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An entire year had passed since Derek and Holly

rekindled their childhood romance.

But her life was in New York now,

and Derek's was here in the town of Good Hope.

The plan was to wait a year

and if their feelings were just as strong,

return to the spot where they said their last goodbye.

But as the last passenger departed the train,

Derek's hopes were quickly fading...

until...

Holly! I knew you'd make it.

Wait, this isn't hello, is it?

You came back to say goodbye.

Holly tried to speak,

but the words wouldn't form.

No, don't...

do this. I love you.

I know you feel the same.I'm... I'm scared, Derek.

What if love isn't enough? It has to be.

Holly, please.

Will you make my candy cane wishes,

mistletoe dreams come true?

Marry me?

With her head and heart still in a tug of war,

Holly threw caution to the wind and followed her heart.

Yes! I'll marry you. Yes!

The moment their lips met

they knew it was their destiny

to spend their lives blissfully in love.

The end.

Or, as this tired writer likes to say...

finally finished.

Hey, baby. Hi.

Come here.

Oh, no. I know that look.

It's that "I'm looking at last week's leftover meatloaf" look.

Interesting choice of words.Okay.

Okay, Gloria.

Are you gonna tell me what you thought of it

as my editor or as my friend?

Editor. NATALIE: Cool.

Give it to me straight.

But first, tell me what you loved.

The title.

Without even cracking the binding

it sounds like a bestseller.

Your favorite part was the title, okay.

Now tell me what you hated.

The last 30 pages.

"Candy cane wishes, Mistletoe dreams?"

You are killing me.

Yes. I know that the dialogue was a little cliché

and maybe I reused certain tropes

and perhaps the ending is a little bit schmaltzy.

Oh, what am I doing?

You tell me.

It's a perfect storm where crippling writer's block

meets a hard Christmas deadline.

Natalie, you are the queen of Christmas romance

for a reason. But this isn't it.

Your problem is you're stuck in a rut.

You're always holed up in this apartment.

What? I don't like going out.

Your publicist mentioned something

about an anniversary book signing in Buffalo

to commemorate your very first novel.

Yeah, no. He's begging me to commit.

It's the first story to carry my book,

but I'm not doing it. You used to love doing book signings.

Yeah, that was before I realized

that selling a million copies meant that

at least a million people have read my book.

That's a million people.

A lot of people who expect me to be

as clever and as witty as my characters.

Not to mention the press who expects me to be perfect

and I am not. GLORIA: Ryan said

there would only be a handful of fans.

No publicity outside the store itself.

Can't I just do it on Zoom? GLORIA: No!

Right now.

You are two cats shy of becoming a total recluse.

I'm gonna push you out of your comfort zone

until you turn this into the next Natalie Wolfe classic.

Is there coffee?

I just wanted to remind you all that "SHE" stands for:

She Has Everything.

Now, so far, not one of these story pitches

is worthy enough

to be on the cover of our holiday edition.

Well, what about my story?

About New York's hippest new dating app

promising you a new boo by New Year's.

Just 'cause you pitch it to me twice

doesn't make me any more excited about it, Nick.

Look, Tucker-Thomson Publishing has us in their sites.

If we do not manage

to hold our own this holiday season

and by that I mean substantially boosting subscriptions,

they are going to merge us with POV magazine

which means that half of you will be gone and the other half

will be writing fluff pieces for that monthly rag.

Fayennes want us to find a white whale?

Exactly.

Uh, sorry, what's a white whale?

It's an exclusive, an almost impossible to get scoop

that's gonna cut the knees off of all our competition.

Yes, so, scour the internet, okay?

Call every publicist, every agent,

every department store, Santa, you have in your contact list.

Otherwise...

you may find someone else in your cubicle

in the New Year. Back to work, people.

Yarr.

How did I get roped into being your pet sitter?

Because you are the one pushing me out

and I wouldn't ask, but Blitzen's a little clingy

because he's used to me being home, alone.

Well, that's the root of your writer's block, honey.

What are you talking about? You sit in here all day,

writing about how to find the ideal man.

You're so busy creating make-believe Mr. Rights

you can't even find one for yourself.

I'm leaving it up to fate.

What's fate supposed to do?

Slip him under the door?

You haven't been on a date in years.

You can't write any new ideas

because you don't have any new experiences to draw on.

That's part of the block.

I don't know what I'm looking for outside.

You're looking for someone to fill your list.

What list? When I was your age,

my mother sat me down and had me write down

five traits I was looking for in a partner.

Five deal breakers I couldn't live without.

So, I did what she said.

I wrote my list, tucked it away to put it out to the universe.

About a year later,

I'm stuck in an elevator with a complete stranger,

desperately trying not to have a panic attack.

He's doing everything he can do to try to calm me down.

Nothing works.

Until he starts telling me corny jokes.

I couldn't stop laughing,

I completely forgot about panicking.

Because he had a sense of humor. First thing on my list.

Followed closely by compassion. For the next four hours,

we sat there waiting to be rescued.

We talked and he quickly checked off everything else on my list.

