Page 3 of Christmas Replay (Majestic Falls: Christmas Spice #4)

Alissa

When Cliff walked through the coffeeshop’s door, I’d been afraid I was dreaming. My lips had formed his name, and when he smiled, my heart had thudded almost painfully against the wall of my chest.

So, I was definitely awake then.

Then within minutes, he’d invited me to stay with him for the holidays. Right or foolhardy, I’d agreed almost as quickly. Anticipation rose in my chest. It felt right. I wasn’t one to take leaps, but leaping with him, taking this chance…it just seemed… right .

An hour later, I was driving up the long, winding switchbacks that led up to Cliff’s house. Thick, falling snow obscured my vision and nearly rustic road was growing slick. As my knuckles tightened on the steering wheel, the excitement that had prompted my “yes” wore off.

What the hell I’d been thinking?

Honestly, what had possessed me to go up one of the Adirondack mountains surrounding Majestic Falls to go to the home of a man I didn’t know—because two late-night Christmas Eve meetings did not make a relationship.

I didn’t know this mouthwatering, gorgeous man. He could actually be a serial killer. Just because he said he was a lawyer didn’t mean it was true. I hadn’t Googled him or anything. I could be driving myself to a weekend of torture that would end with him wearing my skin.

Yes, I listened to true crime podcasts as a hobby. Yes, I’d clearly learned nothing.

I’d had enough wits about me to text his info to a couple friends to let them know where I’d be—or at least where I believed I would be.

It helped that Julia had sent me back a wide eye emoji followed by a heart emoji then told me the she’d had the biggest crush on him when he’d gone to high school with her older sister.

So he wasn’t an unknown—except to me.

Still, as my thoughts spun faster than the swirling snow in my headlights, taking off to follow Cliff felt incredibly stupid.

My phone rang, and I answered with the hands-free button on my steering wheel.

“Have you changed your mind yet?” Cliff asked, a smile in his voice.

“Not yet,” I answered. “Though, I’m feeling a little silly about the situation.”

“I’m glad I’m not alone in uncertainty,” he said, chuckling softly. “I’m sitting here thinking how insane this is. I’d be worried if you weren’t having at least a few doubts. Would it help if I promised I’m not a serial killer?”

Should I be worried that he had just voiced what I’d been thinking a few minutes ago?

“I don’t know,” I answered slowly. “That sounds like something a serial killer might say.”

“Fair point. Do you want to call my mom? My parents are in the Germany, right now, but I’m pretty sure she has cell service in the little villa they’re visiting.”

I shook my head, though he couldn’t see me. Somehow, the offer soothed some worries, leaving me with only the basic what if we can’t stand each other? What if we had nothing in common?

“Let’s see how the weekend goes before you start introducing me to your parents,” I suggested. “So I just passed the turnoff for the lower falls parking. How much farther?”

“Ten-ish minutes. Maybe fifteen with the way this snow is falling. I swear the switchbacks make the drive longer than if we just hiked up,” he said.

“Mmm, not going to take you up on that. Ever. I’ll do snow activities from time to time, but full disclosure, I’m not very outdoorsy. You might not have guessed it, with me owning a coffee shop and all, but a latte and book beside a blazing fire is very much my idea of fun.”

An amused sound rattled through the connection. “Coffee and a book sounds good to me. I can definitely hook us up with a fire, too.”

“Good to know. We probably should have talked a little more before I agreed to follow you into the middle of nowhere.”

“Don’t laugh, but I think it’s a hopelessly romantic gesture on both of our parts, to be honest. I know. Weird for a guy,” he admitted. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you since last Christmas Eve, though.”

“Then where have you been?” The question popped out before I thought better of it. I supposed, if we were going to be totally insane together, there was no point in holding back anything. Take it or leave it, this was me.

“It sounds like a lame excuse, but I’ve been crazy busy.

I was prosecuting a murder trial in the city, while studying to take the bar in Vermont.

I’m moving to Majestic Falls next year and since Vermont if only about an hour away, I want to be able to pick up cases there to supplement my income.

Majestic Falls isn’t exactly a hotbed of crime. ”

“Wait! Back up. You’re moving to Majestic Falls?”

“Yeah, I grew up here. Every year when I’ve visited, it reminded me how much I missed it.”

“That…changes things.”

If things didn’t work out between us, it could be awkward.

But what if things do work out?

“Changes things how?” he asked. “Is that…bad?”

“No. Not necessarily.” I shook my head. “Go ahead with your lame excuse.”

His sharp laugh made me grin. No matter what happened, we were adults. We could navigate this.

“Okay. To recap: big murder trial, bar exam, prepping to move. Plus I still had all the other cases assigned to me.” He sighed.

“I don’t think I’ve slept more than four hours a night in a year.

The minute I found a window of time, which happened to start today, I got in my car and drove straight back to you. ”

Well, that was hopelessly romantic.

“And you’re moving back to Majestic Falls?”

Silence stretched as the car ate up the distance between us, and I didn’t push him to answer. I wanted the truth, regardless of what it was. If it was tough for him to admit, I’d wait.

“A year ago, I shared a kiss with a beautiful stranger in a coffee shop,” he finally said, his tone soft but his voice clear. “When I’ve been able to sleep, she’s been in my dreams as soon as my eyes close.”

“You kissed two baristas last year?” I asked, hoping to lighten the mood. “You must really love coffee.”

“So, you’re a smart-aleck,” he observed. “Good to know.”

“You thought the kiss was that good?” I asked, going back to the conversation. “Really?”

“Really,” he promised. “I’ve been working since I knew what the word meant. Mowing lawns when I was ten, fast food at fifteen, office cleaning while cramming for law school. I’ve never had time to stop and smell the roses. And I don’t go around kissing pretty strangers.”

“Why did you kiss me?”

He paused again, and I sucked my lower lip between my teeth nervously. I wasn’t sure of the right answer to the question, but I also didn’t think there was a wrong answer. But I also wasn’t sure I wanted to hear that he’d just thought it was a good idea at the time.

“Because you were… Everything about you made me want to kiss you, to feel your lips,” he admitted. “And once you kissed me back, you became the only woman I ever want to kiss.”

“Kind of the same thing,” I admitted. “I’ve never even imagined kissing a stranger.

For similar busy reasons. But add buckets of shy and piles of introvert to the mix.

I haven’t stopped thinking about you, either.

Which is why I agreed to follow you into the unknown.

” My lips quirked. “You promise you’re not a serial killer? ”

“Scout’s honor,” he said, the grin back in his voice.

“You know Ted Bundy and BTK were Boy Scouts, right?”

“Uh, no. Do I need to worry about this serial killer obsession?”

“Clearly not. I’m in my car, on my way to your house. Just for my peace of mind, though, you’d better pinky swear it when we get to your place,” I teased.

We disconnected, and I gripped the steering wheel, rolling my shoulders and exhaling hard. This was still crazy. But somehow, I felt better about the situation.

Sure, he could be lying. But…he could be telling the truth. And rather than driving toward my doom, I honestly felt as if I were headed into my future with Cliff.