Page 11

Chapter Eleven

I vy

I’m perched high up on a ladder, holding a string of lights and carefully looping them around the towering Christmas tree in the center of Copper Mountain’s town square. Perry and Ruby are on the ground, handing me supplies and guiding me on where to drape each strand. The tree is a massive evergreen that stretches up into the crisp winter sky, its dark branches layered with fresh snow. It’s cold, and my cheeks and nose are flushed from it, but there’s a warmth in my chest that makes everything feel just right.

I reach down to grab the next strand of lights from Perry, and she grins up at me. “Look at you, decorating like a pro. You’re practically a mountain woman now.”

I laugh, securing the lights and adjusting my balance. “Thanks to you guys. I think I’m getting the hang of it.”

Ruby laughs, brushing her hands together after tossing me an ornament. “I think the town’s coming around to your charm too. Well, most of it, anyway.”

I know exactly who she’s referring to, and I can’t help but let out a little sigh. “Some people are tougher nuts to crack.”

Perry gives me a knowing look.

I roll my eyes, but I can’t stop the smile tugging at my lips. “I just…I don’t know. I didn’t expect to care this much for him. It was supposed to be a fun way to bring some cheer to the town. I never thought I’d get so tangled up in it. Or in him.”

Ruby’s gaze softens, and she exchanges a look with Perry. “Sometimes, the best things in life aren’t planned, Ivy. And I think you bring out something in Cole that he’s forgotten about. Don’t let him scare you off.”

I adjust the string of lights and take a deep breath, the truth of her words settling over me. I didn’t come to Copper Mountain looking for a life-altering experience, but here I am, tangled up in this town, and even more tangled up in a man who makes my heart race and my head spin.

When I finish with the lights, I climb down, stepping back to admire our handiwork. The tree sparkles against the snowy backdrop, its lights bright and warm, and it fills me with a strange, fierce pride. This isn’t just any Christmas tree. It’s our Christmas tree. A tree we’ve decorated together, as a community. And in that moment, I realize just how much this town has become a part of me.

Ruby nudges me with her shoulder, her voice soft. “You know, Ivy, sometimes you don’t choose where you belong. Sometimes, it chooses you.”

I look at her, my chest tight with a mix of emotions I can’t quite put into words. I nod, feeling the weight of her words and knowing, deep down, she’s right. And if that means fighting a little harder to break through to Cole, then that’s what I’ll do.