TWISTED FATE (Twisted Path Book 1)

Chapter 29

Becca

"Now, are you ready to get back to our date? There's still something very important we need to do."

I raise an eyebrow, my curiosity piqued. "Oh? And what might that be?"

The mischievous glint in his eyes is back as he helps me to my feet. "Follow me."

With that, he tugs me along, leading us back into the line of trees. The fire pit and the cozy clearing quickly disappear from view, swallowed up by the darkened night once more. As we walk, I feel the snow crunching beneath my boots, the cold air sharp against my skin. The quiet of the night wraps around us, broken only by the soft rustling of the wind and our footsteps. It's as if we've stepped into a winter wonderland, and the feeling is... surreal.

"Shane," I whisper, snapping out of my love-smitten haze when I realize we're walking farther away from his car and deeper into Mr. Grady's property.

"Shhh." He glances back at me, feigning annoyance, though his lips curve into a half grin he can't quite hide. "You'll break my concentration. I need to find the right one."

"The right one?" My stomach flutters with anticipation, as it suddenly becomes clear why he's brought us out here.

"Yep. It's our first Christmas. Our first tree. It has to be perfect."

After a few moments, Shane stops. He shines the beam of his small flashlight onto a small, scraggly pine tree standing apart from the others. It's far from the biggest tree in the field, but its compact, symmetrical shape makes it the most beautiful, perfect tree I've ever seen. The small branches are dusted with snow, and the low-hanging boughs sway slightly in the breeze.

"This is the one," he murmurs, scanning the tree from top to bottom, his body vibrating with excitement in an almost child-like way. "What do you think?"

"Shane..." My voice trembles with overwhelming emotion, tears welling up in my eyes.

What do I think? What I'm thinking is, what did I ever do to deserve this? To deserve him?

Since discovering the truth of my existence and moving out of my aunt and uncle's house to live on my own, I've felt so lost, so alone. To cope with the grief of my new reality, I pushed all thoughts of family—including traditions and gatherings—out of my mind, choosing instead to pretend those things didn't exist. You can't miss what you don't have, right? So, I convinced myself I was okay with that. I told myself I'd always be okay with having no one to share life's little moments with—birthdays, Christmases, milestones that only matter to those who love you.

But now, as I look up at the man I've fallen in love with, the man who's become as essential to me as the sun in the sky, and who's offering me a glimpse of life where I'm no longer alone, I realize I have so much more to lose.

I let him in. Let him alter the shape of my reality, the outlook I had on my present and my future, and now... I don't know how I'll ever go back to such an empty life. How will I ever survive losing him? Losing this?

"Hey..." He pulls me into his arms, a quiet reassurance in the movement that tells me he knows exactly what I'm thinking. "I'm sorry, pretty girl. I didn't mean to upset you."

"I know." I take a deep breath, letting the cool mountain air settle into my chest, before summoning a half smile and pulling away from him. He did all of this for me, and the least I can do is stop wallowing in my self-pity and show him how much this means to me. "Believe it or not, these are happy tears," I say with a self-deprecating laugh.

"You sure?" He looks over me with the careful scrutiny of someone who doesn't quite believe what they're hearing.

"I am. And you're right," I admit, realizing there's no point in hiding it from him. "There's a little more than happiness behind these tears. It's just... this is my first Christmas alone since I left my family, and I genuinely believed I was okay with that. With not having people to celebrate with. With not partaking in the holiday at all. But now, being here with you, getting a tree..." I have to pause as emotion catches in my throat. "I'm relieved to not be alone."