Her hand moved beneath his, sending up red flags and storm warnings in every corner of his body. She’s taking her hand away. She hates me. She’s going to tell me to get lost and I’ll be stuck with this big, dumb, broken heart. Then, she turned her hand over and properly held his. The tender gesture grew his heart three times bigger than it had ever been before. Though she stared down at their intertwined fingers, Kate’s growing smile couldn’t be hidden behind her curtains of curls.

And with four words, she changed him forever.

“I really like you.”

A brass band took over his heart. Fireworks replaced his pulse. Christmas really was magic. Scrambling back to sit on an equal step with her, Clark prayed this wasn’t a dream. Or if it was, he wanted to live in this dream forever.

“I really like you,” he replied. She tried to hide her smile, something he couldn’t possibly attempt.

“And that was…” She paused so long Clark thought he would die from waiting. This time, she gave him the privilege of viewing her entire face; the shy smile reddened her already flush cheeks. “That was a really good apology.”

His jaw dropped. He’d been convinced she’d run him out of town on a rail.

“Was it?”

“Yeah, but I have one question.”

“Shoot.”

Anything. Anything. I’m all yours.

“Why am I in this ridiculous costume?” she asked, ruffling the skirts with a laughter-tinted huff.

A moment of panic. Clark remembered her telling a story about outgrowing the Belle costume—her favorite—so he arranged for it to be let out and altered by Miss Carolyn. Had he gotten it wrong?

“What? Don’t you like it? I thought you said Belle was your dream role in the festival.”

“It is, but…” Kate sighed, her fists wrapping into the velvet. “But…”

“But what?”

“But Belle and Scrooge don’t end up together.”

No sooner had she spoken than she scrunched her face in humiliation, slapping a hand over her face to cover the spreading blush. Adorable. Kissable. His heart opened wide to her.

“I’ve got news for you.” He tugged her hand away from her face and tipped her chin up. “We aren’t Scrooge and Belle.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “But we can be. During next year’s festival, if you want.”

“Next year’s festival?” The halting words left tracks of white air in their wake as her warm breath spiked the freezing wind around them. Unspoken hope brought out the muted green flecks in her golden eyes as she looked up at him. Clark knew how she felt. Desperate to believe, terrified to be disappointed.