It Must've Been the Mistletoe Read online

  William cursed under his breath and rushed over to me as I broke out in laughter. “Are you okay? I didn’t mean to hit you on the head.” He bent down to pick me up.

  Grabbing a handful of snow, I smacked it on the side of his head, and he collapsed on top of me, brushing the snow off his face. “No worries. I just got you back,” I taunted, giggling as he tried to wipe off the snow.

  He burst out laughing and gazed down at me. “So you did. I guess we’re even now, even though you’re the one who started it.”

  I shrugged. “It was fun. Besides, I kind of like where we ended up. Although, the snow is very cold on my back.”

  “Let’s get you inside, you little instigator. But before we go, there’s something I need to tell you,” he murmured, sliding his hand down my face. Cupping my cheek, he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine.

  I closed my eyes and opened to him. When he pulled back, I looked into his eyes. “What is it?”

  “I’m in love with you, Adeline Hamilton. I know you might think it’s too soon, but—”

  I stopped him with a finger to his lips. “I love you too, William Blair.”

  Breathing a sigh of relief, he kissed me again. “You have no idea how much I wanted to hear you say that.”

  Eighteen

  Adeline

  Arriving home at the somewhat decent hour of one in the morning, I snuck up to my room, still feeling high on love. William loved me, and even if it was only a dream, it felt real. I just wished 1865 etiquette would allow him to feel bolder in pursuing a physical relationship. But I understood that my 21st century moral compass was something he just wouldn’t be able to handle. That didn’t make being around him, alone, any easier though.

  The next morning, I awoke to the early morning sun shining through the windows, and a present on the end of my bed. I sat up in excitement and pulled it into my lap; it was heavy.

  Unwrapping the paper, I lifted the flaps of the box to reveal a round, sterling silver antique jewelry box, with swirling floral patterns. My grandmother from my time used to have one just like it. I opened it, and resting inside on the velvet lining was a pair of diamond earrings. Eyes wide, I stared at them, fascinated.

  “Do you like them?”

  I looked up to see my great-grandmother in the doorway. She had on a simple gray day dress with a white apron across the front. “I love them,” I gushed.

  She walked in and sat beside me on the bed. “I thought you would. Your grandfather bought me those earrings in Paris, as a gift many years ago.”

  “They’re absolutely beautiful. He has good taste.”

  “Yes, he does.” Her gaze saddened. “I just wish he was home.” About that time, the sound of a horse and carriage could be heard through the window.

  I rushed over and looked out the window, gasping with excitement when I saw who it was. “Speaking of grandfather, guess who’s out front?”

  My great-grandmother bolted to her feet and raced down the stairs. I grabbed my robe and put it on as I followed behind her, laughing the entire way. I’d never seen anyone so excited to see their husband. Back home, a lot of my friends loved it when their husbands had to go out of town for business. They enjoyed the separation. I never wanted to be like that. With William, I wanted to be with him every second I got.

  Grandmother rushed outside and flung her arms around her husband. He smiled at her, and it was the sweetest thing I’d ever seen. That was what love looked like. They both walked inside, and his eyes lit up when he saw me.

  “Merry Christmas, Adeline.”

  I hugged him hard. “Merry Christmas, Grandfather. I’m glad you’re back.”

  “Me too, my dear. Me too.” He let me go and reached into his bag. “I happened to pass through Charlotte and thought you might like these.” The present was wrapped in red paper and tied with a red ribbon. I opened it up, and inside, was a set of hair berets, adorned with emeralds.

  Tears filled my eyes. “These are too much. Thank you. They’ll go perfect with my dress tonight.”

  He kissed my cheek. “I’m glad you like them. Have I missed much since I’ve been away?”

  My great-grandmother smiled at me and clasped his arm. “Come with me. I’ll tell you all about it.” They disappeared into the parlor and I hurried back up to my room to change, only I wasn’t alone. Margaret stood by my window. She turned to face me, her expression unreadable.

  “Merry Christmas, Adeline.”

