One of my favorite guys is up next. Yay, for bias! Here's to Luke and Molly's Christmas date. :D

And seriously, Hershey, you're the best! Thanks for the review!

Thanks for reading!

EDIT: Amended a few errors. Thanks, ATWF for catching them! Because OH MY GOD it's so obvious when I don't proofread - the horror.

White Christmas

Boots, gloves, snow pants – check! Her hair was carefully tucked out of the way beneath her trapper hat, and her coat was buttoned up to her neck. Molly gave herself one last once over in the mirror before she decided she looked utterly ridiculous and ready for the big day ahead of her.

She couldn't get the stupid smile off of her face as she shut her front door behind her. Even as she skipped the action of locking up, Molly was grinning like a goof. She loved living in a small town away from everything. She felt so safe, and everyone was a good friend. What was better than that?

As she double-checked that her barn and coop were warm and cozy for her animals, Molly hurried around to the tool shed. Throwing back the bolt, she swung the door open and was greeted with dust and cobwebs. She coughed and reached around behind a rarely used bucket for a metal disc propped up against the wall. With a yank, Molly freed it and patted it clean with her gloves. Rusted on the one edge, dark green paint chipping off, and dented from years of use, it was one of her most prized possessions. The lucky item that was the fastest, most reliable winner of every race from her childhood. Her sled.

Molly knew she was the happiest girl in the whole world when she was asked to go sledding on Christmas Day with Luke. He also just so happened to be the most painfully obvious crush she'd ever had on a person. He was so energetic and kind. Mischievous and silly, but his heart was pure golden tinsel. Molly adored him, but she felt like she couldn't just tell him that. Luke was very sweet, but he wouldn't understand. He'd think she was joking. She was content to love him on the sidelines.

Luke had been fiddling with Boss' leash when he asked her, not long after she had bumped into him on the path. "Hey, uh… you wanna go sledding with me on Christmas?"

She was perfectly fine being his friend… or so she had thought until that moment. When the whole world seemed to pivot, and Molly realized that maybe she had a chance with him after all.

And now, this was her big day. The best chance she'd ever get. It would be just the two of them! Luke invited her for a day of sledding on Moon Hill, and she was going to take advantage of it and have some fun. And in the end, she'd tell him how she really felt. That she didn't want to just be his sidekick or drinking buddy anymore. She was going to bust her way out of their friendship into romance!

"Ready or not, here I come!" Molly cheered for herself, making a giggly twirl on the path. Her head was so high up in the clouds that she didn't hear the person calling out to her.

"Waaaaait! Heeeeey!"

By the time Molly finally noticed the voice shouting after her, Maya was at her heels. She gave her a friendly whap to the shoulder. The tassels on her beanie had puff balls on them that were bobbing around as she walked. "Hey, Molly! Didn't you hear me?"

"Sorry, Maya! This hat must be tighter over my ears than I thought," she joked with an apologetic grin.

Maya stuck out her tongue. "Yeah, you were just off in La La Land; don't pretend. I saaaaid, Merry Christmas!"

"Gee, thanks. Merry Christmas to you, too," Molly rolled her eyes in good humor, holding her sled in front of her with both hands. It threatened to hit her knees if she wasn't careful. For the first time, Molly noticed that Maya was dragging a sled behind her, too. She gave it a dubious look. "Oh. Going sledding?"

"Yeah, duh! I love sledding!" Maya giggled as she chided her question. She tugged the rope to shoot the sled forward along the path behind them. "It's Ol' Trusty, ahaha! He's survived trips down Moon Hill since before I can even remember."

Hm. So Maya was going to go sledding at Moon Hill, too. Though Molly was a little disappointed, she decided that maybe the unexpected, extra company wasn't going to be all that bad. Perhaps she should welcome it even. First dates were always a bit awkward, so having a friendly girl like Maya around would alleviate the atmosphere. Yeah… this'll be okay! No biggie!

"Mayaaaa! Yoohoo~!"

