All three of them wiggle their eyes at us as Luke grabs my hand and leads us through the crowd, away from them. We walk around the cul-de-sac, saying hi to Santa and his elves, pet some real reindeer, and snap a few photos with the Grinch. As we grab a bowl of chili, we eat and walk around, admiring the light displays on the houses around us.
“These aren’t even the best ones. Want to get on one of thecarriages? They take us through the rest of the neighborhood and can drop us off at Nonni’s house,” Luke suggests as he dumps our empty bowls into a nearby trash can.
“Now that’s an idea of yours that I can agree with,” I admit as a burst of wind brushes past us, and I rub my hands up and down my arms to try to warm myself. Luke’s smile drops before he shimmies off his jacket. “No, you don’t have to give up your jacket.”
“I’ll be fine. Take it, please.”
“Luke—” I try to protest, but he’s already wrapping me up in his jacket, and I practically melt into its warmth. “Thank you.”
“You're welcome. Now follow me.”
He leads me to one of the waiting white carriages that’s parked across the street. I admire the beautiful golden swirls engraved on the wood and the jingle bells that decorate the bright-red ropes. To top it off, the carriage is pulled by a gorgeous brown-and-white Clydesdale horse, and its long brown mane is braided and hanging down its right side.
“Hi there,” I say to the horse, marveling at just how large the animal is. “What’s your name?”
“Her name is Elsa. One of the best horses I own,” a man says, hopping down from the front of the carriage and reaching a hand out toward us. “I’m Ivan, and I’ll be your coachman this evening.”
Ivan shakes our hands with a smile, revealing a set of bright-white teeth underneath a gray mustache, a slight twinkle in his eye as he looks back and forth between us. He shows us where the steps are and helps me onto the platform first as Luke follows behind me. Ivan moves toward a box that sits across from us and grabs a blanket, handing it to me.
“In case you all get cold and want to snuggle,” he says, and I take the incredibly soft red blanket from him. “Where are you all headed?”
Luke gives him the address and helps spread the blanketaround our waists and legs. Ivan nods, reaching into the box once more and pulling out a container of homemade fudge that he encourages us to help ourselves to. He turns on some relaxing Christmas music from a small speaker before hopping onto the front of the carriage and giving the ropes a shake, causing the sound of jingles to fill the air.
“Don’t mind me. I’m going to plug in my headphones and finish a book I’ve been listening to. That way, you two can have some privacy.” As he finishes, he places two earbuds into his ears and leaves Luke and me to ourselves.
Luke lifts an arm, but before he wraps it around my shoulder, he asks, “Is this okay?”
I give him a nod and snuggle closer to him as his hand grips my shoulder. We make a few comments on some light displays as the carriage rolls us down the street, and I gradually find myself sinking closer into his side.
We’re sitting so close now that Luke’s gloved hand is rubbing up and down my shoulder, leaving a trail of goosebumps hidden underneath my many layers. My heart is squeezing, waiting for the moment that I’ll finally let it open up to Luke.
Liquid heat pulses through my veins, making me hot despite the chilly air. I remove myself from his embrace to take off his jacket and hand it back to him. A deep flush begins to work its way up my chest and settles into my cheeks as I admit, “This blanket gets the job done.”
He hums, looking a bit distracted as he slips his jacket back on and keeps his eyes on the passing scenery around us.
“What is it?” I ask.
“Huh? Oh, it’s nothing.”
“Something is on your mind. What is it?”
“You won’t let this go, will you?” He chuckles as I shake my head no. “Well, you said something a few days ago, and it has been bothering me ever since.”
“What is it?” I ask.
His brows furrow together as he presses his lips into a tight line. “You said you felt like you’re too much. I can’t figure out what on earth could make you feel this way.”
He watches me closely, his gaze trying to figure out the answer before I say it out loud. I shrug my shoulders, listening to the tune of “Silent Night” on the speakers for a moment.
“I mean, you can't deny that I’m not. I’m overly passionate. I don’t back down from a fight or let things go. I’m full of energy all the time, and sometimes it’s too much.” I inhale a breath of cold air, hoping it’ll cool me off, as I continue my answer. “I guess I didn’t really feel that way about myself until I dated Adam.”
Luke practically snarls at the mention of my ex-boyfriend's name.
“I should have known he was the one to put lies into your head.”
“Well, I kind of asked for it. After we had broken up and he came to get his stuff from my house, I asked him what it was about me that made him stop loving me.”
I can practically feel the tension that settles heavily between us. Luke’s shoulders stiffen, his jaw tight, his anger practically seeping into my skin.
