Gabriela blinked. What the hell was happening?
When they returned to the main area, Natalie leaned closer as Molly’s husband came to help her down. “You don’t have to fly back every weekend. I was just trying to keep Molly from crying.”
Jeremy walked up and gave her a side hug. “Enjoying yourself? Where have you been hiding?”
As much as she wanted to cling to him and pull the man closer, it was hard to when Natalie watched on with a wide grin.
Gabriela took a step away. “Went with your mother and sister on a sleigh ride. This entire thing is amazing. I understand why people are so disappointed in it being your family’s last year doing it.”
He met her gaze for a long moment and boy was it hard to keep from kissing him. “Mom and Dad asked Molly and I if we want to continue it. I’m not sure I can do all of this alone. Molly is too busy with the kids and all.”
“I can understand. It is a huge job.” A sleigh neared, a couple stood up and everyone clapped.
“An engagement,” Jeremy said, his gaze on the couple. “They look a bit young.”
“Or maybe you’re just old,” Gabriela joked, elbowing him in the ribs.
“Nah, that’s not it,” he replied with a chuckle and then to her shock, he kissed her lightly on the lips. “I better scoot, looks like Henry is waving me over.”
Molly and Natalie continued watching with wide smiles.
“Oh boy.” Gabriela ducked her head and hurried into the huge crafts show area.
By the end of the evening, Gabriela was too tired to even think. She grabbed a sandwich from one of the vendors along with chips and hitched a ride on a sleigh back to the house. The night had only gotten better, each hour that passed brought laughter, warm smiles and so many memories.
Once inside the bedroom in the family house, she opened her laptop and video called Mila. Her friend answered on the third tone wearing a facial mask. “Hey, long time no talk.”
“We just spoke yesterday,” Gabriela replied, laughing at her friend’s appearance. “You shouldn’t answer like that, I about screamed.”
“Ready to head home? Bringing the cowboy with you?” Mila spooned ice cream into her mouth and stared at her through the screen.
“About that. I’m dreading leaving. Ready for warmer weather where eating ice cream doesn’t seem so strange. But I am going to miss him.”
When tears threatened, Gabriela was startled. “I mean he’s so hot and great in bed.”
“Yeah right. There’s more than just looks and sex. I think you’ve fallen for Mr. hot cowboy. That’s horrible. Scandalous.” Mila loved to put the word “scandalous” in a sentence for emphasis.
“It does suck. I can’t possibly live here and there’s no way he would survive in San Diego. He’s planning to retire here on the ranch and maybe even run the Winter Festival.”
Mila blinked.
Gabriela sighed.
“You are aware,” Mila said after swallowing her ice cream. “That you can work from anywhere.”
“He hasn’t asked me and he’s aware I’m about to leave. Besides, why should I be the one to move?”
“Maybe cause you live in a clinical apartment without one thing on the walls. Or maybe because every time we talk, you gush about how beautiful Montana is. Oh, and also because every conversation starts and ends with a mention of Jeremy Hawkins.”
“I do not,” Gabriela explained. “I can’t possibly leave all my friends and my family is there.”
Mila leaned closed to the screen and whispered. “Honey, you only have one friend.”
Gabriela blew out a breath.
Mila blinked.
“I better get ready for bed. I have this sandwich to eat.” Gabriela held up her meal.
“It’s two o’clock in the morning here. I probably should crash myself,” Mila replied pulling the mask off. “Brandon is snoring, I can hear him from here, so I better take a pill,” she said referring to her boyfriend.
Gabriela laughed. “He needs a breathing machine or something.”
“Nah,” Mila replied. “He’s tired. We played cops and robbers for a couple hours.”
“Who was the robber this time?”
A grin split her friend’s face. “He was.”
After they ended the call, Gabriela looked around the cozy space. She’d grown to really like it. What Mila had said was right, her apartment in San Diego was devoid of any personality. She’d needed something sterile and without memories at the time she moved in. It was a perfect place to start a new life. Upon returning, she’d decorate and make it more like a home.
“Good morning.” Gabriela walked into the Hawkins’s kitchen the next morning.
Jeremy stood and neared. The man was drop dead gorgeous even that early in the morning. Gabriela wasn’t sure she was mentally prepared for that much sex appeal so early.
“Now that you’ve had more time, can we return to cabin number six? I need you to try to remember again what you saw.”
“Um okay. But first I need a cup of coffee…. or two.”
One cup of coffee later, Gabriela climbed into the passenger seat of Jeremy’s truck and they headed toward the cabins.
Gabriela looked to Jeremy, his brows were lowered and lips in a thin line. “Did something happen? Someone have more questions?”
He nodded. “Mark Rutledge’s been arrested. There still a few things don’t make sense. We can’t get straight answers from him.”
Unsure she’d remember anything new, Gabriela tried her best to mentally return to the day she’d stumbled on the horrible scene.
“I hope they will resolve things so we can remove the police tape soon. If you look close enough, you can spot the crime scene from the main area,” Jeremy said.
Gabriela nodded. “The bright yellow does stand out.”
Jeremy grunted. “I know it sounds insensitive since it’s there because someone died.”
“I totally get it. It’s also an awful reminder of bad things when people will be coming to enjoy themselves and forget the real world and any worries.”
He frowned at her. “Thanks for trying to save me, but those thoughts hadn’t even crossed my mind.”
When they arrived at the cabins,
