When in December (Home Haven #1)

Chapter 25

twenty-five

. . .

Poppy

“This place?” The photographer breathed out heavily as he looked around, stretching after he finished up his final shots in the living room with his camera that nearly took up a good section of the room.

Peeking over his shoulder, I watched the images come through. The place looked even better than I could’ve imagined with the lighting.

The fireplace was working and roaring with a quiet hum. Outside of the French doors, I couldn’t have choreographed the snow falling any better myself. The flakes glowed from the outdoor lights. The tree somehow was the ideal amount of muchness without being overwhelming.

I didn’t know how it’d happened, but I’d pulled it off. The renovation. The decoration. Every piece. It was everything.

And if possible, it was more.

Would it be ridiculous if I cried right now? Because I felt a little choked up.

“If I had to choose a place to live outside of the city?” the photographer went on as he started to pack up. “This would be it. It reminds me a bit of the area where I grew up. More trees, fewer farms, of course, but I’d certainly not mind a winter if I could stay here.”

Pride swelled in my chest.

I cleared my throat. “Thank you.”

“One of the better places I’ve shot,” he commented.

“For Home Haven?”

He agreed. “You could probably keep the place and rent it out for the holidays every year and have a wait list.”

I breathed out a small laugh. “Not a terrible idea.”

I hadn’t heard anything from Aaron about not selling the place. However, I hadn’t heard him mention anything about selling the place either since I’d started to spend more time here. So, who knew? Maybe the next people who took over this place would have the same idea.

“The owners are lucky they had this kind of land and were able to fix it up.”

“They are.”

“Especially with you at the helm,” he said. “You’re good.”

“I appreciate that,” I said. “What’s your name again?”

He swiped his hands together, a simple wedding band on his one finger catching the light before he extended the other hand to me. “I apologize. I’m not sure I introduced myself. I’m Jack. I should have a business card in this bag somewhere.”

His cropped dark hair fell to one side of his head, and his striking blue eyes managed to seem casual and unruffled as the rest of him. He didn’t seem like the normal preppy photographer I’d seen from Home Haven, trying to sneak in as many bylines as possible. A last-minute freelancer, likely.

“Thank you.”

“I wish you the best of luck. They’d be crazy if they didn’t keep ya around,” he said, catching my surprise. “The other designer let me in on the secret competition between the two of you, though I was curious why only one set of my photographs were contracted to the magazine specifically.”

I corrected him. “I won’t be fired or anything. It’s a promotion.”

“My mistake.”

“Sometimes, things just don’t work out.”

He shrugged. “Eh, sometimes, I learned you have to go after the things you want.”

Pausing, I nodded. “Do you need help with anything?”

“Nope. I’m all good to go. These cameras are practically my children.”

I opened the door leading outside for the photographer, nonetheless, watching as he headed back toward his car and loaded everything up.

This was it. There was no more to do but complete the job.

The competition was over. The promotion would be chosen by Michelle, likely sooner than later.

It was all out of my hands now.

I held a tentatively bright smile as I watched a truck make its way up the driveway. My contented expression faltered at Aaron’s. Catching me standing on the front porch, he turned to walk up to me.

“What’s wrong?” I asked immediately.

“Nothing,” he insisted, though his voice was tight. “Everything’s great.”

“Everything went okay at your appointment? How’s your leg? Did the doctor say anything?”

He cleared his throat. He nodded for another moment, as if he was debating something.

“Do you need to do more physical therapy or …” I drifted off, unsure what else I could say.

He stopped me from having to search for another option. I didn’t want to say the one I knew he didn’t want to hear today.

His leg, though he hadn’t been struggling as much with it as I remembered at the start of my project here, would never be the same.

“Nope. It’s healing up fine. Should be able to return to top shape soon enough,” he said.

For some reason, it felt like a hit to my stomach. But it shouldn’t. I should be happy for him. I should be happy.

“That’s great.”

He’d be back where he belonged. Just like he’d said. We talked about it, and I knew that his life wasn’t going to keep him here in the area or with me, but for some reason, I couldn’t fully let myself believe it.

He looked around the front porch, where I’d set up rocking chairs with pillows that matched the holiday theme of the rest of the house. “The cabin looks fantastic. Your boss would be crazy not to see the good work you did here. It looks like an entirely different place. Give yourself some credit.”

I would when I got the promotion, and then I’d know it was all worth it and everything worked out how it was meant to be.

“Thank you,” I whispered, looking up at Aaron through my lashes. I’d managed to put makeup on today, knowing that the photographer was coming and wanting to look professional.