And I married him. That's how you met Manny?

It all started with the list.

So...

do you really think we can find a cover story

big enough to save the magazine? We've got to.

There's gotta be something in the public zeitgeist

we can put a holiday spin on, right?

Yeah.[

Hang on, you read romance novels?

Oh. Uh, yeah.

David turned me onto them when we first started going out.

By the time we broke up, I was addicted.

I can't read that stuff.

I'm much more interested in facts than fiction.

So, you've never read Natalie Wolfe?

She is gonna change your life, bro.

"The New York Times declares Natalie Wolfe

the queen of Christmas romance."

Wow. Is that the equivalent of a People's Choice Award?

Joke all you want, Nick.

But with everything going on in the world,

these books give us a safe place to escape.

And what's wrong with that?

Okay.

Okay.

I really wish I didn't have to drag you away

from everything that you're doing

just so you can come up to Buffalo to hold my hand.

Oh, your first time out in public in six years?

I'm pretty sure you're gonna

be needing an emotional support gay.

No journalists, right? Just fans?

No journalists, just loyal fans.

And you have a fallback plan, in case I have a panic attack?

Fallback plan is, we're gonna have fun on this girls trip.

What's that?

Gloria's convinced the only way to find my soulmate

is to write down the five things I'm looking for.

Sounds a little old school but I'll bite.

Couldn't be worse than constantly being swiped left

under a sea of unanswered power likes.

What do I do when I'm done? Just put it under my pillow

and wait for the date fairy? No.

You, uh, put it away and let the universe

run its course.Hmm.

How'd you get done so fast? I know what I want. Your turn.

Ah, okay. Um...

Well, Gloria's first one was sense of humor.

Everybody finds that attractive. RYAN: Yeah, you'd think.

Not that it's done me any good

I'd trade humor for looks any day of the week.

Looks fade.

It's what's inside that matters.

Yeah, and try explaining that to a coffee date

who's asking why my profile picture is 20 pounds old.

Keep going.

But don't rush me if I'm putting this out into the universe

I want to get it right.

Two. Compassion?

Was that Gloria's second one, too?

Yeah. Come on. These have to be your own.

If you're not gonna commit, let the universe move on

to someone who's actually ready to find true love.

Ah, it's...

That must be our car. Let's go Buffalo.

I found our scoop! Natalie Wolfe.

She's this generation's Danielle Steel.

Only, platinum.

I know who she is, Nick. But she's a recluse.

I know, I want to write about that.

But she hardly ever leaves her apartment

and she never grants interviews.

But if I could get to her, it would be our white whale.

If you could get to her, it would be our cover,

but you do understand the word "recluse?"

So she is taking a rare trip

to Buffalo tomorrow for a book signing.

I have an in at the bookstore. I fly in.

I pour on a little of that Nick Winters charm

and I use my journalistic superpowers

to get her to open up.

This story needs someone who understands fiction.

Her novels are all geared towards hopeless romantics.

When it comes to matters of the heart, Nick,

you're just hopeless.

I know, but I'm not writing about her books.

I'm writing about her. She's a mystery.

A recluse who writes about strangers finding each other

and falling in love. I mean, how does that work?

It's not a bad story. RYAN: Mm-hmm.

You'll never get it. She won't talk to you.

I mean, did you see the article

The Journal ran on her a few years ago?

"Queen of romance, Dunce of Dating" I read it.

It's a takedown piece and that is not my style.

I will get to her.

I am the most tenacious writer you have on staff.

There's a fine line between tenacious and annoying.

Look, Fan? Hmm?

You and I both know this magazine's going down

without a Christmas miracle, right?

Fine.

Nick, you get Natalie to agree to be on our cover.

Or don't bother coming home.

Oh no! You okay?

You want me to see if there's a back entrance

so you can avoid the fanfare?

No, isn't being around the fanfare

the whole point of me leaving my apartment?

Yeah.

I'm ready to meet the public.

You're a dork.

You know that? Yeah.

Okay, I'll head inside and make sure they're ready for ya.

It's nice to see it's not just women who love Natalie Wolfe.

No. I'm... Actually, I'm a journalist,

working on a story about Natalie for SHEmagazine.

But you're not a fan of her novels?

I didn't say that, I mean, I read, uh,

Bumped in Buffalolast night and, yeah, I get the appeal.

Right? Her stories are always so compelling.

Mm-hmm. She's like

the modern-day Emily Bronteë.

I suppose. You don't think her stories

are just a wee bit dated for the modern world?

Dated? How?

You have to admit that she perpetuates the myth

that a woman secretly desires to be rescued by a man.

I don't believe that to be true at all.

Yeah, neither do I.

OMG, you're Natalie Wolfe.

See you inside.

"Dylan's gaze slid over Paige on that chilly Christmas Eve

like a veil of fire."

"Then, with one tender kiss,

they entwined their souls for eternity."

"The end."

Thank you.

Now, before, uh, Natalie starts signing books,

she would love to field some questions.

No.She would love to.

Any questions?

Okay.Uh... yes?

