When Julie McGee notices her girlfriend Belle Manders having a hard time with the holidays, she seeks help from a friend and arranges to whisk Belle away to a place she's always loved, hoping to bring some sorely needed joy.

Winter Star

Julie squeezed her hand. “Surprise,” she said.


She shot a questioning look at Julie, wondering what this was all about.


“I tried for so long to find a proper gift and this was the best I could come up with: a moonlit winter picnic around a roaring campfire.” She toyed with her new pendant. “It pales in comparison to this—”


“It’s absolutely wonderful,” she said, engulfing Julie in a hug and giving her a quick peck on the lips. “I love it.” She turned her affections to Hector, throwing her arms around him. He got a kiss on the cheek. “And thank you for all you did. It’s awesome and I don’t know how to repay you.”


Hector flashed a big grin, shrugging. When they parted he settled in one of the chairs. “Think of it as my way of saying thanks for letting me crash your holidays and also for being my friend.” He poked at the fire. “Besides, the two of you need to just admit it. I’m the go-to man in this relationship.”


Chapter 18