Don't Promise (Don't 3)

“We’re going to have fun.” I curled my fingers against the inside of his thigh.

One of the parking lot ushers, dressed like an elf, flagged us into an open spot at the end of one of the fields. We pulled on our gloves and started the short walk to the ticket office.

I started to regret not bringing Grayson with us. He would have loved the lights, but it was late and I couldn’t exactly make this an adult date night with a two-year old. I wasn’t sure I had accepted how different things would be when we had a baby. It would be even more difficult to plan nights like tonight.

Mary Ellen ran toward me before we were inside the gate.

“Merry Christmas!” She squealed then hugged me.

“Merry Christmas. This place is crazy. It’s bigger than on the commercials.” I looked at the tractors lined up for the hayrides.

“I know. Isn’t it amazing?” She beamed. “Hey, Cole. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Mary Ellen.”

Aiden sauntered toward us holding four tickets. “I got all the tickets so we don’t have to wait in line any more. Maybe get ahead of the crowd.”

Cole opened his mouth, but I cut him off. “Aww, that was sweet of you, Aiden. Thanks.” I took our two tickets from him and handed one to Cole.

He grumbled under his breath but took the ticket and handed it to the elf at the gate.

“Hayride first?” Mary Ellen asked. “I want to see the lights.”

“Yes, let’s do it.” I followed her to the closest tractor and climbed up. Cole and I shuffled to the center bale of hay.

Mary Ellen sat next to me and Aiden planted himself on the other side of her, wrapping an arm over her shoulder. They looked happy. I wondered if the Christmas magic had gotten to them too.

The farmer, with his Santa hat, started the engine and it sputtered to life, throwing putt putt sounds into the air as we rambled into the woods. The only thing that would make this better was if it would start snowing right now. There was enough on the ground to cast everything in a white light, but there was something enchanting about falling snow.

Cole nuzzled against my neck.

“Are you even looking at the lights,” I whispered.

“Not really.” He hooked his hand around my hip and brought me close against his side.

“Lights, Cole. We’re here to see lights.” I teased.

I don’t know how the farmer came up with the display, but it was amazing—everything the advertisements promised it would be. We were on the hayride for thirty minutes, passing under waterfalls of lights, traveling over streams outlined with sparkling lights, and through a maze of red and green twinkle lights.

When the tractor came to a stop, everyone moaned. We weren’t ready for it to be over.

“Didn’t you want some hot chocolate?” Cole asked.

I nodded. “Definitely. I’m frozen.”

He helped me from the back of the trailer and we walked into the village. Mary Ellen and I waited at a barrel that had been converted into a table. A few minutes passed before Aiden and Cole appeared with four steeping cups of hot chocolate.

“I had them add extra marshmallows.” Cole handed me mine and I watched as the steam swirled over the lid.

“Thank you.”

“So, Aiden. How long are you staying in North Carolina?”

My eyes widened. What just happened? Cole started small talk with Aiden? This had to be a Christmas apocalypse.

“I told Mary Ellen I’d stay as long as she wants me to be here. She’s at her mom’s house now and I’ve got the guestroom.” He smiled at her over his cup.

Mary Ellen piped in. “You know I want you to stay until New Year’s.” Her lips puckered in a pout.