This was the activity Riley had been the most nervous about, though, fearing the Christmas Campers would ask her personal questions about her favorite Christmas traditions, which were nonexistent. However, as soon as the chat started, Riley quickly realized she didn’t need to worry. The Christmas Campers had all come prepared with a list of their own Christmas traditions to share, things that they thought would be great in her next book.
The conversation had been lively and filled with so many amazing Christmas stories that the chat continued well beyond the hour and a half it had been scheduled for.
Finally, seeing how late it was and knowing that everyone would need some free time to have dinner and get ready for the dance, Riley wrapped up the chat, much to the disappointment for the Christmas Campers. But everyone cheered up when Riley said they could e-mail her their ideas and she promised to look at all of them.
The Christmas Campers all hugged Riley and told her how special this weekend had been but that their favorite part was getting to spend time with her. She genuinely felt like she’d become friends with them and knew that the love they were showering her with was going a long way in helping her get over the ghosts of her Christmases past. There was no denying this Christmas Camp experience was changing her. She was not only starting to open her heart again to Colin, Brendan, and Tyler but she was also starting to open her heart again to Christmas.
The pure joy and love she’d felt at Christmas Camp was giving her some new memories she would always cherish, while also bringing back some of her old Christmas memories, ones she’d thought she’d lost forever.
The memory that was now most vivid was from one Christmas when her dad dressed up like Santa Claus. He’d told her he was one of Santa’s helpers, and just because you couldn’t see the real Santa Claus, it didn’t mean he wasn’t always there with you, loving you and watching over you. He’d told her he was just like Santa, that even if he was gone, he would always be with her, always love her, and always watch over her.
That Christmas was the last one they’d spent together before he passed away. He’d given her a silver charm bracelet with a Santa charm on it and told her they’d add a new charm every Christmas. But that had been her last Christmas with her dad, and after that, she had never looked at her charm bracelet again.
But now, by embracing Christmas, instead of feeling the pain of all she’d lost, she actually felt closer to her dad, connected to him, to the memories that were slowing coming back to her.
She smiled as she walked over to the Christmas Wish Santa by the fireplace and peeked inside his bag of wishes.
Caylee joined her. “Looking for something?” she asked in a teasing voice.
“Maybe just an answer to a question,” Riley answered. “Hypothetically, if someone had made a Christmas wish and they’d wanted to change that wish, is that allowed?”
Caylee laughed. “Hypothetically?”
Riley nodded. “Hypothetically.”
“Okay, I’ll play along,” Caylee said. “So, hypothetically, if someone made a Christmas wish, I think it’s okay to change that wish as long as you do it before Christmas.”
“So I still have time,” Riley said, relieved, then quickly tried to cover her mistake. “I mean, a person would have time.”
Caylee laughed again. “Yes, you or any person, hypothetically, would still have time.”
Their Christmas wish conversation was cut short when an elderly couple, the Silvers, came up and wanted to talk with Riley. After Caylee excused herself, the couple told Riley they didn’t have any children so Christmas was usually pretty quiet for them, but that by coming to Christmas Camp, they felt like they’d met a whole new family, one that now included her.
When they hugged and thanked her again, Riley teared up and said she wanted to thank them for bringing so much happiness and joy to Christmas Camp.
After the Silvers walked away, Luke joined her. “I caught the tail end of that,” he said. “It sounds like you have a lot of people who want to adopt you into their family.”
Riley, smiling, looked over at the group of Christmas Campers who were taking pictures together. “This is really something. I had no idea it would be like this. I’ve hosted book events before, but I’ve never had this kind of connection with people.”
“That’s because it’s Christmas,” Luke said. “That’s what Christmas is all about—sharing memories and connecting with people in your community. Christmas is the time of year that people are at their best and have an open heart, and everyone here has certainly taken you into their hearts.”
Riley suddenly fought back tears. “I’m sorry,” she said, embarrassed. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me. I’m never like this . . .”
“Christmas, that’s what’s gotten into you, and it’s nothing to be sorry about,” Luke said as he gently touched a tear that had escaped.
Riley’s heart beat faster when she felt Luke’s touch.
Caylee reappeared, interrupting the moment. She took Riley’s arm. “Sorry, Luke. I’m going to steal Riley away from you. Maryanne and I need to get her upstairs and start getting ready for the dance.”
“She’s all yours,” Luke said.
Riley let herself be led away by Caylee, but when she glanced back over her shoulder at Luke, she smiled when she saw he was still watching her. When he smiled back, her pulse quickened even more.
“Everything okay?” Caylee asked, giving Riley a curious look.
Riley dragged her attention back to Caylee. “Yes. Everything’s great.”
She didn’t miss Caylee’s knowing look.
“What?” Riley asked.
“I just thought I saw sparks,” Caylee said. “Between you and Luke.”
Riley stopped dead in her tracks. “What? That’s crazy. You didn’t see anything.”
Caylee put her hands on her hips. “I saw what I saw. You’re the one always saying in all your books there has to be
