24. Lydia

24

LYDIA

" D inner was amazing. I could eat that Cajun pasta every day," Violet said as we exited the restaurant.

We all chose to eat at a place downtown to experience the full ambiance of the mistletoe festival. All the business owners around the park had decorated their doorways with mistletoe. Even I had hung some up over the gallery's doorway.

Ben grabbed Violet's hand, and she snuggled up against him as we walked down Main Street to the park. The more I saw them together, the happier I became.

Max chuckled and glanced back at Violet and Ben. "I could, too. It was so good." Then he looked at me. "Your pecan-crusted salmon looked delicious as well. I'll have to try that next time."

"Oh, it was fantastic," I claimed, "but you know nothing is as good as . . ."

He chuckled and finished my sentence. "The lobster mac and cheese balls from The Refined Roadster."

"Exactly," I said, laughing along with him.

"Sis, I think Ben and I are going to walk around and grab some treats."

I glanced back at them and winked at her. "Have fun. We're going to do the same."

Couples were everywhere, holding hands and grabbing delicious treats from the various booths around the park.

Max flourished a hand around the park. "Making December fourteenth a Christmas version of Valentine's Day is pretty awesome. How long has this been a thing?"

I think of the old box of photographs my mother had stored in her spare bedroom. In there were photographs of her attending Mistletoe Mania with her parents, as well as older photographs of my grandparents at the festival when they were younger.

"It's been big here for a very long time," I replied. "My mom has pictures of my grandparents kissing in the gazebo when they were just teenagers."

Max's eyes widened. "Wow."

"I know, right? Granted, the gazebo has been refurbished since then, and the festival's name was changed about twenty years ago. It used to be just the Mistletoe Festival, but the townspeople voted to change it to Mistletoe Mania."

We walked around the park and ate almost a dozen cookies between us. Everywhere I turned, people gazed lovingly into each other's eyes and shared sweet kisses. My heart longed to be with someone else and there was no denying it anymore. All I could think about was Jake. It wasn't fair to Max; he deserved to be with someone who could be fully in love with him. I honestly didn't think that would ever be me. Even if Max was my true path, I didn't feel it in my heart. And if I didn't feel it, there was no way he could be the one for me. I'd always believed that being in love was one of the strongest emotions a person would experience in their lives. What I felt for Jake was just that. I couldn't imagine ever feeling that way about anyone else; I didn't want to.

"No one's in the gazebo," Max pointed out. "Want to sit down for a while?"

The gazebo had been covered in mistletoe in addition to the twinkling lights, ribbons, and garlands. I couldn't do it.

I stepped in front of Max and closed my eyes, my pulse skyrocketing. The burn behind my lids was too much to bear, and I let the tears fall when I finally glanced up into Max's genuine gray gaze.

He stared into my eyes for a few seconds, and then I noticed when the realization hit him. His smile fell and he nodded. "I was wondering when this was going to happen," he said.

"What?" I asked, my voice thick with sadness. I didn't want to hurt him.

Max reached for my hands and held them. "That you want to be with Jake. I saw it the day I came to your house. How he looked at you and you looked at him was undeniable. I just chose to ignore it."

More tears fell down my cheeks. "I'm sorry, Max."

He shook his head and squeezed my hands. "There's no need to be sorry. I didn't tell you this, but I ran into Jake, and we spoke."

My heart stopped. "What did you talk about?"

Max smiled. "You, of course. Jake admitted he wants to be with you. And when he said you'd chosen me, I didn't believe him; it didn't feel real." He lifted one of my hands to his lips and kissed it. "We have a connection, Lydia. When I talk to you, it's as if we've been friends our entire lives. I feel like I can tell you anything." Slowly, he let my hands go and wiped away my tears. "Maybe that's as far as it's supposed to go with us . . . friends. I want you to look at me the way you look at Jake, but it's not there. He has your heart, Lydia. And I know you have his. He let you go to be with me, and I know it killed him to do it."

I wrapped my arms around his waist. "I'm so so sorry. What are we going to do now?"

Max hugged me tight and let me go. " We are going to stay friends. My grandfather and your nana are seeing each other now. If they were ever to decide to get married . . ."

My mouth dropped. "Then, we would technically be considered family."

He chuckled. "You're right. Might be a little awkward at the family gatherings. I'm sure there will be some of those in the future."

He was right. I hadn't thought about what the future of our families would be like if John and my grandmother's relationship turned serious.

Max hugged me again. "Go find Jake. He's the one who should be here with you right now."

Hearing him say that made my insides flutter with anticipation . . . and impatience. I wanted to find Jake, needed to more than anything.