Aaron stared back at me with a small, tight smile. He wasn’t telling me something.

“Wait there!”

I turned back toward the car, where the photographer had paused packing up, looking at us standing here to see him off. Before he managed to put it away, his camera was back in his hands.

“Stay right there for a minute,” directed Jack. “I want to get a photo of you both standing on the edge of the porch there.”

“Oh, you don’t have to?—”

“It’s a great shot.”

I glanced at Aaron. He shrugged. Nodded.

“All right.”

Before I could turn to look back away from Aaron, the photographer had already taken the photo.

“Perfect.”

“We look all right?”

“Like a holiday card. You could use the photo for one if you’re late getting them out.”

I blinked a few times. “I appreciate that, but we … we aren’t together. This is his cabin.”

“Ah.” Jack paused. “Sorry ’bout that. My mistake. I’ll send it to you after I edit through the batch. Never know when you might make a memory you’ll want to remember.”

“Thank you again!”

The photographer left us both on the porch. Neither of us made a move to go inside. After a second, I turned toward the front door.

Aaron’s hand circled my wrist, gently guiding me back toward him. “Hold up. I’ve been thinking about this all morning.”

He tilted my head up to meet him, and his mouth sank into mine for a kiss, slow and heavy. It was just us in our hidden little winter oasis. We didn’t hasten to move as he peppered me with one or two more short pecks.

I could already feel the heat I’d come to know well over the past week brewing low in my stomach.

His lips hovered over mine as we broke apart.

He hummed, as if in thought.

I cleared my throat. “Your appointment went well?”

“It went as expected,” he said.

I stared at him, unsure of his diplomacy. It was unlike him, even though his body language remained loose.

“Are you sure there isn’t anything you want to talk about?—”

My phone rang, buzzing loudly from my back pocket. Michelle’s name lit up the screen.

“Excuse me.”

“I’ll be inside.”

I watched as he went, and I walked off the porch, crossing my arms as I realized how cold it was outside. Life was slowly leaking through the cracks of the home we’d built in the middle of nowhere with this project. And it was all rushing in too fast.

I pressed my phone to my ear. “Good morning, Michelle.”

“Good morning, Poppy. How are you?”

“I’m …” I looked over my shoulder at Aaron before taking a few more steps away. “I’m doing great. The photographer just left.”

Michelle gave a small squeal of delight over the phone. “Is it everything you hoped for? I hope you’re happy with the result of your hard work. I know you put a lot into this project. A lot more than anyone could’ve expected.”

“Yes, I’m … overjoyed with how everything turned out,” I said.

“Poppy, are you sure everything is all right?” Michelle’s voice held a tinge of concern. “You sound a bit off.”

I glanced back at the house, at the closed front door that separated me from Aaron. “It’s probably the connection out here. And I’m a little tired. It’s been a long week.”

“I understand. You’ve done a wonderful job, Poppy. Both with the house as well as with the Hayes-Preston family. Ms. Hayes-Preston already reached out to let me know impressed she as with your work and professionalism.”

Professionalism . I bit my lip as I swayed from foot to foot on the walkway.

“I can’t wait to see the final photos and show the world what we’ve accomplished here.”

“I’ll make sure everything is ready for the holiday,” I assured Michelle.

“Wonderful. I expected no less,” she said. “Be aware that I’m hoping to call a meeting to discuss some important things, as you know, before the new year.”

Of course, she was talking about the promotion.

“I can’t wait.”

We said goodbye and ended the call.

Taking a deep breath, I walked back toward the house, feeling the weight of uncertainty settle on my shoulders. As I opened the door, Aaron was nowhere to be seen.

It was all going to work out.

I shook my head in disbelief, taking in the sight of all that I had accomplished. It was nothing short of a miracle that everything had come together within the tight deadline I’d been given. Despite the constant rush and physical strain, I hadn’t collapsed from exhaustion even once.

Every muscle in my body ached—a reminder of all the work I’d put in. As I took another step forward, Oz came bounding toward me, excited to see me after being cooped up while the photographer was there. His wagging tail and playful barks echoed through the room, adding to the sense of chaos and accomplishment that filled the air.

It’s all going to work out.

It was as if I was striking a deal with the universe.

Please let this happen.

Let the affirmations be true.

Let me be happy.

Let me be healthy.

Let me be strong.

Let me get through this. Let me have good things …

My heart clanged in my chest.

I was staring at Aaron. He smiled back.

I didn’t ask for anything more.