“Of course I do,” I respond without hesitation.
“That’s the only thing that matters. You can worry about everything else tomorrow. Now let’s get in there and see how our girl is doing.”
The next few hours are a blur. Talking more with the police, I find out that Hana is the stalker who’s been harassing me all this time. She has shrines to me in her bedroom dating back long before I was traded to Indiana.
Maybe I should be upset or confused, but more than anything, I’m just relieved. I’m glad it’s finally over and I can try to have as normal of a relationship with Misty as possible.
Once I finish talking to the cops, I call Shelly. Without hesitation, she hops in her car while we’re on the phone. I’m not sure if she’s coming here to keep the press away or because she’s curious about the girl whole stole my heart.
“This is unbelievable,” Shelly whispers as she slips into Misty’s room.
I haven’t moved from her bedside since the police finished questioning me.
“Only you would come to the middle of nowhere to try to escape a stalker and end up coming face-to-face with them.”
“You’re the one that sent me here,” I grumble, shifting slightly in my seat. “But I don’t regret it for the world.”
“I’m going to puke,” Shelly deadpans before sitting at the end of Misty’s bed. “I hope she knows what she’s in for. Wrangling you is a full-time job.”
“There will be no wrangling, because I won’t be anywhere else but with her.”
“That’s it. I’m out of here. I need to figure out what we’re going to say to the press when they show up, because we both know they will.”
“How about the truth? My stalker tried to kill my girlfriend.”
“Dramatic much, Barnes? Although a good love at first sight story would sell some papers.” Shelly types away on her phone as she walks back out of the room.
I know Shelly is here for support, but sometimes I wish that I was just like everyone else. I wish I could fall in love, get married, and have kids with no one knowing.
“What are you thinking so hard about?” Misty chokes out as she brushes her fingers down my cheek. “If I didn’t know any better, I would think you were planning to break up with me.”
I grip her hand tightly between both of mine, pressing it against my cheek. “You’re going to need to work a lot harder than that to get rid of me.”
“What happened to Hana?” Misty tries to sit up. “I mean, she’s batshit crazy, but I hit her over the head pretty hard.”
I grit my teeth. “She’s fine. She has a concussion and a lot of explaining to do. I never told you this, but one reason I was trying to lay low in Santa Claus was because of a stalker. They’ve been following me for years, but things escalated when the photos of Kayla and I surfaced.”
“Hana was your stalker?”
I nod my head in response.
“I always thought she just needed to eat a Snickers and everything would be fine.” Misty gasps for air as she laughs hysterically at my situation. “That takes skill, Lucas. To fall right into the hands of the person you’re trying to escape from. Bravo.”
I release her hand. “Laugh it up, Misty. But if I’d never come here, I wouldn’t have found you.”
Misty immediately stops laughing and whispers, “Am I that special?”
Now it's my turn to laugh. “I told you I loved you a few hours ago, Misty.”
She smiles. “Aren’t you lucky I love you too?”
I lean over slightly, kissing her forehead. “I love you, Mistletoe Claus. I can’t wait to get you out of here so I can show you properly how much I care for you.”
“I love you too, Lucas Barnes. I can’t wait to blow this popsicle stand.”
“You just want to get your dose of Vitamin D.”
Misty flashes me a blinding smile. “Promises, promises.”
Epilogue
Mistletoe
One year later
“Dad, it’s not like I’ve never been to the city before. Lucas is sending a car to pick me up in a few minutes.” I hold the phone to my ear with my shoulder. “I need to finish getting ready.”
“Alright, I know when I’m not wanted. I’ll see you two this weekend,” my dad responds before saying goodbye and ending the call.
I scramble around Lucas’s apartment as I rush to finish getting ready. Although this is mainly for when we are spending time in the city, I still feel like this is more his place than my own. As I finish up putting on my makeup, I think back on everything that’s changed over the last year.
After they released me from the hospital, Lucas and I were inseparable. If it wasn’t for him being required to be back in the city, he probably never would have left. We tried the long-distance thing for a few months, but it took a toll on both of us.
I thought that was going to be the end, but Lucas surprised me one weekend, showing up at my dad’s store with a U-Haul packed with everything he would need to start a life with me in Santa Claus. He knew I would never leave my dad alone, and in typical Lucas fashion, knew exactly what I wanted without me having to ask. We now live in Mistletoe Manor. Fitting, if you ask me, since it’s where our relationship started.
I’m brought back to the present by a knock on the door.
“Coming!” I shout, grabbing my coat and purse before checking the peephole.
Charlie, my driver and pseudo bodyguard, is standing outside.
I swing the door open and smile. “Hey, Charlie. I’m ready when you are.”
“The car is waiting downstairs, Ms. Claus,” he responds with a smile as he ushers me into the elevator.
Ever since Hana was released on parole, Lucas has been on edge. I’m not allowed to go anywhere without him or Charlie in tow. Although Hana served her time in jail before getting community service, Lucas isn’t ready to forgive her for what she did to us. He even went as far as requesting temporary restraining orders, although it wasn’t needed. Shortly after she was released, her father sold the pizza shop to nice a couple from Boise. He told my dad he was moving himself and Hana back to Montana. Good riddance, if you ask me.
“Are you excited for tonight’s game?” Charlie asks as he opens the door.
I duck inside. “I am. I’ve been waiting for a long time to finally see Lucas play.”
Charlie smiles, then shuts the door and heads around to the driver’s side.
The basketball season was long over when Lucas and I met, so I had to wait almost an entire year before I could see him play. Tonight is the season opener for his team. I’m both excited and nervous.
Because we live in Santa Claus, we haven’t spent much time dealing with the media. If there was anything that needed to be done, Shelly always took care of it. But tonight will be different. This will be my first time being in the public eye. Yes, they all know I exist and have caught a few pictures of the two of us together when we were here in the city, but tonight, I will be on display.
The car suddenly comes to a stop, and I take a deep breath to calm my nerves. Suddenly, the door swings open.