Christmas Ever After

by Karen Schaler

  When Brendan smiled back at her, he was impossible to resist.

  Riley laughed. “I would say that you haven’t changed a bit. You still don’t take no for an answer.”

  Brendan stepped closer to her and looked into her eyes. “Not when it’s something I care about and want.” He put the saw in his backpack and pulled out a small wooden box with a red bow on it. He handed it to her.

  Riley felt her heart race. “What is it?” she asked in breathless voice.

  “Open it.” Brendan smiled at her.

  Riley slowly opened the box and held up an antique bronze compass. She read the inscription on it . . .

  So you can always find your way back to me . . .

  The beautiful words brought tears to her eyes.

  “Riley, I know our paths went different ways, but I’ve never stopped loving you,” Brendan said. “When I saw that interview, it reminded me that true love deserves a second chance. I still think we could have a lifetime of adventures together. We could travel like we used to, only now you can write your novels using inspiration from all the amazing places we’d visit. Together, we could have it all—adventure, travel, successful careers, and most of all, love. I think we owe it to ourselves to try and find out if we could do this. What do you think?”

  She responded by giving him a heartfelt hug, and at that moment, she didn’t want to ever let go. When she did finally, slowly, pull away, Brendan took her hands in his. He was about to kiss her when a huge pile of snow fell off a tree branch above them, making them both jump back in surprise.

  They were laughing and brushing the snow off each other when Riley got a text from Luke checking to make sure they were on their way back. Some of the Christmas Campers were up early and asking about her.

  “We have to go,” Riley told Brendan.

  “To be continued?” Brendan asked.

  Riley smiled back at him and nodded. “To be continued.”

  When they got back to the lodge, Brendan reminded her of the compass and said he’d always be there for her no matter what she decided.

  As she walked away from him, the only thing she knew was that she didn’t want to lose him again. He added something to her life that she hadn’t realized she truly missed until now.

  For the rest of the day, Riley didn’t have time to think about her incredible dates with Colin and Brendan because she was completely consumed with all things Christmas Camp.

  She was thankful the guys had agreed to let her focus on her Christmas Campers and catch up with her later when she had free time.

  After she’d gotten back to the lodge, she joined the Christmas Campers for their breakfast. Right after breakfast, they started their first activity with Luke giving a tour of the town of Christmas Lake. When he shared some of the town’s history, including the story of the Christmas Lake Angel, every one of the Christmas Campers fell in love with the story and bought an angel. When Riley noticed Merry and Bright’s supply of the angels was running low, she asked Lisa about it. Lisa told that they always sold out fast every Christmas, which was a good thing because that meant there was a lot of love to share.

  The tour ended back at the lodge, down at the lake, where Luke told everyone the story of the Christmas Lake Christmas tree and how much it had meant to military families over the years. Luke had also found out ahead of time that there were several people in the Christmas Camp group that had connections to the military, either having served themselves, having lost someone, or having a family member that was currently serving, and he’d put together a special tribute to honor them.

  Everyone, including Riley, had been touched by his thoughtfulness. Everyone also loved how one of the Christmas Camp activities for giving back, which they could do at their leisure, included writing letters for military members serving overseas, thanking them for their service. Thanks to Caylee helping, it was all set up so the letters could be delivered in time for Valentine’s Day.

  After everyone went inside to warm up with some of Luke’s family’s famous hot chocolate and Maryanne’s famous Gingerbread XOXO cookies, Luke and Caylee started setting up the next Christmas Camp activity—making ornaments. Only these were no ordinary ornaments.

  The ornaments they were for the Christmas trees outside and were edible. They’d be little Christmas gifts to the local birds that were braving the winter at Christmas Lake. The idea was a huge hit with the Christmas Campers. Riley was especially thrilled to see everyone so excited about the ornaments because this activity had actually been one of her ideas, inspired by Luke and his Green-friendly work to give back to the environment.