  “Merry Christmas,” I said cautiously.

  “Are you about ready to wake up?”

  “No,” I snapped quickly, shutting the door behind me. Her brows lifted, and I cleared my throat, making sure to lower my voice so no one in the house could hear. “It’s Christmas. I don’t want to leave yet.”

  She sighed, her gaze landing on the Christmas dress hanging in the corner. “You’ve enjoyed being here, haven’t you?”

  Throat thick, I nodded. “I have. I don’t want to leave.”

  She smiled sadly. “You don’t want to leave William.”

  I shook my head. “I love him.”

  “You do. I can see that. He loves you as well.”

  Sitting down on the bed, I hung my head. “None of it matters though,” I whispered. “None of this is actually real, but when I’m with William, there are these strong feelings inside of me that I’ve never felt before. I don’t understand how I can feel that strongly for being in a dream.”

  “How do you know it’s not real?” she asked.

  I waved my hands about the room. “We’re in 1865. You’re in my head because you’re one of the last people I saw before going to bed. There’s no such thing as time travel or any of that crazy mess.”

  Her grin widened. “Are you sure about that?”

  “Yes,” I answered.

  She shrugged. “Well, since you believe it’s not real, I’ll go ahead and tell you that tonight is your last night.”

  “Will I remember any of this?” I asked.

  “Do you want to?” she countered. “A lot of times, people lose bits and pieces of their dreams and they end up forgetting them entirely. If you want to remember, I can make it so.”

  “Yes.” I lifted a hand to my necklace. “I want to remember it all.”

  “Even if it hurts?”

  Closing my eyes, I fought to keep the tears at bay. “Even if it hurts. I want to remember what being in love feels like.”

  “All right,” she said softly. “I’ll grant you that one request.”

  “Thank you.” When I looked up, she was gone.

  Nineteen

  Adeline

  The house was filled to the brim with people. Everyone was dressed in their fancy holiday gowns, and I was finally in mine. I had my great-grandmother’s diamond earrings in my ears, and my emerald berets in my hair. The second I walked down the stairs, William was there to take my arm, dressed to the nines in a black suit, with his hair combed neatly over to the side.

  He whispered in my ear. “Please take my arm, before one of these young men try to steal you away. I want them to know you’re mine.”

  “I am, huh?” I teased.

  He looked down at me and winked. “Always.”

  I briefly worried about when I’d wake up. I hoped I had the entire night to spend with William and my family, but would try to put it to the back of my mind so I could fully enjoy the night.

  Walking through the house, I was stopped by James, who noticed my arm linked with William’s. “I see Mr. Blair found you first. What a pity.”

  I looked up at William and smiled. “Not a pity at all. I enjoy his company.”

  James chuckled and took a sip of his cider. “Maybe I’ll see you again, when you’re free.” He bowed his head. “Merry Christmas, Ms. Hamilton.”

  “Same to you.”

  He walked away, and William scoffed. “Now I know I’m not letting you out of my sight tonight.”

  “Adeline, dear,” my great-grandmother called. We found her in the library
with my great-grandfather and some of their close friends. She held out a hand and I took it. “We’re getting ready to sing a couple of Christmas carols before dinner. Would you care to join us?”

  “Absolutely.”

  She beamed. “Good. It’s a tradition. We do this every year. It’s a wonderful way to bring everyone together.”

  “I love it,” I replied truthfully. In fact, I was going to keep up with the tradition, no matter the century.

  I looked up at William and he cringed, leaning in close. “I’m not a good singer.”

  “Don’t worry, neither am I. We can be horrible together.”

  More people from the town piled into the library and my great-grandmother led us in song. With everyone’s voices together, it was the most amazing sound I’d ever heard. I didn’t want it to end.

  The house was quiet, as everyone had left to enjoy the last few hours of Christmas with their own families. I’d made sure to say goodbye to Hannah and Fred, wishing them the best of luck. The only ones left were Helen and Jonathan, my grandparents . . . and William.

