Page 19 of A Perfect Christmas Romance (Kringle, Texas #8)

In her kitchen, Liv stared down at a stack of recipe cards. The cards, yellowed with age and smudged with the ghosts of Christmases past, had been her mother's pride and joy. Now, they felt like artifacts from a life that no longer existed.

"Okay, Mom," Liv said, picking up a card with "Christmas Eve Casserole" scrawled across the top. "Let's see if I can do this without burning down the building."

She rummaged through her cabinet for a casserole dish she wasn't entirely sure she owned, and her mind wandered to the surreal events of the past few days. She'd gone from a case manager to senior crisis manager, from perpetually single to... whatever she and Nick were now.

And her parents had gone from a longtime married couple to... well, not.

The microwave clock blinked 4:30 PM. Nick would be here in an hour, and she was no closer to having dinner ready than she was to understanding the plot of that avant-garde French film Dana had dragged her to last year.

Her phone buzzed, and Liv lunged for it, nearly knocking over a tower of mixing bowls. She saw Amy’s name and felt a pang of longing. This was their first Christmas apart, and it felt wrong, like wearing mismatched socks or putting pineapple on pizza.

“Hey, sis.” Liv wedged the phone between her ear and shoulder as she continued her casserole dish hunt. "How's Wisconsin?"

"Cold," Amy replied, her voice tinny through the speaker. "Like, 'I think my tears are freezing on my face' cold."

Liv paused her search. "Tears? Amy, what's wrong? Are you and Sean?—"

“We’re fine. Sean is the best.” There was a sniffle on the other end of the line. "It's just... it's all so different, you know? Mom's trying so hard to be cheerful, but I can see right through it. And Sean's family is lovely, but they're not... they're not us."

Liv's heart clenched. She knew what Amy meant. Christmas had always been the Kearns family thing—the four of them against the world, armed with too much food, silly movies, and Dad jokes. Now, they were scattered like ornaments knocked off a tree.

"I know, sweetie," Liv said. "It's weird for me too. But hey, think of it this way—you’re creating new traditions. And just because things are changing doesn’t mean we love each other any less."

"When did you get so wise?" Amy asked.

Liv laughed. "Must be all that Kringle air. It's magical, you know."

Amy laughed, and that made Liv feel better.

They chatted for a few more minutes, swapping stories about their respective Christmases-in-progress.

Then Amy put their mom on the line, and they talked too.

Her mother seemed to be adjusting as well as could be expected and looking forward to forging a new path for herself.

By the time she hung up, Liv felt lighter, like she'd shed a layer of worry she hadn't even realized she was wearing.

With renewed determination, she turned back to the kitchen. The casserole dish remained elusive, but Liv had a new plan. She grabbed her phone again and fired off a quick text to Nick: "Change of plans. Bring takeout. And maybe a fire extinguisher."

His reply came almost instantly: "LOL. Chinese or pizza? And I'll bring the extinguisher just in case."

Liv grinned. “Surprise me. See you soon.”

As she set her phone down, Liv caught sight of her reflection in the microwave door. Her hair was a mess, and her apron was askew, but her eyes were bright, and she couldn't stop grinning.

For the first time in weeks, Liv felt like herself again.

Not the version of herself that she presented to the world—competent, put-together Liv who had all the answers.

No, this was real Liv, the one who sometimes burned dinner and always laughed too loud at bad jokes.

The Liv who was learning that it was okay not to have everything figured out all the time.

An hour later, Nick appeared at her door, looking unfairly handsome in a green sweater that brought out the brown in his eyes. He was holding a bag that smelled like her favorite Chinese restaurant and wearing a grin that made her heart somersault.

"Merry Christmas Eve," he said, holding up the bag. "I come bearing gifts of General Tso and kung pao shrimp."

"My hero," she said, stepping back to let him in.

Nick followed her into the living room. Liv couldn't help marveling at how easy this felt.

"So," Nick said, settling onto the couch. "How's the family Christmas drama shaping up?"

"Actually, it's encouraging. Mom is in Wisconsin with Amy and Sean, and Dad is in Florida with Uncle Carl and his family. It's bumpy but navigable. And me? I'm trying not to fall apart without our family traditions."

Nick nudged her gently with his shoulder. "Hey, you're not failing. You're adapting, and from where I'm sitting, you're doing a pretty great job."

Warmth bloomed in her chest, and it had nothing to do with the fire she'd started in the fireplace.

"Thanks," she said. Then, because the vulnerability was still new and scary, she added, "But if you tell anyone I almost burned down my apartment trying to make a casserole, I'll deny everything."

Nick laughed, that rich and low sound. "Your secret's safe with me. Now, shall we eat before this food gets cold and we have to add 'letting perfectly good Chinese food go to waste' to our list of Christmas sins?"

As they dug into the food, conversation flowed easily between them. Liv found herself recounting the events of the past few days—her promotion and the office shakeup. Nick listened attentively, asking questions and offering support in all the right places.