  She’d found a couple of easy recipes online where you just combined birdseed with unflavored gelatin, corn syrup, and water. Then you used cookie cutters for your shapes, created a little hole in the middle with a reusable straw, threaded a piece of twine or ribbon through the hole for hanging, and voilà! You had a beautiful and ecofriendly Christmas tree ornament that birds would love.

  For cookie cutters options, Riley had picked an angel to represent the Christmas Lake Angel story and a tree to represent the Christmas Lake Christmas tree. Luke had added a heart to the mix, saying it represented how the true heart of Christmas is all about giving back.

  The birdseed ornaments were such a huge hit that Maryanne suggested they also do pine cone ornaments for the birds. They were even easier to make. All you had to do was get a pine cone, cover it with peanut butter, and then roll it in birdseed. You attached a little hanger at the top and you were good to go.

  The best part of this activity was it gave the Christmas Campers a chance to explore outside as they searched for their perfect pine cones.

  After making the birds their treats and hanging all the ornaments on the Christmas trees down by the lake, and everyone taking a break for lunch, the next activity was learning how to make Maryanne’s famous Christmas Lake Gingerbread XOXO cookies.

  For this one, they broke up into several groups so they could all fit in the kitchen in shifts, but everyone got a chance to do their part, from mixing the dough to decorating. Riley floated around, joining all the different groups, and designated herself the official taste-tester. By the time their baking class was done, she must have eaten at least a dozen cookies and taken five dozen pictures with everyone.

  During all their activities, Paul was also there taking photos, and he’d kept his promise to let Riley approve anything before he sent it to Mike. So far, everything that was being posted on social media was going viral.

  Riley also couldn’t believe how many great ideas for her book she was already getting from the Christmas Campers, even before the scheduled Author Chats, because everyone was so eager to share their own Christmas traditions. She had set up a special notes page in her phone to write everything down that inspired her, and it was already filling up fast.

  By the end of the day, Riley realized that somewhere along the line she had stopped pretending to be enjoying the Christmas activities and had actually started to enjoy them. There was something so soothing about doing simple things like frosting cookies. Nothing they were doing at Christmas Camp was brain surgery. It was all just a way to relax and have fun, and despite herself, she had to admit she was having fun.

  The next time she saw Colin, Brendan, and Tyler was after dinner when she was running upstairs to get ready for the Christmas Camp Ugly Sweater Pageant. The three of them had been coming in the front door.

  Surprised, she stopped in her tracks. “Hey, guys. What are you doing . . . together?”

  “We ran into one another in town,” Tyler said.

  “So we grabbed dinner,” Colin added.

  Riley’s eyes widened. “Together?”

  “Yeah,” Brendan said. “These guys are pretty cool.”

  Brendan slapped Colin on the back. “Turns out we have more than just you in common.”

  Riley laughed. �
�Well, okay, that’s great. I’m glad to see you’re all getting along. Are you going to join us for our Ugly Sweater Pageant?”

  “What about our date?” Tyler asked.

  “We’re still good,” Riley said. “We should be wrapped up by eight. Can you give me a hint as to what we’re doing so I know what to wear?”

  “Don’t worry. Everything you need will be delivered to your room later,” Tyler said.

  While Riley looked intrigued, Brendan and Colin frowned. “Okay, I gotta go, I’ll see you guys later.”

  She was almost to the top of the stairs when Colin called out to her. “I’m up for this Ugly Sweater Pageant,” he said. “Does the offer still stand?”

  “Sure.” Riley smiled. “The more the merrier.”

  “Then I’m in, too,” Brendan piped up.

  Tyler looked at both of the guys. “Seriously, you’re both doing this?”

  “Oh, yeah,” Brendan said. “And I plan to win.”

  “Not if I have anything to say about it,” Colin said. “There’s a prize, right?”

  Riley laughed. “Yes, but you’ll need an ugly sweater to win it.”

  Luke appeared from around the corner. “If anyone needs to borrow a sweater, I have a whole box of them.”