  When I walked into the library, Helen flung her arms around my shoulders and I squeezed her tight, while Jonathan conversed with my great-grandfather and William.

  “Merry Christmas, Helen. Thank you for everything.”

  “No, Miss Adeline, thank you. Without you, my dreams wouldn’t be coming true. To think, I’ll have my own dress shop soon.” She let me go and tears streamed down her cheeks.

  “You’re welcome. You deserve it. I have no doubt you’ll come up with some amazing designs.”

  She winked. “And I’ll have you to model them for me.” She yawned and threw a hand over her mouth. “All of these festivities have worn me out.”

  I giggled. “I’m pretty sure the baby might have something to do with it too.”

  Her face brightened. “I’m not complaining one bit.”

  Jonathan walked over and took her arm. “Ready to go home, dear?”

  Helen nodded, but then she hugged me one more time. “Goodnight, Miss Adeline. Merry Christmas.” I watched them walk down the hall and out the door. It was strange to think I’d never see them again, that they were people I’d made up in my mind.

  William noticed me by the door and walked over. “Is everything okay?”

  My eyes burned, but I didn’t want to cry. “I’m fine. Do you mind if I talk to my grandparents alone? I want to say goodnight to them.” More like goodbye.

  William nodded and stepped out of the way. “Of course. I’ll be outside on the porch.”

  My great-grandparents both smiled at me as I re-entered the library. “Did you enjoy the party?” my grandmother asked.

  I nodded. “It was lovely. I hate that it’s over.” In more ways than one. I walked up to them and hugged my grandfather first. “I really wish we had more time together.”

  “So do I, my dear, but we always have tomorrow, and the day after that.”

  Swallowing hard, I nodded. “Yes, we do.” He let me go and I moved over to my grandmother.

  She noticed the tears in my eyes and cupped my cheeks. “Why are you crying, dear child?”

  I shrugged. “No reason. I think I’m just tired.”

  “I think we all are,” she said, laughing. “I’m about to go to bed myself.”

  My grandfather kissed her cheek and then mine. “And I’m heading there now. Goodnight, you two. This old man can’t stay up as late as he used to.”

  “Goodnight, Grandfather.” I watched him walk away and disappear down the hall. It was the last time I’d ever see him again, or at least, until I had one of these crazy dreams again.

  My grandmother hugged me one more time. “I love you, Adeline. I just want you to know how much of a joy it’s been to have you here.”

  “I feel the same way,” I murmured. “And I love you too. I’ll never forget our time together.”

  She patted my cheek. “I should hope not.” And then, she walked out of the room.

  It took me a second to catch my breath. Now, all I had to do was say goodbye to William. He was the one I was going to miss the most. It was like I could feel myself waking up from the dream. Time was definitely slipping by at an increased rate.

  There was a spare bedroom by the parlor, so I grabbed a couple of the quilts off the bed and took them outside. I sat beside William and he chuckled when I draped one of the quilts over his shoulders. “What’s this?”

  The snow had started to fall, and it was beautiful. I wrapped the other quilt around me and snuggled into his side. “I thought we could watch the snow for a while. I don’t want Christmas to end just yet.”

  Sliding his arm around me, he pulled me in closer. “We can do that. It gives me an excuse to stay by your side for even longer.”

  Breathing him in, my eyes burned. They felt heavier by the second. “I love you, William.” I couldn’t stop the tears.

  “I love you too, Adeline.” One of my tears fell on his hand. He lifted my chin and looked into my eyes. “Why are you crying?”

  My heart broke. “Because you’re not real. I’m only dreaming.”

  His eyes widened. “Of course I’m real.” He kissed me, his lips lingering on mine. They were so warm. “You wouldn’t be able to feel that, if I weren’t real.”

  “You’re real in my heart,” I whispered. “Just promise me you won’t forget about me.”

  “Adeline, what’s going on?”

  I grabbed his face. It felt like I was being pulled away. There was no time. “When I wake up, I’ll remember you. Promise me you’ll do the same.”