Natalie, I always wondered if real people

inspire your lead characters?

Natalie.

Yes. I think there's always

a part of me in all of my heroines.

Only I'm, uh... maybe 12 percent as brave as Paige.

As for Caleb, he was based on my first high school crush.

You mean Dylan?

Dylan. Yeah, Dylan. I said Dylan,

didn't I say Dylan? Caleb.

Dylan was based on my first high school crush, Caleb.

Oh, he sounds dreamy. Did you ever go out with him?

Almost.

But uh, that is a story I might share in the next book.

So, you know, look for it.

So has the Queen of romance

found her own happily ever-after?

Let's... Let's raise hands to ask questions.

No, I'll answer it.

I believe that happily ever-after

is more of a journey than a destination.

Aw.

Great. Okay. Anybody have other questions?

Oh, here! WOMAN 2: Yeah, over here!

Thank you. WOMAN 3: Thank you so much.

You're welcome.

Hi. Uh, Nick Winters.

Hi.Hi.

I really didn't mean anything by my comment earlier.

My boss says that I'm hopeless and annoying.

So far I agree with the assessment.

Nick with a "K", right? NICK: Yes.

So, I... I'm a writer with SHEmagazine

and I tried contacting your publicist for an interview

but all I seem to get is a runaround.

That's what I pay him for.

But surely your fans would love to get a peek at the life

of America's favorite romance novelist?

Been there, done that. Still licking my wounds.

Look... don't take this personally,

but I just don't talk to journalists.

The truth is, I'm a bit of a bore

and it's bad for business

to let the word out. Oh, I doubt that

and if you would just give me a few minutes, I...

Sorry, Nick with a "K".

Nothing you could say would change my mind.

So you'll think about it.Oh.

You were a huge hit.

Looked like you were having fun. Oh, so much fun.

Mission accomplished. Let's go home.

It turns out that's gonna be a little tougher

than it ought to be.

Uh, there's a major blizzard on the way into town

and the airport's already been shut down

but, hey, it's not all good news.

With the Buffalo wing convention in town

there's not a hotel room to be had for 30 miles.

Ryan, this is Nick Winters.

The journalist from SHEmagazine who up until now,

you've successfully managed to avoid.

Oh, right.

Always nice to put a face to an unanswered voicemail.

Yeah. I cannot get stuck here.

I have a Christmas deadline, remember? I...

Well, as fate would have it,

I have a roomy Sedan with heated seats

and I really don't mind sharing

as I white-knuckle it over the mountain pass

to avoid that blizzard.

Well, that is very generous, Nick, but we rented our own SUV.

Well, in that case, would you mind giving me a lift

back to the city, 'cause I really don't want

to white-knuckle it over that mountain pass alone.

You really don't give up, do you?

Hey, look, Natalie.

I respect that you are a very private person.

But if you just give me a chance,

you will see that I will surprise you.

In a good way.

In a really, really, really, really, really, really good way.

You know, there's a study about first impressions

and it shows that they are way overrated.

Really? NICK: Hmm.

How overrated are they?

Way. Wow.

All right.

If I take this card from you... NICK: Hm?

Will you walk away?

Are you kidding me? I... I will gladly

take a foot in the door over two in my mouth.

Okay.

Now let's get over that mountain pass

before the storm hits. RYAN: Mm-hmm.

It's really starting to come down, isn't it?

How much further to the pass? I lost the signal on the GPS,

but using my uncanny New Yorker sense of direction,

I can almost smell the dirty water hot dogs on 47th.

Nick was right about getting on the road.

Nick? You're not... You're not seriously considering

granting him an interview?

Because People Magazine is dying to sit down

with the Queen of Christmas romance.

Right now, the Queen remains mum on the subject.

Why is that always your clever go-to line

anytime I try to do my job?'Cause it works.

I... I know you were stung by... Uh-huh.

No... by the unnamed

publication's article, but that was years ago.

Yeah.Okay. Nick's not wrong in saying

it's time to give your fans a glimpse of the real you.

I'm not sure I'm ready to give them the glimpse

of the real me.

Do you know what Nick said?

He said my novels perpetuate the myth

that a woman secretly desires a man to rescue her.

What's wrong with that? You agree with him?

Uh, who doesn't want to be swept away by a knight one day?

Of any size,

color, or denomination.

I just don't think of my characters

as needing to be rescued.

They're more like kindred spirits

who come together despite all obstacles.

Well, your novels certainly give us a sense of hope

that we all might find our one and only.

You really mean that? Really, really.

Trust me, there is absolutely no reason

for this damsel to get distressed.

She said, she'd think about it.

Uh, yeah. Yeah.

Well, no, not exactly, but that was the gist.

That sounds like a grade A blow off to me, Nick.

Look, you know me. I will find a way in

even if I have to turn the charm up to 11.

Well, this is gonna take more than just charm.

I mean, she was burned by a journalist like you.

I know, and we'll make that part of the story.

I... I'll tell her that I'm not looking to write

some tell-all exposé.

Well, let's try to remember we are selling magazines here.

