“Missed me, missed me!” Ryan calls. At his side, the Yorkie yaps like she’s taunting us right along with him.
“Maybe we should get him a puppy,” Stacy muses, sharing a grin with me.
Before I can answer, yet another snowball hits me right in the face. I wipe frost from my eyebrows, finding that Morgan and Eric have now joined Ryan behind the tree.
“Traitors!” I tease.
Eric howls with laughter, already bending down to collect more snow in his gloves.
It isn’t long before our suitcases have been discarded and snowballs are flying freely. But I’m no match for them. Severely outnumbered, but laughing harder than I can remember, I surrender and herd my shivering friends back into the lodge.
I know I’m cutting the fun a little short, but even though I’m smiling from ear-to-ear, my concerns for Stacy and our new little miracle are never far from my mind. I don’t want her to wear herself out or catch cold.
“I’m so glad we came here,” Ryan muses as he grabs hold of my hand, reaching up for Stacy’s, too. He’s grinning up at both of us, his huge smile so vibrant that it makes my heart melt.
“Me too,” Stacy and I say at the same time.
The three of us laugh and I feel like my heart might burst from joy. For the first time since I was a kid, I feel purely at ease. I swear it even feels like Jenny’s not so far away out here.
This. This is exactly what I wanted for Christmas.
This is the kind of happiness my little family deserves. Here, in this quiet place, it feels like I can somehow manage all the rapid changes coming our way. I pull both Stacy and Ryan under my arms and snuggle them close as we trudge into the lodge.
Ethan rushes to the door and holds it open for us while the rest of the snowball crew files inside, but I hang back a moment, gesturing that I need to steal a moment of his time. Stacy and Ryan continue in without me, eager to soak up some warmth inside the lodge.
“What’s up?” Ethan asks when we’re alone. “Need a hand with those bags?”
I shake my head. “After shoving around three-hundred-pound linebackers all day?” I scoff. “This is nothing.”
Ethan laughs. “I bet.”
I step a little closer, making sure both Ryan and Stacy are out of earshot. “Actually, I wanted to ask you if you might be able to help with a delicate matter.”
“We’re here to help any way we can,” Ethan answers, instantly putting me at ease.
I like this guy. He seems laid back and genuine. I glance around again to make sure I won’t be overheard, while Ethan waits patiently. I hate this part of my notoriety. It makes me feel awkward, but Ethan’s vibe is making me a bit less tense considering what I’m about to ask.
“As you might imagine,” I start, “when my friends and I go somewhere, the paparazzi aren’t far behind. I just want to make sure that this place is . . .”
“Discrete?” he asks.
I nod. “Exactly. We just want to have a quiet holiday away from it all, ya know?”
Ethan sticks out his hand and I shake it. Then he claps me on the shoulder. His piercing green eyes are kind and sincere. “We’ve already addressed this concern with the staff. You have my word that you’ll be able to relax freely here. You won’t see any cameras on our end, no one pestering you for autographs, and no one is going to release your location to the press. Believe me, we’re all about the comfort of our guests.”
A slow smile settles on my face as my chin dips into a nod. Relief, warm and soothing seems to wrap around me like a cozy blanket. I don’t know Ethan Hall or Chloe Price, but I can tell they’re good people who mean what they say. It just might be a Christmas miracle that we found this lodge. Nowhere else would’ve offered us this kind of privacy or care.
The last bit of tension I’ve been hanging onto eases out of me. “Thanks, man. That means a lot.”
“Now how about you see what we’ve got in store for you all?” Ethan continues, grabbing one of the many bags I’ve set down.
I step into the lobby just in time to see Ryan and the tiny dog bolt by as they chase each other around the massive fireplace. When I start to scold him, Chloe Price winks at me. “This lobby was made for children to have a little fun,” she says, warmly.
I grin back at her, shaking my head. These people really are amazing.
“Oh my gosh!” Stacy gasps in awe. She reaches out for my hand and I cross the distance between us in two short strides so that my fingers can lace with hers. “I can’t believe this! Look at all the Christmas trees! There are so many!”
It’s only then that I realize I’d been so caught up in my conversation with Ethan that I hadn't taken a moment to really find my bearings. I slowly look around, finding myself just as captivated as the rest of my friends. We all stand in a huddle, still taking in this hidden gem we’ve stumbled upon.
The lobby itself is gigantic. Jolly fireplaces crackle around us, decorated Christmas trees loom toward three stories of open ceiling, festive harmonies play softly in the background, and every breath is flavored with cinnamon and sugar cookies, and is that . . . spiced cider I see on tap?
“We definitely made the right call,” Morgan raves, proudly. “Team Morgan for the win!”
Eric gives her a high-five while Ryan pauses his scampering long enough to rejoin us. “Did you see the horses outside?” he asks with barely contained excitement.
“That’s because we do
