Frustrated, Avery unlocked her phone. "Fine, but if he’s not going to call, then I will."
She might look sweet and delicate on the outside, but Avery was far from timid. When she wanted sothing, she wasn’t the type to sit back and wait. If she missed Alexander, she’d take the first step—no overthinking, just action.
Just as Avery was about to reach out to him, her phone buzzed with a new ssage. It was from Alexander.
Her frown lted away, and a smile spread across her lips as she eagerly opened the text. Happy Christmas? she wondered.
The stern look on her face softened. What could Alexander possibly say?
But when she read his ssage, her eyes widened, and her heart began to race, thumping like fireworks bursting in the night sky. His ssage simply said:
[Turn left 300 feet; I’m waiting for you.]
A large magnolia tree stood exactly 300 feet to the left, its blossoms in full bloom. Every ti Avery passed by, she was greeted by the sweet, intoxicating scent of the flowers.
With a glance at the tree standing tall against the cold night, she stuffed her phone away and hurried in its direction.
Underneath the magnolia, Alexander waited, his tall, elegant fra leaning slightly as he flashed her a smile. The soft glow of a nearby streetlight illuminated his face, casting a warm light over the delicate red petals above him. His handso features, as flawless as polished marble, seed to shine in the dim light. His smile, cool and captivating, outshone even the beautiful flowers.
Avery paused a few steps away, her hands clenched into tiny fists near her chin as she looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with surprise and joy. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice barely able to contain her excitent.
Dressed in a sleek black trench coat, Alexander stood as tall and straight as a pine tree, his eyes warm as they t hers. "I spent Christmas Eve with my grandfather," he replied, a smile curling at the corners of his lips. "He always falls asleep by ten, so after that, I could leave. I drove straight here."
A wave of emotion washed over Avery. "Thank you for driving from Valemont City just to see , especially this late on Christmas Eve."
Alexander wasn’t the kind of guy who had a lot of free ti. Yet here he was, making the trek from Valemont just for a quick visit or a simple al. She could feel the care and attention he poured into every gesture.
Alexander’s smile widened, and for a mont, he even looked a bit bashful. "Oh, it’s nothing. If I were in trouble, I know you wouldn’t hesitate to co to my rescue. You’d probably fly across the world just to save . Compared to that, this is a piece of cake."
Avery’s mind drifted back to that ti she had flown in a helicopter to a distant place in Asnaoya to save him. The mory filled her with a mix of pride and affection—it was a secret shared just between the two of them.
Not wanting to let her excitent spill over, Avery simply smiled, her cheeks puffing up as she fought back her grin, her eyes dancing with happiness. "It was a long trip for you, but having you here makes it all worth it. I’m really happy." She cupped her cheeks, her face suddenly warming. "Really, really happy."
Just monts ago, her cheeks had been cold, but now they felt flushed with warmth.
"I’m happy too," Alexander said, his gaze locked onto hers. He opened his arms wide. "Happy Christmas! How about a hug for good luck?"
A hug from behind? What an enticing offer, she thought.
Avery’s eyes darted around nervously. She glanced left, then right, checking to see if anyone was watching. With a playful smile, she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him.
Alexander held her close, enveloping her in a warm embrace. Sharing such an intimate mont in the quiet night felt simply perfect.
Avery couldn’t help but think about how wonderful it was, though she wished there weren’t so many layers of clothing between them. She longed to feel the warmth of his skin, to experience the comfort of his body heat.
Behind the gates of the Carter family villa, Alaric had his face pressed against the iron fence, watching the whole scene unfold with a heavy heart.
"Is our Avery really being stolen away by a jerk?" he muttered in disbelief.
Arthur stood behind him, resting his chin on Alaric’s head, his expression mirroring the sa dread. "Looks like it."
Alaric sighed. "Should we go out there and stop them? Maybe find out who that guy is?"
Arthur shrugged. "If you’re brave enough to go, be my guest."
Alaric hesitated. "I’m not that brave."
"Neither am I," Arthur admitted.
Minutes passed, and the two under the magnolia tree hadn’t moved.
Growing more restless, Alaric nudged Arthur again. "Maybe we should tell the older folks and let them handle this?"
Arthur shot him a sideways glance. "They won’t do anything. They’ll just say Avery can take care of herself, and we should mind our own business."
Alaric frowned, frustrated. "So, we’re just going to stand here and do nothing while our little Avery gets taken away?"
Arthur let out a long, resigned sigh. "You know what makes everything better? Gas. Only gas can cure our worries."
With that, he turned and started to walk away.
"Wait for !" Alaric called out, quickly chasing after him.
Under the sprawling branches of the magnolia tree, Alexander and Avery reluctantly pulled apart.
He gently tucked a stray hair behind her ear and asked, "Are you cold?"
Avery shook her head. "Not at all."
The base layer she wore, crafted from a high-tech fabric developed by her family’s company, was lightweight yet warm—ideal for winter. Over that, she had a cozy coat that kept the chill at bay.
She glanced at Alexander, wondering if he might be feeling the cold instead.
"Are you cold?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. "If you are, I can grab a jacket from my place."
A shy thought crossed her mind. "Or, um, would you like to co over for a bit? My family wouldn’t mind."
Alexander chuckled softly, shaking his head.
"No, thanks. If I showed up at your house now, I’d probably scare them. I wouldn’t want to disturb them."
He paused for a mont, then suggested, "How about we take a walk around the neighborhood if you’re not tired or cold?"
Avery puffed out her cheeks, trying to stifle a giggle. "Sure! That sounds perfect!"
She hooked her arm through his, feeling a thrill run down her spine. "A winter night stroll sounds just right."
As they strolled along the quiet path, wrapped up in conversation, Avery suddenly rembered sothing. "Aren’t you spending Christmas Eve with your sister tonight?"
"Yeah," Alexander replied. "I spent the day with her. We had our Christmas dinner together this afternoon before I went to the family’s house to celebrate with my grandfather."
Concern furrowed Avery’s brow. "How is your sister doing? Is she recovering well?"
"She’s doing great, thanks to you. She can manage simple exercises and write normally now. But her mory and reaction tis aren’t quite back to where they were before the accident, so she can’t handle anything too complicated just yet. I can’t let her et anyone from the family right now."
Avery nodded, understanding the weight of the situation. "That makes sense. If she keeps improving, she should be back to her old self in a few months..."
The neighborhood stretched out before them, and even though they walked slowly, it felt like they were covering a lot of ground.
Eventually, they left the community and made their way down to the lake at the foot of the hill.
The early morning air was biting, the wind howling around them.
Yet, despite the chill, the warmth in their hearts burned brightly.
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