And I'm sure we can do that if I show the world

what the true heart of their Queen of Hearts looks like.

Well, good luck with that.

You'll have to talk to her first.

Actually, first I have to make it past this snowstorm.

Then I have to find her, and then I have to talk to her.

Date, marry, kill. Go.

Oh, well, I'd date Ryan Gosling,

but not just any Ryan.

I want the Crazy Stupid Love Ryan Gosling.

That's wildly specific. Marry?

Uh, Jake Gyllenhaal. No brainer.

From? Brokeback Mountain.

It's the only Jake Gyllenhaal I'd wanna marry.

"You can't quit me." Ryan! Watch out!

I don't have a signal!

Oh, I got a bar! Yeah?

Oh, wow. Maybe our luck really is changing.

You have a signal? No, a single.

I... I got a power like on my dating app

and he's totally my type. Dude!

I lost the signal.Ugh.

There's a tow truck. Hey! Oh, God.

Hi! Oh, thank you.

You folks having some trouble?

Yeah, something like that.

Natalie? Caleb?

Natalie! What...

I haven't seen you since... High school.

Oh, he's that Caleb?

What are you... doing here?

Small world, huh? Yeah. Oh, yeah.

You look...

great.NATALIE: You look even better

than I remember.

Hey, I'm Ryan Turner.

Natalie's apparently invisible publicist.

Hey!

Yeah, so the closest town is Cranberry Falls.

It's just a few miles over the pass.

It's clear on that side.

Why don't you two hop in the warm cab

and I'll hitch you both to safety.Okay.

Okay. CALEB: Okay?

Yeah.

Wow. Right. Thank you so much.

So kind. RYAN: Just get in the car.

You're welcome. Can't leave you out here.

Well, Miss Natalie.

This is truly a surprise and an honor

to have an author as famous as you,

staying here with us at the St. Nicholas Inn.

Well, the honor is mine. You're inn is incredible.

I believe you're the second famous author

to grace our doors.

Charles Dickens stayed here when the place was new.

Wow. Your literary hero.

I know, I just got a little chill.

Hi.Hi.

Um, I'm gonna take your SUV down to Mike's garage

and it should be fixed by tomorrow afternoon.

Thank you. You're a lifesaver.

I don't know what we would have done

if you hadn't come along.

I guess we both got lucky.

Caleb, there are three more in the pass.

What's your ETA? Well, duty calls.

Um, maybe we can catch up

while you're in town? Yes!

That would be good.

Okay, uh, Ms. Olivia, she sets up quite the breakfast.

I could swing by around 8:00?Great. It's a date.

It's not a date. It's, uh, uh, breakfast.

Yes.Reunion.

Reunion. See you tomorrow.

Hmm.

Okay. Now can we finally talk about that juicy spark

I saw between you two out on the road?

Juicy spark. First of all, you didn't see anything,

it was a snowstorm. Second of all, it wasn't a spark

it was shock at not having seen each other for years.

Okay. Well, deny it all you want but I know what I saw.

Well, I am going to get into bed and pass out.

And try to forget this day ever happened.

Fine. I'm just down the hall.Okay.

Okay.

Oh, man.

Okay.

Natalie Wolfe?

Huh? Oh, no.

Oh.NATALIE: Wow, Nick.

What are you doing here?

Oh, well the storm was just impossible

so I had to pull off to the side of the road.

How 'bout you? Uh... we got stuck in a snowbank

and had to be rescued.

Sounds like the start to a good story.

Nope, not res... Wrong choice of words.

We had to be...

Towed? NATALIE: Towed.

And it wasn't just me, it was my publicist, male,

who was the one who drove it off the road

and he had to be rescued.

Got it. NATALIE: Yeah.

Well, I'm glad you're okay.Thanks.

Why do you have my books?

Oh, you know...

doing my research.

Um, you said, you'd think about it

so I'm just building on that faith.

Well, I hope you don't find them too dated

in the modern world.

Uh, yeah. See, about that,

I... I was... I'm tired. I'm gonna go to bed.

And did I mention, uh... I don't talk to journalists?

Okay?

The door is kind of tricky with the cold.Yep.

The lock sometimes sticks.Mm-hmm. I get it.

Sure you don't need some help? Nope, don't need to be rescued.

I got it.

Good night, Natalie. NATALIE: Goodbye, Nick.

You look quite rested.

I trust you had a good night's sleep?

Oh, Miss Olivia I had a great one, actually.

I can't remember the last time I woke up feeling so rested.

People say that all the time.Yeah.

I think there's something special in the air here

in Cranberry Falls. NICK: Hmm.

Good morning, Miss Olivia.

Good morning. CALEB: Have you seen Natalie?

I'm meeting her for breakfast. Not yet, Caleb.

But I'm sure she'll be down shortly.

Caleb? Uh, you're a friend of Natalie's?

We went to high school together.

Why? You a friend of hers?

Well I wouldn't be a very good one

unless I invited you to sit and have a cup of coffee with me

while we wait for her. And you can tell me

how you met up again after all these years.

Sure. It was a wild coincidence, actually.

