Chapter 15: Austin

I love you. The words hit me like a freight train and Colt is just standing there. Surprise all over his face. He didn’t mean to say that. I could tell, but I can also see that he isn’t trying to take them back.

The words are there, on the tip of my tongue to say back to him, and yet, they don’t come out. I love Colt more than I thought possible, but I never expected for him to say them first. I thought it would be me. I need to tell him. Need him to know that I feel the same way.

“Colt,” I start, but I’m not able to finish my sentence, as Colt’s cell starts ringing.

He pulls out his cell and looks at the screen before looking at me. “It’s the sheriff.”

“You better answer it.”

Colt slides his finger across the screen and puts the cell up to his ear, and just as I’m about to walk away, Colt grabs hold of me, pulling me to his side and placing a kiss on the side of my head. Looks like he hasn’t minded that I didn’t say I love you back.

“You’re joking. They can’t,” Colt states. “No, seriously, they can’t.”

“Colt, what is it?” Suddenly getting concerned.

“It’s the town. They’re trying to clear the road,” Colt replies, pulling the cell away from his ear.

“Well, I figured they would.” I would’ve thought that this was a normal thing to do.

“No, they’re clearing the road to us. Want to make sure they can get access to the driveway.”

“Why?”

“So, the festival can still take place tomorrow.”

“Holy shit. Can they do that?”

“Sheriff, I’m going to put you on speaker so that Austin can hear you too, if that’s okay.”

I don’t think that the sheriff has time to answer before Colt is holding his hand out flat, the cell on his palm.

“Go ahead, Sheriff,” Colt states.

“So, as I was saying, a meeting has just been held and it has been agreed that we all want the festival to take place. It meant so much to your Gran and Pops, hell, it means so much to this town. So, the plows are going to work in shifts to clear the road, to at least clear the entrance of the ranch, and then we’re going to start on the driveway.”

“Are you sure?” I ask, “That seems like an awful lot to ask people to do.”

“You didn’t ask, they offered,” The sheriff replies.

“There is no way we can change people's minds, is there?” Colt asks.

“Nope,” The sheriff confirms.

“Look Sheriff, we lost power out here. There is no way we’re going to be able to get that restored in time.”

“That’s good to know. Leave that one with me. I think I have a solution,” Sheriff adds. “But are you two doing okay?”

“We’re good,” I reply, “Colt has been showing me the ropes.”

“I thought he might. Heart of gold, that man. He’s going to make someone a very fine husband one day.”

“Do you two mind? I’m still standing here,” Colt adds, but I can see the smile on his face.

“Right, I will keep you updated on the progress over the next few hours. How’s the battery on your cells?”

“I have some power packs that I keep charged up; I will make sure our cells have a charge,” Colt replies, and I’m not sure I could love him more in that moment.

“Good. See you tomorrow boys.” And the sheriff hangs up.

“I can’t believe that all of the people in town are doing that so the festival can still go on,” Colt finally says, as he slips the cell back into his pocket.

“You just needed to have hope. And realize that the town loves you as much as they loved Gran and Pops.”

“They love you, too,” Colt adds.

“They don’t really know me, which is my fault. Looking back, I should’ve made an effort to come and visit. But they will get to know me,” I state, firmly, because I know that I’m not going anywhere.

“Fuck, we have some work to do,” Colt suddenly replies, looking around. “We need to clear more snow, check on the trees inside the barn, and check on food.”

“Colt, calm down. The trees in the barn are all good. I checked them earlier. They also have lights on them, so we will need to turn all the batteries off to conserve power for tomorrow. If the people are coming to clear the drive, then I’m sure that they can help here tomorrow for anything else that needs to be done.”

“Okay, but Gran’s cookies. It won’t be the same without them. And, oh, the presents from Santa.”

“Can you make the cookies at the ranch house? The oven is gas too, right?”

“Yes.”

“Do you have all the ingredients?”

“Yeah, I got them last week, so I was prepared.”

“Great. So, here’s the plan. Go back to your place and get everything that you need. I will make my way back over to the house and get the oven warming. We still have some soup from last night. I will get that heated up.

“And the presents?” Colt asks, but I can see the smile on his lips.

“If you would’ve let me finish.” I give him a smile back. “I will work on the presents while you bake. In fairness, I was quicker at wrapping than you.”

“That’s not fair. I’m not used to it. That was always Gran’s job, and she worked on it for weeks,” Colt replies, trying to defend himself.

“That’s a pathetic excuse and you know it,” I reply, before leaning over and giving him a quick kiss on the lips, before taking hold of his shoulders and turning him around on the spot, and swatting his ass forward. “Now, get going.”

Colt, chuckling, starts to walk towards his house when I realize he hasn’t told me the setting for the oven.

“Colt, what do I need to set the oven to?”

“Three fifty,” Colt shouts over his shoulder, and I keep repeating the number until I’m in the kitchen, looking at the stove that is not giving me temperatures, but numbers instead. A quick internet search tells me I need to put the oven at gas mark four. Operation Christmas festival is now a go.

I actually have no idea how we did it. But Colt managed to get several batches of cookies made, and ready to be iced the following day, and I managed to get all the presents wrapped for Santa. At some point, Colt even managed to light the fire in the living room, and we fell into the makeshift bed exhausted, in each other’s arms.

The sound of my alarm going off wakes me. and I’m surprised to find that Colt is still fast asleep behind me, his slight snoring giving him away. I hadn’t known he snored, and it was kinda cute.

