Chapter 6

SIX

Ginger

I stretch on my toes, trying to hang the last string of lights along the rafters, but of course, the bulbs decide to burn out right as I’m almost done. I groan in frustration, letting the string drop from my hands and dangle uselessly. There’s always something, isn’t there?

It’s just a few days before the big holiday party, and the town square is buzzing with last-minute preparations. I’ve been volunteering for hours, trying to make sure everything is perfect for the event. The twinkling lights, the pine-scented garlands, the mistletoe—it’s supposed to feel magical, but right now, all I feel is exhausted.

I grab the burned-out string of lights and start untangling them, but my thoughts are far from the task at hand. The note I left for my secret admirer is still on my mind. It’s been days since I demanded that he meet me under the mistletoe at the party, and I haven’t heard a word back. I know he took my last note, but the silence since then has been eating away at me.

What if he doesn’t show up? What if he just... disappears?

“Uh…need a hand with that?”

The deep voice jolts me out of my thoughts, and I look up, startled. Standing just a few feet away are Kip and Huxley, both of them dressed casually but looking like they belong in a magazine spread for rugged, outdoorsy men. I wasn’t expecting them, and the sight of Kip—his broad shoulders, his quiet confidence—sends a shiver down my spine.

“Oh, uh, yeah,” I stammer, holding up the string of lights. “These decided to burn out on me.”

Kip steps forward, his expression calm but focused as he takes the lights from my hands. He angles his head to the right, and I know that he’s trying to hide the scars that mar that side of his face and neck. It’s obvious that he’s self-conscious about them, but I don’t know why. It makes him look edgy and sexy.

His fingers brush mine for a split second, and I feel a spark of warmth shoot through me. “I’ll take care of it,” he says, his voice low and rough.

I glance at Cora, who’s been helping me decorate, and she gives me a wide-eyed look before quickly turning her attention back to a garland she’s hanging on the light post outside of the Nosh Diner. I can tell she’s trying not to smirk.

Kip carefully inspects the lights, his brow furrowed in concentration as he works on replacing the burned-out bulbs. Huxley, meanwhile, is chatting with some of the other volunteers, making jokes and keeping things light as usual. But my attention is locked on Kip.

“Should be good now,” he says, pulling me out of my thoughts. He plugs in the lights, and they flicker to life, casting a soft, warm glow over the room.

“Thanks,” I say, smiling up at him. “You’re a lifesaver.”

He shrugs, offering me a small smile in return. “No problem.”

For a moment, we just stand there, the twinkling lights between us, and I can’t help but feel a strange sense of connection. It’s quiet, but it’s there—a warmth, an understanding. I wonder if he feels it too, or if it’s just my imagination running wild.

“So, are you helping out with the festival?” I ask, trying to keep the conversation going.

Kip nods, glancing around at the decorations. “Yeah. Huxley and I thought we’d lend a hand.”

“Well, it’s good to have more volunteers,” I say, hoping I don’t sound as nervous as I feel. “This place is going to look amazing once we’re done.”

He nods again, his eyes scanning the block, but there’s something thoughtful in his gaze, like he’s thinking about something else entirely. I want to ask him what’s on his mind, but I don’t. Instead, I focus on the task at hand, hanging more lights and garlands while we work side by side in comfortable silence.

At one point, our hands brush again as we both reach for the same string of lights, and I feel my heart skip a beat. I glance up at him, and for a split second, I think I see something flicker in his eyes—something more than just casual friendliness.

Could he feel the same way about me? Could he...?

No, stop it, Ginger. Don’t let your mind go there. He’s probably just being nice.

But the thought lingers, and as we finish hanging the last of the decorations, I find myself wishing— hoping —that Kip could be the one behind the letters. It would make sense, wouldn’t it? He’s always around, always so quiet and careful. And the way he looks at me sometimes...

“Ready to head out?” Kip’s voice breaks through my thoughts, and I blink, realizing that we’ve finished. The town square looks magical now, the lights twinkling and the decorations perfectly in place.

I glance at Cora, who’s already putting on her coat. “Yeah, I’m ready.”

Kip walks with me as we step out into the cold night, our breaths visible in the frosty air. The snow has started falling again, soft and gentle, blanketing the streets in white. It’s beautiful, the kind of night that makes you want to hold someone close and never let go.

We walk in silence for a while, our footsteps crunching in the snow. I sneak glances at Kip, wondering if he’s going to say something, if he feels the same pull I do. There’s a tension between us—something unspoken but undeniable.

When we reach my front door, I stop, turning to face him. My heart is pounding, and I’m not sure why I’m so nervous. He looks down at me, his eyes unreadable in the dim light, and for a moment, I think he might kiss me.

I want him to kiss me.

But he doesn’t. He hesitates, then gives me a small, almost shy smile. “Goodnight, Ginger.”

Disappointment floods me, but I force a smile. “Goodnight, Kip.”

He lingers for a second longer, as if he’s debating something, but then he turns and walks away, his figure disappearing into the falling snow.

I watch him go, my heart aching in my chest. Part of me wonders if I should have said something, done something to close the distance between us. But instead, I turn the key in my door and step inside, the warmth of the house doing nothing to ease the chill in my chest.

I lean against the door, closing my eyes as I replay the night in my mind. I don’t know if Kip will ever see me the way I see him, or if my secret admirer will ever reveal himself.

But for now, I’ll keep hoping. Maybe, just maybe, this Christmas will bring me the love I’ve been waiting for.

And if Kip is my secret admirer... well, that would be the best gift of all.