During the holiday season, the ski lodge had its annual gala. And Hummel had the Stephens' family Christmas party.

It was officially called the Hummel Farms Christmas Celebration and it was the Christmas party of the season for all of Hummel. It was the biggest event of the year and the hardest invite to snag for Hummel residents.

The Hummel Farms Christmas Celebration differed from the rest of the Stephens family get-togethers in its formality. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner were 'Come as you are' type events, open to anyone and everyone who needed a place to go for the holidays. The dress code was casual as was the start and end time.

The Hummel Farms Christmas Celebration, however, was the closest thing the Stephens came to throwing an office party. The dress code was semi-formal and the only people invited were farmhands, farm store employees, and the vendors Hummel bought from. Since the farm store stocked wares from half of Hummel's entire population, it was a large guest list and the place to be ten days before Christmas.

Most of Frankie's, and therefore Johnny's, jobs leading up to the big event were solely focused on getting everything ready for the party. When the evening of the fifteenth came finally came, their hard work was put on full display.

The Christmas décor that had started humbly in the family room with a tree and some stockings had exploded over the last three days and spread like ivy all over the Stephens's first floor. The formal living was now a festive silver and blue and a second tree had been brought in to fill the back corner. Greenery ran up the banisters leading to the second floor and holly hung from the lighting fixtures in the dining room.

The party started as soon as the first guests arrived and the first cry of "Merry Christmas!" was exchanged.

Frankie's smile was already wide with pride when guests started to arrive. She had the honor of standing by the door to greet everyone, passing their coats to Johnny who then ran them to Dan's office at the back of the first floor.

A fire burned low in the grate as the number of bodies filling the low-ceilinged first floor offered enough heat to warm everyone coming in from the bitter cold. Aaron's kids were soon joined by other kids and their cries of joy floated over the jumbled mess of adult chatter.

The dining room table was filled with food. The party was, and had always been, pot-luck but it was an occasion everyone brought their best for. Hannah and Sara's hard work from the week leading up filled the dessert table lining the far wall. A store staff member was put in charge of keeping tiny hands from digging in too soon and too frequently.

Frankie soaked in the sight before her as she stood in the kitchen doorway. She had greeted everyone as they came in, welcoming them with a smile and a warm handshake. She knew every person here and the few she didn't she was quickly introduced to. The room was filled with Hummel's heart and soul and Frankie was honored to be one of them.

"What a party," Johnny said, joining her in the doorway.

Frankie's smile widened as the front door opened again and the last family arrived.

"Come on," Frankie said, "There's someone you should meet."

Frankie grabbed Johnny's hand without a second thought and pulled him through the crowd. Nina Griffith and her family had only a second to pull off their coats and let their cheeks warm before Frankie was in front of them introducing Johnny.

"Nina, I'd like you to meet Johnny, Dan's son. Johnny, these are the Griffiths. They moved here a few years ago. Nina's work is our best selling items in the store."

"You flatter me, darling." Nina's cheeks did not redden under Frankie's compliments but she tried her best to seem humble. "Johnny, dear, good to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you. I believe you bought one of my scarves the other day from Heather's boutique."

Johnny glanced over his shoulder to check for his mom's whereabouts.

"I did," he said, in a half-whisper. "It's a gift for my mother."

Nina raised one eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at her lips.

"You bought the sea-green one, correct?" She asked. "You have excellent taste. It'll go perfectly with your mother's complexion and compliment her eyes beautifully. I couldn't have picked better myself."

"I didn't pick it out," Johnny said. "Frankie did."

Johnny nudged Frankie and Nina's gaze fell on Frankie, a laugh bright in her eyes.

"Ah. That makes more sense, then. Good job, Francesca."

"It was an easy choice," Frankie said. "It's a beautiful scarf."

With pleasantries done away with, Frankie explained to Johnny Nina's process and everything she and her family were responsible for making. The two of them clicked instantly as Johnny was attentive to everything Nina had to say and curious enough to ask informed questions.

