Page 26 of Meet Me at the Christmas Cottage (Jonathon Island #6)

They fell quiet. Jonah reached across the bar and entwined his fingers in hers.

Bronte stared at their hands. Heat burned in her middle at how right it felt to hold his hand.

Jonah rubbed a thumb over her knuckles. Would he lean over and kiss her?

A chill ran down her spine. She pulled her hand back and put it in her lap.

Her guard was slowly coming down, but she didn’t think Jonah would hurt her.

“Thank you.” Her voice was husky, and she had to swallow down emotions that were best left deep. “I wish we could have gone to church too.”

“I believe there’s a midnight candlelight service on Christmas Eve if you want to go—we could go after the ball.” Jonah had turned back to the stove, dumping in the tomatoes he’d finished chopping.

“I’d really like that.” But would she? On one hand, she was excited at the possibility of going back to church.

At feeling that sense of belonging she’d had as a child.

But there were also nerves about what was happening to her heart.

The one she’d poured concrete over and boarded up after everything that’d happened with Brad.

She’d already made the decision she’d be better off alone.

Had coming to Jonathon Island been a mistake, or the happiest of mistakes? The more time she spent on the island and around Jonah, the more the hardness around her heart was being chipped away. And she didn’t know if that was a good thing or if she was just setting herself up for more heartbreak.

Watching Jonah’s strong, broad back at the stove, her stomach twisted. If her heart broke this time, would she ever be able to recover?

* * *

Jonah tried not to laugh at the plastic souvenir currently being held up for his inspection.

Wanting to give Bronte the uninterrupted time to get writing in, he’d snuck off to get a couple of things from Doug’s.

He’d been thinking about Christmas gift ideas for Bronte when he bumped into Cody and Finn, who were getting out of the house for a bit to give Mia a break while Maggie took a nap.

When Finn had heard that Jonah couldn’t figure out a good gift for Bronte, the little boy had promised he had the “perfectest idea ever” before dragging him over to a display of plastic sharks and animals.

“This is the most perfectest one.” Finn held up a plastic shark with Jonathon Island painted on the side, a huge grin on his face at the treasure he’d found.

Jonah found it funny that Doug’s Market would have plastic sharks. Sure, Jonathon Island was on the water, but as far as he knew, the lake housed no sharks. The small grocer on the island carried a handful of novelty items and souvenirs since the actual souvenir shop had closed with the season.

Kneeling down, Jonah inspected the shark Finn held up. “I’m not sure that’s something Bronte would like as much as you do.”

Finn’s face scrunched in confusion. “Why not? This is the best shark I ever found.”

“Why don’t we get that one for you, buddy? We’ll look for something else for Jonah’s friend,” Cody said, ruffling Finn’s hair.

The boy’s face lit up. “Really? I can keep this one? Oh boy, wait ’til I show Maggie. She’s going to love it. I need to find one for her too.” The boy plopped back down on the floor in front of the bin of sharks and started digging around.

“So, what exactly are you looking for?” Cody asked after he had made sure Finn was occupied with finding his younger sister a shark of her own.

What was he looking for?

His and Bronte’s conversation bounced around in his mind.

Her having been raised in foster care made so many other things click.

Like why many of the Christmas traditions were new to her and why she’d never had a real family Christmas.

He wanted to make sure Bronte had the full Christmas-morning experience this year.

Jonah shrugged at his friend’s question.

“I don’t know. Something perfect.” He tried to think back to Christmas mornings at the White house and started making a mental list, but other than presents, atmosphere, and the snacks his mom always made, he came up blank.

His mom and sisters were so much better at this kind of stuff than he was.

What he wouldn’t give to have them home helping him right now.

Cody laughed. “Thanks, that really narrows it down. Not sure I’m going to be much help.”

“Bumping into you and Finn made this a lot more fun,” Jonah reassured him. “It’s just…” How could he explain what he was feeling to Cody? “I want it to be something special. I don’t think she’s ever had a great Christmas, so I want this to be…”

“Perfect,” Cody supplied.

Jonah shrugged. “Yeah.”

Cody slapped Jonah on the shoulder. “I know you’ll be able to find the gift you’re looking for and give Bronte the Christmas she deserves. She’s pretty special to you, isn’t she?”

“I know it’s crazy because we just met, but I don’t know.

There’s just something there.” He needed to tell himself to calm down.