Molly's heart squashed like a grape, and her eye almost twitched. She stopped beside Maya, and the pair waited for the small group to meet up with them. All bundled up and carting sleds of their own, Kathy, Selena, Toby, and Paolo meandered their way over and fell into step with the first two girls. Molly was suppressing the panic – just how many spectators was she going to have?!

Kathy got to them first, ruffling at Maya's hat until the hair underneath was successfully static. "I was wondering why you ran on ahead. What's up, Molly?"

"Uh, nothing much," she shrugged lamely, unsure how to act.

"It's freezing!" Selena complained, hugging her shoulders as tight as can be. That left Toby to cart her sled as well as his own, but he didn't seem to mind.

"I can warm you up~!" Kathy teased, latching onto her and squishing the beauty with all of her might.

"Ack, Kathy! I can't breathe! Get off!" She whined, but she was laughing, cheered up by the love of her friends. Still, Selena was determined to never get used to these snow-filled, chilly winters. She'd prefer sledding down sand dunes any day. Which, she said as much, as Maya lent a hand and wrapped her scarf about Selena's neck to help her keep warm.

"Merry Christmas, Molly!" Toby greeted the quiet girl with a cheery smile. He could tell that she looked a bit sick and wondered at that.

"M-merry Christmas, Toby," she returned with a wan, almost convincing smile. Molly was downright jittery as she tried to think of a way out of this. Maybe she'd tell Luke some other time… she was sure she could convince him she was sick with the way her stomach was turning… Or maybe he'd offer to go sled somewhere else? That was just silly though… But Molly was definitely not ready for such a public date.

"You've been sledding before, right?" Toby asked, tilting his head.

"Er – not around here, no," Molly answered, doubtfully rubbing her cold nose on her glove.

"You look scared," his little cousin Paolo said, looking her dead in the eye. He wore a knit cap that matched Toby's in all but color as his was red, and Toby wore green. Paolo looked across the bridge towards Flute Fields. He pointed at the fence in the distance. "It ain't that tall! It just looks scary from here. Come on, you can watch me – I'll show you what a chicken you are!"

"He likes an audience," Toby excused his cousin's rather rude words with a shrug, nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

"Makes one of us…" Molly muttered under her breath as her feet slowed, and the chatty group passed her by. She watched them make their way up the hill to meet even more people. Was this a tradition she didn't know about? Everyone knew everyone else, and they were all good friends. They did everything together. Privacy was bar none. Molly was beginning to see the disadvantages of living in a small town now.

She spotted a familiar, fuzzy dog bounding down the hill to greet the newcomers. He sped around them in a circle, lunging at Molly and kicking up snow around her. She laughed at his antics as he panted and sprinted back up the hill like a race horse. Boss was here, so that probably meant—

"Ya comin' up or what? You said you'd watch me!" Paolo was waving his arm up over his head to signal her over.

Guess I've got a new date, she ruefully thought as she began her trek up the hill to meet the little guy from the fishery. "Yeah, Paolo, I'm coming!"

"Is that Molly I hear?" Owen's loud voice shouted above the heads all gathered together at the top of the hill. By the time Molly joined them, she found the brawny guy grinning at her like he was bemused by her mere presence. She got the feeling he clearly knew something she didn't know, and his tone of voice only proved it. "It is Molly! Hey, you going to come sled with us?"

"I… I guess so. Yeah!" Molly nodded, practically hugging her sled like a shield with everyone's eyes gravitating towards her.

Though it was cold, and the sky was clear without a cloud making it bitterly chill, Owen only wore his usual coat and a pair of gloves. Molly wondered how he wasn't shivering, even if he was mostly muscle. He smirked down at her knowingly. "Well, I'm glad you could make it. After all, Luke specially invited us all out here. So we're all gonna have fun with Molly today, right, guys? She's the guest of—mmmrrrrrff!"

"Will you shut up?!"

Molly's eyes were wide as she watched Luke spring up from seemingly nowhere with enough snow in his glove to completely smother his friend. Owen was stifled for only a moment before he escaped Luke trying to kill him and fought back, grappling him around the neck and getting a fistful of snow to do the same to him. Luke didn't fight fair and was kicking like a child to escape the headlock, and before long, they went tumbling down. Boss was barking, alarmed but wanting to join in on the wrestling at the same time.

