The Christmas Cookie Wars

Chapter Thirteen

Thirteen

“The cookies might be a disappointment, but this mulled wine could win best cocktail of the evening.” Kels poured another ladleful into her insulated cup.

“I think you’ve probably sampled enough now, sis.” Melody turned up the Crock-Pot a notch, inhaling the spicy cinnamon aroma. They’d set up their cookie and cocktail station along the wall closest to the boutique’s checkout counter—the best place to encourage those extra purchases.

The sparkly red tablecloth and silver plates and napkins looked quite festive, in her opinion. And the best part was she hadn’t had Charlene looking over her shoulder rearranging everything. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. These cookies might be my best effort ever.” She’d taken a rule out of Jonathan’s playbook—keep it simple and go with a classic, which also happened to be her specialty—sugar cookies made from store-bought dough. No stress, and they’d been done in a half hour.

After the contest debacle, she’d given up on trying to win the cookie queen crown. She was happy to let Jonathan remain the champion forever. A lovesick sigh slipped out. They’d been texting constantly over the last few days, but between her spending time with the boys and preparing for this event and Jonathan getting in as much time as he could with Ainsley, they still hadn’t actually seen each other.

“We are going to be so busy tonight.” Kels restocked their shopping bags.

“You’re sure you don’t mind if I walk around with the boys?” She had to ask one more time. Even though her mom and Aunt Bernice would be helping Kelsey cover the registers and hand out cookies and cocktails, she still felt guilty about leaving.

“Are you kidding?” Her sister carried her cup to the checkout counter and turned on the music. “Genevieve is home with a sore throat, so it’s not like I can walk around with my fam anyway. I’m happy to stay here and party while I hand out cookies. And drink mulled wine.” She raised her glass a little higher.

“I’m sure we won’t be out the whole time.” Melody glanced at her watch. Customers would likely start arriving in less than a half hour.

“Don’t worry about it.” Kels had focused on the computer, getting it all fired up for a big night. “You go have fun with the boys. I know how much you love the crawl.”

Yes, the Cookie and Cocktail Crawl and Cookie Daze were her absolute favorite events of the entire holiday season. “Remember how Thomas used to wear his light-up suit and glasses?”

“He was always the favorite of the entire cookie crawl,” Kels said fondly. “I loved how the tourists would make him stop to take a picture with them.”

Melody laughed. “He loved it too.” And, while the first couple of crawls after his passing had been difficult, now walking through the shops at night sampling cookies and cocktails with almost everyone in town made her feel close to him again. Those memories brought warmth and laughter. “I’m just glad the boys and I can continue the tradition.” As a surprise, she’d found them all Christmas light bulb necklaces to wear in honor of their dad. “It’s going to be a great night.”

“Why don’t you three get all bundled up, and I’ll take a couple pictures before you head out,” Kels suggested.

Melody practically skipped to the break room, where Finn and Tate were playing their video games. “Are you boys almost ready to go?”

“Go where?” Tate didn’t look up from the screen of his device.

“We’re going to walk around the cookie crawl like we always do, silly.” She dug their coats and hats and gloves out of the bag she’d brought.

“And I’m going to take some pictures before you leave, so no complaining.” Kels had followed her into the room.

Finn turned off his device and stuffed it into his backpack. “Mikey and Noah and Jett asked if we could walk around with them. Doesn’t that sound awesome?”

A pain stabbed her chest right at her heart’s center. “I thought we’d walk around together.” They always did the cookie crawl together. And she had those lighted necklaces in honor of Thomas…

“Noah and Mikey and Jett’s parents said they could go on their own.” Tate stood by his brother. “Can we? Please, Mom?”

No teetered on the tip of her tongue. But she wouldn’t be making that decision for them. It would be selfish. So she could spend the evening with them and not have to walk around alone. So she could feel closer to Thomas and relive a memory, when they were ready to grow and move on.

Tate held his hands in prayer. “We’ll all stick together and just do the crawl and then we’ll come right back to the store.”