Yes, they’d shared one kiss. One firework-inducing kiss, at least in his experience.

But then they’d gone home, and she hadn’t brought it up, hadn’t tried to kiss him again.

He wanted to talk to her about it, but he didn’t want to make it awkward if she thought it had been a mistake.

Besides, if she wanted to do more kissing like that, they’d never get anything else done.

It was stupid. He knew they’d go their separate ways and probably never see each other again.

This wasn’t one of the rom-coms his sisters recommended.

Strangers didn’t meet and fall in love and spend a lifetime together.

“When you just know, you know. It’s a saying for a reason.”

“I’m hungry.” Finn came to stand next to Cody, three plastic Jonathon Island sharks clutched in his tiny hands.

“We just ate lunch an hour ago, buddy,” Cody reminded him.

Finn shrugged, studying a thread on Cody’s jeans, face scrunched. “Mom says I’m a growing boy, so I eat more.”

Cody ruffled Finn’s tawny curls. “Your mom is right there. I guess this means it’s time for us to go. We’ll see you Wednesday at the ball?” he asked Jonah.

“For sure. We’ll be there.” It wasn’t lost on Jonah how he’d so easily responded in the plural. We. Jonah and Bronte. It sounded so right in his mind.

Cody and Finn walked to the front of the store. They paid for Finn’s collection of sharks and, after Cody had made sure Finn had his hat and gloves in place, pushed out into the cold island afternoon.

Not finding anything more they needed from Doug’s, Jonah made his final purchases and headed to the Fudge Shop on the Corner. The sweet treat might be a nice reward for Bronte after an afternoon of working.

“I thought you were leaving the island and meeting up with your family.” Declan’s voice greeted him from behind the fudge shop’s counter.

Jonah laughed at the lack of greeting from the shop owner. “Not until the twenty-sixth.”

“Oh my goodness, you’re so rude.” Lily, her lavender-streaked hair pulled back into a low ponytail, stared, flabbergasted, at Declan before turning to Jonah. “How’s Bronte’s head doing? That was quite a knot. I’m a little surprised she didn’t have a concussion.”

“Yes, very large bump, but no concussion. Thank God. She’s doing good. I’m trying to stay away this afternoon so she can get some writing done.”

“And you decided to come here?” Declan raised an eyebrow.

“Declan!” Lily slapped his chest with the back of her hand. “I’m sorry about him, Jonah. Are you wanting some fudge?”

“Yes, please. I thought it might be a nice treat for Bronte after working hard all day.” He scanned the display of different fudges. “Just give me two pounds of a mix. The best ones.”

“It’s all the best,” Declan mumbled as he folded a box and began filling it with a variety of fudge.

“Hush, Declan,” Lily said. “We’ll have that ready for you in just a moment if you want to have a seat over there.” She pointed to a table in a small alcove. “There’s coffee at the end of the bar. You can help yourself if you’d like.”

Jonah poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table overlooking the main strip.

The snow left on the street was more of a dirty slush pile after the events of the weekend.

Even still, the storefronts with their ribbons and garland, and the lights strung back and forth across the street, gave something magical to Jonathon Island at Christmastime.

“Here you go.” Lily put a box of fudge on the table in front of him.

Jonah reached for his wallet. “How much do I owe?—”

Lily waved him off. “Nonsense. Put your money away and think of it as a welcome home and Merry Christmas present.”

“Lil, I can’t let you—” Jonah started to protest.

“Of course you can,” Declan said, wrapping his arms around Lily and resting his chin on her shoulder. “I’ve quickly learned you do what Lily says, no questions asked.”

“Thank you.” Jonah took a twenty from his wallet and shoved it into the tip jar. “See you guys at the ball.”

He pushed out into the cold air coming off the water and looked down Main Street, catching sight of the steeple of Little Stone Bible Church.

Remembering what Bronte had said about church being a place where she had felt at home, he suddenly had an idea for a gift for her—well, numerous gifts.

The first required he visit Doug’s again, where he thought he remembered seeing Jonathon Island stockings.

Yes, they might be a little cheesy, but they’d have to do in a pinch.

Tucking his bags close to him, he made his way back up the street to Doug’s, then he planned to head to the church. He hoped Pastor Arnie was there to let him in and that there was an extra Bible he could have.

He knew just the gift to make sure Bronte had the most perfect Christmas.