Page 21 of Sweet Silver Bells
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.
“ T here are so many lights,” Olivia said disapprovingly as Hunter circled around eight times, trying to find a parking spot.
“It’s a big decoration for the holidays,” he said, sliding into a tight spot, knowing he’d have to do some weird things with his hips to get his body out of the car.
“Did they even think to ask the trees?”
“You didn’t put lights everywhere when you celebrated?”
Olivia shook her head. “Garlands, yes, and candles were lit but generally not around greenery that would quickly kindle flame unless they were safe in a lantern.”
“Unfortunately, I don’t think many people are considering whether the trees are okay with the Christmas lights.”
Olivia crossed her arms over her chest.
“Look, we don’t have to be here. You look incredible in these new clothes, but much as I’d love to show you off, I’d love to stay in our small bubble, our secret little world, for so much longer than we have.”
Her arms uncrossed as her hand reached out and was placed on his neck. His heartbeat rose as she moved her face close to his, the fading twilight engulfing them in intimacy that he’d never predicted he would experience again.
“Our little bubble,” she let the words coat her tongue like luxurious champagne. “I love the way that sounds.”
He could feel her warm breath on his skin. Her teasing lips were just inches from his. He wanted to push forward, close their gap, but he waited. He rooted himself in self-control and lounged in the lusciousness of her essence until she spoke again.
“Let’s not disappoint your friends, Hunter. This is how I repay your kindness. I will participate in your life, add to it, and be a part of it.”
That wasn’t his love language. If anything, he would rather be around people less. He preferred less caring, less effort. That bubble would pop, and who knew if they could ever rebuild it. Who knew what could happen when others got involved in their relationship when it was so new?
“I’m always happy with just us, so you know,” he told her, his hand on her cheek. She bit her lip.
That damn beautiful bottom lip.
“Let’s go,” he sighed, realizing that no, she wouldn’t change her mind and they would likely spend the night discussing how angry the trees were.
The teacher’s lounge after the break would surely be quiet when he walked into it since no one would know how to handle someone like Olivia, no one would understand why he held onto her so fast and so tight. He didn’t want to explain it to anyone.
They stepped out of the car into a winter wonderland, all of Market Street closed and blocked off, transformed in twenty-four hours. Tents and pop-up booths lined the sidewalks, all adorned with hanging lights and sparkling artificial snowflakes.
The air had a tinge of holiday magic, the cold kissing Hunter’s cheeks in welcome as he walked under hundreds of feet of green garland hanging with bright red ribbons between vintage copper light posts.
Olivia walked beside him, her gloved hand intertwined with his. He tried not to wince from the soreness of his missing thumbnail.
It’s nothing you can’t deal with.
Olivia looked so normal. She was beautifully, heartbreakingly normal.
She wasn’t a woman haunted by things that forced her to sleep in a stranger’s house.
She wasn’t someone spinning tales about a childhood in 1914.
She wasn’t a siren who bent his mind with her sweet song.
She was just a girl standing under the night sky, wrapped in moonlight and the soft glow of the streetlamps.
She held his hand. Her eyes lit up when they met his.
Hunter didn’t know what to do with that kind of normal.
It felt like a new kind of spell, and he was not prepared for it.
If he allowed himself to love something so ordinary, then Sarah might be lost to him completely.
His heart might run out of room as he moved through days filled with work and nights spent with friends, while Olivia stayed by his side, always holding on.
There would be no more promises to chase her into the forest. There would be no moment of being swallowed by a tree while she clung to him, preserving their pain, their grief, and their love. That world would no longer be possible.
“There he is. Hunter!” a high-pitched voice yelled over the speakers playing orchestrated holiday music.
“Here we go,” Hunter muttered to Olivia, who squeezed his hand tighter, the smile on her face growing. There was a pulse of excitement around her, and Hunter found it infectious as his mood lightened, his social anxiety ebbed, and he found comfort and security in the person’s hand that he held.
You’re mine. I’m yours.
Nina stood in front of the caramel popcorn stand, her arm looped through that of a tall, lanky blond man who waved so energetically it drew a few curious glances from passing fairgoers.
The warm scent of butter and sugar drifted around them, mixing with the distant squeal of carnival rides and bursts of laughter.
