I watched them walk into my house. I liked watching them go in there. I quickly walked over to the dining hall and turned on all the lights. I pushed the button to turn on the kids’ Christmas music and took a second to take it all in.
I couldn’t wait for them to see it. I put out the cookies and opened the bottle of wine. I knew Cadence would like it but wasn’t sure about her mom. Just in case, I had bought a variety of wines. I was probably trying too hard to impress Laura. I needed to relax.
I made it back to the cabins just as Laura was walking out. “It really is lovely here,” she said.
“I love it here,” I told her. “I’ve never been the kind that could live in the city. I tried. It didn’t work.”
“I can understand the allure.”
Cadence and the girls joined us.
“Ready?” I asked.
It was a cool day with heavy cloud cover. It was just after one, but it was already growing dark, which was perfect for my surprise. The candy-cane lights were softly glowing as we made our way to the dining hall.
“Wow!” Cadence exclaimed when she saw the dining hall. “Oh my god! Gabriel!”
Her excitement warmed my heart. The girls were making sounds of joy as they pointed at the lights and the various inflatables I had put up.
“Ready?” I asked, standing in front of the door.
“I cannot even begin to imagine what you have inside,” Cadence said.
“Close your eyes,” I said, looking at each of them. When their eyes were closed, I opened the door and walked inside. “Okay, come in.”
I watched their faces as they walked inside. Each of them gasped. No one said anything. I could see tears shimmering in Cadence’s eyes. I waited for a reaction.
“Gabriel,” Cadence finally said. “I’m—I don’t know what to say.”
“I do,” Laura said. “This is the most beautiful Christmas display I have ever seen. I feel like I just stepped into a postcard.”
“Yes, that,” Cadence said with a laugh.
“It’s so pretty!” Autumn said.
Both girls walked to the tree, reaching out and touching some of the ornaments. I watched proudly as they moved around the dining hall, noticing all the little details I had worked hard on. I had put a dollhouse in the corner, hoping to keep the girls entertained during their visit. I had no idea if they even played with dolls, but I wanted to be prepared.
“I have cookies and other snacks,” I said, gesturing to the table.
“You really, really outdid yourself,” Cadence said. “I’m overwhelmed. It’s just stunning.”
“I wanted to make sure you all had a special Christmas.”
Laura grabbed a cookie, took a bite, and nodded. “Very good.”
“I didn’t make them,” I confessed.
“Can we play with the dollhouse?” Hazel asked.
“Absolutely,” I told them both.
They ran to the corner where the dollhouse and a variety of other toys were set up. The three of us watched them play for a few minutes.
“Thank you for everything,” Cadence said again. “I’m just so completely blown away.”
“I have wine,” I said, looking at Laura. “I wasn’t sure if you were a red, white, pinot, or something else. I have a little of everything.”
She grinned. “Honey, I drink whatever is put in front of me. I’m not a wine snob.”
“Great,” I said with relief. I poured three glass of a light white. We sat down in the chairs by the fireplace and watched the girls play. “I was thinking I could make spaghetti for dinner.”
“I can cook,” Laura offered.
“No, I can’t let you cook. You’re a guest.”
“I love cooking,” she insisted.
We sipped wine and chatted a bit before Laura and I went into the kitchen. I knew it was the second half of my interrogation. Cadence gave me a look that said good luck before I had left her.
“I appreciate the help,” I said, wanting to disrupt the silence in the kitchen.
“Oh, I don’t mind at all. You’ve gone to so much trouble to make this all so nice.”
“It’s been my pleasure,” I assured her.
I filled a pot with water and put it on the stove. Laura was beside me, adding ingredients to another pot to make the sauce.
“You know, it has been a tough couple of years for Cadence and my granddaughters,” she started.
I braced myself for a lecture about why I should leave them alone. “Cadence didn’t tell me much, but I gathered it hasn’t been easy.”
“No, it hasn’t. That ex of hers was a real piece of shit. He didn’t treat her right.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said.
“You don’t have to be sorry, but you do have to be careful.”
“I’m not like her ex,” I told her.
She turned to smile at me. “No, you are not. In fact, using the wisdom I have gathered over the years, I am going to say you are a very good man. I don’t think I have ever met a man that would be willing to go through this much trouble for a woman he barely knows.”
“I like her,” I blurted out. I would suck in an interrogation.
She laughed. “I gathered that. She likes you. The girls like you. I like you. I think when you put all that together, you get a very good outcome.”
I couldn’t help but smile. I had her approval. I could relax a little. “I am hoping for a positive outcome.”
“I think what you did here—well, I’m pretty sure it’s about the nicest thing I have ever seen. I’m impressed. Nothing much impresses me, but this did.”