I found her stranded on the side of the road

as I was passing by in my tow truck.

Really? What are the chances?

I've been saying that a lot.

And I... I bet she was shocked to see you.

We both were, actually.

You know, I have to admit, back in the day,

I had a bit of a crush on her. All right.

Do tell.

Uh, I... I'm sorry. Just naturally curious.

Romance writer, old crush, rescued from a snowbank.

I mean it sounds like something

from one of the stories she writes.

I know, right?

I had no idea how famous she actually was.

Until I looked her up last night found out a few things.

Her social media is crazy.

Millions of followers all over the world.

New York Times bestselling author.

They don't call her the Queen of Christmas romance

for nothing.

And I'm wondering where all that started.

Um, what was she like in high school?

Hmm. She was beautiful. She was shy.

I was a grade ahead of her. We talked a lot.

Hung out a bit. Did you ever ask her out?

You know, you do ask a lot of questions.

I don't mean to pry, it's just...

When you talk about Natalie...

you light up.

She was special.

But I dated a lot back then.

I was all over the place.

And then by the time college came around

and I thought it was good to settle down,

I made the mistake of marrying the first girl I fell for.

Oh.

And after the split...

I started wondering what life would have been like

if I had made different decisions.

Caleb, there's a bull hauler

that needs a lift on two-seven.

Oh, looks like it wasn't meant to be, so...

Uh... Well, I know that she would love to see you

and she's just running a few minutes late.

So, maybe you have a message that I can pass along to her,

or your phone number?

8:30! Oh, no! No! No! No!

Please, take that to room-four.

Good morning, Ms. Natalie. Good morning.

I'm afraid you just missed him.

Caleb?

No, that Nick fellow.

He says you're gonna wanna see him once you get a coffee.

He's in the drawing room. Why would I want to see Nick?

He didn't say. He left shortly after chatting with Caleb.

Thank you.

Hey! You're like gum on a shoe, you know that?

Impossible to get rid of.

A little peanut butter will take that gum right off.

Oh, does that work on nosy journalists?

Not usually.

Although, this time it seems like you've come to me.

I am only here to tell you to stop poking around

in my personal life. I didn't poke.

Although, I do admit that curiosity got the best of me

when I ran into a certain someone named Caleb

this morning at breakfast.

What did you tell him? NICK: I didn't say anything.

But he could not stop talking about you.

Okay. I'll bite.

He kind of let it slip that he had a thing

for you in high school. Yeah, yeah. He didn't say that.

I swear, it's true.

He said that seeing you again caused him to start wondering

how his life would be if he'd only made different decisions.

Uh... why are you telling me this?

Since you mentioned that he was your inspiration

I just thought it was the right thing to do.

Yeah, right. What is your angle, Nick?

I really am just trying to build good faith here.

I mean, think about it. If we hadn't met in Buffalo,

and you hadn't accidentally mentioned Caleb

and the three of us hadn't accidentally ended up

in this sleepy little town,

then I wouldn't have been able to give you this.

His cell number's on the back.

Who knows? This might be the start

of a Christmas romance of the Queen's own.

I really like this one... NATALIE: Thank you, Nick.

See, I knew that there was something there.

And Nick's conversation with Caleb confirms it.

Yeah, see. That's what's bothering me.

If I had just kept my mouth shut in Buffalo,

none of this would be happening.

None of this? Uh... you just found out

your old crush still has a thing for you.

That should give you butterflies.

The look on your face is like you got a deadline due.

Well, there's that.

And the fact that you've got me out in public.

Sitting in a tea shop, wondering if some random journalist

is gonna put my whole life on blast again.

Okay. We both know this isn't about Nick

or you finishing your novel.

What's really going on? I'm nervous about Caleb.

Back in high school, he wasn't just a crush,

he actually kind of broke my heart.

Kind of? Yep. And he may not even know that.

Maybe that's what's bugging me? Well, that was a long time ago.

I'm sure you've both changed a lot since then.

Yeah. Yeah, you're right.

I'm acting like a silly teenager.

I'm... I'm gonna call him. It's no big deal.

We'll have a quick catch-up and that'll be that.

Or, you'll discover your old crush

is still the man of your dreams,

only slightly older, and a whole lot hotter.

And I'm nervous again. Just start dialing. Dial.

Random question, but do you believe in fate?

I think that's the thing that people like to credit

for when things work out.

But in the end we'll never really know,

so I say why worry about it?

I'll drink to that. Why do you ask?

Mm.

I was supposed to meet a guy here a half an hour ago

and I don't know if it wasn't meant to be

or if he just plain old stood me up.

Well, let's give the guy the benefit of the doubt.

And the next drink's on me. Oh, that's very nice, Sal.

Hey. Natalie.

Thank you. Hi, Nick. SAL: Nick Winters for pickup?

So, drinking alone, huh?

Nope, I'm not alone. Sal's here

Hey, Sal, how do you wish somebody good luck

on a first date?

It's not a date, Sal. Here's your to-go.

Oh, you hear that Nick? It's time for you to go.

