Grateful Hearts (Home for the Holidays)

Chapter Fifteen

The kitchen was quiet, save for the faint hum of the refrigerator and the rhythmic tapping of Chantel’s knife on the cutting board as she diced onions and celery that would eventually go into the cornbread stuffing.

The sun had barely begun to rise, casting a soft, golden glow through the windows. She loved mornings like this—calm, productive, and full of promise.

But her mind wasn’t entirely focused on the dishes she was prepping. Instead, it kept drifting back to the night before, sitting by the fire with Zach.

He had asked her if she could ever see herself dating someone in the military. His tone had been casual, but the way his gray eyes searched hers told a different story. He wasn’t just making conversation. He wanted to know what she thought about him .

She’d given him an honest answer. Yes, she could. It wouldn’t be easy, but the kind of loyalty, bravery, and dedication a military career required was something she deeply admired. And Zach? He embodied all of that and more.

Even though she’d only known him for a few days, she could see the kind of man he was. He was thoughtful, kind, sarcastic in a way that made her laugh, and so damn handsome it was almost distracting. If given the chance, she would stand proudly by his side.

Chantel shook herself out of her thoughts, laughing softly. Focus, Chantel. Food first. Daydream later.

She moved to the pantry, mentally running through her to-do list. Cornbread stuffing was up next, and she needed the ingredients from the top shelf. Standing in front of the pantry door, she hesitated, remembering yesterday morning’s incident . A smirk tugged at her lips as she raised a fist and knocked lightly.

“Anyone in there?” she muttered to herself, chuckling.

Satisfied no one was using the pantry for questionable activities , she opened the door and stepped inside. She grabbed the step stool, unfolded it, and climbed up, stretching on her toes to reach the bag of breadcrumbs she had cut up the day before and a container of sage that was out of reach.

She had just managed to grab one of the items when a voice came from behind her.

“Need a hand?”

Startled, Chantel let out a small yelp and lost her balance. The container of sage slipped from her fingers as she wobbled on the stool. Before she could fall, strong hands caught her midair, pulling her securely against a solid chest.

“Zach!” she gasped, her heart pounding from both the scare and his closeness.

His arms stayed around her, holding her steady. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” he said, but his grin betrayed zero guilt.

She opened her mouth to scold him, but the words got lost somewhere between her racing heart and the way his gray eyes softened as they gazed into hers.

“You okay?” he asked softly, his voice low.

“Yeah,” she breathed, though she wasn’t entirely sure that was true.

Time seemed to slow as they stood there, barely inches apart. His hands remained on her waist, warm and steady, while her hands rested lightly against his chest. She could feel the faint rhythm of his heartbeat.

Chantel’s heart hammered in her chest. He smelled like cedarwood and something undeniably him, a scent that made her want to lean closer. She felt tiny in his arms, but she didn’t mind. In fact, she loved it.

◆◆◆

Zach never expected his morning to start out by having Chantel fall into his arms. However, now that he stood there, looking into her eyes, he wasn’t complaining.

She looked almost scared, her wide eyes darting between his face and the pantry shelves, but Zach could see past her nervousness. The way she was biting her lip, the soft blush on her cheeks—it wasn’t fear. It was the same thing he’d been feeling since the moment he met her.

“Zach?” she questioned.

“I’ve been wanting to kiss you,” he said, his voice rougher than he intended.

Her lips parted slightly, and she blinked up at him. “You have?”

“You have no idea,” he murmured, his hand sliding from her waist to cradle her cheek. “Can I?”

Chantel swallowed hard but managed a shaky smile. “If you don’t, I might never forgive you.”

That was all the encouragement Zach needed. He leaned down, brushing his lips against hers. The first kiss was slow and tentative as if testing the waters, but it quickly deepened, becoming something neither of them could deny they wanted.

The kiss soon deepened, growing from sweet and tender to something more urgent, more consuming. Her fingers curled into his shirt as his hands slid to her back, pulling her closer. It was everything and more—soft, electric, and utterly perfect.

Then the pantry door flew open.

“Holy—” Jenelle gasped, her voice quickly turning to laughter. Clover stood beside her, a grin splitting her face.

“Well, well,” Clover said, crossing her arms. “Looks like the pantry is the hot spot this week.”

Chantel broke away from Zach, burying her face in her hands. “Oh my god.”

Before she could say anything else, the commotion in the kitchen drew more attention. Bear appeared behind Jenelle, followed by Ethan and Justin.

“What’s going on in here?” Bear asked, peeking around his mom before his eyes widened and shit eating grin formed on his lips. “Ohhh, pantry shenanigans, huh?” He looked at Zach with an amused expression.

“First Bear and Jocelyn, then Clover and Joker, and now you two? Should we just rename it the Spice Chamber or maybe the Snack Shack of Shame?” Ethan said, his voice was full of amusement.

The room erupted into laughter. Zach, however, was completely unbothered. He laughed, his hands still on Chantel’s waist as he turned to address the crowd. “Alright, alright, the show’s over. Everyone out.”

As the family slowly dispersed, still laughing and teasing, Zach leaned close to Chantel and whispered, “Guess we’ll have to finish that kiss later.”

Her cheeks burned, but she smiled. “You’re impossible.”

He grinned and kissed her cheek. “And you love it.”

Justin then interrupted them.

“Hey, Zach! Are you still planning on going to the pool hall tonight?”

Zach had completely forgotten about their Annual Thanksgiving pool hall night. It was a Walker sibling tradition. Every Thanksgiving Eve, the Walker siblings would head into town for a night of fun at the local pool hall. It was also their way of catching up with friends who they didn’t get to see often.

He looked at Justin. “Yeah. I’ll be there,” he told him, then looked at Chantel.

“Do you like to play pool, Chantel?”

She bit her lip. “I can’t say that I’ve ever really played. But I wouldn’t object to learning,” she told him as she smiled at him.

He grinned. “It’s a date then. We’ll head out around six.”

“I’ll be ready.”