"Is this it? Is this why I'm freezing out here? To watch a couple of idiots play 'who's the seme?' I don't think so," Selena glowered down at the young men, kicking snow at them to demonstrate her annoyance for good measure. "Come on, you made us hike all of the way out here – Luke, give it a rest already!"

Molly was paralyzed, her fear being replaced by deep humiliation and disappointment. Luke… invited them all? As friends… of course… She had blown it entirely out of proportion. She didn't understand him when he initially invited her. Of course Luke wouldn't ask her out on a date – that wasn't his way. He was too dense, and he was just planning a day out. More the merrier. And she had gotten her hopes up. I can't believe I thought… God, I feel like such an idiot…

Unlike Selena, Kathy had no reservations about forcing them to stop. She jumped into the fray with the authority of a mother bear, her jaw set. She took Owen by the arm, and he rolled his shoulder to try to shake her off. Thoroughly ticked now herself, Kathy walloped him in the ear at the same time Bo helped Luke to his feet.

"What'd you do that for?" Owen mumbled, rubbing the sore spot and testing for sound, thinking the blonde just made him deaf. "He hit me first, ya know."

"You were being an ass!" Kathy defended her actions, brushing the snow off of his coat despite her anger.

"Way to go, Luke…" Bo scolded his fellow apprentice, letting Luke pat himself free of powder on his own. He was still uncharacteristically quiet, which was quite unsettling for everyone around him.

Boss greeted everyone once again, tongue lolling, happy that the commotion was over. Luckily, the scuffle had distracted anyone from seeing Molly's misty eyes, and she had regained control of her brimming tears by the time it grew uneasy again. Still, with both chatterboxes tight-lipped, the air was desperate to be cleared.

"So are we gonna sled or what?! You guys are acting weird," Maya accused to relieve the tension, dropping the lead of her sled in the snow and squinting hard at the boys. Molly would have said the same, but she was still too stunned at the strange turn of events.

"Yes, we're gonna sled! And you're going right now!" Owen declared, picking up Maya and slinging her over his shoulder. She shrieked in giggles as he plopped her onto his own sled and sent her at a run down the slope with a good kick. Boss barked and chased after her, plowing through the snow like a steam engine. They all watched her go careening down before she glided to a gentle stop some distance into the field below, still giggling madly as Boss licked her face.

Huffing and puffing came Taylor and Chloe, as they had been at the bottom of the hill building snowmen to run over until they noticed Paolo had arrived. The kids greeted one another and divulged what Santa brought them that morning, already betting their gifts against one another in a race to the bottom.

Molly was quite forgotten from watching Paolo now that he had his friends, and she almost felt at a loss because of it as everyone else quarreled with Selena about getting her onto a sled. Molly lingered on the edge of the group, watching awkwardly at a distance. She felt like her heart had dropped to her stomach like a rock. She couldn't forgive herself for taking Luke so seriously and letting herself believe she was going on a date this afternoon. It completely wasted her enthusiasm.

But then… something was decidedly off. What was up with Owen? And why did Luke attack him like that? What's more – why didn't he even so much as say hello to her? There he was, laughing like he usually was with Kathy and Toby, egging Owen on in throwing Selena down the hill next. So he was back to normal, but… that was so weird.

Molly's eyes fixated on him; she couldn't help it. His features were red and raw from the cold, and he wasn't wearing proper gloves or mittens – just his leather work gloves he always wore, leaving his fingers open to frostbite. But he had a messily made knit scarf and his usual blue bandana was on his head, and he looked so alive and frustratingly handsome despite his mussed hair and over-sized ski pants. She had it bad, alright.

"Sorry about that, Molly…" Bo began, stepping through the snow to stand beside her. He was dressed more mindfully than his roommate, sporting a beanie over his sandy hair beneath the hood of his coat. He hid his hands in his pockets. "Luke's kind of an idiot…"

"Do you know what's going on with him today? Because I feel like… I don't know… something's wrong," Molly confessed, forcing herself to tear her eyes away. She couldn't gawk like a creepy idiot the entire day, after all. Besides, if anyone knew Luke better than Molly did, it had to be Bo. She knew she could count on him to be honest, too. For a fifteen year old, Bo was very intuitive and mindful of those around him.