I grinned. “Wait until you see what I have planned for after dinner.”
She burst into laughter. “Oh, my goodness. You really are full of surprises. I’m glad she’s found you. I think you will be very good for her. For all of them. They needed someone like you in their lives.”
“Thank you for your encouragement. I am letting Cadence call the shots. I don’t want to pressure her into anything she isn’t ready for.”
“Good. I think you’ll do just fine.”
I refilled our glasses. The two of us cooked dinner side by side, talking a little about my retreat and how long I had lived in the area. She was doing her best to softly interrogate me. I had nothing to hide and didn’t mind telling her all that she wanted to know.
Chapter 24
Cadence
I watched as the girls finished their dinners. They didn’t make a fuss at all. Th
ey ate and talked, and never once did I have to ask them to finish their meals. It had been a long time since we had enjoyed a family dinner without at least one argument.
“Are you guys finished with your dinner?” Gabriel asked.
I turned to look at him. I could tell something was up by the sound of his voice. “What are you up to?” I asked him.
There was a twinkle in his eye. He looked to my mother who had that smile on her face that said she knew what was going on.
“Give me three minutes,” he said before jumping up from the table.
I watched him walk outside and turned to look at my mother. “What are you up to?”
“Me? Nothing.”
“Liar. You know something is going on.”
The girls looked confused. None of us had to wonder what he was up to for long. He came back into the dining hall, dusting snow from his hair. “It’s snowing,” he said with a grin.
I raised an eyebrow. “You made it snow?”
He chuckled. “I don’t have that kind of power. Ready?”
“Definitely.”
“Grab your coats,” he ordered.
I had no idea what he was up to. I couldn’t even begin to guess. He stood at the door, waiting for us to gather around.
“Are we supposed to close our eyes?” I asked, smiling.
“You can, but it’s going to make it very difficult for you to see.”
He opened the door and extended an arm, gesturing for us to go out. I heard it before I saw it. It was the sound of Christmas carolers. I looked around and saw no one. It was coming from a speaker to my left. In a flash, the entire area was illuminated with what looked like a million lights.
“Mom!” Autumn shouted. “Look!”
I spun around to see what she was pointing at. It was a display of Santa and several reindeer on top of the roof. They were lit up with running lights that made it look like they were moving. It was a spectacular show.
“Absolutely fantastic,” I breathed. “I’m amazed.”
The girls both ran to him, throwing their arms around his waist.
“Do you want to get closer?” he asked.
“Not on the roof,” I warned.
He grinned. “Of course not. Santa wouldn’t appreciate us getting too close. There’s a small platform. It’s safe.”
I grimaced. “I don’t know.”
“Mom, please,” Autumn begged.
“I’ll keep them safe,” Gabriel said, looking me directly in the eyes.
I nodded, knowing he would. “Okay.”
I walked behind him as he led the girls around the side.
“Cadence,” my mother called me back.
“What?”
“He’s going to keep them safe,” she said.
I looked over to watch them. Gabriel was holding Autumn’s hand. I sighed, watching the scene. It made my heart happy. “I know.”
“He’s a good one.”
I smiled. “I know.”
I watched the three of them. Gabriel lifted Hazel up to the platform before helping Autumn up. I couldn’t hear them, but I knew whatever he was saying was making them very happy. The girls were both talking and pointing at the reindeer.
“I think I’m going to go back to my cabin,” my mom said after a few minutes. “The girls will be okay in the cabin.”
I looked at her, knowing I had a guilty expression on my face. “I’m not going to leave them.”
“You could if you wanted to. It’s no different than you sleeping at the opposite end of the house. They’ll be fine.”
“I’m not leaving them,” I said again.
“Suit yourself. I would if I were you.”
“Mom!”
Her laughter trailed behind her as she walked back to her cabin. She made a very tempting suggestion, but I didn’t want to leave them alone—not on the first night.
It wasn’t long before Autumn rushed toward me, her face full of joy. “We can roast marshmallows now!” she announced.
“If that’s okay with you,” Gabriel said.
I nodded. “It’s okay. If we don’t roast marshmallows, I will never hear the end of it.”
“Awesome! I’ve been waiting all day for some gooey s’mores.”
Without warning, he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and hugged me close as we walked back into the dining hall. I had been craving his touch. It was hard to be near him and not touch him. I didn’t want to confuse the girls, and even though I knew my mom knew about Gabriel and me, PDA in front of her felt weird.
“What can I do?” I asked.
“You can get them set up in front of the fireplace. I’ve got everything ready.”