Hunter spotted them just as Darius strolled up, clapping him lightly on the shoulder.
“Hey, man, have you met Tom?” Darius asked, a grin tugging at his mouth.
Nina shot her husband an exasperated look; his deadpan expression betrayed no hint of a joke.
“He’s kidding,” she said quickly, giving Tom’s arm a playful squeeze.
“Hey, Tom,” Hunter said with a polite nod, though he wasn’t entirely sure what to make of him yet.
A few feet away, Celia and Elaine leaned against the side of a portable table piled with half-empty paper cups and napkins. They chatted quietly, but their conversation fell away as the group grew, both of them glancing up with expectant smiles.
“This is Olivia,” Hunter announced. “Olivia, this is everybody.”
“Wow, you really brought her.” Sadie appeared out of nowhere, her words muffled from the bite of a Bavarian pretzel with stone ground mustard that she’d just taken.
“I’m Nina. Did you just move here?” Nina unhooked her arm from Tom’s and started asking Olivia a million questions. Hunter’s nerves kicked back in because Olivia's eyes moved elsewhere instead of answering or even looking at the human being talking directly to her.
A carriage moved past on the sidewalk, and a large dark chestnut horse pulled the vintage vehicle, carrying a family who all looked too bored.
Bells attached to the horse’s reins jingled with every synchronized step, creating a beat to liven up the classical, orchestral music playing throughout the loudspeakers.
Next, her eyes were drawn to the oversized Christmas tree half a mile down the street, displayed on the steps of the town hall, towering high over them all.
Olivia frowned, and Hunter wanted more than anything to know her thoughts, to help fix what she thought was wrong, before she took action into her own hands.
“Let’s go over to the carousel,” Elaine said, slinking towards Olivia, grabbing her other arm like they were best friends.
Celia moved with her, and suddenly the three women began walking away in the opposite direction of the Christmas tree, three heads of hair glistening underneath the hanging twinkle lights.
“So, interesting that you’re with Hunter,” he heard Elaine say. “You seem a little twisted for him.”
“Oh, Hunter is a little twisted.” Olivia’s voice faded as they walked further away.
“Really? I knew it. Tell us more.” Celia’s excited shriek barely reached his ears before Sadie stood right before him, offering him some of her pretzel.
“What are we supposed to be doing?” Hunter asked his friend. Sadie’s short hair seemed even shorter. “Did you get a haircut?”
“Thank you for noticing! I shaved off the sides,” she said, her smile wide.
“I would like to see a beer in each of my hands,” Darius said. “This is incredibly not fun at all.”
Hunter had to agree, though the swirl of noise and movement made it hard to think.
Hundreds of people streamed past them in every direction.
Somewhere behind him, a child wailed loudly enough to pierce through the chatter.
A couple near the kettle corn stand hissed arguments at each other under their breath, holiday sweaters bright as sin.
He forced himself to nod along, but his eyes kept searching the crowd for Olivia.
She was somewhere in this mess, too fragile for all this noise.
He couldn’t shake the thought that she might disappear again, and no one but him would notice.
“We should have worn matching ugly Christmas sweaters,” Nina said, her bottom lip pouting out. “This was not planned very well. Next year I’m taking over.”
“I don’t have an ugly Christmas sweater.” Hunter shrugged. “And I probably didn’t have enough time to go get one.”
“You could have borrowed one of Tom’s,” Nina said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Tom did not look enthused.
“Let’s go get Darius that pilsner,” Sadie suggested, pointing toward a vendor with a more substantial booth with wooden walls set up to look like a rustic cabin.
“That line is six miles long.” Darius frowned.
“I think that’s called Christmas spirit.” Hunter laughed.
“All of the forced fun,” Sadie teased, not meeting Nina’s eyes.
“Come on, Tom,” Darius said, making Nina’s eyes lighten a bit.
As their group trudged through the line, the holiday music on the speakers died down, and a band was setting up in front of the Christmas tree. Hunter saw a trombone, an electric guitar, a set of drums, and a saxophone gleaming from the decorations on the tree.
“At least the music is going to get more lively.” Hunter motioned toward the musicians.
“Forty bucks for three beers? I’m a teacher, man.” Darius complained to the poor girl working in the window. “Sorry, guys, we are going Dutch.”