But Bo fumbled, looking quite put out. The irritated expression was strange for her to see on his freckled baby face. He clicked his tongue and just shook his head. "Eh… I don't know. To put it short, he blew it."

"Huh…?"

Bo held up his hands in surrender, taking himself out of it. "Nope, it's not on me! I've already told him off, so what's done is done. You wanna sled?"

"Uh, sure…" she nodded a little skeptically. Bo's vague words were only making her more confused and a little exasperated. But she let it go for the time being. She needed to loosen up and feel more like herself again.

She could hear Selena screaming the whole way down the hill in fear as she rode with Toby. Boss was to the rescue – tackling her the second she made it to the bottom, making her scream even more. Kathy yelled to clear a path, and she tossed her plastic mat on the ground, propelling herself on her stomach with her feet to slide down after them like a penguin. Paolo and Taylor laughed until their sides split as Chloe crashed through one of the snowmen, the snowman winning the onslaught and sending the little girl tumbling head over heels into a snowbank.

"Hey, there she is!" Owen was using that strange, announcer voice again as he spotted Molly coming up with her sled. "Going with Bo? Good choice, Molly! You ride with Bo on your first trip down."

She could only give him a deadpan stare in return, unsure of what kind of crap the miner was pulling. Molly half-wished Kathy was still here to sock him in the ear as she dropped her old metal sled and anchored it with her foot.

"Er – hold up!" Luke intervened, getting Owen's massive palm in his face for a response.

"Aw, I wanna ride with Bo!" Maya interrupted next, lugging her sled up behind her as she returned to the crest of the hill. She sat down on it and tapped the wooden seat behind her. "Come on, Bo! Pick a spot – me or Molly!"

Bo's eyes darted between the girls, getting flustered being put on the spot. Though he seemed more comfortable to hang out with Molly, he chose Maya's sled and carefully sat down on it. He gave Molly an unsure wave as Maya cheered and kicked them off, forcing the boy to hold onto her or else fall off and wipe out like Chloe and get a face full.

"Perfect – that just leaves you two. Have fun!" Owen gave Luke a shove.

"H-hey!" Before Molly could register what he was doing, Owen snatched her own sled away from her and used it for himself, rocketing down the hill in dizzying circles and nearly crashing into those still sitting at the bottom. She looked after him in fright, her heart picking up speed as she realized what he had said. Just her and Luke! Was he setting them up?!

"You wanna head down?" Luke asked. She turned around to see him kick forward a plastic sled big enough for two kids or a pair of adults if they were crammed. He didn't look her in the eye and just played with the sled with his boot, bending it up and down. "We can share. That cool?"

"Sure!" She chirped, hoping she sounded normal. Molly was anything but as she sat down in front, scrunching her knees up and trying to make herself small.

Luke still didn't have enough room, and finding a spot got awkward. He didn't want to curl up like she was and look like an idiot train, so he wound up stretching his legs out on either side of her. Molly held her breath as she felt his chest directly behind her. Don't think anything weird. Don't think anything weird. Don't think anything weird.

He was being a little clipped and strange, but Molly couldn't get it out of her head that she was getting to sled with Luke after all. In very odd circumstances with upsetting goading from their friends. Her cheeky grin was coming back, and she was trying to fight it. But she could smell his aftershave, and she was losing her mind. NO, that's weird – cut it out! Stop thinking and… just go.

"You ready?" Molly prompted. She realized that she had so much time to freak out since they had been lingering there for a good space in time. Was he nervous, too?

"Let's go!" Luke said in answer, grabbing the snow at either side of them and inching them forward. They weren't going fast enough, so Molly helped him along, and the sled tipped over the smooth edge of the path in the hill.

"Oh my God, Paolo totally lied – this hill is way scarier than it looks," Molly gasped, looking out over the drop with her jaw dropping in shock. Because of all of the sleds going down the snow for days of use, the hill had grown icy and slick, promising a lightning fast ride. She suddenly wasn't so brave anymore.