He disappeared into the kitchen, leaving me alone with my girls. I looked at each of them, their eyes full of life and excitement. Their cheeks were flushed from the cold and they both looked like they could explode with happiness at any moment. It made my heart happy to see them having such a good time.
I helped them take off their coats and hung them on the hooks near the door. My eyes went to the huge tree in the room and I couldn’t help but smile. It was eclectic and perfect. It was a variety of ornaments and colors with no theme. It was exactly what a Christmas tree should look like. It wasn’t perfect in the traditional sense, but it was perfect for us.
I checked on the girls and then snuck into the kitchen. The need to kiss him was too much. I found him in the pantry. I walked to him and spun him around, grabbing his face with both my hands and kissed him. His mouth hungrily devoured my own.
“Wow,” he whispered when I pulled away. “I think you smashed the marshmallows.”
I burst into laughter, looking down at the bag of marshmallows, chocolate bars, and box of crackers still cradled in his arms. “They’ll be melted anyway.”
He grinned. “I agree. I’ve been waiting for that all day.”
“Me too,” I said with a smile. I reached out to pull the bag of mushed marshmallows from his arms. “Let me help you with some of that.”
“Or we could close the door and I could have my way with you,” he said, bouncing his eyebrows.
“As tempting as that might sound, I don’t know how the girls would feel if they found us banging in the pantry.”
His laugh echoed around us. “Banging? I like to think I’m a little more eloquent than that.”
I shrugged. “I like banging. I like banging my head against the wall, my back against the mattress and—I think you get my meaning.”
“I think what you’ve done is made me need a minute alone in the pantry,” he groaned.
I winked at him and walked out. Gabriel joined us at the fire a few minutes later, looking slightly uncomfortable. It gave me a great deal of satisfaction to see him that way. I watched as he put marshmallows on each of the skewers for the girls to hold over the fire.
“Not too close,” I said when Autumn stretched the roasting stick closer to the flames.
Gabriel stood next to her, keeping his hand on her stick as he helped her roast the perfect marshmallow. He would occasionally gently pull her back when she got too close. He was protecting her—just like a father would do.
“I’m stuffed,” Gabriel said after we had eaten more s’mores than any human should.
“Girls, it’s time to brush your teeth and get in bed,” I said, getting to my feet.
“I’ll walk you guys over,” Gabriel said. “Let me take care of this stuff.”
“I’ll help. Girls, stay away from the fire. You can play for five minutes.”
Five minutes was enough for me to get in a few more kisses before I had to say goodnight. I followed Gabriel into the kitchen. The second I walked through the archway, he grabbed me. I let out a surprised squeal that was quickly quieted by his mouth closing over mine. My squeal transformed into a moan as his hands roamed over my body, touching and stroking.
I kissed him back, reaching out to drop the box of crackers on the counter before wrapping my arms around him. I held him close, pract
ically swallowing his tongue that was in my mouth. He tasted sweet and sexy. I desperately wanted him.
“Woah,” he breathed, pulling his mouth from mine and resting his forehead against mine. “You’re killing me.”
I let out a deep sigh. “Tomorrow night, can I count on you to help me put out the gifts Santa brought?”
He nodded before stepping away. “Of course.”
He reached down to adjust the erection straining through his pants. I was dying to reach out and stroke him but held back. That would just be mean.
“Ready?” I asked after a few seconds.
He groaned. “You’re a vixen.”
“Maybe if you’re a good boy, Santa will bring you something special,” I said with a grin.
He slowly nodded. “I’ll be a very good boy.”
I giggled softly before returning to the main dining area to collect the girls. They were playing with the dollhouse, completely content and getting along. It wasn’t something that happened often. It was a true Christmas miracle. It was impossible to argue while in the midst of the beautiful setting Gabriel had created. It felt cozy and magical.
“Let’s go, guys!” I ordered, clapping my hands together.
“Five more minutes,” Hazel begged.
“You can play all day tomorrow,” I promised.
Gabriel moved around the dining hall, shutting off the lights. “Let’s go, ladies,” he called out.
Of course, when he asked them to go, they both jumped up and rushed to the door. Autumn took his hand as we walked back to the cabin. He walked us to his front door, said his goodbyes, and left to go to his own cabin.
I felt happy. It was a feeling deep in my very soul. He had a way of making everything feel good. My skin was tingling and there was an energy running through my veins. It was like a ray of warm light emanating from my belly and spreading throughout my body.
“Goodnight,” I told the girls after getting them tucked into the sofa bed.
I walked into his bedroom and pulled back the blankets. Memories of sleeping with him in the big bed sprang to life. It had felt so good to be in his arms. I had felt content. It wasn’t a feeling I was used to. I was usually always worried about something. Always thinking about what came next. I worried about work and the girls and paying bills.
