The Holiday Swap(94)

“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.

“Are you ready for this?” he asked, chuckling as Cass watched his entire family stream out of the vans. “This is your first Rodriguez Christmas,” Miguel said. “And as you’ve learned from our baking competitions, we don’t do anything halfway.”

Cass kissed Miguel again. “I can’t think of anything I want more than to have your entire family here with us this Christmas.”

Just then the Rodriguez family piled onto the front porch, exchanging hugs and kisses while everyone juggled gifts and tinfoil-wrapped food dishes.

“This is the loveliest town, Cass,” Miguel’s sister, Jacintha, said. “And our rooms at the inn are beautiful! Plus, all this snow. What a treat.”

“We put the snow order in just for you,” Cass said, winking at Miguel’s twin nieces.

Miguel reached out and rang the doorbell and the first bars of “Let It Snow” reverberated inside. Moments later, Charlie flung open the door. She was wearing a red apron, and there was flour on her nose.

“Hello, everyone! Welcome to Starlight Peak! And, Cass, you don’t have to ring the doorbell. Just walk right in. My house is your house.” Charlie kissed her sister on the cheek, then paused for a second, giving her a sly look. “Or was your house.”

It was a joke Charlie had used more than once during the past six months, since she and Jake had bought the house from Brett and moved in the late spring.

“Ha-ha, always the funny one.” Cass swatted her sister’s arm. Then she leaned in and whispered in Charlie’s ear, “Everything ready?”

“We’re all set,” Charlie whispered back. The twins exchanged a knowing smile before Charlie ushered the whole crew inside the warm house.

Cass put down her basket of gifts on a bench and pulled off her boots, then looked around at the mudroom she had once been told was perfect for her. It was now filled with dog leashes and hiking boots; Charlie’s stylish jackets were nestled next to Jake’s thick flannels. There were skis and snowshoes, and a bucket of tennis balls for Bonnie. She smiled. This place really was perfect for her sister and Jake.

Charlie led Cass, Miguel, and his parents into the kitchen while the rest of the Rodriguez clan made themselves at home, inside and out, where a snowman building competition had begun. At the stove Jake was stirring gravy in an apron that matched Charlie’s. Helen Goodwin stood beside Jake, calling out directions.

“Mom always likes to make the traditional Woodburn holiday gravy herself,” Cass murmured to Miguel. “No one—and I mean no one—better touch that wooden spoon.” Then to her sister she whispered, “She must really like Jake.”

Just then Helen turned and seeing them, her face lit up. “Miguel! Essie! Javier!”

“I think it’s a tie, Cass,” Charlie whispered back, gesturing her head toward Miguel. “She’s pretty crazy about that one, too.” Helen crossed the room, pulling Miguel in for a long hug first before doing the same with his parents.

“Um, hello, Mom? I’m right here,” Cass said. Helen kissed her daughter’s forehead. “Yes, but I just saw you this morning.” She laughed and turned back to Essie and Javier. “That’s a lot of driving, you all must be exhausted.”

“It was nothing,” Essie said. “Worth it to see the kids enjoying the snow. And we wouldn’t dream of missing the Goodwin holiday dinner!”

“Speaking of which,” Helen said, casting a concerned glance toward Jake and the stove. “I should really get back to the gravy. Jake! Keep stirring, this is the crucial moment . . .”

“Maybe next year we can do an L.A. Christmas,” Cass had once suggested, but now that she had taken over the bakery Miguel knew she couldn’t be away from Starlight Peak on Christmas Eve until the day she retired. He had officially moved in with Cass the month before, after finally getting the job he had been hoping for at the nearby hospital. Cass said she hoped by next year they would have found the perfect house, too, with room to host both of their families.