She heard him snort. Luke's arm wound about her waist, pulling her back to him even closer, eliciting an involuntary squeak from her lips. He held his other fist in the air as they leaned precariously forward. "Put your hands in the air!"

Molly yelped and covered her eyes, peeking out between her fingers as they rushed down in a blur. They hit multiple bumps that made the plastic sled roughly bounce them out of their seats. The ride was exhilarating as the wind whipped by and sent them rocketing down the slope. Molly allowed herself to laugh and lean back into Luke's hold, grateful for the support.

Though the ride only lasted a few, short seconds, the last bump felt like slow motion. It didn't register that she was in the air until Molly felt her stomach leap, and she realized she couldn't feel the ground. A particularly nasty patch of ice sent them flying straight out of the sled and through the air. Molly pinched her eyes shut as she made impact with a fluffy pile of snow, Luke falling headfirst right beside her.

After she pulled herself up and shook the confusion from her head, Molly looked to the lump on her right that was supposed to be Luke. Since he landed on his stomach, he came up coughing and shaking the snow from his hair like a dog. She could hear their friends shouting and asking if they were alright as she made eye contact with him. And they laughed.

"Did you see the air we got?!" Luke asked, turning over to sit and rubbing his sleeve over his mouth. The first to make it to them was Boss, and he went straight for Luke. The carpenter had to hold the massive Pyrenees off at a distance as the dog pawed and sniffed and licked and tried to make sure his buddy was okay.

"Totally!" Molly fixed her hat by taking it off and running a hand through her hair before replacing it. She held her hands up above her head. "Look how far we landed! No one's gotten out here yet! Untouched snow!"

"Sweet! New record!" He held up his hand. She high-fived him, and he turned it into a handshake, taking her glove and giving it a sound squeeze.

Luke's proud, crooked smile distracted Molly long enough that she was awkward turning her attention to Kathy who was holding her hand out to her. She was smiling in relief, looking down at her sitting in the snow drift. "I should've known you goons would be alright."

"What a wipe out!" Maya exclaimed, hurrying over with Toby and the kids trailing behind to check out the damage.

Molly giggled and accepted Kathy's hand, being roughly yanked to a standing position. Bo had retrieved their sled and approached her with a worried frown. "That looked like it would've hurt! You're a lot tougher than you look, Molly."

"I try," she teased with a wry grin, swiping the sled back from him. Kathy was giving her similar treatment she had given Owen earlier, gently patting her clothes free of snow.

Selena and Maya offered to help Luke, but he refused their outstretched hands and pulled himself up as Boss crowded his feet. Owen ruffled his askew bandana right off of his head. Luke swatted him away and pocketed the soaked fabric with a shrug.

"Are you sure you're okay? Maybe you two should take it easy," Toby suggested.

"What? No way! We're going again! Right, Molly?" Luke prompted, giving her a hopeful, encouraging grin.

There wasn't anything in the world that would make her say no to that smile. She just hoped her blush could be mistaken for the cold. Molly readily nodded. "Yeah! Let's try it again and stick the landing!"

"Alright!" Luke cheered.

"You guys are nuts," Selena stuck her tongue in her cheek. Though she disapproved of blatant idiocy, she wasn't all stick-in-the-mud. She tugged on Toby's arm for him to take her on another trip down.

The group dispersed now that they knew Molly and Luke were alright. Molly was feeling more confident after her literal crash landing, knowing whatever else may come couldn't phase her after a hit like that. Whatever was going on before was over. Luke was here to have fun. So maybe he invited a bunch of people and not just her. Molly wasn't going to let that ruin her day anymore. It was genuinely a very sweet thought, and Molly was glad she was included. She couldn't let her misunderstanding sour a happy outing with her friends.

She went with Luke down the hill again and managed not to crash the second time. Molly went on her own, with Maya, with Selena, and with Bo in turn, again and again down the hill and hiking back up, Boss on everyone's heels the whole day. But Luke claimed most of her rides - her partner in crime. By the time the sun was beginning to slink towards the horizon, she was exhausted but on top of the world. Molly couldn't have asked for a more fun way to spend Christmas.

