Christmas in Pine Island: A small town holiday romance

might bring. I want to be happy along with my friends, not bring them down with my fears. Again, I reach for my drink, hoping it can quiet my gloomy thoughts.
Eric spoke up. “If my girl wants to try something different this Christmas, I think we should.” He offers the beautiful blonde beside him an affectionate wink. “What’s your heart set on, Morgan? Paris? Italy? The North Pole? I’ll make it happen.”
I fold my hands tight in my lap, fingers tapping an uncertain rhythm against my knuckles. Even though Eric is teasing Morgan, there’s a vein of sincerity in his offer. We all know how devoted he is to his fiancée.
I am so glad that Morgan found someone who worships the ground she walks on, but it highlights the sudden doubts I'm unexpectedly having in my own relationship. I don’t need Donovan to hand me the world on a string, I just want to know he and I are on the same page . . . but I don’t know how to ask him.
It seems the only time we’re in sync these days is when we’re talking about work.
My best friends have always called me Miss Independent, and now that I'm in a relationship with a man I work with, I'm not sure where the line between independence and communication is.
I love Donovan entirely, but I can’t let my fears go unspoken. I have every faith we can fix this. But with the holidays coming up so soon . . . this conversation will have to wait until afterward.
Morgan’s laughter pulls me from my thoughts. I watch her cup Eric’s tan cheek before patting it lightly. “Our holiday doesn’t have to be that extravagant! Don’t get me wrong, I love everything you suggested. I even love being back in New York City. It’s just sometimes, especially during the holidays, it makes me miss the simple country Christmases I used to have growing up in Kansas. Those memories with my mom . . .” Morgan trails off, quieting for a moment while she collects herself. “They mean everything to me.”
A distant look fills Morgan’s normally bright eyes, no doubt caught up in thoughts of her mother, who Morgan lost to cancer when she was just twelve.
I reach over to comfort her, but Eric moves faster than I do. He hugs his fiancée against him as though he wishes he could shield her from every pain in the world. My stomach coils a little tighter and I glance sideways at my own future husband. Donovan is looking even more pensive now.
He leans abruptly forward and sets down his empty glass. “Kansas? Seriously?”
He looks at me for support and I muster up an uncertain smile. I don’t like being put between my fiancé and my best friend. Plus, I don’t really trust my swirling emotions at the moment, so I keep my mouth shut.
Getting nothing from me, Donovan faces our friends again. “Why would anyone want to go somewhere like Kansas?”
“Okay, Mr. Moneybags,” Eric teases, though I can tell by the slight curtness in his voice that he’s warning Donovan to be careful with his tone toward Morgan. “Just because you bathe in your riches and diamonds at night doesn’t mean we can’t go somewhere laidback this Christmas. Little Donovan used to go crazy over building snow forts and having snowball fights in the ‘burbs? Remember?”
“Well . . . yes,” Donovan mutters, “But—”
“But?” Eric’s dark eyes glint.
Donovan just chuckles and shakes his head. He looks back at me, reaching out to brush my dark hair from my forehead. That little gesture makes my heart soar.
Here we are again, connecting like we always have, and I'm the center of his world. If every moment could be like this, everything would be perfect. He gazes into my eyes as though he can see my soul. He’s the only person I’ve ever met who’s able to do that.
Eric laughs. “You’re ignoring me because you know I'm right!”
Donovan doesn’t answer. Instead, he loops his arm around my shoulders and inches closer. He leans against me, his breath hot against my ear as he whispers, “Don’t worry, there’s no way I’d drag you out to the middle of nowhere for Christmas. It’s not like either of us wants to be that far from the office anyway.”
I bite my lip hard, resting my head on his shoulder so he can’t see the disappointment in my eyes. Donovan is trying to be sweet . . . but how can I tell the man I love more than anything that we might want different things?

Stacy Davis
Jake frowns. “Kansas might be a little far.”
I look up at him waiting for more, but he just sighs thoughtfully and rests the side of his head against mine. Jake’s rough fingers gently lace with my own as I gaze at him, content just to watch the way the club lights reflect in his deep brown eyes.
All this talk about doing something different for Christmas is partially exciting and partially terrifying. It’s already Christmas Eve-Eve. We don’t have a ton of time to plan anything. And honestly, I’m not sure the group truly understands the restrictions this new pregnancy will have on our usual type of trips. I certainly won’t be partying like we’ve done in the past.
Jake turns toward me, nuzzling the tip of his nose against mine. Joy wells up inside of me, warm and sweet, distracting me from my worries. I let myself fully soak up this blissful feeling.
I want to enjoy every moment that Jake and I have before the baby is born. We’ll always love one another, I'm positive about that, but I just want to make sure I appreciate these simple moments before such a big change occurs.
“Have I ever told you guys about what Jenny and I used to do around the holidays when we were kids?” he asks.
He looks around the group and everyone shakes their heads. Happy laughter rumbles through his broad chest as he