“We promise,” Finn added. “You can trust us.”

“I know I can.” And it wasn’t like she worried about them. She knew almost everyone in town. She also knew she had to start giving them these moments of independence if they were ever going to become functioning adults someday.

“So that’s a yes?” Tate’s posture teetered on the edge of an exuberant leap. “We can go?”

“Sure.” That was all she could say without her voice cracking. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep tears at bay while the boys jumped around cheering and high-fiving.

A throat-clearing beat the emotion out of her tone. “But you’ll need to bundle up. Wear your hats and gloves the whole time.”

“We promise.” They started to pull on their winter clothes while she trudged back to the checkout counter.

“Aw, sweetie. Come here.” Kels pulled her into a one-armed hug. “You’re such a good mama.”

“Do I have to be?” Melody let herself whine. Sometimes it felt good to whine. “Would it be wrong to follow them at a distance?” They wouldn’t even have to know she was there.

“Here.” Her sister hurried to the Crock-Pot and ladled a small cup of the mulled wine, setting it in front of her. “We’ll stay here and drink together, you and me. We’ll have our own party.”

“That sounds dangerous.” Her sister could outdrink her any day of the week. Melody had always been a lightweight. “Did they have to start giving up everything all at once this year? I mean, first writing letters to the North Pole and then visiting Santa, and now I don’t even get to do the crawl with them.” She’d get all of the whining out now, before the boys emerged and heard her going on like a four-year-old.

“It sucks,” Kels agreed loyally. “We give birth to them. No big deal. And then they ditch us.”

The camaraderie took the edge off the ache under her breastbone. At least she could always count on Kels for company.

“We’re going, Mom!” Finn appeared first, beanie not even pulled down over his ears.

“Thanks for letting us go!” Tate didn’t have his coat zipped up.

“Stick together.” She marched to Finn and pulled down his hat and then gestured for Tate to zip up his coat as she made her way to the drawer where she’d hidden the light bulb necklaces. “I got these for you.” She took out two, leaving hers in the drawer so they wouldn’t see it.

“Like Dad used to wear!” Finn bounded over and grabbed his, switching it on before pulling it over his head.

“Cool.” Tate grinned, pushing the button on his until the lights blinked. “Thanks, Mom.”

She opened her arms. They were still required to give her hugs, darn it. “Call me if you need anything. And have fun.” She shouldn’t forget that part.

“We will,” they said at the same time, both offering her the mandatory goodbye embrace.

Only two years ago, she might’ve kissed their sweet heads, but not tonight. Tonight she stepped back and waved them out the door, only snapping one lone picture on her phone.

Rather than allowing herself to wallow, Melody made the rounds through the store, greeting crawlers and offering her assistance with picking out clothing to any browsers while her mom and Aunt Bernice and Kels offered cocktails and cookies and checked out customers. Within a half hour, their scarf rack had been picked through, so she found the stock in the back and worked on refilling the shelves.

“Hey, Melody.”

Jonathan’s voice stood her up straight and she bumped her head on the arm of a nearby mannequin. “Oopsie. Jona—Mr. Braxton.” What was she supposed to call him in public these days? “Hey.” The sight of him made her knees instantly weak, but she had to hold herself together. It wasn’t like they could talk about anything important. Here. With all these people around.

Besides, a teenaged girl stood with him. His daughter, Ainsley. She recognized her from the pictures he’d shown her. Wow, talk about a resemblance. They had the same dark eyes with thick lashes, and she had a dimple in the exact same place, except hers seemed to show all the time.

“This is Ainsley.” Jonathan put his arm around his daughter. “I told her all about the boutique, and she was dying to do some shopping.”

“I love shopping.” Ainsley stuck out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Monroe. My dad has told me a lot about you.”

He had? The best kind of heat clouded her face. “It’s lovely to meet you too. I love that top you’re wearing.”

“Thanks!” Ainsley looked around. “I like your store. There’s so much fun stuff! Can I look around for a while, Dad?”

