I could not believe after ten years I was finally going home. After high school graduation, I could not wait to get out of the small town of Christmas City, Colorado. Every year they would string up lights and hold festivals for weeks. It had been the town's favorite time of the year. I was the Grinch who lived in the Hollywood hills. I made Senior Writer at Glamour Girls Magazine. Every day I interviewed fashion models, teenage pop stars, and wrote an occasional fluff piece about picking the right foundation. I made a great living but lately, I was bored with the whole lifestyle. After weeks of my mother’s guilt trip, I finally decided to book a flight home. 

My designer bags were packed as I was headed to the terminal after work. The anxiety of the flight was started to set in at the thought of running into my childhood beau Austin Aimes. He was a small-town boy who never wanted to leave home and I was the young writer ready to see the world. He wanted to marry me and I wanted the Four Seasons. I thought about him every day. All my friends were getting married and having children but I chose summers in Paris during fashion week. Don't get me wrong it was a beautiful and luxurious life but there was always something missing. 

 

The airport was scattered with people trying to locate the gates of their flights. It was total chaos. My phone kept vibrating with text messages from my mother asking me when I'll be there. I looked around for an airport employee to check me in at the front gate. My plane boarded as I finally responded to my mother's tenth phone call. 

"Yes, mom I'll be home Christmas."

 

Christmas City never missed a beat. The early snowfall made the city feel and look like a Christmas wonderland. It was covered in garland, wreaths with red bows, and lights lit each store in town. Children were taking pictures with Santa Claus and Christmas Carolers' walked the cold streets as they knocked on their neighbor's doors. Finally, there was my home covered in decorations as my parents hurried towards me in the drive way. 

"We have missed you,” my father confessed as he paid the cab driver. 

My parents hugged me tightly and I was glad to finally be back in Christmas City. 

I opened the bright red door to my childhood home and was greeted by the those in my neighborhood. Everyone who knew or paid me to babysit their children were here. I skimmed the kitchen and there he stood. Austin Aimes poured spiked eggnog into his plastic cup. He looked at me for what seemed like an eternity. His muscular body walked towards me as my heart began to change. 

"Grier, it's been a long time."

"Hey, Austin.”

He placed a kiss on top of my head and

handed me a freshly poured cup of eggnog.

"How long has it been?”

"It has been almost ten years."

"I never thought you would be the one to stay away. Christmas City is your home.”

"It was my home. Now it's just a familiar place.” 

"I don't believe that Grier.”

"Who cares what you believe.” I blurted out with regret. 

"I think you do. Did you stay away because of me?”

 I wrapped my arms around my shivering body and moved over by the fireplace. 

"I had to find my own way.”

"Did you find it?”

He smiled at me with those dreamy dimples and wrapped his arms around my waist. 

"What are you doing?” I nervously asked. 

"Look up.”

As clear as my feelings, a mistletoe was magically placed above us. 

Austin caressed my face with his warm hands. He brushed my bottom lip with his thumb as my legs wobbled beneath him. His soft lips finally met mine. My tongue craved his as he grinned at my eagerness. We finally came up for air to our families and friends watching us with admiration and laughs. The song Underneath the Mistletoe played through the speakers around us.