A Soldier's Christmas

“I got it together and mailed it while I was in Boston.” Emma backed out of the room. “I’ll tidy up soon.” She waved her hands around to indicate the living room.

“Don’t worry. Bree and I will finish putting everything up.”

“Thank you.” Emma offered a small smile, and headed for the stairs.

Her heart was as heavy as her feet on the stairs as she wondered if Logan would receive the box that she’d sent. She didn’t know why she’d suddenly gotten the urge to get everything together while she was in Boston, but once the idea was in her head, it became something that she had to do. The lady at the post office told her it might not arrive until after the holidays, with him being overseas, and Emma was good with that as long as he received it.

She sighed. Her family loved her, but they also made her feel stupid for longing after a man she’d never met. She knew that he occupied her thoughts, perhaps more than he should, but she just couldn’t help it. In a way, she felt like she’d given him a little bit of her heart with every letter they’d exchanged. More than anything, she wanted to believe that he’d returned the sentiment.

Chapter 3

Two days after arriving back in the States, Logan found himself in Boston with a belly full of nerves at the thought of seeing his Emma.

Instead of a rental, he chose to purchase a truck. He had no idea when he would be heading back, whether it would be in a few days or just before he had to report back for duty in three weeks. He’d bought a one-way ticket so he could travel whenever he needed to. It would take him a couple of days to drive back to base, but he didn’t mind. He wasn’t deploying again, and the purchase of his new truck was the start of him creating something permanent in his life.

He wouldn’t be a drifter anymore. He’d settle down and, hopefully, find a good woman to settle down with. That thought had his Emma popping back into his head, although she was never very far from it. As he drove toward her small town, outside of Stowe in Vermont, he hoped that he wasn’t making the biggest mistake of his life.

Once he’d gotten the idea into his head, he hadn’t really stopped to think. It had briefly passed his thoughts that perhaps she finally opted to settle down with the guy she was dating, although Logan knew that she would have settled if they’d married. The way she talked about the guy told him that they weren’t suited. The guy was an idiot if he thought Emma would sit around and take his shit for long. She hadn’t told Logan much about the relationship, but he read between the lines and knew that Emma’s guy didn’t give on any issue. It seemed to be all about him taking, and doing what he wanted without any regard for Emma.

His beautiful Emma.

Logan had no idea about what he was going to do when he arrived in town. He’d thought about watching her from afar to see how she was before he introduced himself. If she was with another man, or seemed

happy, he would leave without ever bothering her. But, the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to meet her.

He wanted to come face-to-face with the woman who he was certain held his heart. No matter how much he’d tried to rationalize things—how he didn’t even know her…how he couldn’t possibly connect to her that way—the thoughts wouldn’t leave him. That was why he needed to meet her. He hoped this trip either cured him of his dream about her, or the dream became so much more. He had his heart set on the latter, but who knew how that would work out.

He shook his head and focused on the snow-covered roads. The first town after Boston—covered with deep snow—Logan stopped long enough to have the tires checked to make sure they matched the weather.

After about an hour, he made a right turn, and found himself on the main street through town. He smiled as a feeling of warmth filled him; the town felt like…home. Everything was familiar and he owed that familiarity, to how descriptive Emma had been when she wrote about it—from the snow-lined sidewalks to the lights that twinkled in the trees along the side of the road. He came to a stop in a parking space in front of Coffee & Books, a brick and mortar bookstore. He found the store was another reminder of Emma. The paperback books that she’d mailed to him had been his bible during the lonely evenings on base.

Grabbing hold of his cell from the drink holder, and his hat and gloves from the passenger seat he jumped out of his truck.

The air froze as it left his mouth, and he was glad that he purchased a new coat and winter clothes. It was freezing and the sun was just starting to set, so he was positive it would get a lot colder. He hurriedly put his hat and gloves on before he stepped onto the sidewalk, and then he gazed around him. The town was beautiful, and he felt some of the excitement of Christmas returning.

He’d given up on Christmas a long time ago, if he was honest. His parents had both passed away when he’d been overseas, about six years ago. His parents were older than most; his mom had been in her forties, his dad in his fifties when they had him. He missed them, and Christmas hadn’t felt the same since, but, for some reason, he suffered more this year than any other. And that was why he followed his heart rather than his head when he arrived in town.

He sighed, and continued to admire the town when he spotted the bed and breakfast that he’d made a reservation in—it was across from where he stood. Good parking on his part.

The B&B looked bigger than he first thought it was when he’d found it online, and they’d certainly gotten into the spirit of Christmas. Outdoor lights decorated the wraparound porch, both on the ground and first floors. A large Christmas wreath was front and center on the upstairs balcony, and a smaller one was displayed on the entrance to the B&B. Overall, it looked cozy and welcoming. He’d check in soon, but first, he wanted to walk around the town that Emma called home.

He must have only taken a few steps when the smell of cinnamon hit his senses. He closed his eyes and inhaled. Cinnamon reminded him of Christmases from his childhood when his mom would have Christmas candles burning throughout December. Another memory was of his mom baking cinnamon snickerdoodles because she knew that they were his favorite Christmas treat. He loved all kinds of Christmas cookies, but the snickerdoodles were his favorite.

“Are you alright, young man?”

Logan snapped his eyes open and met the concerned gaze of an elderly lady. She was bundled up for the weather and her cheeks were rosy from the brisk air, but she had a look of concern on her face.

What an idiot he was, standing on the sidewalk with his eyes closed. “I’m fine.” Logan smiled. “I just caught the scent of cinnamon and it reminded me of my mother.” He felt like he owed the lady an explanation.

“That will be the bakery.” She pointed, and when his eyes followed, they widened when he spotted the display in the window.

He glanced back at the woman, and gave her a sheepish smile. “I think I need to head over there.”

She chuckled. “I’m not surprised. Tell Louise that Betty sent you.” She winked, and made her way down the sidewalk.

He moved over to the bakery window and delighted in the choice of baked goods available. It had been so long since he’d had them that he had no clue what he’d buy first. He’d probably make himself sick.

There were cookies in all shapes: angels, Christmas trees, snowmen, stars, and they even had a large gingerbread house. The Christmas lights around the displays made everything look even better. And as he stepped inside, it was as though he’d taken a step back in time, as though he’d, maybe, stepped into a Charles Dickens novel.