“Take your time.” Jonathan grinned as she walked away. “She wasn’t too sure about coming to the cookie crawl until I told her about your store. Then she couldn’t wait.”

“I’m glad you brought her.” She picked up the empty box that had held the scarves, but Jonathan quickly took it out of her hands. “I thought you were supposed to be out walking around with the boys tonight.”

Just last night she’d told him over text how excited she was to spend the evening with them. But she also didn’t want to cry in front of the man when they hadn’t even been out on a date yet.

“Oh. Uh, no.” She did her best not to let her face fall and directed him to the break room, pointing out where he could set the box. “Turns out I’m pretty busy here tonight, so Finn and Tate headed out with their friends.”

“We’re not that busy.” Kels poked her head into the room at the most opportune time. “She could go out on a walk, if she wanted to. Or if someone else wanted her to. I’m just saying.”

“Why don’t you just add more oranges to the mulled wine?” Melody mumbled with the same look she used to serve up when her sister used to tease her and her high school boyfriend.

Kels giggled mischievously and disappeared.

“Sorry.” Melody took the plastic wrap off another platter of her very special cookies. There was no way she wanted to intrude on Jonathan’s time with Ainsley. She knew how much it meant to him. “Kelsey’s been sampling our cocktail this evening.” She slipped out the door to place the platter on their table with Jonathan at her heels.

“Is everything okay?” he asked when she turned back around.

The kindness in his voice caught her off guard. She’d purposely kept a distance from him, a shield up since there were so many people around, but now all that protection fell away. “Why?”

He simply gazed at her for a few seconds before answering. “Your eyes…they just aren’t as bright as they usually are.”

A weight fell off her. Why was she even trying to pretend? He saw through her anyway. “You know how much I was looking forward to hanging out with the boys…Only they weren’t as excited about going with me. They wanted to go with their friends instead.” Melody ladled him a cup of wine, then walked away from the table, away from everyone else with Jonathan at her side. “It doesn’t matter.” Maybe it wouldn’t matter if she kept telling herself that. “They’re getting older and they should be walking around with their friends. That’s what’s supposed to happen.”

“But you miss the time with them.” His gaze found Ainsley across the room. “Trust me. I know. If my wife hadn’t found someone else she preferred to be with, I probably would’ve stayed in a not-so-great marriage so I could be with Ainsley all the time.” He watched his daughter hold a sweater up and grin into one of the full-length mirrors.

In fact, the same sweater Melody had helped him pick out for her gift last week.

“We all know they’re supposed to grow up and need us less,” Jonathan went on. “But that doesn’t make the process any easier. There’s no good way to prepare for those moments when they start to choose other people over you.”

“No. There’s not.” But somehow commiserating with him was making it a tad easier. If only she could move closer to him. Maybe he’d put his arm around her, hold her close…

“Look, Dad.” Ainsley rushed over. “Isn’t this gorgeous?”

“Stunning. It’s Melody’s own creation.” He beamed an appreciative smile at her. “She’s a talented designer.”

Was she blushing? That seemed to happen a lot in Jonathan’s presence.

“You designed this? Are you serious?” Ainsley started to inspect the garment. “So you don’t, like, order things that are already made?”

“I prefer to come up with my own designs and then work with a tailor shop to produce them. That’s why we have kind of a limited selection.” She’d never dreamed she’d open her own store. In college she’d gotten her design degree, but then she’d landed a job in California. Once she’d married Thomas, they wanted to be close to family so they moved back, and she did some freelance work, but Thomas had always encouraged her to open a place on Main Street. If only he could see her now.

“That’s the coolest job in the whole world,” Ainsley said. “I’d love to be a fashion designer. Hey, maybe I can interview you for my school paper in Denver! I’m one of the reporters.”

Melody had to laugh. No one had ever looked at her like a celebrity.

