Cody Schaefer loves the Christmas season and a benefit to working from home means that he gets to be surrounded by his decoration collections all the time. And as a bonus, he starts getting deliveries from a local café containing holiday treats flavored with gingerbread. The notes aren’t signed, but they clearly come from someone who knows him.<br><br>Out of all of Cody’s friends, Jason van Buren is the only one level-headed about the mysterious treats, and Cody begins talking to him daily. Cody enjoys their chats, and the two men grow closer. One Christmas Eve, no delivery appears. But Jason shows up on his doorstep, ready to back gingerbread cookies. It’s then Cody realizes just who is behind the deliveries. And perhaps, Cody will get Jason as his Christmas gift this year.

Gingerbread and Good Tidings

Instantly, my FaceTime started to chime, and I hit the ACCEPT button with a trembling finger. It took a second to connect, but then Jason’s worried, beautiful face filled the screen.


I nodded, but I couldn’t speak. I pressed my lips together to keep from bursting into tears. He’d been so worried, he called me, and I could see his concern in his expression. That touched me in ways I couldn’t explain. We weren’t strangers, but we’d never had a phone conversation. Until yesterday, we’d never even had a private text conversation. Only in the group. And while he and I had talked, just the two of us, on numerous occasions, it had always been when we were with other friends.


“Cody?” His voice was gentle, laced with concern, and he leaned forward a little as if he could get closer through the screen. “What’s wrong?”


Chapter 8