Page 2 of You Make It Feel like Christmas

N ICHOLAS K ING SCANNED THE narrow two-lane street for a parking spot but there was no way his behemoth of a truck was going to fit between any of the narrowly painted white lines.

When his sister, Ellie, had said small town, he hadn’t considered that she meant one right out of a Hallmark movie.

Taking a right at the four-way, he eased in against the curb behind another vehicle.

Once he cut the engine, Nick closed his eyes and took a couple deep breaths.

He’d left late and traffic had sucked, but he was here.

Almost. He just needed to grab some cookies for his nephew, Asher.

Getting out of the truck tweaked his knee.

Swearing under his breath, he pushed away the irritation he felt over not being in the shape he should be.

Everyday activities shouldn’t fucking hurt.

Even the side street looked like it was part of a Christmas movie. Wreaths hung on every door, lights and holiday displays adorned the windows, and the parking meters had reindeer antlers. The ones on the meter he fed were falling over so he had to move them to get his coins in.

When he turned the corner onto Main Street, a classic Bing Crosby tune played from hidden speakers.

The sun was sinking lower in the sky, casting a gentle, yellowish glow over snowcapped mountains in the distance.

Ellie would probably complain about Nick showing up with treats, but that was an uncle’s right and Nick hadn’t seen the kid, other than on FaceTime, for too long.

Lately, he’d been missing Asher and Ellie a lot more than usual. Nick moved around people on the sidewalk, his shoulders tensing as they glanced his way for more than a few seconds. When he received no more than a “Merry Christmas,” he relaxed, his breath coming more freely.

You’re not in your hometown or at a hockey arena. Get over yourself. The only guy most of these people are excited to see is Santa.

Though he wasn’t feeling like the merriest version of himself, the thought made him laugh. It’d been a while for that, as well.

A FTER GRABBING SOME COOKIES at a place that could only be described as a bakery run by Santa’s elves, Nick made the rest of the journey to his sister’s place.

He might not be Buddy the Elf but Nick was excited to wake up on Christmas morning with his family.

The closer he got to Ellie’s new house, the more positive he felt.

He hated that he’d been injured but he needed this break. More than he wanted to admit.

Playing professionally took laser focus and dedication.

He’d never wavered; not from wanting it and not from working for it.

It often left him no time for anything else.

Now, the stark realization that nothing lasted forever was reminding him of all the other things he’d pushed to the wayside in his life.

This latest injury, on top of his media mishap a few months ear lier, piled on top of losing his estranged mother and finding out his sister was getting a divorce, had thrown Nick mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Despite seeing a therapist, putting his all into rehab, and trying to find something resembling Zen, pulling out of this slump was proving harder than he’d ever imagined.

By the time he turned into the long drive, the sun had dipped in between the mountaintops, looking more like a painting than reality.

He’d FaceTimed with them to see the property, the business, and the house, but seeing it in person was better.

It was incredible. A wide timber sign sat behind one of the fences wrapped with holiday lights.

It read T ICKLE T REE F ARMS and boasted twenty-six acres of beautiful space that offered U-pick or ready-to-go trees.

The lot was closed for the evening but would be open right up to Christmas Eve.

When Ellie told him about the place, he’d been distractedly excited for her.

But when she told him about her divorce six months ago, and her plans to move forward, he was concerned about her taking on so much on her own.

He just wanted her to be okay and he felt like if he’d been paying more attention to something besides himself and his career, his sister wouldn’t have had to face so much alone.

Misplaced guilt , his therapist would say. At least he was learning something.

He took a left at the end of the drive, a small smile lifting his lips.

There were lights everywhere. The two-story farmhouse came into view and a sense of peace, something he recognized because it happened so infrequently lately, washed over him.

He couldn’t see the neighbors to the left but he knew they weren’t too far away.

The place wasn’t isolated, just private.

A private wonderland that was perfect for Ellie and Asher.

His sister’s Cherokee was parked in the driveway, blocked in by an aging and ugly red Jeep, a rental sedan, and a minivan.

His smile grew, knowing he’d give their old friend, Colton Bell, a hard time if the minivan was his.

It’d been way too long since he’d seen Colton.