“I’d love that.” She didn’t get to talk design nearly enough. Finn and Tate had never been interested in hearing about styles and fabrics. She’d probably bore the poor girl half to death, but it would be fun to share her hard-earned wisdom with someone else.

“That’d be awesome!” Maybe her own children didn’t want to be with her, but Ainsley couldn’t seem to wait. “I’ll be here the whole break.”

“Perfect. You just let me know what works.” Her schedule seemed to be opening up, whether she wanted it to or not.

“Can we get this sweater, Dad?” His daughter held up the Christmas gift he’d already gotten her. “Please?”

Wow. That puppy-dog face would be nearly impossible for Melody to resist.

“Well. Um. The thing is…” He shot Melody a panicked look.

“You know what?” She pulled her mouth into an apologetic frown. “I’m so sorry, but I need that one for an online order. That’s the last one we have in stock, and I totally forgot to take it off the rack this afternoon.”

“Oh.” Ainsley’s smile dimmed but didn’t disappear completely. “That’s okay. I get it.” She handed the hanger to Melody.

Now she felt bad. “Don’t worry. We should be getting more in right after Christmas. I can make sure to set one aside for you.”

“That’d be great!” Ainsley wandered to a nearby rack of belts. “I think I’ll keep looking around while you finish your wine.”

“Sounds good.” When his daughter ambled away, Jonathan raised his cup in Melody’s direction. “Thanks for the save. I really want her to be surprised when she opens her gifts.”

“Don’t mention it.” She took a napkin and offered him a cookie from the platter. “I should be thanking you for making me feel better about getting ditched by my kids.” It was nice to know she wasn’t the only one.

“I’m glad I could help.” He took a bite of her store-bought sugar cookie. “These are delicious.”

“Really?” A laugh overpowered the word.

“Yes.” He finished the cookie and dusted the crumbs off his hands. “Have you tried them?”

“Of course.” She’d eaten a few right after taking them out of the oven. For a second, she thought about letting him believe they were an original recipe but…“That’s store-bought dough,” she admitted. “Definitely not as good as yours. The boys are still talking about the gingerbread puppies you brought to the party.”

“Those are always a hit at school.” He grabbed another cookie. “But maybe I should give up baking and start buying dough at the store.”

Melody laughed again. He made it easy. “Please don’t. I’m not above admitting that your cookies really are the best. I can’t imagine never eating another Mr. Braxton cookie.”

“That’s good to hear.” He tossed both his empty cup and his napkin into the trash can. “Ainsley’s apparently cutting back on sugar this year? And it’s more fun when you have someone to bake for.” Did she imagine the change in his tone on that last statement? The timbre seemed lower, almost…suggestive.

“Okay.” Ainsley marched back to them. “If I keep looking around, I’m going to want to take this entire store home with me.”

Where had this girl been her whole life? Talk about a self-esteem booster. “I take that as the highest compliment.”

“You should because she’s pretty picky.” Jonathan winked at his daughter and she shot him a smirk. He shrugged. “All I’m saying is that we had to make a lot of post-holiday returns last year.”

“That’s because he has no sense of style,” Ainsley whispered loudly.

“Hey.” He looked down at his attire. “What’s wrong with my style?” He seemed to address the question to Melody.

“Welllll…” Um, how should she put this? “It’s very… traditional ?”

Ainsley giggled. “That’s a nice way of saying old-fashioned.”

“Not exactly,” Melody protested.

“Maybe it is time for an upgrade.” He aimed a wary glance at the men’s section. “If you’re still willing to be my fashion consultant, I could come in sometime. When it’s less busy.” There was that tone again—the one that melted her insides.

“Really?” Ainsley was gaping at her father. “I’ve tried to help you plenty of times, mister. And you wouldn’t listen. I see how it is.”

“You’re not a professional fashion designer, are you?” Jonathan’s face appeared to have flushed slightly too. And that only made Melody’s heart beat faster. If anyone looked at them right now—really looked at them—they would all see how much she’d grown to like him. And no one could know. So she turned away.

