Carols
Can't you hear them bells ringin', ringin',
Joy to all, hear them singin'
When it's snowing, I'll be goin'
Back to my country home.
They were making pretty good time, Mac decided as they passed the "Welcome to Pennsylvania" sign on the highway. It was a chilly, gray winter morning, and there had even been some snow flurries overnight in Washington, but as they traveled further north, there was a much thicker blanket of snow on the ground.
They were driving the SUV to Beallsville this time, as it made more practical sense, and Harm wouldn't have allowed his beloved Corvette or his treasured Stearman outside in the winter weather anyway.
Mac laughed softly to herself. It was okay with her. She didn't mind the car ride, with the radio playing Christmas carols softly in the background, and she was simply glad to have Harm's company.
She studied his handsome profile as he drove. Out of uniform, he finally looked relaxed behind the wheel of his SUV, and if he weren't driving, Mac could almost picture him strumming his guitar in time with the music.
He needs this vacation as much as I do, Mac realized.
She noticed that his right arm rested on the console between them, and Mac laid her hand over his. He glanced over at her and gave her a smile, and she returned it with a squeeze of his hand.
The comfort and strength that she drew from this man never ceased to amaze her. They had worked together for years now and been best friends for nearly as long. And at some point along the way, Mac had finally realized that she had fallen in love with him.
She wondered if maybe she should feel nervous about spending Christmas with his family. His grandmother Sarah had been so warm and welcoming the last time they were in Beallsville, but she had never met Trish and Frank before.
With that thought on her mind, she settled back against the seat, still holding his hand in hers.
An hour later, they stopped at a small diner in the Pennsylvania countryside for lunch. The restaurant was bright and cheery with icicle lights hanging from the roof, a small Christmas tree in the corner, and warm sandwiches and coffee on the menu.
And as she watched her partner sip his coffee across the table, Mac decided that there was nowhere else she would rather spend Christmas.