Selena and Maya left first since they were cold and were desperate for munchies, respectively. It wasn't long before Toby was telling the kids to wrap it up as he was the substitute parent that the situation lacked. Though they whined and tried to squeeze in a few more races, the trio was wiped out. Paolo had no complaints when Toby headed for the path, and he hurried to catch up with him. Owen picked up Chloe for a piggyback after Taylor walked the short distance home. She rested her head on Owen's russet hair, her eyes closing in content after all of the energy she blew.

"Sheesh, I'm tuckered out," Kathy said, leaning with her face to Owen's chest. She snaked her arms around his waist and blew at her bangs. "I need a drink."

"I'd treat ya, but there's baggage," Owen beckoned to Chloe on his shoulders, the little girl pretending to be asleep.

Kathy gave him a pat and shook Chloe's boot to get her attention. "Then there's no choice. What do ya say to a couple rounds of hot chocolate?"

"Oooh! You're the best!" Chloe's eyes snapped open, lighting up like stars. She drummed atop her cousin's head and kicked her feet in excitement. "Will ya hurry up and walk, Owen?! I want cocoa!"

"Alright, alright, I'm walkin'," Owen started down the hill with Kathy at his side.

Boss lunged ahead of her as her feet slowed. Molly's eyes caught a strange scrap of fabric in the snow. Recognizing it, she ran back and retrieved it, waving it over her head to get Luke's attention. "Oi! Luke, you dropped your bandana!"

He was about to follow Kathy and Owen, but he turned back at her call. Seeing his bandana in her hand, he checked his empty pocket first in disbelief. Molly jogged over to meet him with her round sled hiked under her arm. "Whoa, thanks, Molly! I would've lost it for sure."

"No biggie," she shrugged. Before she could hand it over, Bo let out a disgruntled sigh through his nose. Molly blinked at him in confusion, but Luke's face paled. "Y'alright, Bo?"

"Come on, guys! We're not waiting forever!" Kathy called with her hands to her mouth to amplify her voice. Chloe was going berserk waving both of her arms to signal the trio down the hillside to meet them on the path. Poor kid wanted some hot chocolate already.

Bo walked ahead, hands in his pockets and shivering despite his thick coat. He dragged the wooden toboggan that was shared between the guys behind him, leaving Luke empty-handed. Boss seemed torn, but with a whistle, he obediently ran off with Bo. Over his shoulder, Bo muttered: "I'm going on ahead. Now's your last chance, ya blockhead."

Molly, flabbergasted, thought he meant her for a hot second and was almost offended. But with the way Luke lingered back, she realized Bo was talking to him instead. She awkwardly watched as Bo met up with Kathy and Owen down in the valley, heading off towards town without them. She felt obligated to stay after what he said, but as Luke still hadn't said a word or even moved a muscle, she wished she could run after Bo and catch up with the others.

Stilted, Luke held out his hand, and Molly clumsily held out the bandana she still hadn't returned. Her hand touched his, and she could feel how cold his fingers were even through her gloves. She jumped in surprise, all embarrassment gone as she dropped her sled in the snow and took up his other hand and tried to protect them in her palms. "Sheesh, Luke, your hands are freezing! Doesn't it hurt?!"

"Yeah, but it's fine!" He said, his voice forced.

Molly didn't look up to see the crimson blush going all of the way up to his ears. She tried to squeeze as much warmth into his hands as she could. "You should've worn mittens or something; you're not invincible, ya know."

She seemed to finally realize how impulsive her actions were, and she quickly backed off. Molly released his hands and gave the bandana clutched in them a pat. She took a step back and almost tripped over her sled. She stooped and picked it up. "Er, a-anyways, let's catch up and get some hot chocolate. That'll warm ya up, so…"

"Uh… I! I… sorry," Luke lamely got out at last.

Molly gave him a searching look. "Huh?"

Luke wrung the bandana around his hands, twisting the fabric tight around his fist as he fidgeted and avoided eye contact at all costs. "Yeah… uh… Look, things didn't go as planned today, and it's all my fault. I get why you'd be mad."