There was a line forming at the checkout counter now. She really should help. “Well, I’m glad you two came in tonight. Hope you enjoy the rest of your evening.”

“You’re not doing the cookie crawl?” Ainsley asked before she could walk away.

“Oh. No. I wasn’t—”

“Actually she was really hoping to.” Why did Kels always have to be within earshot?

“You should totally come with us!” Ainsley elbowed her father. “Right, Dad?”

“Yes. Please come.” There was a surrender in the quiet invitation. A hopefulness. As if he wanted her to come and he didn’t care who knew it.

“Go. Have. Fun.” Her sister appeared at her side. “Mom and Aunt Bernice and I have this place covered.”

“Okay.” She wanted to surrender too. She liked being with Jonathan. Even if she shouldn’t. And anyway, it wouldn’t be like they were walking around alone together. Ainsley was with them. So who cared if a few people saw them meandering down Main Street as friends? “If you’re sure I’m not intruding.”

“The more the merrier.” Jonathan gestured for her to lead the way.

“Here’re your coat and hat and gloves.” There was nothing subtle about Kelsey’s wide grin. “Don’t hurry back.”

Melody hushed her with a stern look.

Jonathan held open the door for her and Ainsley, and then they ambled down the crowded street together.

With the colorful twinkling lights strung from lamppost to lamppost and the trees wrapped in white lights, the entire Main Street glowed. Each business had a different display in the storefront windows—Christmas trees and beautifully wrapped presents and nutcrackers and quaint villages.

“Oh, hey.” Ainsley sped up. “There’s Claire.” She waved at a girl on the other side of the street. “Can I go say hi?”

“Sure.” Jonathan stepped out of her way and then frowned, watching her walk away. “I have a feeling I’m about to get ditched too.”

Melody laughed. “I hope this doesn’t sound bad, but I’m glad I’m not the only one.”

“I don’t mind so much either.” His gaze settled in hers, and she couldn’t look away.

“Ainsley has finally made a few friends in town. I put her in an art class at the rec center this summer and she really connected with a couple of the kids. That makes it more fun for her when she comes to stay with me.”

“I’m sure.” Her heart ached for him a little. She couldn’t imagine spending so much time away from the boys.

“Hey, Dad!” Ainsley waved her arms. “Can I walk around with Claire for a while?”

He raised his eyebrows at Melody. A silent See? “Sure,” he called. “Just check in a little later.”

“Thanks!” She and her friend scampered off.

“You know what this means?” Jonathan held out his elbow and she took it, steadying herself on the slightly slippery sidewalk. “We’re finally alone.”

A group of teenagers pushed past them, nearly knocking Melody over. “Not really.” She peeked up at him, an anticipation building deep in her core. “But we could be. We could sneak away and walk in the park.” No one would be over there right now with the cookie crawl going on.

“I love that idea.” Jonathan switched their direction and they quickly crossed the street, walking past the shops to the end of the block.

“Ainsley seems like such a sweetheart.” She hadn’t spent much time with her, but she could already tell how respectful and creative she was.

“She’s the best,” Jonathan agreed. “Smart and vivacious and thoughtful. She’s a lot like her mom.”

Her expression must’ve given away her surprise because he laughed. “Her mother and I have had our differences, but Liz is an extraordinary person. She’s energetic and gregarious and a brilliant businesswoman. I couldn’t appreciate her more for how much she’s invested in our daughter.”

Melody was still too stunned to speak. It wasn’t every day that you heard someone talk about their ex-partner that way.

“I’m not sure Ainsley is much like me at all,” he said.

Now that simply wasn’t true. “In my experience, kids are the perfect blend of their parents.” That was the hope, right? That they would inherit all of the best traits of the people who loved them the most? “I see some of Thomas and some of me in both Finn and Tate. Though it does seem like they got their best things from their father.” Thomas had been every bit as creative and active and funny as the two of them. She paused and gazed up at Jonathan while they waited for the light to change. “I know they can be a handful at school sometimes.”