"What about you?" I said, letting him go. "Your car is at my house."

He shook his head. "Don't worry about me. I'm sure Violet and Ben will take me there. Now go."

I didn't waste any more time. With my heartbeat pounding in my ears, I rushed out of the park and across the street to the gallery where my Honda was parked in the private lot behind the building.

It was like I couldn't get there fast enough. All I wanted to do was tell Jake how much I loved him and wanted to be with him. In my heart, I knew I'd made the right decision. There wasn't even a choice that needed to be made; I knew it was Jake all along.

I was only two steps away from my vehicle when Margaret's voice stopped me.

"I see you've made your choice."

Gasping, I jerked around to face her. She was dressed in her usual red sweater and black pants. When I looked down at her mistletoe, it shimmered with magic just like mine did at times.

"Where have you been? I needed your help," I said.

She nodded. "I know. I chose to ignore you. You needed to figure things out on your own."

I threw my arms up in the air. "But I didn't choose either of the paths you gave me."

Her head tilted to the side. "And what paths were those?"

"Max and Ben."

She giggled. "I'm glad you didn't choose them."

My body froze in shock. "What? What do you mean you're glad? Wasn't the whole point of time traveling in my dreams to bring Max and Ben into my life?"

Margaret stepped closer and smiled. "It was. But it was also for someone else as well. I think you did a remarkable job of altering Jake's future."

"Jake was a part of this all along?"

"Of course he was," Margaret claimed. "My job wasn't to tell you who you're supposed to be with. You had to do that yourself. That's why Max and Ben were the two options I mentioned. Meeting them was just as important as figuring out it was Jake who you wanted to be with."

I knew it all along.

"If I hadn't met Ben . . ."

Margaret nodded. "Then your sister wouldn't be with her soulmate right now."

"And if I hadn't met Max," I continued, "my grandmother would be alone. His grandfather healed her heart."

Margaret clutched her chest. "Yes, he has. It's been so sweet to watch."

"What about Max?" I asked. "He was never an option for me, was he?"

She shook her head. "No, but he'll make an amazing friend."

"What about his future? I didn't mess things up for him, did I?"

"Oh no, child." Her smile brightened. "Max will find his happily ever after. In fact, a beautiful young professor will soon take a job at Appalachian State. Her class will be right next to his."

Tears filled my eyes, and I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God. I was worried."

"I know you were," she murmured. "I'm sorry I couldn't clarify things earlier, but you needed the time. I'm just glad you made the right choice."

I rubbed a hand over my heart. "I always knew."

Margaret waved a hand toward my car. "Go find him, Lydia. The boy is heartbroken right now. I wanted to hug him the first second I saw him this morning."

She batted her eyelashes playfully, waiting for me to respond.

"Where did you see him?"

"The golf course," she answered in a singsong voice. "I might have played a round of eighteen holes with him."

"You can't be serious?"

"Oh yes, I am, child. He's a handsome young man. I figured since I was helping you two find your way to each other, I'd spend a little time with him."

"And what did you think of him?" I asked her.

Her gaze saddened. "I think you two are lucky to have each other. It will only get better from here. I look forward to seeing it all play out." She nodded toward my car. "Go, Lydia. The sooner you find Jake, the sooner you two can start your lives together."

She turned to walk away, but I still had more questions.

"Margaret, wait!" When she faced me again, I could feel the magic surrounding her. It was that warmth I'd felt several times before. "What exactly are you?"

A giggle escaped her lips. "I'm a Christmas angel."

I nodded. "I know that, but are you really here? Do you live in a house or somewhere like heaven?"

Margaret closed the distance between us and touched my cheek. "I'm here, there, and everywhere. I'm always where I'm needed, even if you can see me or not. I wish I could tell you everything, but there are things that can't be explained." She patted my cheek. "This is goodbye, Lydia. I wish you all the best."

The magic surrounding her grew stronger but there was still one more question I needed to ask. If she was a Christmas angel and sent here to help others find love, I had to believe she had it as well.

Margaret stepped back, but I grabbed her arm.

"That day when we went to Sarah's Café together, you said you were married once. Was that really true?"

She nodded. "Yes."

I replayed that conversation in my mind.

"You also said you see him in your dreams. Is that true?"

Her eyes glistened. "Yes, and I look forward to every minute I get with him. He knows how much I enjoy helping people find love. But one day, I'll be with him for eternity. Until then, we have our dreams."

"Thank you, Margaret." I touched the mistletoe on my sweater. "Thank you for everything."

Without another word, I watched her smile and disappear right before my eyes. There was no time to waste . . . I had to find Jake.