Page 48 of The Lie That Stole Christmas

When she looked at Carter, she saw her first kiss, her first love, the boy who made her laugh, held her when she was sad.Over the last few days she’d seen the man he became, the man her grandfather and the staff of Winterridge relied on so much.

Right now?She saw someone who had spent eight years preserving pieces of her grandmother.

“You kept all of it going,” she said around the lump in her throat.

He shrugged as if it were just another day at the office.“I was just doing my job.”

“It was more than that.”

His eyes met hers with that intensity she wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to.

Ashley thought about Glen at the Christmas tree stand and how he knew what Carter needed without a second thought.The wreath on the door when they arrived.The festival.How he helped her decorate and how he knew exactly where everything should go.

The traditions she’d assumed had continued on their own.

They hadn’t.

Someone had done the work.

Someone had remembered.

Someone had cared enough to make sure none of it disappeared.

He had been the only man she had ever truly loved, but right now something new was forming as if their tree was growing a new branch.“You could have let it all go,” she said.“But you didn’t.”

“No.”His blue eyes softened.“I couldn’t.”

While she avoided Winterridge, he stayed, protected it.He did it without recognition, without asking for anything in return.

“Thank you.”

His brow furrowed, little wrinkles creasing above the bridge of his nose.“For what?”

“For making sure there was something to come home to.”

A flash of vulnerability appeared on his face, but he cut his gaze from hers.“It wasn’t just me.”

Maybe not.But Ashley had a feeling Winterridge and her grandfather would simply not have survived the last eight years without him.

The sound of the front door knocker against wood echoed from downstairs.

“Looks like Lena is here,” Grandpa said.“With the three of you, working on the festival this year, I expect it to be the best one yet.”

“No pressure,” Carter said with a smile.

“Who are you kidding?You love pressure.Now get out of my office.I have work to do.”

Carter held his hand out for Ashley to go first.She nodded and headed into the hallway with Carter not far behind.

“I hope it’s okay.The last thing I want is to intrude on you and Lena.”

Carter grabbed her elbow, stopping her.She turned toward him, not realizing how close he was.Her breath caught as visions of last night popped into her head.She bit her lip as the feel of his mouth on hers was still palpable.

His head dipped, stopping just inches from kissing her.“There is no one who knows the Christmas festival better than you.”

“It’s been so long.Things have changed, I’m sure.”She swallowed as her eyes drifted to his mouth.

“All the core components have stayed.Sleigh rides, pictures with Santa, hot cocoa bar, fresh-baked Christmas cookies.”