Emily offered Max a plate of store-bought cookies. "How was your Christmas?"

"You know small towns. Not much changes."

"Yet everything does." She leaned against the mantel, her gaze lingering on the cup of tea she held between her two hands.

Max nodded at Finn across the room, who sat on the couch, cradling his infant daughter. He'd barely taken his eyes off the baby since Max returned last night. "Finn seems different."

"I don't know how, but whatever you said on that camping trip made an impact." Emily lovingly gazed at her husband. "He's more like the old Finn. Still over protective, but he started talking to me again."

"I think Simon had more to do with it than me." Max bit into a cookie, the sugar hitting the roof of his mouth. The vanilla taste reminded him of Sophie, and his stomach muscles flexed.

"Not according to Finn. He said you convinced him to let me in." Emily rolled her lips. "To what happened all those years while we were apart."

Max's back stiffened.

"I knew you faced danger, but I ... maybe I didn't want to face reality. Truly look. Or ask. I had no idea." Her words were a whisper. "What your team dealt with. What you deal with."

Max shifted his weight. "He's lucky to have you."

Emily placed a hand on Max's forearm. "And us you. We're glad to have you back. Even if it's only for a few weeks before you deploy again."

"Are you sure?" Max watched as Finn handed the baby over to Mary. There must have been some peace treaty struck over the holidays because Mary had spent most of the morning here, helping Emily but also tending to Lucy with Finn. As usual, Simon nestled behind his wife like an ever-present lifeboat.

A surge of envy jolted through Max at the ease with which Simon gently moved the hair away from his wife's neck. The simplicity of being able to touch the woman he loved without thought. Max's ribs squeezed like a vice, the sharp pain a reminder he might never have the luxury. His fingers itched to brush against Sophie's soft skin. He craved to pepper her collarbone with his kisses, to watch her come undone beneath him. At the same time, a desire to hear her laugh, see her bite her lip as she assessed the correct amount of spice to add to a dish she was cooking, to sit beside her as they made the too short trip to the winery, sizzled through him.

On Christmas day, Sophie had surprised him with a text. Warmth spread through him like wildfire when he woke up and read the simple wish to him and his family for peace and joy. He'd spent half an hour writing and rewriting his response, as if his entire relationship with Sophie depended on this interaction. Their first real-world communication outside of living at the lake house. Their first friendly text. In the end he'd gone with offering season's greetings and followed the message up by asking what it was like to be in New York over the holidays, never expecting a response. Still, de'd added her to his contacts, using his nickname for her. Over the next few days, they'd traded texts constantly, ending in the one this morning:

Sunshine: Can't wait to see you this afternoon.

Max had stared at that line, wringing every ounce of meaning from each word, hope blooming in his chest like a stadium filling with fans before the start of a World Series final. If she was only being polite, then why did she use the phrase "can't wait" and she specifically said "you" not everyone. Sophie was coming back to him.

His thumb ran across the edge of his phone as Max watched Simon, across the room, press a kiss to Mary's shoulder. Max turned from the sight and met Emily's gaze. "I'm taking up much needed space."

Kind eyes the colour of starlight searched his face. "Max." She pressed her fingers into his shirt. "We love having you here."

"But with your father and sister coming to stay for New Year's Eve—"

"There's plenty of room for them at the farmhouse on the winery. Lance and Beth are eager to be the first guests. And I think my father prefers staying there with his new girlfriend." Emily surveyed the fireplace. "Too many memories of my mother here."

The muscles in Max's shoulder eased. "If you're sure."

"You are always welcome." Emily smiled. "You are family, Max."

That warmth he could never quite get used to made a reappearance, creeping its way to his cheeks. To be part of a family that accepted him for who he was forced him to look away from Emily. Time spent in Badger had only reinforced to Max that he didn't belong there. Cemented the fact that he wasn't the same Max who fled the town after ruining his baseball career and he couldn't go back to being the small-town version of himself. Not even for his family.

"Speaking of family." Mary broke through Max's thoughts. "Doesn't Sophie's train arrive soon?"

