Havoc for the Holidays (Home for the Holidays)

6. Ezechiel

Chapter six

Ezechiel

O liver came alive the second we began the tour of Windhaven’s sights. It was criminal how adorable this man was. Part of me had been concerned that this date, which I realized it very much was with a bit of shock and horror, would be spent awkwardly stumbling over stammering conversation. Instead, he was vibrant and vivacious and so relaxed, he became a new man. His love for this tiny enclave of country charm was infectious. It was easy to see why the further we wandered.

Windhaven was a gorgeous town. Every building that fronted Main Street oozed old charm. Ornate Victorians and historic clapboard farmhouses retrofitted into store fronts cluttered each side of the slate sidewalks. Modern amenities and infrastructure were installed with consideration of their history—buried electric lines, lampposts styled after old gas lamps, granite curbs, and even the occasional real gas lamp affixed to a few of the buildings made it feel like I'd stepped back in time. All the signage was in keeping with the quintessential charm, featuring ornate lettering, gold accents, and quaint images of mountains and trees and different flora.

Even though the sidewalks were surprisingly busy for such a small town, it felt like an intimate experience as Ollie and I walked along the tree-lined road. He had so many stories about each place, I found myself walking slower and slower so I could hear them all and we’d barely explored one quarter of the town. There was the grocery store and pharmacy gift shop, which I was familiar with out of necessity alone, but there was so much more I hadn't bothered paying attention to. A florist shop, another gift shop, restaurants and pubs, the doctor's office Lincoln’s partner owned, a bakery, a post office and town hall combined, as well as an old inn better suited to a Hallmark movie than a real place that actually existed on a map.

Once we arrived at the old bridge, my breath caught in my throat with a gasp. I hadn't bothered driving this far into town, so I'd never seen it in person. Mom had sent a few pictures over the years, but they didn't hold a candle to the real thing. Tall stone columns held a wrought iron sign over the road that proclaimed “Welcome to Windhaven” in ornate script. The stone work of the railings was equally impressive, but the best part was the pumpkins lining the sidewalks on either side. Combined with the corn stalks and hay bales, the whole vignette looked like a greeting card come to life.

“Ollie, this is breathtaking.”

“Wait till you see it during the holidays.” His face lit up with unbridled joy. “Garlands and ribbons and lights everywhere. Come on, you need to see the Town Square on the other side.”

He gathered my arm in his with a shyer version of his unfettered grin before walking us across the bridge and guiding us onto a smaller path that hugged the bank of the babbling brook following under the bridge. Windhaven’s Town Square was so much more than that. It was a veritable park cluttered with even older buildings situated around a cobblestone courtyard. Beyond the circular green space and painfully charming buildings, the forests and fields spread out as far as the eye could see.

“That there is the library and civic center where the Holiday Showcase is held.” I followed Ollie's pointer finger and pressed my hand to my chest with another gasp. Evidently, we would be performing in one of the most gorgeous old churches I'd ever laid eyes on.

“Please tell me that is a real bell in the tower?”

“It is. They ring it for special occasions. It's all quite lovely.” Ollie's finger swung toward another elegant white building nearby. “That’s Thompson’s House, it's an inn and restaurant. They're the oldest family in the town. The inn we passed back on Main Street is theirs too.”

“I feel like I've entered an alternate universe.” I tugged him toward a granite bench overlooking the water. “Places like this aren't supposed to be real.”

“I've lived here my whole life. I promise you, it's very real.” Ollie took a seat on the bench with a smile and quiet thank you.

I tore into the bag of treats once I was seated beside him, divvying up the sweets before breaking the savory options in half to share with him. The chill of the November air had made our drinks cool enough to enjoy, and the scenery was too perfect to pass up. Sharing this impromptu picnic meal made the maybe-date even more of a real date. I smiled to myself and shook my head. I hadn't been on a date, at least a proper one, in months. Probably longer, if I were to be honest with myself. Buying a Grindr hookup a drink hardly qualifies as a date, after all.

“Why’re you shaking your head?” Ollie peeked at my face before his eyes ducked back to the pumpkin roll in his hand. “Was it something I said?”

“Not at all, no.” I nudged his shoulder with mine. “I was just thinking that this felt an awful lot like a first date.”

“Oh. Oh!” He smothered a nervous laugh with a cough as he turned his face toward the water. “Is… um…”

“I'm not saying that like it's a bad thing, Oliver.” I leaned forward to try and catch his attention. He made eye contact for all of a microsecond before looking away again. “Quite the opposite, actually.”