"Uh…" Molly found her words after a long pause. She looked up after staring at the snow stuck in his boot laces for too long. "You're gonna have to give me more than that. What the heck are ya talking about?"

"I asked you to come here!" Luke held out his hands like this was the most obvious thing in the world.

His frustrated tone made her overthink. Molly held a hand to her chin as she tried to analyze the goings on of the day. "Uh… yeah? So?"

"It was supposed to be… just you…" he admitted, scratching at his tousled hair. He put more knots in it as he ruffled it about as he went on. "But after I said it, I kept thinkin' about it, and it was gettin' worse and worse, and when I ran into Maya, it just sorta came out, and I couldn't end it there because that'd be even weirder, so I just started asking anybody to make it a big group—"

"You… chickened out?" A silly grin was lighting up Molly's face. Mostly due to the immense relief that she hadn't read him wrong after all. He did ask her out! She didn't misunderstand after all! Oh God, Luke asked her out. Cue the butterflies.

His arms dropped to his sides. Luke gave her an aghast expression. The guy was pouring his heart out here, and she was laughing?! "What, you think that's funny?!"

A hand clapped over her mouth to hide the smile and the lie. She shook her head. "No!"

Luke couldn't help but feel his own lips quirking up at the sight of her holding in her giggles despite his sincerity. He nodded. "Yeah, you think this is hilarious. You're just like Owen!"

"He knew!" Molly gasped in realization, her eyes growing round. She held up her sled in front of her as she thought it over. "No wonder… You probably told him that you got scared and accidentally invited half the town to our date, and he… ahaha… ahahaha!"

"It's not funny!" Luke swung the bandana at her, but she dodged, holding her sled up as a barrier against him. "Come on, get mad! I screwed up!"

Molly forced herself into composure, also sure to be out of arm's reach of Luke now that the jig was up. Even though she understood where his fears were coming from – she really should've been more upset with him for messing it all up – she just couldn't be mad. It was too cute. Luke. Mr. Extreme, Mr. Chopping-Down-Trees, Mr. Jump-Tackle – was a coward. The idea that this guy in front of her, this guy that was known for feeding wild bears honey, was scared of being alone with her. It was just too much. Her heart was going to burst with affection. Molly had no idea she affected him that way; the same way he got her all riled up.

Luke was thoroughly grumpy at this point. He knotted his bandana with ease and tugged it over his head, setting in into place with a twist. Molly couldn't help but think his pouting was adorable, too, but she didn't dare voice it. "The guys wouldn't let me hear the end of it… Owen thinks it's the best joke ever, and Bo thinks I'm an idiot. But I am an idiot. I ruined Christmas."

Even Bo's attitude made sense now. The kid was looking out for her. For Luke to do something stupid and hurt her feelings must've been frustrating to watch. Molly knew she'd have to thank him later. The carpenters were like family to her… she should've known he'd be worried.

With her fears of rejection out the window, Molly didn't hesitate to be bolder. While still clutching her sled, she hopped through the snow and gave Luke the biggest hug she could muster. "You definitely did not ruin Christmas."

Luke didn't hug her back. He awkwardly stared down at her latching onto him in disbelief. "Y… you're not mad?"

"No way! I had a ton of fun with everyone," Molly assured. She peeked up and decided she couldn't quite meet his gaze. Flustered by her own embarrassing confession before she said it, Molly barely whispered: "Besides… it means so much… that you asked me."

"Are you lying?" Luke's eyebrows scrunched in suspicion. "Like when you say you're fine, but you're really not, and you'll hold a grudge forever?"

Her face deadpanned. "Yes. I always hug people when I'm being dishonest. Hides my face, you know."

Luke thought it over, thinking it made some sense, but Molly shoved him when she saw he was actually taking her sarcasm seriously. She rolled her eyes. "Just believe me! I'm serious! I… I'm glad I got to spend Christmas with you. Even if it was with everyone, too. We got to go sledding together… That's all I wanted."

"Oh."