"I still can't believe Brandi Jo was evaluating all of us this whole time, like an episode of Undercover Boss ." Liv shook her head. "I feel like I've been living in some bizarre corporate reality show."

Nick grinned. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, you definitely won the top prize. Senior Crisis Manager has a nice ring to it."

Liv felt a flush of pride. "It does, doesn't it? I just hope I can live up to it."

"You will," Nick said with such conviction that Liv couldn't help but believe him. "You're amazing, Liv. You always have been."

"What about you?" Liv asked, partly to break the tension and partly because she genuinely wanted to know. "What's next for Nick Matheson, intrepid sports journalist?"

Nick's expression turned thoughtful. "Honestly? I've been thinking about making some big changes. Quitting CBS was terrifying, but it also felt right, you know? Like I was finally being true to myself."

Liv nodded. She did know. It was how she'd felt standing up to Boz, refusing to change who she was just to fit some arbitrary mold.

"I've been thinking," Nick said, his voice taking on a hesitant quality that made Liv sit up straighter. "What if I moved to Kringle?"

Liv almost choked on a shrimp. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Nick said, setting down his chopsticks and turning to face her fully, "the cost of living is lower here. I could find a writing job that I can do remotely. And... I want to write a book about Marty Merris."

Liv's eyebrows shot up. "Really? But I thought the story was over when you found out he actually took the bribe."

Nick shook his head, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

"That's just it—there's so much more to the story.

The why, the aftermath, how it affected Matilda and their whole family.

And get this—Matilda has agreed to do more interviews with me.

She says she's ready to tell the whole truth, no holds barred. "

"Nick, that's amazing!" Liv squeezed his hand. "This could be huge for your career."

"The best part is, I can write it from right here in Kringle. Plus," he said, "there's this amazing woman here who I'd really like to get to know better."

Liv felt like she was teetering on the edge of something huge, something life-changing. "Nick," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, "are you sure? What about your life in Dallas?"

Nick reached out and took her hand. His palm was warm against hers, familiar and new all at once.

"Liv, these past few days have made me realize something. All the success in the world doesn’t mean anything if you don’t have someone to share it with, and when I'm with you, I feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. "

Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. It was everything she'd ever wanted to hear, everything she'd been too afraid to hope for, but there was still a part of her—the practical, cautious part—that hesitated.

"What if it doesn't work out?" she asked, voicing her deepest fear. "What if we try, and it all falls apart again?"

Nick squeezed her hand. "But what if it doesn’t? I'm different. You're different. We're not those same strong-minded kids. Liv, I think we owe it to ourselves to try. Don't you?"

Liv saw the hope in his eyes, the sincerity in his smile, and all her doubts and fears seemed small in comparison to the possibility of what they could be together.

"I'm ready for commitment. I'm ready for you."

"Okay," she said, a smile breaking across her face like sunshine after rain. "Let's try."

Nick's answering grin was brighter than all the Christmas lights in Kringle combined. He leaned in, and Liv met him halfway, their lips coming together in a kiss that tasted like promise, possibility, and just a hint of kung pao.

After they finished eating, Liv stood up. "I have something for you," she said. "It's under the tree."

Nick's eyes lit up. "What a coincidence. I have something for you too."

They moved to the living room, settling down in front of the twinkling Christmas tree. Liv reached under and pulled out a flat, rectangular package, handing it to Nick with a shy smile.

Nick unwrapped it carefully, his eyes widening as he revealed two tickets. "No way," he breathed. "Are these...?"

Liv nodded, grinning. "Tickets to the Cowboys vs. Eagles playoff game next month. I know it's your favorite rivalry."

Nick looked at her in awe. "Liv, this is incredible. Thank you." He paused, then chuckled. "I feel like my gift pales in comparison now."

He handed her a small, wrapped box. Liv opened it to find a sleek, leather-bound planner.

But as she flipped through it, she realized it wasn't just any planner.

Nick had personalized it, marking important dates like her work deadlines, her sister's wedding, and even penciling in potential date ideas for them.

"Nick," Liv said softly, tracing her fingers over his familiar handwriting. "This is perfect. You really know me, don't you?"

Nick smiled, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'd like to think I do. And I'm looking forward to learning even more."

Liv's phone buzzed, and she reached for it, expecting another text from Amy. Instead, she saw her father's text on the screen.

Merry Christmas, sweetheart. I know things are different this year, but I am so proud of you. You've grown into an amazing woman. I’m honored to be your dad. I love you.

Liv felt tears well up in her eyes again, but this time, they were happy tears. She showed the message to Nick, who wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her temple.

"See?" he said. "Everything's gonna be okay."

And sitting there with the man she loved by her side and the promise of a new year ahead, Liv believed him.

This wasn't the end of her story—it was a new chapter. A chapter filled with love and laughter, challenges and triumphs, and a second chance at love.

* * *

Dear Reader,

Thank you so much for reading A Perfect Christmas Romance . If you enjoyed Liv and Nick’s story, we would so appreciate a review. You have no idea how much it means to us! Readers rock!