Emily checked her watch. "You're right." She glanced at the couch where Finn and Simon fussed over little Lucy. "Someone should pick her up."

Mary nudged Max forward. "Max can."

A smile tugged at Emily's lips. "Would you mind?"

The yes caught in Max's throat as his heart sputtered.

Before he had the chance to answer, Mary dangled the key to the Jeep in the air before him. A devious intention shone in her eyes. "Go get her, Max."

Mary might never be his favourite person, but right now Max could kiss her. Except there was only one woman he wanted to kiss.

Desperately.

Snatching the keys, Max tried not to speed to the train terminal.

As the train crawled into the station, Max bounced on the balls of his feet. Twelve days since he'd held Sophie in his arms. They ached for that privilege now. He knew he'd have to wait longer, at least until they got into the Jeep and away from the station. Sophie wouldn't want any public displays of their . . . Max didn't know what label to use for what was happening between them. They were hooking up, that was for sure. Every cell in his body cracked and fizzed at the apprehension of taking her to his bed tonight. Or sooner. But if this separation had taught him anything, his feelings for Sophie went beyond lust and a desire for the physical.

His heart rate accelerated as the train hissed to a stop. The doors creaked open, and Max reminded himself to breathe as she scanned the cars for any sign of the woman he—

Sophie stepped out on to the platform three doors away.

"Sunshine!" Max lunged forward, like a magnet attracted to metal. Her head whipped in his direction and with her dazzling smile, his world illuminated, the dull grey December day forgotten. His heart pounded in his chest as if the organ was trying to break free of its cage and reunite with Sophie. Arms outstretched; he decreased the distance between them by half in seconds.

Until a man in a puffy red jacket barred his way as he exited the train in front of Max, forcing him to halt. His mind and senses caught up to his body, the reprimand of keeping their relationship under covers shouting in his brain. Scooping Sophie into a hug in this public place, most assuredly counted as a violation of their pact. No matter how much Max hungered to hold her. Clenching his fists at his sides, Max took a fortifying breath as the man hauled his suitcase from the train and moved away.

The scent of vanilla hit Max first. Followed by the warmth of Sophie as her arms engulfed him in an embrace. Sophie's fingers tugged him closer, her chest crashing into his. The ends of her soft hair tickled his skin as her cheek pressed against his.

Too stunned to break the potential hallucination Max thought he might be living in, he hesitated.

"Max."

The almost breathless word caressed his skin like a kiss, snapping the tension in his body. His hands flew around her, sinking into the familiar places like they were coming home. He didn't know why Sophie was breaking her rules, nor did he care. Max sank into her, soaking up everything Sophie, gulping her in like a drowning man hitting the surface of the sea.

Her nails scraped against his scalp, sending shivers down his spine. She pulled away and Max growled at the impending loss of her, clasping her tighter. If only he could stay in this moment for a few more seconds. Or a lifetime. "I missed—"

Sophie's lips cut his admission off, attaching themselves to his. A fevered kiss Max couldn't excuse as an impulse. She owned his mouth, her tongue stroking and sucking like her life depended on him. Behind his ribs, his heart triple timed, flutters bursting into eagle wings in his chest. His hand cupped the back of her neck, encouraging her to take everything she wanted. And more.

For Max knew, without a doubt, he'd give Sophie anything.

Because he loved her.

He poured the silent omission into the kiss, screaming the words with his lips. He may never get to say them out loud. To her or anyone. But right here, right now, he'd tell her the only way he could. Each caress whispering 'I love you Sophie' over and over.

It was foolish of him to think the increased passion of her kiss was an equal response. A returned 'I love you too Max.' But he allowed himself to live in the fantasy. To let the notion that his love could be enough, that she could feel this way about him, plunder his heart and soul.

On the now empty platform, he continued to kiss Sophie long past the time his lungs shrieked in protest for air. He kissed Sophie as long as she would let him.

Hey all, DL here.

Can you tell I'm in a sappy mood. Hopefully this chapter was too cheezy.

Tell me, do you think Max is fooling himself?

Or do he and Sophie have a chance?

Coming up: New Year's Eve celebrations. Any guesses on what will happen?