Third wheel rolling away.Mm-hmm.

You have fun.

Yes, Mr. Hansen. Nick told me to expect you.

So, welcome to the St. Nicholas Inn.

Your room is just up the stairs and around the corner.

Oh, thanks.

I see Nick didn't waste any time calling in the cavalry.

And you must be Natalie's publicist.

Ryan, right? Lucas Hansen.

Staff photographer and a huge fan of your client's...

Look, if Nick just sent you in to butter me up,

tell him nice try. No, no, no, no.

I'm not trying to butter you up. My passion's real.

My ex put me onto Christmas Can Wait

and I've read it like seven times.

Go ahead. Test me.

Okay. Uh, at the end of the novel,

when Rich pulls Beth into a surprise embrace

outside the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center,

what does he whisper into her ear?

"I can't seem to remember a moment before you."

"Or imagine another one without you in it."

It's impressive.

And maybe you should be the one interviewing Natalie.

She doesn't mind talking to her fans.

Thanks. I'll pass that on to Nick.

And I'll dog-ear all the right pages for him to read.

Oh, sure. Everyone knows Caleb. He's something of a local hero.

He works part-time as a volunteer firefighter.

So he's a part-time firefighter.

Mm-hmm. Full-time hero. Wow.

Uh... how so? Oh, he started the toy drive

at the firehall for kids

and he's the one who started the festival

to attract Christmas traffic for the local businesses.

"The Dickens Festival."

Yeah, it started as a regular Christmas market

and then he changed it to the Dickens theme.

So they wander around drinking mulled wine,

eating roasted chestnuts, celebrating the day

that Charles himself strode these very streets.

Really?

And Caleb came up with this and the toy drive?

For the kids.

For the kids.

Natalie! Hey.

Sorry I'm late. I got hung up at the fire station

with our upcoming toy drive.

That's okay. Sal kept me company.

But first impressions are everything.

They are, and I was the one who overslept for breakfast,

so I guess we're even.

Even it is.

Hey, when were you gonna tell me about this festival

and the toy drive?

Uh... this morning at breakfast.

Right.

Well, do you want to tell me what else you're famous for?

Me? Yeah.

How 'bout you?

Let's get a table.

We got a whole lifetime to catch up on.

Okay.

Caleb started the festival by canvassing local businesses

to become sponsors to the event to promote tourism.

Smart, considering the charm of the town.

Yeah, you'd think. The years have gotten leaner.

We've all had to look at creative ways

to keep the festival going

and no one works harder at that than Caleb.

So he's a "never take no for an answer" sort of guy?

Once he zeros his sights on something,

just get out of his way.

Like the stunt he pulled last year

to help promote sales.

The firefighters of Cranberry Falls.

There's no lengths he won't go to keep our festival on track

Wow, that's, uh, bold.

Yeah. So, how did he end up here?

Well, he moved here with his girlfriend

looking for a fresh start after his divorce.

And how long ago was that? Uh, four years ago.

He started a towing company and she started Trish's Pastry.Oh.

The relationship fizzled,

but he and Trish, they still remain close.

That's a little unusual, but...

refreshing. Yeah, yeah.

I still see them out and about.Yeah.

I mean, it's impossible not to like that guy.

Hm.

So, after a promising football career

got sidelined by several concussions,

I found myself...

at a job I didn't love

in a city I didn't want to be in,

with a girl I wasn't meant to marry.

I'm sorry. CALEB: Don't be.

My philosophy is, "Ever tried." "Ever failed." "No matter."

"Try again." "Fail again."

"Fail better.""Fail better."

Samuel Beckett. Yeah.

When I read that quote

I thought to myself that that's gonna be me.

And when you lose your fear of failure,

your odds of success instantly increase.

I wish I could be more like that.

After the success of my first novel,

I feel like I'm always competing against myself.

Too busy to get married?

Uh... I'm writing all the time.

Plus, I kind of took a break from people

after this horrible article came out about me

with a bunch of stuff taken way out of context

and it hurt my brand.

And it hurt me.

I guess, I'm just getting back out into the world now.

Hmm. I'm sorry that happened to you.

Thank you.

Hey, do you remember

that you once asked me out on a date?

Uh, yeah. It was to a dance or something.

Yeah.

I... Those years were

a bit of a blur to me.Yeah.

I probably came off full of myself.

No. Oh, no. I would never describe you as that.

Oh. So how would you describe me?

If I was one of your characters?

Okay.

Um... Caleb had an easygoing charm

that was like a hidden superpower to those around him.

He had a smile that instantly put everyone at ease.

Wow.

I like the sound of that guy.Yeah.

Keep going.No.

It's your turn. Describe me.

I'm not a writer. So?

Okay, I'll give it a shot.

Here it goes.

Everything about Natalie is an understatement.

From her innocent gaze to her shy smile.

She might not stop a party when she enters a room,

but if she could see herself through my eyes...

she'd know how truly special she really is.

How'd I do?

Yeah. I wouldn't change a word.

He is a small-town firefighter who is spearheading

the local Christmas festival and a toy drive.

