Two years after a horrible accident, Kinsley's determined to make it through vet school, but she didn't expect to meet country boy Noel McLean who's just as mysterious as he is charming.
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Kinsley Hastings suffers from PTSD. After surviving a fata...
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Kinsley
I inhale the steam dissipating from my peppermint hot chocolate as I stare out the bay window, taking in the astounding view. This is my first Christmas on the farm, and I feel giddy. It's as if I have spiked my hot chocolate with peppermint Schnapps instead of Starbucks' peppermint syrup.
Save for the brown tire tracks, snow blankets the dirt road. Sparkling white Christmas lights line the fence along the property. Every once in a while, I catch the glimmer of falling snowflakes. My gaze trails along the road, stopping when I come to what would be the grassy front yard. Instead of a fence, rustic wine barrels filled with boughs of pine and cedar line the snow-covered grass. They're decorated with branches of holly and paper birch and grand bows. Pinecones decorated with gold glitter are strewn within the greens. The same warm-white lights are strung throughout the arrangement, emphasizing the pops of green, gold, and red against the snow.
After collecting the boughs and other natural necessities, Daisy, Willow, and I returned to the house. The process took a few hours, as the concept of horseback fascinates Willow. She didn't want to go back inside until Daisy suggested she decorate the pinecones with gold glitter. What Daisy was thinking, I'll never know. Even after showering and scrubbing my nails, glitter still sparkles against my skin when the light hits me right.
And the stuff is everywhere.
It's in my hair. Stuck beneath my nails. Sticking to my clothes—and I'm not even wearing the same clothes I was when we were decorating the pinecones!
To my right, the wood-burning fireplace crackles and spits. There's a soft smell of smoke combined with the burning cinnamon-vanilla soy candle. While we were decorating the yard, Noel, Cole, and Jack were out collecting firewood for the fire. The mantle is decorated with garland and strung with pinecones and fake cranberries.
A lot of effort has been contributed to Christmas this year, and it causes a bittersweet ache to fill my chest. Tonight is the anniversary of the accident. My family and friends would've loved these decorations and enjoyed baking cookies and fighting with glitter. Mom probably would've yelled at me for even thinking glitter was a good idea, with Dad and Jessa laughing in the background. I'm positive Aaron and Mads would be tipsy on spiked eggnog by now. They always did love their spiced rum.
These thoughts are memories combined with fantasies. These scenes are real, but picturing them here, right now, is the fantasy. Mom always hated anything with glitter. Dad and Jessa would laugh when Mom and I got into careless arguments. Mads and Aaron loved spiking the eggnog with spiced rum. Our holiday celebrations were always entertaining.
Smiling, I take a sip of my peppermint hot chocolate. It warms my chest.
A lot has changed within the past year. Noel quit post-secondary school and continue pursuing his music career. Which has paid off. He's going on his first tour come the new year. I'm getting close to graduating and becoming a vet. Cole, Daisy, and Willow have moved in together, and I'm thinking Cole will pop the question soon. Jack's been sober for eight months, which has been beneficial for Noel, and allowed Jack and me to build a better relationship.