  “Thanks, Luke,” Colin said. “I’ll take one.”

  “Me too,” Brendan said. “What about you, Tyler?”

  They all looked at Tyler. Riley could never imagine Tyler, Mr. Fashion, wearing an ugly sweater of any kind.

  Tyler’s jaw clenched but then he looked at Riley. “Sure, why not.”

  Riley’s jaw dropped. “Really? Wow.” She looked at her three exes. “I can’t wait to see this.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  A few minutes later, the first person Riley saw when she came back downstairs was Luke. They burst out laughing when they saw each other’s sweaters.

  Riley was wearing one of Luke’s mom’s sweaters. She’d picked the one with the giant reindeer face with its fuzzy antlers sticking out and flopping around. It also had at least two dozen reindeer tails hanging off it everywhere. Under each tail were brown specks that looked like reindeer droppings.

  Luke had also gone all-out. His sweater looked like he’d rolled around in a thousand Christmas lights. The sweater was green, so Riley could only guess he was channeling the Christmas trees out front because there were even real ornaments hanging off the lights.

  This was going to be the Ugly Sweater Pageant to end all Ugly Sweater Pageants.

  “You look ridiculous,” Riley told Luke.

  He laughed. “And you’re one to talk. You do know you’re wearing a sweater that has reindeer poop on it.”

  Riley smiled sweetly back at him. “Whatever it takes to win.”

  As they entered the lobby, Riley had to laugh again when she heard the song that was playing . . .

  “I’m too sexy for my ugly Christmas sweater . . .”

  She looked at Luke. “Where did this song come from?”

  “Caylee,” Luke said with pride. “She put it together. It’s great, right?”

  “It is,” Riley had to admit. As she scanned the room, taking in all the Christmas Campers, she was happy to see they were also taking this competition very seriously. They’d all brought their own holly-jolly-ugly-Christmas-sweater spirit to the pageant, wearing everything from sweaters that lit up and played Christmas music to ones covered in garland and tinsel.

  By far the most creative sweater was a giant red sweater worn by the twins. Each twin had one arm in a sleeve and across the front it said Christmas Camp in huge white letters. Hanging off the front of the sweater were all Riley’s book covers, lit up with LED lights.

  “Okay, should I be offended by this?” Riley asked the twins in a teasing voice. She pointed at her book covers. “You’re thinking you’re going to win the ugly prize with my books? Ouch.”

  Everyone laughed loudly.

  “No! We love your book covers,” Carrie rushed to say.

  “They’re the best,” Terrie added. “Carrie, I told you this was a bad idea.”

  Riley laughed. “I was just kidding, you guys. I think it’s great! Extra points for creativity.”

  When Paul showed up eager to get some pictures, Riley stopped him.

  “Aren’t you missing something?” Riley asked him.

  Paul checked his camera. “What?”

  Riley tugged on her ugly sweater as a hint.

  Luke joined them. “Don’t worry, Paul. I can help you with that.”

  Riley laughed as she watched Luke lead Paul away. Caylee joined her looking curious.

  “Where’s Paul going?” Caylee asked.

  “He forgot something,” Riley said with a smirk.

  When Luke and Paul came back a few minutes later, both Riley and Caylee cracked up laughing. Paul was wearing what looked like an abominable snowman sweater that had more fur on it than the Riley’s yeti boots.

  Paul looked like he wanted to hide. “Happy now?”

  Caylee burst out laughing again.

  Riley fought to keep a straight face. “Very.”

  “Okay, so who is ready for the pageant to start?” Luke asked.

  Riley and Caylee both eagerly raised their hands.

  As Luke got everyone’s attention and started explaining how the Christmas Camp Ugly Sweater Pageant was going to work, Caylee whispered to Riley. “Where are your exes?”

  Riley looked around. “Good question. I haven’t seen them yet. Maybe they chickened out.”

