Page 67 of Hope and Hot Chocolate on Mistletoe Lane

I wrapped my head around her story and leaned against the side of the van, letting out a slow whistle. ‘That’s our Holly,’ I said. I was proud of her even if I wasn’t sure that it was my place to be. But I pictured her walking into that dick’s office and setting him up perfectly, making him pay for everything he’d done to women, including her. It was impressive as hell, and she might well be the strongest woman I’d ever known.

Willow nodded vehemently. ‘I can’t believe she had the guts to do that; I don’t think I could have done anything like it. God, I miss her around here. She’s always so calm and collected, and just gets things done. I hope she comes back soon. I bet you do too.’ She winked and then looked over as a taxi drove into the farm. ‘Who’s this, I wonder?’

I didn’t react to her wink but inside, my heart swelled from finding out what Holly had done. I wanted to talk to her about it all so badly, it hurt. I really hoped I’d get a chance to do so but even if I didn’t, some of the worries I’d been feeling about her dialled down a bit. She was okay in the city. She hadn’t run away like she had talked about. She hadn’t needed me to march in and save the day; she’d saved herself like I knew she could do. I hoped I’d had some influence in that but even if I hadn’t, I was happy for her and hoped this would be the start of big things for her business. I just wanted her to be happy even if that was in the city. She clearly hadn’t been as happy as I had pictured her being but now hopefully, she would be. I just ached with the longing to help her be even happier.

‘Oh my God!’ Willow’s shriek startled me out of my reverie with a jump.

I turned to follow her gaze to see two familiar figures stepping out of the taxi. Willow took off at a run and even I ducked straight out of the van to wander over. Dylan and his brother and dad had been looking at the Christmas trees for sale so they came too as Willow dived into the arms of her dad, Adam, with Birchbrook’s mayor, Taylor, smiling at their reunion beside him.

‘What are you both doing here?’ Willow asked after she’d hugged them.

‘The cruise was lovely but we both kept thinking about Birchbrook,’ Adam said, smiling at his daughter. ‘I wanted to see Mistletoe Lane all finished and Taylor was worried about the tree-lighting ceremony tomorrow…’ He looked at the mayor.

‘I’ve never not been here for it,’ she explained. ‘It felt wrong to be away and then we talked about Christmas…’ She looked at Adam fondly.

‘We just wanted to be home to celebrate with you all,’ Adam finished up for her.

‘I can’t believe it,’ Willow said. ‘You really gave up a cruise to come home?’ She wiped away a tear. ‘I’m so emotional at the moment!’

Adam slung an arm around her. ‘It’s okay, love. Yes, we missed you all too much to stay away.’

His words punched me in the gut. Adam and Taylor couldn’t bear to be away from Birchbrook for Christmas. I looked around and realised that’s how I felt. I had been so close to thinking I wanted a new life elsewhere but I felt like them – this was where I belonged.

‘The people volunteering to get the ceremony done tomorrow seem to be worried,’ Taylor said. ‘What with the snow and diverting traffic and panicking the lights won’t actually turn on,’ she said, looking at her phone. ‘I think I better get to my office and help them.’

‘And I heard you might need a Santa for Christmas week,’ Adam added to Willow.

‘I knew there was a reason I couldn’t find one!’ Willow cried happily.

‘You’ll make the perfect Santa,’ Dylan told him. ‘Let me introduce you to my father and brother.’

Adam eyed them. ‘I hope you’ve been supporting my daughter and son,’ he said shortly.

‘Son?’ Dylan’s dad repeated.

Adam shrugged. ‘That’s how I think of Dylan. Like my surrogate son. He’s helped us save the farm; he’s family now.’

That made Willow sob harder and Dylan’s cheeks turned a pleased pink.

‘It’s a real family you’ve made for yourself here,’ Dylan’s dad said to him, looking surprised, like he hadn’t thought that would have been possible. I knew they had been snobby about him moving to the farm and being with Willow; I think they had wanted him to be a fancy barrister. But anyone could see how much he loved being here and with Willow. I tried not to feel jealous, as they both deserved each other.

Dylan’s brother, Nate looked away. He was either bored or sad, I wasn’t sure which.

I watched as Dylan went over to him. ‘You okay, Nate?’

‘I’m sorry I wasn’t supportive but this is so far out of my remit. So far away from what we thought your future would be.’

‘I’m happy,’ Dylan said simply.

‘Yeah, I can see that. I guess it’s hard not being part of this new life you’ve made for yourself.’

‘I want you to be part of it,’ Dylan said. ‘It just seemed like you didn’t want to be. The things you said to Willow and me when you came here that first autumn, they really hurt us.’

‘I was a dick when I came here the first time,’ Nate said. ‘Maybe I was jealous of how happy you seemed. I thought you wanted us to work together and get our relationship back to how it was when we were kids, then you ditched me and my company for this… it was hard to take in. But I behaved badly, I know. I’m sorry.’ Nate held out his hand and Dylan took it and reached out to hug his brother.

I turned away, feeling like an outsider in this family moment.

I followed Taylor as she walked away from the group too, ready to get back into the taxi. ‘I had a thought about tomorrow…’ I said as she paused to see what I wanted. ‘Usually, we keep the café open on tree-lighting nights but then the three of us have to scramble to get to the green and see the tree and mingle with the community, so how about I bring the café van?’ I said, gesturing to where it was parked by the ice rink behind us. ‘I could park it on the green so people can keep buying hot drinks and food for the whole evening, plus we get to enjoy it all.’