chair next to
Ethan. She casually laid her hand on his arm, needing to be as close as
possible to him.
Ethan looked at her with a smile as he laid his
hand over hers and lightly stroked the skin on the back of her hand, tracing
circles with his fingertips. “So, do you—”
Lee grabbed Ethan’s arm again, recapturing the
young man’s attention. “It was a beautiful ship. There was this port that—”
Sarah cleared her throat. “Grandpa, the food is
getting cold,” she said while subtly inclining her head towards her sister and
Ethan. Unfortunately, Lee Love did not have a romantic bone in his body and missed
his granddaughter’s hint. After a quick prayer, the old man dragged Ethan into
a lengthy conversation about his military service that lasted throughout the
dinner and well into dessert. It was only after the plates were cleared that
Sarah was able to pull her grandfather into the kitchen and away from Ethan.
Finally alone, Madison inched closer towards
Ethan. She inclined her head towards the window. “It’s snowing again.”
“Good. It wouldn’t be Christmas without snow.
Have you already opened your presents?”
She nodded. “First thing this morning. Speaking
of which…” She took his hand in hers and led him out of the dining room towards
the sitting room at the back of the house. “I got you something for Christmas.”
One of his hands slipped to her waist as his
other reached into the side of his jacket. “Well, I have—” A look of panic
crossed his face as he began patting down all of his pockets. He glanced back
toward the front door. “Actually, I’ll be right back.”
“What did you lose?”
“I didn’t lose it,” he said quickly. “I just need
to find it. I’m pretty sure it’s in my car.”
“Oh?” She lightly touched his tie as she looked
up at him in amusement. “And what is it that you didn’t lose?”
“Your Christmas present.”
“But you already gave us our gifts when you
arrived.”
“Nah, the candy and the wine were for everyone to
share. I have something just for you.”
“For me?” She stood on her tiptoes as a smile
crossed her face. “Really? What?”
“You’ll see,” he said giving her a light kiss. “I’ll
be back in a few minutes.”
She nodded as she continued down the hall toward
the sitting room, which in her opinion was the prettiest room in the cottage
and left virtually untouched by her grandfather since her grandmother passed
away. It had a large fireplace, high vaulted ceilings, solid mahogany paneling,
blue and white toile curtains and large French doors leading to the wrap around
porch and overlooking the lake. She bent over and lit the fireplace before
settling down onto the soft blue and white floral couch.
A small squeak behind her captured her attention.
She looked over the back of the couch towards the door as Rory walked in
carrying a squeaky toy. She called his name and he raced toward the couch and
up onto her lap before trying to cover her with kisses. “Well, Merry Christmas
to you too,” she said holding the dog out away from her face. She wasn’t
opposed to his kisses but she had spent a good portion of the morning getting
ready for Ethan and if anyone was going to cover her with kisses, she hoped it
was going to be him and not the dog.
She settled the puppy down next to her,
absentmindedly petting him as he played with his toy. “I don’t suppose you’ve
seen Ethan?” She glanced over the couch towards the door, wondering what was
taking him so long.
Dear Lord, Madison, it’s been less than five minutes,
so get a grip ,
she thought as she stood up and walked to the Christmas tree in the corner of
the room. She bent down and picked up a long thin box, which she laid down on
the end table before settling back in next to Rory.
“Where are your grandpa and sister?” Ethan asked
from behind her.
Rory jumped up on his hind legs and attempted to
climb over the back of the couch as he barked at
Ethan. She casually laid her hand on his arm, needing to be as close as
possible to him.
Ethan looked at her with a smile as he laid his
hand over hers and lightly stroked the skin on the back of her hand, tracing
circles with his fingertips. “So, do you—”
Lee grabbed Ethan’s arm again, recapturing the
young man’s attention. “It was a beautiful ship. There was this port that—”
Sarah cleared her throat. “Grandpa, the food is
getting cold,” she said while subtly inclining her head towards her sister and
Ethan. Unfortunately, Lee Love did not have a romantic bone in his body and missed
his granddaughter’s hint. After a quick prayer, the old man dragged Ethan into
a lengthy conversation about his military service that lasted throughout the
dinner and well into dessert. It was only after the plates were cleared that
Sarah was able to pull her grandfather into the kitchen and away from Ethan.
Finally alone, Madison inched closer towards
Ethan. She inclined her head towards the window. “It’s snowing again.”
“Good. It wouldn’t be Christmas without snow.
Have you already opened your presents?”
She nodded. “First thing this morning. Speaking
of which…” She took his hand in hers and led him out of the dining room towards
the sitting room at the back of the house. “I got you something for Christmas.”
One of his hands slipped to her waist as his
other reached into the side of his jacket. “Well, I have—” A look of panic
crossed his face as he began patting down all of his pockets. He glanced back
toward the front door. “Actually, I’ll be right back.”
“What did you lose?”
“I didn’t lose it,” he said quickly. “I just need
to find it. I’m pretty sure it’s in my car.”
“Oh?” She lightly touched his tie as she looked
up at him in amusement. “And what is it that you didn’t lose?”
“Your Christmas present.”
“But you already gave us our gifts when you
arrived.”
“Nah, the candy and the wine were for everyone to
share. I have something just for you.”
“For me?” She stood on her tiptoes as a smile
crossed her face. “Really? What?”
“You’ll see,” he said giving her a light kiss. “I’ll
be back in a few minutes.”
She nodded as she continued down the hall toward
the sitting room, which in her opinion was the prettiest room in the cottage
and left virtually untouched by her grandfather since her grandmother passed
away. It had a large fireplace, high vaulted ceilings, solid mahogany paneling,
blue and white toile curtains and large French doors leading to the wrap around
porch and overlooking the lake. She bent over and lit the fireplace before
settling down onto the soft blue and white floral couch.
A small squeak behind her captured her attention.
She looked over the back of the couch towards the door as Rory walked in
carrying a squeaky toy. She called his name and he raced toward the couch and
up onto her lap before trying to cover her with kisses. “Well, Merry Christmas
to you too,” she said holding the dog out away from her face. She wasn’t
opposed to his kisses but she had spent a good portion of the morning getting
ready for Ethan and if anyone was going to cover her with kisses, she hoped it
was going to be him and not the dog.
She settled the puppy down next to her,
absentmindedly petting him as he played with his toy. “I don’t suppose you’ve
seen Ethan?” She glanced over the couch towards the door, wondering what was
taking him so long.
Dear Lord, Madison, it’s been less than five minutes,
so get a grip ,
she thought as she stood up and walked to the Christmas tree in the corner of
the room. She bent down and picked up a long thin box, which she laid down on
the end table before settling back in next to Rory.
“Where are your grandpa and sister?” Ethan asked
from behind her.
Rory jumped up on his hind legs and attempted to
climb over the back of the couch as he barked at
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