Well, sounds like he's the guy who gets introduced

on page-two of every book she's ever written.

Dude, totally.

She has found herself a real-life hero

who is going to rescue her out of her funk.

I'm telling you, this story is so good

it's practically writing itself. Yeah, it is.

If you can convince her to let you tell it.

Quick, quick, quick, come on. Come on! Bring it.

Get the camera.

I heard you were a swimmer.

I gotta be honest. This is the most fun

I've had in a very long time.

Then why don't you stick around Cranberry Falls?

Just for a few days,

until the Dickens Festival.

I gotta get home.

I'm chasing a Christmas deadline.

Come on.

We just said hello.

Are you sure you're ready to say goodbye?

Okay, this shot's for the cover.

Sorry.

Yep, it's Gloria, my editor.

She's calling to sound the alarms. I...

Just tell me you'll stay.

You make it very difficult to say no.

Oh.

Hi, Gloria. So?

How are we doing with our rewrites?

Well, it's a work in progress.

But you will be happy to know that I've started my list

of must-haves in a mate.

Oh, look at you taking my advice.

What have you got so far? Oh.

Okay. Sense of humor is one.Copycat. It's a good one.

Two, he has to have a kind heart.

Always helpful.

And tonight I thought, I have to be with someone

who isn't afraid to be vulnerable.

That is a good one for you.

So it sounds like it was good that you took the evening off.

But your time off be over now.

I am back at it.

And, uh, I've decided to stay

until I nail down those last 30 pages.

I'm gonna turn this book into the next Natalie Wolfe classic.

So much for our big kiss goodnight.

Nick, come on. This is the magic moment.

The smoldering gaze in their eyes.

Their hands just gently touching.

Yeah, I suppose, but...

no kiss.

You will never see on a cover of a romance novel

the leads kissing.

But they almost kiss.

Now that's actually more powerful

'cause it confirms to the audience

that we're invested in them getting together at the end.

Yeah.

The lines between real life and fiction begin to blur.

That might be my way in.

Oh, hey. So how was your big night out with Caleb?

Ugh!

Okay. But I can see the answer written all over your face.

You don't have to tell me.

But, if you do want to tell me, I'm all ears.

You are relentless, you know that?

Look, I am trying with everything I got here

but it's really not easy with your whole

"hey, let's keep everybody at arm's length" thing

you have going on. Not everybody. Just you.

Just give me five minutes, talk to me

and if you still really don't like me,

then you never have to see me again, I promise.

Five minutes.

Tell me something, Nick.

Why does your boss call you hopeless?

Uh...

Well, let's just say, uh, my once upon a time

didn't exactly end in a happily ever-after.

Oh, that's the story I want to hear.

Okay.

Well, look, if you really want to hear

the long dreaded tale of love gone awry,

you're gonna have to ply me with a little hot cocoa first.

Done.

Well, when I was growing up,

my dad worked at this train museum in Brooklyn.

And every Christmas Eve,

the museum would host this potluck

for those less fortunate.

I would always go down there to help out...

and it was magical.

The lights, the glittering decorations,

the smiles on everybody's faces.

But the real showstopper

was this old-fashioned locomotive called The Hudson.

And it looked just like the train from the Polar Express.

And as a kid, I was convinced

that if I just wished hard enough,

at midnight on Christmas Eve, that train,

it would take me to the North Pole to meet Santa.

Aw. I love that.

Eventually, that boy became a man.

A man, who in his senior year of college

met and fell for the woman of his dreams.Oh.

And she was so smart and she was ambitious...

and for whatever reason she seemed to love me too. Uh...

So, one Christmas Eve

I invited her to share my favorite tradition.

Although, end of the night I've got a surprise.

When everybody's gone,

I invite her back to the Polar Express train.

I get down on one knee...

and I propose. And she turned you down?

If only it were that simple.

No, that is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg

that sank my heart.

No, uh, as a matter of fact...

she was having an affair.

With my best friend.Ugh. Nick, I am so sorry.

You must hate Christmas now.

That year? Yeah.Yeah.

But no. I love Christmas.

I really do. I love everything about it.

And I even went back the next year

to that train museum and I've been back

every year since.

And I love to see the looks on everybody's faces

when we make their Christmas Eve just a little bit brighter.

Tell me something, Nick.

Do you think you could tell my story with the same...

honesty as you told yours just now?

We wouldn't be sitting here if I didn't.

The real question is,

are you brave enough to let me tell it?

It's better at night.

Talk to me, Holly. What are you afraid of here?

Is it fear of the truth?

Is it fear of getting hurt again?

What's missing?

What do I need you to say, Holly?

Tell me, and we can all walk away happy.

You're extending our stay through the Dickens Festival

and you're giving Nick an exclusive?

I take it last night's date must have been off the charts.

It's hard to describe. It wasn't that it went well

then it just felt so effortless.

It tends to happen when you already know the guy's into you.

I guess.

Gosh, it's been so long since I've had a date

I forgot some of them could actually be fun.

Ah! I'm jealous. I want one of those.