“Every kid is a handful.” He offered his arm again, and they crossed to the sidewalk that led into the park. “Finn and Tate are also honest and creative and hilarious. And they work hard. Thomas must’ve been a good man.”

“He was.” It used to be that she couldn’t talk about him without the tears flowing, but that ache had faded. Now she loved to remember him. “I wish he were here to see them grow.”

“I can’t imagine what that’s like.” He slipped his gloved hand into hers.

Melody held on to him, on to the understanding and empathy. “I’ve had them all to myself, and they’ve been the center of my world for six years now. I know things can’t stay that way forever.” The boys needed to grow and change and embrace an independence that would lead them to find who they were. “But I don’t feel ready to let go either.”

“I can relate.” Jonathan guided her to the gazebo at the center of the park, all lit up with colorful twinkling lights. “Since Ainsley became a teenager, it seems like I’m having to let go more and more. I don’t like it. But I’m doing my best to respect her space so she won’t resent me later.”

“That’s wise.” She wasn’t sure she was proactively trying to give the boys room to grow up. It was more like she was being forced to. But tonight…right now in this moment…she didn’t mind so much. She stopped walking and turned to face him. “I guess there is a bright side of letting your kids grow up.”

“What’s that?” he asked softly.

“It means you can do something for yourself.” Something like taking a walk with a man who’d reawakened her heart. “This might be the most fun I’ve had with anyone besides the boys or my sister in quite a while.”

“Really?” The word hardly hovered above a whisper.

“Yeah.” She couldn’t figure out why he sounded so surprised. Was it possible he hadn’t picked up on her attraction to him? “I don’t get out much.”

“Me neither.” He hesitated. “Honestly, there hasn’t been anyone I’ve wanted to get out much with. Until now.”

“I think I know what you mean.” Melody’s heart clenched hard, and she could only breathe in short gasps.

Jonathan closed the distance between them, his gaze locking on hers. “What I was trying to tell you the other day, after the meeting, is…” He eased out a sigh. “I mean…I don’t know. I can stand up in front of the entire school and talk without getting nervous or losing my train of thought.” He paused, his voice softening. “But when I try to talk to you, Melody, like this—just the two of us, my heart beats faster, and I lose myself in your eyes and I don’t even know what to say or how to tell you how much I admire you or that I think you’re artistic and funny and beautiful and you’re such a good mom.”

She laughed. “I always figured you thought I was a hot mess.” What with all of the tardies and the fibs…

“No.” Jonathan stepped close enough that she could’ve easily touched her lips to his if she hadn’t lost the ability to move. She wasn’t laughing now. She was reeling from the intensity of a hunger she hadn’t even known was there.

“ No. Clearly I’m the one who’s a mess.” He studied her, then sighed. “I think you’re so…you’re just…I mean, I’d like to stop talking now so I can kiss you.”

“Okay.” The simple utterance scorched her lungs. “Yes.” Jonathan was going to kiss her? Really kiss her?

The dimple completed his smile, and he took his time, drawing his face closer to hers, watching her with an unhurried anticipation.

She braced herself, prepared to hold back—to not lose herself—but when his lips touched hers, something unlocked in her chest, opening her up from the very center. Melody melted into him, knees unstable and lazy, arms threading around his waist to bring him in closer.

Energy crackled inside her, shining its light into every dark neglected region of her body.

Jonathan’s hand cupped her jaw and then his fingers skimmed down her neck, making her skin tingle. His hands slid over her shoulders and then he held her to him, his lips grazing hers as she tasted cinnamon.

Melody pulled back to catch her breath and found herself staring into his eyes, her lungs winded and achy. “So I’ve been wondering something…”

“Yeah?” Jonathan brushed another kiss over her lips.

Whoa. How was she supposed to talk when he kept stealing her breath? “That text I sent…you never told me how you responded.”