“Oh,” he squeaked, once more clearing his throat. The flush on his cheeks was downright delectable. “So, maybe…?”

“Maybe it is a first date?” A bubble of nervousness churned in my stomach as I voiced my thoughts. For a grown man, I was starting to feel exceptionally adolescent in the face of asking another man if he'd be interested in calling this a first date. The fact that I wanted it to be the first of many more had me squirming in my seat with anxiety.

“I think I'd like it to be?” Ollie inhaled a deep breath before turning back toward me. “Perhaps we could… we could… if I don't ruin it…”

There it was: my opening. I ignored all the voices in my head telling me I didn't date and blurted the words Ollie was trying and failing to articulate. “Perhaps we could make it the first and look forward to the second?”

His green-grey eyes, more green today than I'd ever seen them, widened as a smile spread across his face. “Yes. Please?”

“Yes, please.” I couldn't help but mirror his smile as we turned back to our food and drinks. I should have been embarrassed by how exhilarating I found the whole situation, but it felt too good. I had a feeling his earnest, sincere personality and open vulnerability would be my inevitable downfall, but I simply didn't care. Frankly, it was impossible to worry about doom and gloom what-if situations surrounded by the most beautiful scenery I'd ever seen while in the company of one of the most fascinating men I'd ever met.

“I… think in the spirit of transparency, I need to say two things.” Ollie's hands shook as he set his cider and food to the side. He clasped them tight on his lap and expelled a shaky sigh. “Becs is my priority. I hope you understand that. I can't promise I won't have to cancel things or that I'll have a lot of time but… I'd really like to see if this thing has legs?”

“Of course. I wouldn't ever expect you to choose. I've never dated anyone with children before, but I know that you have a lot of responsibility on your shoulders.” Memories of the grant application flitted through my mind as I reached out and laid a hand on his knee. “What was the second thing?”

“Oh. Right.” His smile returned right alongside the flush in his cheeks. “I haven't dated in… a while. Um, not since Becs was born. I just wanted to warn you because I might be terrible at it.”

I laughed and squeezed his knee before reluctantly withdrawing my hand. It would do neither of us any good if I couldn't keep my hands to myself on the first date. Especially since I apparently had a really hard time keeping my hands to myself around him.

“You and I both, Ollie. Can we learn together?”

“Y-yes. Yes, I think I would like that a lot, Ezechiel.”

He won the battle with his shyness and met my gaze head on. The overwhelming urge to ravage him with a kiss hit hard, but I got the distinct feeling Oliver Branson was not the type to kiss on the first date. For once, I didn't mind at all. In fact, the anticipation of waiting made the idea even more appealing as we smiled at one another like a pair of gawky teenagers admitting to a crush.

“So, before I do something regrettably uncouth, how about we finish up and continue the tour?” I retrieved my apple pie with a grin. “Someone special told me these are really good.”

“You're flirting with me, aren't you?” He scrunched his nose and chuckled.

“I absolutely am. Is it working?” I reached out to brush an errant curl from his eyes.

“Too well.”

“Should I stop?”

“Oh, no. Please, no.” He captured my hand midair and turned his face, a moment's hesitation warming my skin with his breath before he pressed a kiss to the inside of my wrist. “I enjoy it too much.”

“Bold, Mr. Branson.” I delighted in the vivid red that rushed to his cheeks. He blushed so easily, my mind couldn't help but imagine a dozen different scenarios that would bring that sinful color to his face, nor could I stop myself from wondering just how far it spread over the skin I couldn't see.

“Jesus, even your eyes are flirty.” Ollie let loose a laugh so pure and vibrant, it echoed in my chest alongside my rapidly beating heart.

“All the better to seduce you with, my dear.”

He laughed again, this time at my shitty joke. God, I was in trouble. His laugh was the most beautiful music I'd ever heard and all I wanted to do was dance to the melodic notes of it, right here alongside the banks of this tiny brook running through this miraculous town. Hell, maybe the water was to blame, because I barely recognized myself as I slipped my hand into Ollie's and let our fingers twine together to ward off the chill. The seamless way they fit together was just as dangerous as Oliver Branson himself. Evidently, I was in the mood to live life dangerously, because I didn't care one bit. Not when it felt this good. Yeah. I was in for a whole lot of trouble.