He hadn’t even met his husband, Jacob. Between their careers, life, and physical distance, not to mention Nick traveling all the time, he hadn’t really seen anyone.

Maybe that was something to consider for the pro side of the list taking up too much space in his brain. He got out of the truck, grabbed his bags and the cookies, and hadn’t taken two full steps toward the house when his nephew came barreling out the door in bright-green pajamas and snow boots.

“Uncle Nick!”

Nick’s heart lodged in his throat, emotion pummeling him, as his four-year-old nephew flew across the porch, practically diving down the stairs. He dropped his bags, balanced the cookie box precariously, and winced as he bent low to scoop him up with his free arm.

Closing his eyes, there was no need to force a smile this time. “Hey, kid. Nice jammies.”

Little arms curled around his neck. “I missed you, Uncle Nick.”

When he opened his eyes, he saw his sister standing in the doorway, a smile on her pretty face. Her long blond waves cascaded around her shoulders. Nick’s heart squeezed painfully. These two people were everything to him.

“I missed you too,” he said. Setting him down, he picked up his bags and nudged Asher. “It’s cold out here. Let’s go in.”

And then, Asher proceeded to fill him in on every single moment in one run-on sentence. While the kid rambled, Nick went up the steps, dropped his bags again, and pulled his sister into a tight hug.

“Hey,” he said. The tension in his shoulders, his spine, and his chest loosened just from seeing, for himself, that they were good. They’d landed on their feet.

“Hey, yourself. Nice truck.”

He pulled back, Asher still giving him the scoop on every single thing, and smiled. “I like it. Figured if I was driving up here, I might as well be comfortable.”

“You look tired,” Ellie said, stepping away to pull her long sweater tight around her.

“Long drive,” he said. Asher was still rambling. Nick only caught every third or fourth word, the kid was talking so fast.

Her brows rose. “Uh-huh.” She knew him too well.

They moved into the foyer of the house and shut the door. He glanced around, taking in the high ceilings, gleaming wood floors, and little touches of Christmas. Mini twinkle lights and sprigs of greenery wove in and out of short, fat candles on a dark-stained wood entrance table.

He eyed the small tree with a grin. “How many trees do you have up and decorated?”

Ellie lifted her chin. “A few. One isn’t decorated yet.”

Nick laughed. Their mom would never let them get real trees because she didn’t want “something else to take care of.” Ironic, since Nick had been the one who cared for Ellie.

Asher tugged Nick’s free hand. “You should see my room, Uncle Nick. I hung up all my posters.”

Nick’s lips twitched as he met his sister’s gaze. “See, he’s handling the transition well.”

“What doesn’t he handle well?” Ellie asked.

“Are those my cookies?” Asher asked, eyeing the box without brushing back the strands of light-brown hair that fell a little long over his forehead.

“Asher,” Ellie said in that low, slightly drawn-out mom tone that still amused Nick.

He didn’t know where she had learned it because their mother hadn’t ever spoken to them with that sort of gentle firmness.

If she had bothered with them at all, it was to harp on Ellie for every little thing or to pressure Nick into working harder. As if that was possible.

“Of course they are,” Nick said, holding the box out, slipping his boots off and then his jacket.

Asher took the box and went running down the hall, yelling, “More cookies!”

More? When Nick hung his coat and put his boots away in one of the multiple closets along the wall, he moved to pick up his bags but Ellie stepped in front of him.

“I’ve missed you, Nicky.”

He rolled his eyes. She was the only one who got away with that shit. “Jesus, you’re still such a brat.”

She laughed and gave him another tight hug. “It’s a little sister rule. It’ll never change.”

Unsure if it was her or her house that smelled like cinnamon, he hugged her back. “You doing okay?”

She pulled away, looked up at him with blue eyes much like his own, only hers were a little brighter. “I’m good.”

Nick picked up his duffels. “He call? Contact you?”

Ellie shook her head.

“Asshole.”

His sister laughed. “You’re not wrong. But I just want to focus on Christmas and all the good things.”

He started to tease her about being such a Pollyanna but, in truth, he envied her ability to always look on the bright side. Her ex had not only cheated on her but elevated the level of his assholery by telling her it was her fault. It was best Nick not ever be in the same room with him again.

