“Where are we going? Cass . . . CASS, stop.” He stilled, and she did, too.

Then she smiled at him. “Trust me, okay?”

Miguel sighed, clearly worried about her, but he allowed Cass to lead him to whatever destination she had in mind. A minute later they were climbing the few steps of the town square’s gazebo. It was decorated with so many twinkle lights the structure appeared to be made entirely of stars. There were a couple of teenagers snuggled in against the far side, but they quickly disappeared down the other set of stairs when they saw Cass and Miguel step into the glowing dome. The familiar bars of “Silver Bells” drifted from the speakers spaced out around the skating rink, but otherwise, all Cass could hear was the sound of Miguel’s breath, his face so close to hers.

“Miguel Rodriguez, how did I get so lucky to have met you?” She said it softly, going up on her toes so they were nearly face-to-face, only inches apart.

“I could ask the same about you.” He smiled, his dimples illuminated in the twinkle lights. Cass felt her knees go weak. Miguel felt it, too, and he held her tighter, then suggested they sit on one of the gazebo benches. But Cass shook her head, because she had something different in mind.

She shrugged out of his arms, then tugged him by the hand to the gazebo’s center. Then she looked up to the ceiling. Miguel, taking her back in his arms, glanced up, too. He grinned, then threw back his head and laughed. “How long have you been planning this?”

Cass shrugged, demurely, and said, “I have my ways.”

“Cass Goodwin, I have never met anyone like you.” Miguel’s eyes went from the ceiling—where a string of mistletoe hung directly over their heads—back to Cass’s face, which he took in his hands. “I hope you never stop surprising me.”

“You can count on it,” she murmured, before reaching up to kiss him, her past and present and future colliding in one perfect moment she would never forget.

25

One year later . . .

December 25, Christmas Day

Starlight Peak

Cass and Miguel stood on the front porch of the big yellow Victorian house on snow-covered Ridge Street, arms laden with food and gifts. Cass was about to ring the doorbell when Miguel stopped her, pointing silently up to the top of the front door’s frame as he smiled. A sprig of mistletoe hung there. Cass laughed, then gave Miguel a teasing look. “Is this your doing?”

Miguel shrugged, then set the bag of gifts he was holding down on the porch and gave her a long kiss.

“Maybe we should just stay out here for a while longer?” Cass murmured, smiling as Miguel leaned in to kiss her again. Just then a horn honked, and Cass and Miguel turned to see two large SUVs pull up to the curb. Miguel’s mom, Essie, already had her arm out the window and was waving furiously at them as his dad, Javier, continued to honk.