“Colt,” I say his name softly, as I roll around in his arms, and place a gentle kiss on his lips.

“Mmmm,” Colt mumbles.

“Time to get up.”

“Not time yet,” Colt says, keeping his eyes closed.

“No, my alarm has just gone off.” Which causes Colt’s eyes to fly open, and he almost jumps out of bed, like it has caught fire.

“I’m always awake before the alarm, always.” And Colt looks genuinely perplexed by the fact he had to be woken up.

“Baby,” I say softly. “We were up late. Well, for us. Yesterday was busy. You are allowed to sleep.”

“I know, it’s just… It’s never happened before. I think I blame you. Not the fact we were busy.”

“How am I to blame?”

“Well, you are so warm and soft, and inviting. Who wouldn’t want to stay in bed with you?” And Colt pulls me into a kiss, his tongue slipping into my mouth, and I can feel myself melting against him.

“No!” Giving him a gentle push back. “We have chores. You can’t kiss me like that when we need to get up.”

“I think it might persuade you to stay in bed.”

“Okay, who are you, and what have you done with my Colt?” I demand, which causes him to laugh, and let me go.

“You’re right, animals come first,” Colt says with a smile, and I know then, that he had been testing me, or teasing me.

“Yes, they do.” As I lean over and give him another kiss. “You know, I don’t think I’m ever going to get tired of being able to kiss you like that.”

“Yeah, it is nice.” But there is something in his voice that makes me think that he doesn’t quite believe that statement. Colt must think that I’m still planning on leaving. I can only assume that me not telling him I love him too, will have helped with that. That is something that I’m going to have to change.

Colt and I work tirelessly over the next few hours. Checking all the livestock and chickens. Cleaning out the stables and getting the horses ready for the festival. I still couldn’t believe that it was going to take place, but we had received a few phone calls during the morning, and everything seemed to be going to plan, and I couldn’t help feeling excited.

Colt seemed to be excited too, even if he was stressing over Gran’s cookies, to the point that I made him go back to the ranch to finish icing them. He needed the daylight anyway, and there were also some last-minute decorations that I wanted to put up in the barn. Which was mainly some mistletoe I had found growing on a tree not far from the chicken coop.

“Austin.” Hearing Colt shout my name, I check the mistletoe one last time and leave the barn.

“Yeah.”

“The sheriff just called. They made it to the bottom of the drive and have started making their way up,” Colt explains. “Let’s get over there with the shovels and see if we can do anything.”

Taking hold of his hand, we walk over to the top of the drive, but realize our shovels are useless. I have no idea what the machines are, but it’s picking up the snow, and then shooting it out via a funnel on the side. It actually looks like it’s snowing.

“Can you believe this?” I say over to Colt.

“It’s why I love this town,” Colt replies, giving my hand a squeeze.

I don’t know how long we’re standing there, but what feels like minutes later, the sheriff is standing in front of us, and I see the second he spots me and Colt holding hands, and the smile that appears on his face.

“There is a string of people behind me. Just point us in the right direction.”

A string of people was an understatement. Everyone was there, including Mr. Smith, carrying a rather large bag that I could see hints of red fabric sticking out of.

“Mr. Smith, the ranch house is free when you need to change,” I tell him, going over to him, and taking the bag out of his hand. “I’ll take this and place it in the kitchen for you.”

“You look different, Austin,” Mr. Smith states.

“I feel different,” I tell him.

“Ranch life suits you,” Mr. Smith adds with a glance over to Colt, who is directing someone who is carrying what looks like a generator.

“I couldn’t agree more.” Giving a smile as I walk away.

The festival was a huge success, well, in my eyes anyway. Mr. Smith had been a wonderful Santa, and the kids had loved all the presents. Colt, of course, had gotten a major kick out of telling one of the teenagers that I was a programmer behind the Road to Valhalla game. I was seriously followed around by a group for at least an hour, all of them asking questions, till the point I turned around and promised to meet up with them in the new year, where I would answer all their questions, and I would even listen to suggestions for the next game. Which had gained me instant approval as the best adult at the festival.

“I can’t believe it’s over,” Colt states, coming up next to me.

“It was so good. I had so much fun. Oh, and you’ll never guess who won Mr. Smith’s holiday,” I add.

“Who?” Colt asks, like he’s about to reserve the best gossip in town.

“Me.”

“Holy shit. That’s amazing!” Colt enthuses.

“We will have to figure out who we trust to cover the ranch while we’re away, but I have never been to Aspen, so that’s exciting.”

“We?”

“Colt, you are the only person that I’m going to be taking to Aspen,” I tell him, as I turn him to face me, and I wrap my arms around him.

“I haven’t been either,” Colt adds.

“It will be a first for both of us,” I add, but there is still an uncertainty in his eyes, and I need to get him to believe that I’m here to stay, so I add, “you know, next year, we are going to need to start sooner. Make the next festival even better.”

“Next year?” Colt questions.

“Colt, baby, as I keep telling you. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I know, it’s just...” Colt adds.

“I left once before.” Colt nods his head in agreement. “I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”

Pointing up, I watch as Colt’s head moves up, and spots the mistletoe above our heads, it was the reason that I was standing here. Colt looks at me, his eyes light up with love and he leans over and kisses me.

“I love you,” I tell him, as we break apart. “I’m finally home, here at the ranch with you, and I will never leave you again.”

Colt pulls me into his arms, and holds me tight under the mistletoe, before sealing his lips over mine. It might have taken me fifteen years, but finally, I am where I’m supposed to be. I am home.