  Caylee shook her head. “No, none of them strike me as the kind of guy who gives up.”

  “We’ll see,” Riley said as she listened to Luke explain that everyone who was competing would need to strut their stuff down the runway, modeling their sweaters, and would then be judged on three key factors: creativity, uniqueness, and of course, owning the ugliness.

  They’d even set up a mini red velvet runway down the middle of the lobby where the judges—Riley, Luke, and Caylee—waited at the end, holding up their scorecards. Contestants would be rated from one to ten, and the highest combined score would win.

  They were getting near the end of the contestants when, all of a sudden, Riley saw Colin start making his way down the red carpet. She gasped before she started laughing. “No way!”

  But Colin was owning every second of it. His red and white striped ugly sweater was covered in real candy canes, and he was wearing a sparkling red garland around his neck like a boa. As he spun around, modeling, several candy canes flew off him. The twins were ecstatic when they each caught one.

  Everyone went crazy laughing and clapping.

  When Colin went by Riley, he handed her a candy cane. “Sweets for my sweetheart.”

  When Riley laughed, Luke rolled his eyes.

  Riley was just taking the candy cane from Colin when the next contestant stepped up to the carpet, and it was Brendan. He was wearing a Santa sweater that lit up and said, “Ho! Ho! Ho!” For added impact, he was also wearing a Santa hat and had snowshoes slung over his shoulder. When he went up to Riley, he stopped and put a matching hat on her head. Then he got down on one knee, kissed her hand, and asked her if she’d be his Mrs. Claus.

  The Christmas Campers all started whistling and clapping even louder.

  The twins started chanting, “Say yes! Say yes!”

  Before Riley could answer Brendan’s Santa proposal, Tyler appeared, and all the cheering and clapping turned to loud laughter.

  Riley did a double take. The last guy she thought would ever be caught dead wearing an ugly Christmas sweater had totally committed from head to toe. Tyler was wearing a hilarious elf-themed sweater onesie that included a hoodie with elf ears and the green felt elf shoes. He looked absolutely ridiculous and proud of it.

  Riley found it both hilarious and endea
ring.

  As Tyler strutted down the runway, he never took his eyes of Riley.

  Whoa! Riley thought. With that smoldering look, even in the elf onesie, she couldn’t deny Tyler was heating up the competition in the best of ways.

  “Wow,” Caylee said, picking up on what Tyler was putting down for Riley.

  Riley, laughing, just fanned her face with one of the scorecards.

  When Tyler came over and held out his hand to Riley, still laughing, she stood up and played along, taking his hand. He quickly spun her around in a perfect dance move and dipped her, looking into her eyes. He brought her back up, he was about to kiss her when Comet barked and ran up to them.

  Riley laughed as she let go of Tyler’s hand. “Look at Comet, everyone. He’s getting in on the competition.”

  Comet, perfectly on cue, trotted down the red runway, looking to the left, then the right as if he was making sure everyone was watching him. They were, and they loved him.

  Because, of course, Comet was wearing an ugly sweater, too. It was all green and had the Grinch on it. Only the Grinch was a cat.

  In the end, the winner didn’t surprise anyone. It was Tyler in his outrageous onesie. For his prize, he got a new ugly Christmas sweater. It was brown with a huge gingerbread house on the front, and there were recipe cards attached everywhere. There was also a pocket that ran across the bottom hem that had been stuffed with a wooden spoon and spatula. The final edition to the sweater came when Maryanne handed Tyler a giant gingerbread cookie that was wearing its own ugly sweater.

  When everyone clapped, Tyler happily took a bite of his cookie.

  Riley smiled watching him. She couldn’t remember a time when he’d ever looked so relaxed and playful. He was even taking pictures with all the Christmas Campers. She really liked this goofy side of him. After all the pictures, Riley finally made her way over to him.

  She did a silly little bow in front of him. “Congratulations, Tyler, for being the king of the ugly Christmas sweaters. You totally surprised me.”