Molly's heartbeat was pounding too fast for her to say any more humiliating things, so she quieted. She already felt like she said too much. They shuffled their feet in the snow as it grew noticeably darker around them, and their eyes adjusted to the chilly dusk. Wispy clouds were rolling in over the ocean, breaking up the horizon line. Molly watched as a squirrel bounced through the snow on the edge of the tree line, leaping on an oak and scurrying up the side out of sight.

As their feet naturally began carrying them on the trek into town, Luke hurried forward to fall into step with her. He reached for Molly's free hand and pulled it out of her pocket, taking it in his grasp with a firm grip.

"You're right - my hands are cold," he said, swinging their arms lightly back and forth. Molly was so fixated on the motion that she almost didn't hear him. "How can I make it up to you?"

Molly's eyes trailed up his arm to his chin, and she found his bright eyes on her. She bit the inside of her lip. "Hm… buy me hot chocolate?"

Luke looked forward, pursing his lips at the suggestion. "Naaaaah, Kathy volunteered to pay a round already. And I don't have any cash on me."

"Then ask me out again," she blurted.

"But Christmas is almost over!" Luke whined, kicking the snow in the path and scattering it.

"You're full of excuses," Molly said with a grumble, upset he didn't like any of her ideas.

"I've gotta fix this Christmas. I won't let ya go home until you're super happy. Or else Bo's gonna kill me," he insisted. There was a trace of dread after his latter declaration, like the young apprentice could really pack a wallop.

"Yeah, all eighty-six pounds of him," Molly snorted at the threat. "But really, I am happy! No amount of carols or cookies or cocoa could make this Christmas any better!"

"But I chickened out…" Luke finally said it himself, hanging his head.

"And I'm happy," she reiterated. Molly swung their hands forward, holding them up for him to see. "Just this is nice. Okay? Now… cut it out – you're making it weird!"

"You're so cute," he teased, poking her in the cheek.

Molly yelped and nearly hit him with her sled on reflex. She shuddered as she rubbed the spot he touched her. "Your hands are so cold!"

"Yeah, and your face is on fire – come back!" He demanded, cupping her face with his icy fingers to steal the heat.

Molly shrieked and thwacked him with her sled the second time. Luke didn't seem to care and he slung his arm around her shoulders as he laughed, hugging her close as their steps quickened. "Then I'll make up for it on New Year's! I've got a whole week to try and not screw it up again. I promise it'll be just the two of us!"

"Luke, everyone celebrates New Years together in town," she reminded him lightly, already feeling warm again.

"Well… there's always the circus…" his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Sounds like a plan!" Molly chuckled. Her face suddenly fell as a disturbing thought struck her. She blinked at the hand on her shoulder, and Luke caught her staring. "Um… this is gonna sound weird… but…"

"What's up?" He asked, wondering why her face was turning so dark. It could've been the sunset, but it was awfully fast.

"When you say… that you're going to… take me to the circus…" Molly flubbed as she desperately resisted stuttering, speaking painfully slow. But she didn't know what he meant. Luke was a touchy person – even if all of this looked like something, he could mean something totally different. Right? Who's to say she wasn't getting ahead of herself?

Luke stopped walking as they left the stone bridge behind them. Molly halted, trying to hide her face with her hand like a visor. She just couldn't look at him.

"Wh-what's that mean?" She finally forced it out into the open. "Are we friends…?"

"Yeah!" Luke quickly interrupted her trailing sentence. Before she could be utterly disappointed in her failed efforts to get him to see her as something more, he gave her a nudge. She didn't respond, so he forced her hand down that was blocking her eyes from him. "But…"

Luke's hand turned her face toward him. She recoiled slightly from his cold touch but not like before. She looked between his eyes until she went cross-eyed, and his closed, and he gave her a light whisper of a kiss. Molly remained dumbfounded as he drew away, taking in her reaction.

Her ears were ringing with how shocked she was, but Luke broke out that carefree, sideways grin, and she returned it with her brightest smile. He didn't say it out loud, but he didn't have to. Molly laughed aloud when Luke squeezed her around the arms and lifted her from the ground in his happiness.

The lucky sled had never felt luckier.