Cody Laughman, a lonely firefighter in New York City, gets a blast from the past when his late father’s lawyer approaches him with news. It has been three years since Cody’s father’s death, the family house needs to be sold. Although Cody is glad to get rid of this part of his life, there is one final thing he needs to do -- fly home to Muffin, Alaska, and make the property presentable.<br><br>He expects this to be a quick visit, just cleaning up some old memories he usually ignores. But memories are stubborn, and on top of everything else, he finds a real Christmas elf living in the attic of his house. Not a tiny fairy, but a full-grown, deliciously handsome man. He doesn’t even have pointed ears.<br><br>But can Cody open up to the possibility of finding love, when the ghost of Christmas past is still haunting him?

The Firefighter in the Snow

“You don’t look so tired anymore,” Candy observed much later. Cody was serving them canned peaches with whipped cream for dessert. It was funny, Cody indeed felt much more rested than he had in weeks. Working in the garage had left him exhausted, but he didn’t feel the dull headache that usually accompanied his fatigue. He acknowledged Candy’s observation with a smile. “Thanks. I think my body is catching up with the time zone. A good night’s rest, and I’ll be as good as new.”


He watched Candy lick whipped cream off the spoon.


“So,” he began, because he felt quite certain that now Candy wore proper clothes, a conversation with him was in order. “You still haven’t told me what you’re doing here.”


“Yes, I have,” replied Candy with a hint of confusion on his face. “I quit my job and then my sleigh broke down somewhere down the road.”


“Your job at the factory,” clarified Cody.


Chapter 10