Page 6 of His Christmas Love Song

Jesse looks up at Ryan’s voice, turns off his screen abruptly. “You’re awake.”

Ryan’s vaguely aware that Jesse hasn’t answered his question but if something is seriously wrong, he’ll tell him. “Yeah, I’m awake.”

Their gazes lock for a second and Ryan’s heart speeds up. There are shadows under Jesse’s eyes. He wants to smooth the delicate skin there with his thumb, to bundle him up and bully him into bed the way he knows Jesse’s going to do for him in a few minutes. Ryan would gladly take care of Jesse the way Jesse takes care of him. But that’s not what they do. Ryan’s grumpy, because it’s expected, and Jesse’s cheerful, even when he doesn’t want to be. They fill very specific roles and Ryan doesn’t know what would happen if he upset the balance.

Would Jesse let him touch him gently, let him wrap him up in his arms?

Of course not. The idea is painfully ludicrous.

Ryan turns away, opens the door. There may not be snow outside, but it’s plenty cold. He shoves his hands in his pockets, finds a knit beanie there and puts it on his head before Jesse can tell him to.

They enter the lodge through big double doors. It’s smaller inside than Ryan expected. A narrow entryway leads to a welcome desk, unmanned at this hour.

“They said they’d leave us the keys if no one was around,” Jesse says, striding forward to the desk. He holds up two key rings. “Now we just have to figure out where the cabins are.”

“You must be my late arrivals.” A voice sounds from the hallway to the right and a second later, a tall, handsome woman with short dark hair walks up to the desk. “Jesse Arlyn?”

“That’s right,” Jesse says.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Emma. Find the place okay?”

“Easy as pie.” He grins at Emma and Ryan douses the flare of jealousy at the twinkle in his eye by reminding himself that Jesse smiles at everyone like that.

“I’ll give you a map of the property. You can drive right up to your cabin.” She grabs a piece of paper from under the desk and makes a circle on it with a pen. “Number 14. You should find everything you need, but feel free to call down to the desk if there’s anything missing.”

“Thanks. Breakfast is in this building?” Jesse asks.

“In the restaurant from seven to ten,” Emma confirms. “Don’t miss the biscuits. They’re my family’s recipe.”

“You own this lodge?” Ryan asks. “We thought there would be snow.”

Emma makes a face. “We haven’t had snow since Thanksgiving, and that was only an inch. Climate change is real, folks. My grandfather built this place in the fifties. We run it now, me and my brother. Here he is now. Hank, come meet some guests.”

A tall, broad-shouldered man emerges from the same hallway Emma appeared from earlier. It takes Ryan a few second to place the familiar face. He’s a little grayer than he was six years ago, but his warm brown eyes and salt and pepper beard transport Ryan back to Malawi in an instant.

“Dr. Moore!”

Dr. Hank Moore’s face breaks into a wide smile. “Ryan Winslow? It’s been a while, hasn’t it? How the hell have you been?”

Ryan senses Jesse stepping up to his side, and he turns to share his astonishment. Jesse looks just as surprised to see the man who worked in the field hospital in Malawi and treated his injured arm, but no less pleased than Ryan.

“Dr. Moore, hi!”

Dr. Moore’s gaze shifts and his smile gets bigger, if possible. “Jesse Arlyn, too. Wow, this is wild. And call me Hank, please.”

“What are you doing here?” Ryan asks.

“I work here, live here. Left the Corps about four years ago, came back to my hometown to figure out what I wanted to do next and never left. Luckily, the town doctor was ready for retirement, so I took over for her about three years ago. But what about you two—I hear your names once in a while. Rock stars or something aren’t you?”

“Humble country musicians, Doc,” Jesse says, showing his dimple slyly.

Ryan snorts. “This humble country musician got a Grammy nomination last year,” he says, pointing a finger at Jesse.

Dr. Moore—Hank—whistles. “I always had a feeling you’d be on to great things.”

“Couldn’t have done it without Ryan,” Jesse says.

The fondness in his eyes activates the stupid, useless part of Ryan’s heart that wants to hope.