There you were, teaching me to care.

Again...

Inviting me into your heart.

As the snow fell,

I fell

And you fell.

The past was gone,

Only love remained.

Reaching us and healing us and making us into one.

Now I’m going to spend Christmas

With you

And all my next Christmases,

Too.

Because the snow fell.

The last note lingered, the violinists stretching it out until the audience began clapping and cheering. Dena stayed in her seat, frantically telling herself it was just a song. They were words he’d strung together, and whatever inspiration she’d been didn’t mean what it sounded like he meant.

“That was so pretty,” her mother said, her voice incredibly calm. “Had you heard it before, Dena?”

“No, he didn’t play it for me.”

“The man is very talented. I liked that a lot. I wonder what Taylor is going to sing. I do love her.”

Vince smiled. “Maybe she’ll do a Christmas version of ‘Shake It Off.’”

Leigh laughed. “That would be fun, wouldn’t it?”

“You okay?” Reggie asked, eyeing her.

“Sure. Of course. Why do you ask?”

“The song. Did you know what he was writing?”

Dena brushed off the question with what she hoped was a convincing laugh. “Oh, they’re just words that rhyme.”

Reggie’s gaze seemed to probe a little. “You sure?”

Just then her phone rang. “I’ll go in the kitchen.” She raced there and hit the Talk button. “Hello?”

“Hey.”

The sound of Micah’s voice made her knees go weak. “Hi. The song was great. So beautiful.”

He said something, but she couldn’t hear him over all the background noise. She heard people calling his name and congratulating him. Someone nearby was saying something about getting into the studio that night.

“Micah? I can’t understand what you’re saying.”

“I have to record a single. I’m not coming back tomorrow.”

“Oh.”

He said something else she couldn’t hear, then what sounded like, “I’ll call later,” and then he was gone.

She stood alone in the kitchen, not sure what to think. He’d phoned her—that had to mean something. And the song...well, she had no idea what it had meant. Could she believe he might care about her? Was it safe to let her heart open to him? Or was it too late to be asking the question? Because there was a very good possibility she’d already fallen for him. And if the lyrics were just that, she was heading for a very painful heartbreak.