Page 99 of Noel Secrets

Addie smiled, thinking about her family. Everyone would be there for Christmas and stay for the wedding. If only she knew what was happening with the wedding. Would they postpone it for her?

“We always did the traditional stuff—gingerbread houses, caroling, sub for Santa, decorating cookies and making fudge and taking treats to neighbors, reading the story of the Savior’s birth, going to Christmas Eve service. What about you?”

“The same. We’d also go ice skating, play hockey, go sledding and sometimes snow skiing.”

“Fun. There’s no snow near my family home. But on Christmas Eve, my dad used to carry a couple mattresses to the basement family room and all of us girls would sleep together. Well, we wouldn’t sleep much, but it was fun.”

Price’s eyes widened. “No.”

“Yes,” she returned.

He chuckled. “My family did the same thing. My brother, sister, and I would stay up late eating candy we’d stashed and dreaming about what we’d get for Christmas in the morning.”

“That’s crazy.”

“For sure,” he agreed. He looked around and then back at her. His dark eyes shone with excitement. “How about camping out down here tonight? I can carry a couple mattresses down.”

“Um, I feel like maybe …” It sounded amazing to camp out with him, but for too intimate. Her resistance was being decimated.

“Yeah, you’re right.” He nodded, the sparkle gone from his eyes. “Let me check your room, then we can get some rest.”

“We could watch a movie,” she offered.

“All right.”

A few minutes later, they were settled in with blankets and watchingIt’s a Wonderful Life. Addie hadn’t ever seen the movie. Price insisted it was a Christmas classic and she needed to see it. What he hadn’t told her was how romantic the movie was. George and Mary’s devotion to each other touched her deeply.

The movie ended and soft music played with the credits. Price hadn’t touched her throughout the movie, but he was close enough she could smell his salt and cedar scent and feel his proximity.

“What did you think?” he asked quietly.

“It was beautiful. I will make my sisters watch it … next year.” She swallowed, hit by the emotion of being far from family at Christmastime.

“I’m sorry you can’t be with them.”

“I’m sorry you can’t be with your family.” She let herself turn to look at him.

Price’s gaze searched hers. “I’ve missed quite a few Christmases. This one is a million times better than the one I spent in Afghanistan.”

“Oh, I bet.”

Neither of them said anything for a beat. There was a peaceful and romantic feeling in the room, a result of the movie they’d just watched and the soft light of the gas fireplace, the snow falling outside. She wished they had a tree but it was still Christmas-feeling and romantic in the cabin.

Addie was focused on Price’s handsome but rugged face, and he was only a foot away. Against all that was smart, she reached up and touched the scar below his eyebrow.

He drew in a sharp breath at her touch.

“How did you get this scar?”

“Shrapnel,” he said quietly. “The bomb killed one of my friends, Jason Latham.”

“I’m sorry.”

He nodded in acknowledgment. “Thanks. It was rough to lose him. He was a too-confident jokester. Kind of like Easton.”

“That is awful. I like Easton. I like this family.”

“For sure,” he agreed.