When the questions came to Johnny about his work, he faltered to supply a comprehensive answer. Frankie stepped in and informed Nina of Johnny's impending hiatus from music and the ease with which he had settled back into life on the farm.

And so it went for most of the evening: Frankie and Johnny migrating through the crowd, Frankie making introductions when needed, Johnny borrowing her summation of his current work situation for those who asked, the two of them continually bouncing off one another to keep the conversation flowing.

With the dinner course successfully buffeted and eaten by most everyone, Sara appeared at Frankie's side asking for help to clean up.

"I've got to prepare the desserts before we announce them," Sara explained.

Frankie was about to open her mouth to reply when Johnny spoke first.

"I can help. Show me the way."

Sara smiled at her brother-in-law and led him through the crowd to the dining room. Frankie watched them go, her spot in the small circle she was in and her place in the ongoing conversation forfeited.

She tried jumping back in but they had moved on from a topic Frankie could take part in. She smiled at her circle companions and left. She watched the crowd around her for a long moment and found she was drawn to where Dan and Hannah were standing among a crowd of guests.

Dan looked good, handsome, even. He was wearing a cashmere sweater Johnny had sent him for Christmas two years previous and Hannah had coordinated her jeweled pin to match the dark maroon color.

Everyone around them seemed to be leaning in to catch every word the two of them had to say. Dan spoke softly but with authority and Hannah jumped in when clarification was needed. It was like at the gala but even smoother, more organic, as they stood among their friends, their peers, in their own living room. It was beautiful to watch the two of them, a true partnership if Frankie had ever seen one.

Frankie made her way through the rooms, picking up plates and napkins forgotten on the coffee table, grateful she spotted the lone glass of sparkling cider someone had left on the small upright piano situated at the back of the family room before it had left a mark.

It was Dan's mother's piano, Frankie had been told. She was the musical one in the family, her talent being passed down to Johnny. It was the same piano where Johnny had first discovered his love of music. Dan made sure it was always kept in tune, even though it hadn't been played in years.

Leaving the party behind, Frankie found the kitchen to be blessedly quiet. She could relax her smile for a bit. For something to do, she slipped an apron on over her nice blouse and started organizing the dishes. She heard dessert being announced, heard the migration from the family room to the dining room, and then back again. But soon after, she heard something she hadn't expected. She heard the room going quiet and then Dan started to speak.

"Ladies and gentleman, if you don't mind, my son has offered to play us some Christmas carols."

Johnny didn't need any more of an introduction and soon soft chords come floating around the corner into the kitchen. Frankie pulled off her apron and returned to the doorway leading into the family room to watch.

It was the best spot in the house, she discovered, as Johnny's piano was only a few feet away and she was the only person he could see, the crowd behind him, watching him play.

Johnny's deep, resonant voice silenced the room. Even the small kids settled down on the ground around the Christmas tree to play quietly as Johnny sang.

He was singing "I'll Be Home For Christmas", the melancholy words flowing along with a melancholy melody. Frankie leaned against the doorway and let the music wash over her.

She watched as Johnny's hands floated up the keys and then back down, their control precise, practiced, professional. He had a book open before him but he didn't seem to need it.

As he neared the final verse, he looked over at her and Frankie felt her heart stop. She found herself stuck, her whole body frozen, under his gaze.

Johnny's normally bright green eyes were dark and deeper than she had ever seen before. His face was far from a smile, his expression the most serious she had ever seen it. And he was looking straight at her as he sang the last line.

"I'll be home for Christmas..."

Frankie used all the strength she had to force her eyes away from his as he finished the song.

"If only in my dreams..."

A heavy silence hung over the room as no one dared breathe. Frankie wondered if everyone else had felt the intensity from their starring contest if anyone else had noticed how he had looked at her.

Before the tone in the party could grow darker, Johnny turned the page and started playing 'White Christmas'. Dan gestured for people to join in and the joviality of the night returned with a vengeance.