“No,” he breathed against her neck. “You’re right. I didn’t.” Jonathan swept her hair behind her ear and kissed her again, deliberate this time instead of teasing, firmly, decisively, seductively, opening his mouth to hers.

Desire shivered through her—not gone like she’d thought. Still very much alive. Melody wrapped herself against him, following the rhythm of his lips on hers. Oh, dear God. She had missed this. Kissing. Breathing like this. Wondering if her heart would give out. Melody backed up against the gazebo wall so she didn’t sink to the ground.

“You really want to know what I said back?” he murmured, moving his lips along her jaw and then to her ear.

Uhhhhhh, know what now? The sensations in her body had started to overpower her brain.

“My response…” he whispered. “…said—”

“Hey, Tate, go long!”

That was Finn’s voice. Finn! She broke away from Jonathan, an icy panic dousing the heat that kiss had generated.

Jonathan’s wide eyes stared back into hers.

“They’re on the other side of the pavilion,” she hissed. Probably on their way to buy some candy at the concessions.

“Okay.” He exhaled loudly and straightened his coat. “It’s okay. There’s no way they saw us.”

“No. They couldn’t have,” she squeaked. “I’m sure they didn’t.” She sure as heck hoped not!

“Hey. It’s all right.” Jonathan pulled her close again, sealing her into a safe space between him and the gazebo wall. “Why don’t we walk over there to check on them? Say hello?”

As much as she didn’t want this to end—the kissing and the talking and whatever that was he’d done to her ear—they had to go. “Okay.” She stepped away from Jonathan, smoothing her hair underneath her beanie.

They rounded the corner, her a few steps ahead of Jonathan, and there were Finn and Tate with their friends playing football near the concessions.

“Hey, guys.” Somehow, Jonathan sounded completely normal. How was that possible when her lungs had shrunk at least three sizes?

All of the kids involved in the game paused.

“Hey, Mr. Braxton.” Finn squinted. “And Mom?”

“What’re you doing here?” Tate asked.

“We came to check on you.” She swallowed against the lump burgeoning in her throat. “Mr. Braxton’s daughter is out with some friends too, so we wanted to see where everyone was.”

“Well, you found us.” Finn threw the ball to Tate.

“How many cookies have you two had?” Jonathan asked cheerfully.

“Six,” Tate said at the same time Finn said, “Nine.”

He laughed. “Sounds like you still have some work to do then. I’m sure there’re at least twenty more kinds out there.”

Both boys grinned.

“Let’s go check out the coffee shop,” one of their friends called.

“See ya, Mom!” Tate took off with a wave.

“We’ll be back at the shop soon,” Finn promised.

“See you then.” When they were gone, she let her back rest against a tree trunk to take some pressure off her shaky legs. “Holy moly. I might’ve just had a heart attack.”

“Sorry.” Jonathan was keeping his distance now. “I shouldn’t have kissed you. Not here. Not like that.”

Melody took her time answering, gathering her breath, calming her erratic pulse, and she thought back to what her dad had said at Rudy’s place that night. About how his mom explained she couldn’t stay where she was forever. About how you had to take risks in order to really live.

“Please don’t regret it.” Every part of her softened when she looked up at him. “I don’t. It was…lovely.” That was the only word to describe the unfurling. That kiss had opened her up. It had made her feel something again.

“I don’t regret showing you how I felt.” He moved closer again but stopped short of touching her this time. “I know a relationship could be…complicated. But I want to spend time with you. However that works. As friends or as…more, if that’s what you want.”

“I’d like that.” In fact, she’d like to march him back to the gazebo and pick up where they left off, but more people had started spilling over into the park. “Though I think we’ve moved past the friend zone.” Her lips tingled. She likely wouldn’t be able to spend time with him without giving in to the temptation to kiss him again.

“I was hoping you’d say that.” Jonathan took both of her hands in his. “How about I take you out after the next cookie committee meeting? We don’t have to tell anyone. It can be our secret.”

Melody nodded, her smile growing by the second.

Forget secret Santa. She was going on a secret date.