Kissmas Wishes (Love In All Seasons #3) - Frankie Love Page 0,121
in it or some shit. I don't know. I was thinking of the economy and of giving more people jobs here. I know there are lots of people struggling and I thought maybe this could help.”
“That's really good of you. I had no idea you had that kind of aspiration.”
“What’d you think? I'm just some asshole who lives up in the woods by myself?”
She laughs. “I didn't say that. But you do keep to yourself.”
“I’ve never had much luck with people.” Maple places her hands on mine and we lean closer to one another on the couch. “Anyway, Asher vetoed my plan.”
Maple groans. “Well, the city vetoed my grant proposal too. It’s like the council only cares about their agenda. I hate it. Snowy Valley has been my home for as long as I can remember, but it really sucks how bureaucracy gets in the way of everything that could be good. Everything that could be great.”
“So, that’s why you have to sell the house and close the soup kitchen?” I ask, her explanation making sense, even if it’s painful. “That's a lot on one person's shoulders.”
She shakes her head as tears fall down her cheeks. “I didn't know how to tell you. I'm so embarrassed. I've always been the person who has my act together, my life together. Like you've mentioned a thousand times, I was on the cheerleading team and was the prom queen and I went to college and got my degree, a degree in public relations. What is that gonna do for me when I can't even keep my house? I think I'll get enough from the sale of the house to get an apartment in town, but that’s the extent of my plans.” Her breath is shaky as she finishes.
“Hey, hey. One thing at a time, Maple, One thing at a time.”
The words seem to calm her a bit, and she squeezes my hand, not wanting to let me go. “One bright spot was Isaiah and Jody,” she says, wiping her eyes.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, they are throwing this big fundraiser on New Year's Eve to save the kitchen. Apparently, they think I've been stubborn and that it runs in my family. They think that if I had asked for help, or if Granny had asked for help a long time ago, we wouldn't be in this position.”
“So, you're learning to open up and say what you need?”
She nods, blinking away the tears in her eyes. “I wish I would have done that a long time ago with you.”
I take her hand in mine and draw it to my mouth. “I know I'm not perfect,” I tell her.
“Neither am I,” she says, laughing. “Maybe together we can be two broken people who make a whole.”
I run my callused hand over her cheek. “You want to give that a try?”
She nods, eyes glistening. “So badly, Filson.”
“Let’s start by decorating this Christmas tree.”
Her eyes brighten. “Perfect. We only have a few days before Christmas.”
The snow begins to fall as we bring in the Christmas tree. We don’t say anything, but it’s clear that by coming inside the cabin, and not getting in her car, Maple plans on staying the night. Good. I don’t want to argue with her and there’s no way in hell would I let this woman of mine out in this weather. I’ve never been so grateful for snow in my life.
I put some soup on the stove and pour her a glass of wine. She pulls up some Christmas music on her phone and we began to decorate the tree while Sammy sleeps lazily by the fire. My box of ornaments is small, but Maple seems to know how to make do without much. She finds a pad of white paper and a pair of scissors and begins cutting snowflakes. We lace red ribbons through them and hang them on the tree. I have one single strand of lights and we wind it up the trunk.
“I’m going to cut out a little angel so we can place it on top,” she tells me.
I lift her up in my arms and she reaches up, placing her paper angel on top of the Christmas tree.
“It's perfect,” she says as she slides down to the floor. My arms wrap around her and she turns to me, our eyes meeting. “This whole night is perfect.”
I cup her cheeks with my hands, and I kiss her. My body is aching with want for all that she has to