  He kissed me again and everything went black. I couldn’t feel him anymore. There was nothing, except his whispered words, “I promise.”

  Twenty

  Adeline

  I awoke with a gasp and clutched my chest. Outside was bright, but there was no sun, just clouds and tiny snowflakes fluttering in the wind. I remembered everything about the dream. Looking at my tree, I almost expected to see the angel ornament William had bought me, but of course, it wasn’t there. What made everything even crazier was that I was about to meet William’s descendant for the first time, in just a few short hours. He probably wasn’t anything like the William I fell in love with, but a girl could hope.

  Even now that I was awake, it all still felt so real. My heart hurt just thinking about it. I honestly felt like I’d lost the person I loved.

  The alarm on my phone beeped and I shut it off. Just like clockwork, a text came in from Jessica.

  Jessica: OMG. I’m freaking out over here. Today’s the day!

  Me: Yes, it is! I’ll be over there soon!

  I took a shower, luxuriating in the hot water, and the ease of which I could access it. Drying my hair afterward, I threw on a white button-down shirt and jeans, so it’d be easy to take off the shirt once I got my hair done. I grabbed the box I’d pre-packed with all of Jessica’s favorite snacks and wine inside, for the pre-wedding jitters I knew she’d have. Jessica loved being the center of attention, but I knew she’d be nervous in front of the hundreds of guests expected to attend.

  Arriving at Jessica’s parents’ house, her dad was outside, fetching the newspaper. He waved at me when I pulled into the driveway.

  “Good morning, Jerry,” I said as I got out of my car.

  He slid the newspaper under his arm. “Good morning, Addie. I hope you’re ready for the chaos. Jess has been stressing all morning. You’re the only one who knows how to calm her down.”

  I giggled. “That’s what best friends are for.” Jessica walked out the front door, her hair a complete mess. She kissed her dad on the cheek and opened the passenger door to get in. “Um, Jess . . . did you even brush your hair this morning?”

  Her eyes widened, and she touched her hair. “Oh my God,” she gasped, completely appalled. “I’ll be right back.” She rushed inside, as her mother appeared at the door, trying to hide her smile.

  “A glass of wine might help her,” she shouted.

&
nbsp; I nodded. “Already packed. I’ll make sure she drinks it.”

  “Good. Her father and I will be at the country club early. I’ll have her dress.”

  “Sounds good.” Jessica hurried back outside, so I waved goodbye to her parents. “We’ll see you in a couple of hours.” We got in the car and headed on our way to the salon. Jessica took long, deep breaths, as if she was in labor. “You okay?” I asked her.

  She nodded quickly. “Of course.”

  “Do I need to break out the wine when we get to the salon?”

  Laughing, she smacked my arm. “No, I’ll be fine. You know how I get.”

  “Oh, I know,” I said, remembering back to when we were in high school. “You acted the same way when you were running for student council president and had to give a speech to the whole school.”

  She groaned. “Don’t remind me. This, however, is different. I’m getting married. What if I get up there and I stutter the vows?”

  I rubbed her shoulder. “You’ll do great, just like you are at everything. Once you’re with Trent, nothing will exist, except you and him. Nothing else matters, Jess. At the end of the day, you will end up as husband and wife.”

  Her eyes glistened. “You’re right. Even if I do mess up, it’s not going to matter.”

  “Exactly.”

  I wanted to tell her about my dream, but I didn’t want to make today about me. It was her wedding day, so I kept mum on falling head over heels for an imaginary boyfriend.

  Pulling up to the salon, Alexis and Bridgette waited for us by the door. They waved excitedly when we got out. “Are you ready, sis?” Alexis asked excitedly.

  Jessica hugged her. “Once I get my hair and makeup done, I will be. I look like crap right now.”

  Bridgette snickered and nodded behind her back as Jessica and Alexis walked inside. I rolled my eyes and smiled. “Don’t be mean,” I said, keeping my voice low.

  She giggled. “You know I’m only kidding.”