Page 24

I let out a chuckle. “That’s one way to put it. They had great reviews, and I thought it would be a fun option for the day to set the vibe, but if we want a more modern breakfast, there are trendier options in town too.”

“Oh, I’m not complaining, babe.”

“Yeah, this looks great, thanks for planning it,” Scotty adds while we all look over the menu.

When the waitress comes back, we all order. I get biscuits and gravy, Scotty gets an omelet, and Joey gets the classic sunrise breakfast. The food is great, but I do have to remind myself once or twice to keep eating because it’s so easy to get lost in the conversation with Joey and Scotty, or to get distracted by how attractive they are and how happy they both look.

There’s snow falling softly outside, holiday music playing, and the Christmas decor surrounding us is probably the same as it has been for the last fifty years. It’s perfect. I have this strange feeling, almost like I’m aware this will be a fond memory, even though it’s still happening, and I can’t shake this sense of urgency to hold onto the joy I’m experiencing just being here with them, but I’m not sure how to do it.

As much as I’d love to slow down time, life only seems to move faster when good things are happening, and before I know it, our food is gone, we’ve paid, and it’s time to head back to the car to go get our tree.

It’s almost like I can physically feel the joy filling the car as we take in the picturesque winter views and enjoy each other’s company. As Scotty and I continue to tease each other, as he becomes more comfortable being alone with us and shows more glimpses of that carefree man I remember, it’s becoming even more obvious to me just how much I missed spending time with him too. How seamlessly he fits in with Joey and me.

When we find a spot to park off the side of the road, Scotty turns to look at me. “Where’s the parking lot?”

“There isn’t one. We just hike until we find a tree we like.”

His eyes go wide. “Is this about to be a remake of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation? What the fuck did I sign up for?”

I can’t help but laugh. He’s the least outdoorsy of the three of us, but I really don’t have plans to do anything crazy. “I’d like to think we’re a bit more prepared than Clark Griswold. Or at least, I really hope we are. You’ll thank me later when we’re sitting by the fire with eggnog and an actual tree we cut down ourselves.”

“We’ll see about that,” Scotty chuckles. “Also, if we go to a store, I’m going to introduce you to some holiday drinks with less dairy in them.”

“That sounds great,” Joey agrees, and the three of us get out to pull on our snowpants and gloves.

Once I’m properly bundled, I open the trunk to grab the saw. “Ready?”

“Yup,” Joey readily agrees.

Scotty huffs out, “As I’ll ever be,” far more reluctantly, and the way he scrunches up his handsome face is pretty adorable.

“It’ll be fun,” I assure him, and we start walking down the snowy trail. Our boots crunch in the snow, and the occasional gust of wind knocks fresh snow off the branches as we make our way farther into the woods. It’s like a true winter wonderland. “Isn’t this beautiful?”

“It really is,” Joey agrees.

“Okay, fine. It’s gorgeous,” Scotty adds with a big smile. “Thanks for making us do this. So, what now? We just pick any tree we want?”

“Pretty much. There are rules, but if you see one you like, tell me, and I’ll make sure we can bring it home.”

“What about this one, babe?” Joey points to a tree up ahead.

The tree is a full balsam fir, a good height but not so tall that I think we’ll run into any issues, and it’s one we can absolutely cut down. “I like it. What about you, Scotty?”

“Yeah, it looks great.”

Walking over to the tree, I shake the branches so the loose snow falls off. “Anyone want to do the honors?” I ask, waving the hand saw in the air.

“Don’t look at me,” Scotty insists, putting his hands up in front of him.

“All you, babe.”

I make sure that they’re clear of where the tree will fall, kneel down in the snow, and cut the tree as close to the ground as possible, working the blade back and forth against the base until it falls over. When I look up, Joey has Scotty tucked under his arm, and they’re both smiling at me. That warm feeling is back in my chest, and this time I know exactly how I want to act on it, so I stand up, wipe the snow off my pants, and walk over to them.

I cup Joey’s cheek and lean in to kiss him. When I pull back a moment later, I add, “Good pick, love.”

Kissing Joey has always felt like a way for me to express all of my feelings for him that go so far beyond words. Not just love, but our shared joy, my gratitude that he’s in my life and that we get to experience it together. And right now, the moment feels incomplete, like I have more to express. Not that kissing Joey isn’t as incredible as always or not enough for me, but when I turn to look at Scotty, I can’t deny that I want to share this moment with him too.

Scotty’s cheeks are bright red, probably from the cold but also the proximity to my kiss with my husband. He’s still tucked under Joey’s arm, so I don’t have to shift far to look into his light blue gaze to ask, “Can I kiss you too?”