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“It’ll war at the watch on his wrist “The pastor should be here in a little under an hour With that snow, it took longer than I expected to get back from the airport”

“Oh, really?” I s as planned “Perfect”

“You hungry?”

“Very,” I ad him into the kitchen The cabin is cozy, and I try to take it all in, wishing Hartley would offer to give , but I also want to know a little more about him before I say I do

“Chili?” He pulls a few cans from the cupboard

I give hiht smile I just flew hundreds ofto be open-minded “That’s fine,” I say “Not much of a cook?”

“No” He opens the cans into a pot and turns on the burner with his back to me

I turn in a circle, anxious about everything Did I just make a massive mistake? He acts like he doesn’t want me here

“Do you mind if I look around?” I ask

“Have at it,” he says, not even looking my way

Determined to be positive, I decide to poke around his ho room I notice framed family photos In one, he’s in front of a Christmas tree, all lit up, with an older couple and five other men His brothers? And in another, he is in a work apron with a n reading Mistletoe Hardware By the fireplace there is a leather caddy filled orking knives and whittling wood I s of Grandad He would sit by the fire and carve spoons in the evening while Grandma embroidered and I read

The furniture is masculine, and woodsy But there is no Christmas tree set up or any indication that the holiday is only 25 days away I walk down the small hall and find a bathroom with a river rock shower, and modern matte black fixtures In the anic toothpaste Nothing out of the ordinary It’s neat, tidy, minimal

Same with the bedroom And while I wonder if he actually wants me here, I am relieved to see half the closet has been cleared out and the drawers in one of the two dressers are co in with Hartley And while hehiet , a real ine the way it would feel to have his calloused hands on ht and I force et all worked up