Page 15
Ivy–one year later
The scent of pine and cinnamon fills the air, and the Christmas lights strung up across Copper Mountain’s square seem brighter this year. Everything feels fuller, warmer, like the entire town is lit with a new kind of magic. I stand in the middle of it all, holding our daughter in my arms, bundled in her little red coat with a white fur-trimmed hood, looking for all the world like Santa Claus in miniature.
Holly stirs in my arms, her tiny pink face wrinkling as she yawns, one chubby hand reaching out, curling around my finger, making my heart melt all over again. She’s got Cole’s serious look already, which makes me laugh because she’s also got my stubborn streak; that’s clear anytime she doesn’t get what she wants. The Steele brothers joke she’ll be as fierce as the rest of the people on this mountain, but right now, I’m just savoring her softness, her tiny warmth pressed to me.
Cole steps up beside me, his arm wrapping around my waist, and he leans in, brushing a kiss over Holly’s head. “She’s the cutest Santa this town’s ever had,” he murmurs, his voice low, teasing, and my heart does a little flip, like it always does when he’s close.
I grin, nudging him with my shoulder. “You say that because she’s your spitting image.”
He chuckles, slipping an arm around me, holding us both close, like we’re his entire world. And maybe we are. He glances down at Holly, his eyes softening as he reaches a finger down for her to grab. “Nah, I see a whole lot of her mama there too. Besides, I can’t take all the credit if she ends up as stubborn as you.”
I roll my eyes, feeling that familiar spark of banter that’s always between us, that never seems to fade, no matter how many Christmases we spend together. “Stubbornness or determination? Maybe she’ll get a double dose.”
Cole laughs, his gaze locking onto mine with that same bold, unfiltered look that always gets under my skin. “Good. She’ll need it to keep up with us.”
Just then, Knox and Perry join us, Perry letting out a little squeal as she leans over to peek at Holly. “Oh my goodness, Ivy! She’s just perfect. Look at her—already giving that ‘don’t mess with me’ look. That’s pure Copper Mountain attitude right there.”
Knox grins, giving Cole a hearty slap on the back. “Better watch out, bro. In another fifteen years, you’re gonna have your hands full.”
Cole grins back, not an ounce of worry on his face. “Good. Keeps life interesting.”
Pope and Ruby join us next, and Ruby’s coos over Holly send my heart soaring with pride. “Oh Ivy, she’s beautiful,” Ruby says, gently brushing her fingers over Holly’s tiny mitten-covered hand. “She’s going to be breaking hearts before you know it.”
Pope smirks, crossing his arms. “Let’s just hope she doesn’t take after her dad in the grumpy department.”
“Oh, she’s got plenty of her mama’s sunshine to keep her balanced,” Cole says, squeezing my waist and pressing a quick kiss to my temple. His voice drops, low and intimate, making me shiver. “Lucky for me, she inherited her mama’s charm.”
The warmth spreading through me is almost too much to bear, and I can’t stop the grin that spreads across my face. “We’re just getting started, aren’t we?”
Barron and Tamlyn approach, Barron giving Holly a nod like she’s already one of them, part of the family. He’s got his arm around Tamlyn, who looks down at Holly with a quiet, sweet smile, eyes lighting up. “She’s perfect,” Tamlyn says.
Archer sidles up with Bella, a playful gleam in his eye as he studies Cole. “Cole, did you ever think you’d be the guy bringing a baby dressed as Santa to a Christmas festival?”
Cole laughs, and I feel his hand tighten on my waist. “Never in a million years,” he admits, grinning down at Holly. “But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
King, Cruz, Arrow, Judge, and Creed Steele are the last to join us, forming a circle around Holly and me, their expressions a mix of pride and amusement. They’re all big, tough men, yet each one softens a little at the sight of her, like she’s a spark of light they can’t help but be drawn to.
“So,” Creed says, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Are we all ready to start taking bets on whether she’s going to be a heartbreaker or a troublemaker?”
Perry laughs, leaning into Knox as she watches Holly with that loving gleam in her eyes. “Knowing her parents, I’d say she’ll be both.”
Cruz chuckles, nodding. “Exactly what Copper Mountain needs—a little more spark to keep things interesting.”
They’re all bantering back and forth, trading jokes and laughter, but my focus drifts to Cole, who’s watching me, his eyes warm and steady, like he’s taking in every detail of this moment, locking it away somewhere only he has access to. I feel the familiar warmth of his hand on the small of my back, and I lean into him, savoring the way he holds me, like there’s no place he’d rather be.
“You’ve really made this place feel like home,” he murmurs, his voice low, just for me.
I glance up at him, my heart so full it feels like it might burst. “We did it together, didn’t we?”
He nods, a soft smile tugging at his mouth as he looks down at Holly, his hand coming up to brush his thumb over her tiny cheek. “She’s the best Christmas gift I ever got.”
The festival is in full swing around us, families skating on the rink, kids running around with cups of hot chocolate, and couples cozying up under twinkling lights. Everywhere I look, I see happiness, warmth, and love, and I can’t help but feel like the luckiest woman in the world, wrapped up in this life we’ve built together.
After a while, we all head over to the big Christmas tree, gathering around with the rest of the town as everyone counts down to the lighting. The Steele brothers, their wives, and Cole and I huddle close, sharing stories, teasing each other, and laughing, while Holly dozes off, her tiny breaths warming my chest.
The lights on the tree burst to life, casting a golden glow over the square, and as I look around at everyone—my family, my friends, my heart—something inside me settles, a deep, unshakable happiness that I know will carry me through every season, every year, as long as I have Cole by my side.
He leans down, his lips brushing against my ear, his voice a low, warm rumble that makes my toes curl. “Merry Christmas, Ivy. Here’s to a lifetime of Naughty and Nice lists.”
I laugh softly, tilting my head up to meet his gaze, feeling that familiar spark, that endless, addictive pull that’s always been between us. “I’m looking forward to every single one of them.”
He kisses me then, slow and deep, a promise and a declaration all in one. And as I melt into him, with Holly in my arms and the warmth of our family surrounding us, I know this is everything I’ve ever wanted—my perfect Christmas, my perfect love, my perfect life, here in Copper Mountain.
“I love you, Kandi Kane. From now until forever.”
I burst into a fit of giggles before my husband pulls me into a heated kiss, promising so much more just as soon as we get back to Santa’s workshop.
The End.
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Mistletoe and the Mountain Man and don’t forget to grab your free steamy read from me here!
Read Pope and Ruby’s story in Built to Last, a grumpy-sunshine, opposites attract, over-the-top alpha insta-love story in the Men of Copper Mountain series here.