And to focus his thoughts elsewhere: “Where is Colt?”

She led him down the hallway. “Walking the grounds. He and his hubby arrived right after Jacob’s younger sister showed up, with cookies, and right before his other sister and her husband arrived.

She’s pregnant. The older one. None of them have seen each other in a while so they’re all pretty excited and ready to celebrate.

Jacob’s parents won’t be here until tomorrow though. ”

Nick raised his brows at his sister sounding a lot like Asher with her details. Her enthusiasm for entertaining was something he’d never shared, but it felt damn good to be here and know he was going to be part of a family holiday.

They stopped in the kitchen where Asher was lugging a jug of milk out of the fridge. He already had a cookie on a plate.

He looked at them with a proud smile, hair still falling in his eyes. “I got it, Mom.”

“One cookie, Ash.”

His little bottom lip slipped between his teeth and Nick wanted to grab the jug for him, pour his damn milk, but he kind of loved the way his sister just let him try, let him be independent.

“When the Smarties get back, can we watch a Christmas movie?” Asher asked, taking a wobbly step onto his stool before letting the jug hit the counter.

“You could buy a smaller jug of milk,” Nick whispered, his lips twitching into a smile. Determination ran in the family.

“He’s got it,” Ellie said as Asher turned the lid, balancing it against the glass edge.

“I got it, Uncle Nick. I’m strong like you.”

Another squeeze in his chest. His heart was likely to get the bigger workout than the rest of him this week. “Yeah, you are, bud.”

“See?” Asher beamed.

The pride on Asher’s face when he successfully poured his milk reminded Nick that it had been a long time since he’d celebrated a small triumph. It also made him realize Asher was getting big so fast; he didn’t want to miss it all.

“Good job, bud. Make sure you put it away. I’m going to take Uncle Nick up to his room.”

Nick followed his sister up the stairs that led off the kitchen. “So, Colt, his husband, an older sister, and his husband’s parents?”

On the wide-open wood-planked landing, Ellie stopped again. The glow of the moon was coming through the skylight. “Plus Jacob and Natalie’s—that’s the older one—younger sister. She’s adorable and sweet. She offered to update my website and take new photos.”

Probably for a price. Just because they were Colt’s family didn’t mean they couldn’t take advantage of his sister.

“She qualified for that?”

Ellie shook her head, walked to one of the doors on the right, and opened it. “You’re such a cynic.”

Moving past her, he walked into the room and threw his bags on the king-size bed covered in a Grinch comforter. He turned and faced her, hands on his hips.

“Nice bedding, brat. Also, I’m a realist, El. And you didn’t answer the question.”

He’d missed the signs her ex-husband was taking advantage of not only her but Nick’s name. He wouldn’t do that again.

“She’s Colton’s sister-in-law, Nick. She looks and acts like a badass Disney princess and we’ve already bonded over idiot exes and snickerdoodles, so we’re basically best friends.”

She turned and walked out of the room.

He followed. “And look at that; you still haven’t answered my question.”

She groaned, looked back over her shoulder. “I missed you, but not your protective older brother foolishness.”

He couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s not foolishness. It’s called wisdom.”

His sister snort laughed and it reminded him of when he used to make her laugh so hard she couldn’t breathe.

Ellie covered her mouth, then composed herself. “Let your guard down, Nicky. She’s a professional photographer. You’ll love Maisie. I guarantee it.”

Nick stopped like he hit a brick wall. When the Smarties get back… Smart. Photographer. Maisie Smart. Holy shit.

His lungs constricted and images flashed through his head like a movie on fast-forward.

Rich, brown eyes that saw right through a man.

Hair softer than silk. A smile that haunted his dreams even months after.

Laughter that rang in his head. A touch that made him ache.

The way she’d moved against him and the scent of her shampoo.

Her fingers on his skin, his hands all over her, her legs wrapped around him, her mouth on his, kissing her, touching her, learning her, and falling so hard he’d have been content to stay forever.

But he’d had to leave. And force himself, almost daily, not to look back.

“Nick?”

He looked at his sister, his pulse beating like a drum in his ears.

“You okay?”

No. He was screwed.