The Mechanics of Mistletoe - Liz Isaacson Page 0,48

He smiled fondly, the memories in his head only ones he could see.

“Yes,” she said. “I’m sure. My parents liked Heather best too. She was the oldest too.”

He turned toward her. “Sammy, I’m sure that’s not true.”

“It certainly was,” she said. “Is. I don’t know.” she turned away from him, a tug of regret moving through her that she’d said anything. She took a deep breath. “It’s fine. I’m just doing the best I can now.”

“You take excellent care of all of them,” he said, reaching for her hand. “I mean it, Sammy. What you take on is incredible. There are some families with two or three adults doing what you do alone.”

“You have to say that.”

“I do not,” he said. “Besides, don’t you know me well enough by now to know I don’t say anything I don’t mean?” He kicked a sly smile in her direction, and Sammy’s stomach swooped again.

“I suppose you’re right.” She relived the kiss in her mind, a sigh escaping at the end of it. “All right, Bear,” she said. “This date is already a million times better than the other one, and I don’t want to ruin it.”

“You’re not going to ruin it.”

“Sometimes I feel like I will,” she said.

He squeezed her hand. “I feel like that too, because I like you so much. I don’t want to do anything to push you away.”

“I like you a lot too, Bear,” she said, ducking her head as heat filled her face. “You like Lincoln, and I don’t know. I’m grateful for you, and I know you don’t want me to tell you that. I do need—I just want to go kind of slow.”

“I’m fine with slow, Sammy.” He spoke in a calm, unrushed voice that soothed all the worries and cares in Sammy’s soul.

“Great,” she said, sighing as she leaned her head back and closed her eyes. “You keep driving, and I’m going to take a quick catnap.”

He chuckled, pressed his lips to her knuckles, and did just what she said. It seemed like no time at all had passed before he said, “We’re here, Sammy.”

She opened her eyes, taking a moment to get her bearings. Bear stood in the car door again, gazing down at her. “I can just take you home, sugar,” he whispered. “You’re tired, and we don’t have to go to dinner.”

Sammy’s brain felt a little soggy and slow, but she smiled at Bear. “Don’t you dare take me home. I’ve been waiting for this night alone with you for weeks.”

“Oh, me too,” he said. “Trust me.” He helped her out of the truck and indicated the restaurant he chose. “Is this okay?”

Sammy looked up at the hand-painted sign, the white lettering on a black background fun and whimsical. “Pizza, pasta, and pie,” she said. “What’s not to love?” She linked her arm through his and together, they walked inside.

She enjoyed eating and talking with him. The drive back to the ranch was magical, with a night sky so dark, Sammy could see every star in it. Bear parked in the garage, but then led her away from the homestead, out into the middle of a field.

“This is a little creepy,” she said.

“Yeah, but now you can see it all,” he said, indicating the entire universe with one sweep of his hand.

Sammy looked up, the enormity of the sky boggling her mind. “Wow,” she said.

“The whole Milky Way,” he said. “Right there.”

“I can’t even….” Sammy simply couldn’t take in everything fast enough. It was as if God has taken a paintbrush and dipped it in glittery, pale paint. He’d made sure to flick off any extra, and just for good measure, He’d almost wiped the brush clean.

Then He’d put the bristles against the canvas of the sky and swept in a majestic arc. There were slight pockets, and definite rings of the Milky Way. Some dense spots where more stars grouped together, and some twinklers out in the black expanse by themselves.

“I love the stars,” Bear said, wrapping her in his arms and holding her as she continued to gaze at the masterpiece God had created for His people.

“I’ve never seen them like this,” she said, talking really quiet just in case her voice would disturb the peace of this ranch.

“They’re really something, aren’t they?”

“Yes,” she said, pressing her cheek to his chest. “Thank you for an amazing evening, Bear.”

“Thank you for an amazing evening.”

She tipped her head back, not quite daring to hope for a kiss against this landscape. She