Frankie grabbed hold of this opportunity to leave as if for dear life. She was grateful for the solitude of the kitchen. She could still hear every word, every note of music as it easily slipped around the corner but at least now she was separated from Johnny by a wall. She could breathe again.

Her hands worked as her mind raced. She replayed the moment over and over again in her head, trying to figure out what his look had meant. Lacey would know. Of course, Lacey would know. She had known Johnny his whole life. She had been in love before. She would know what it meant.

Frankie had never been looked at like that before. She was glad the moment was over but she wished she could see the look again, wished she could get one more glance. Maybe then she could understand why he was looking at her like that.

The music stopped a while later and Frankie could hear the sounds of people getting their coats and heading out. A few of them popped their heads in to say good night and Frankie waved a soap-covered hand over her shoulder in reply.

To her surprise, Johnny joined soon after the music stopped. He grabbed one of the aprons hanging on the wall and came to stand next to her.

"You wash, I dry?" he asked.

Frankie nodded, staring at him a moment too long. His face was relaxed, his expression neutral, his whole manner the same it had been for the past two weeks. Just the same. Frankie had to wonder if she had read too much into the moment if it had even been a moment.

With his help, the dishes were finished by the time the last guest was leaving for the night. They joined Hannah and Dan on the front porch and the four of them waved goodbye as the last car pulled out of the driveway.

"Good party, everyone," Dan said, meeting each of their eyes with a firm nod. "Good job on the singing, Jack."

Dan extended his hand to Johnny who took it with a firm shake.

"Thanks, Dad."

"Time for bed," Hannah said, moving them back into the house. "It's been a long day."

Goodbyes were made as Hannah and Dan moved up the stairs and Frankie moved towards the kitchen door. She found Johnny was following her as she traded in her nice shoes for her old work boots and slipped into her coat.

"I'll walk you out," Johnny offered, opening the door for her. "I could use some fresh air."

That was the most she was going to get for an explanation and so Frankie waited a beat while Johnny closed the door behind him and walked with him across the yard to the base of her stairs.

Frankie climbed the first step and turned around. Johnny was staring up at the stars and she took her chance to stare at him. Her mind rationalized the staring as an opportunity to try and find that look one more time.

"Looks like snow," Johnny said, his head tilted all the way back. Frankie watched him as he watched the clouds floating overhead.

"Yeah, maybe," she said.

The cold didn't seem to bother her as she stood on the steps. Johnny finally looked down and met her eyes. There it was again. The look. Frankie tried breathing to get her heart moving again but failed as her lungs had given up on her as well.

"Get some sleep, Frankie," he said, his voice soft and low.

Frankie nodded because that was all she could do. He held onto her gaze for one more long moment and then started for the house. Frankie stayed in place, watching him retreat back inside. He looked back when he reached the kitchen door and waved. Frankie waved back and waited until he was out of sight before she could even start to consider moving again.

The cold was her main motivator. She could feel it seeping in through her jacket and she forced herself to climb the rest of the way to her room. She kicked off her shoes and hung up her jacket. She paused in the doorway leading into her room and breathed in a deep breath of the piney scent that filled the air. She smiled at the small tree, its warm glowing lights the only source of light in the room. She crouched down in front of its branches and looked once again over all the handmade decorations, reliving the time she got to spend with Johnny, decorating the tree.

Her eyes glazed over the tree to the guitar reflecting the red and green lights in the corner. It was here she found clarity. And it made her heart stop all over again. She couldn't put words to the look, she couldn't have described it if asked to. But she knew. She didn't know how she knew but she knew. She was sure of it.

A very large rock fell to the bottom of her stomach.

The way she had looked at him on the stairs. The way she had been staring right back. He knew it, too. Frankie didn't know how she knew he knew but she knew. To the very core of her being, she knew.

And when her heart started up again, it started racing due to pure, unadulterated panic.

A/N:

Is it just me or is that last line a little too exposing??

Like dang, @ me next time!

Okay. What do we think? Anyone else picking some of those ✨vibes✨?

Anyone noticing some ✨feelings✨ going around??

Let's see how this develops, shall we?