Chapter 22

22

T he fire crackled in the hearth, casting a warm glow across Alyssa’s face. Denise studied the way the shadows played across her features, searching for any hint of what might be troubling her.

The seafood pasta had turned out better than she’d expected - the sauce rich and creamy, the shrimp perfectly cooked. She’d even managed to track down a bottle of that crisp Chablis that paired so wonderfully with seafood.

But something felt off.

Throughout dinner, Alyssa’s smiles hadn’t quite reached her eyes. Even now, curled up on the couch beside her, Alyssa seemed distant despite her insistence that she was just tired.

Denise took a slow sip of wine, gathering her courage. “Would you like to spend Christmas with me?”

The silence stretched between them, broken only by the snap and pop of burning wood. Each passing second made Denise’s chest tighten further.

“Really?” Alyssa asked.

Denise nodded.

“These past few weeks...” Alyssa sat up, turning to face her. “They’ve been like something out of a dream. But I can’t keep pretending this isn’t going to end.” She looked away for a second. “Because it is. Really soon.”

Denise stared at her. “Why?”

“Why? Because your life is in Los Angeles.”

“What if it wasn’t?” Denise studied Alyssa, her heart pounding against her ribs. The fire crackled beside them, filling the silence.

Alyssa’s eyes widened. “What do you mean? Your job, your life... it’s all there.”

Denise took a deep breath, her gaze steady on Alyssa. “What if I wanted to stay here? In Stony Creek.”

Alyssa’s lips parted in surprise. She looked away, her brow furrowing as she processed the words. Denise could see the gears turning in her mind, the questions rising. When Alyssa met her eyes again, there was a vulnerability there that made Denise’s chest ache.

“You’d want to stay here?” Alyssa asked, her voice soft. “With me?”

Denise felt a lump form in her throat. She nodded, unable to find the words to express the swirl of emotions inside her. She reached out, her hand covering Alyssa’s.

Alyssa looked down at their hands, her fingers curling around Denise’s. “I thought... I thought you couldn’t wait to leave,” she said, her voice barely audible.

Denise squeezed her hand, her thumb gently rubbing circles on Alyssa’s skin. “I thought so too,” she admitted. “But right now, it’s the last thing I want.”

Denise’s heart hammered in her chest. The admission hung in the air between them.

Alyssa shifted closer, her knee brushing against Denise’s thigh. “What about your career?”

“It’s not important. Not anymore. I’ve achieved everything I wanted to and more. But I’ve spent twenty-five years running.” Denise traced her thumb along Alyssa’s knuckles. “Running from this place, from everything it reminded me of. But being here with you...” She swallowed hard. “For the first time in my life, I don’t want to run.”

“Denise...” Alyssa’s voice cracked.

“I know it sounds crazy. Maybe it is.” Denise lifted her free hand to Alyssa’s cheek. “But I’ve never felt more like myself than I do right now, sitting here with you.”

The fire popped, sending sparks dancing up the chimney. Alyssa leaned into her touch, her eyes glistening in the firelight. Denise could feel her own walls crumbling, years of carefully maintained distance falling away under the weight of Alyssa’s gaze.

“What about the tree farm?” Alyssa asked softly.

“I don’t want to sell it.” The words tumbled out before Denise could stop them, surprising even herself with their truth. “Not anymore.”

Alyssa’s eyes searched hers. “You’re serious?”

Denise nodded, her hand still cupping Alyssa’s cheek. “I am.”

“Come here,” Alyssa breathed, tugging Denise toward her.

Their lips met in a slow, tender kiss that stole the breath from Denise’s lungs. Alyssa’s fingers threaded through her hair, drawing her closer, deepening the kiss with a gentle urgency.

The kiss stretched on, Alyssa’s thumb stroking along her jaw, a tender gesture that made Denise’s skin tingle.

The warmth of Alyssa’s lips lingered as they broke apart. Denise’s eyes settled on the Christmas tree they’d decorated together, its white lights twinkling in front of the window.

For the first time, Denise could see it all clearly - not as a burden to escape, but as a future to embrace.

With Alyssa, this house could be more than just the place she grew up.

It could be their home.