Oh, uh, Natalie, this is Lucas Hansen.

The photographer for SHEmagazine

and your number one fan.

Oh.And I know fans.

I follow your blog every morning. - Oh.

Starting with your daily affirmations, of course.

Well, you actually have Ryan to thank for that.

He handles all my social media.

Oh, wow. You must really love what you do then.

Some of this stuff you come up with is like this beacon of hope

to the recent members of the lonely hearts club.

Really? I must have overshot.

Uh...

Well, uh, I'm off to Buffalo.

Nick's got me getting some establishing shots

for where it all began for you.

To create this sort of once-upon-a-time theme.

It's a clever idea.

Why do I get the feeling it was yours?

I can neither confirm nor deny that.

But, if you're not too busy, I'd love some company.

Oh, uh... Yeah, go.

I can handle the interview on my own.

Well, it appears my day has suddenly opened up.

Awesome. Just parked outside. RYAN: Sure.

This is huge.

Nick, our ad sales doubled with the news

that Natalie Wolfe is on our cover.

So, how did you manage to crown the Queen of Christmas?

Well, I stopped trying to get a story,

told one of my own.

Well, this could be a real game changer for the magazine

and for you. I know. Classic no pressure.

Now, I just have to get it right.

Then get it right, Nick.

Lagging ticket sales spooked two of our top sponsors

and they've decided to pull out of this year's festival.

Chief, pre-sales never determine our final tally.

Let's just scale back the venue.

We only have half the vendors that we had last year.

Wait, you're not thinking about cancelling the festival?

The only way the festival survives

is if we stir up interest.

Then let's contact the news outlets in Buffalo.

Newspapers, radio. I've tried.

They're not interested.

To them, Cranberry Falls is small potatoes.

I got an idea.

Of course, you do.

So, if you could go back in time

and give your 16-year-old self just one piece of advice,

what would it be? I would tell her

to stop overthinking.

Huh. Yeah, and be more confident.

Thank you. Be more confident, um...

Don't worry so much about what other people think.

You know?

Find a work-life balance.

Oh, and stop procrastinating. That's huge with me, even now.

It's a lot of advice for your 16-year-old self.Mm-hmm.

She needed a lot of help. Oh, I see.

The truth is though, no matter what I told myself...

I probably wouldn't listen.

And see that's exactly what I thought you'd say.

Oh right, because you did

your research. Right. NICK: Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. Okay, Mr. Research.

What was the one thing about me

that you found the most surprising?

Hm.

That you've never actually admitted to being in love

and yet have delivered

a seemingly endless treasure trove of love stories.

You think I'm lying about who I am?

Not at all, no. From what I can tell,

deception is the trait you loathe most in a person.

Trust for me is everything.

Hm.

You create a world we wish exists,

just not necessarily a reflection

of the world we live in.

Yeah.

Sorry.

Caleb, isn't it?

Telling you how much fun he had last night.

Can't wait to see you again. All good guesses.

He wants to show me around

the firehouse this afternoon.

You go. Um... you've been

more than generous with your time. Yeah? Okay.

The problem is, what I really should be doing

is getting back upstairs to my computer

so that I can do the sit and stare for hours.

Uh-oh, words not coming, huh?

Oh, no, they're coming. They're just not any good.

I've got writer's block.

Ah, a problem I know all too well.

Uh... hey, if...

if you want, I could show you a tried and true method

that's guaranteed to chase the creative blues away.

Oh? Yeah. If you want.

Okay, my turn.

Uh... "You pierce my soul." "I am half agony, half hope."

"I have loved none but you."

You're trying to trick me.

That's not one of Natalie's books.

That's Jane Austin's Persuasion.

I love that book. Oh, me too.

My David hated it for some reason.

Ah, you're really killing the spirit of the game,

bring your ex into it, again. Oh, no. I'm sorry.

I'm turning into one of those losers

that can't stop talking about their ex.

How long's it been? Six months now.

Hm.Time to move on, right?

Oh, I really don't think

you should be asking me for dating advice. What?

I can't imagine a guy who can quote

all my favorite parts of Jane Austin would be single

for any length of time.

Uh... Well, then you're not imagining hard enough.

I've been on so many bad coffee dates,

my dating profile should read,

"Save us the trouble and just swipe left."

You know, I think dating apps actually do more harm than good.

Yeah.

But to answer your question

about when to dip a toe back in the dating pool...

you'll know when you feel the spark.

I think that writer's block is your subconscious

just telling you to shake up your routine

and try something new. New is being out in public.

New is coming to this town and none of it is helping.

I'm pretty sure that your routine is sitting in front

of a computer and just making things up.

Okay. That's over-simplifying... Hey, hey, look. We all do it.

For instance, I ask questions for a living.

Yeah, I noticed that.

I ask questions and then people give me answers

and then I sit in front of a computer

and I spill it all out

and I hope it comes together in some semi-cogent way.

Whereas I ask and answer all the questions,

plus come up with the characters,

the settings and the arcs.Yes. Exactly.

Quite literally everything.

And then, you make everything up from all of that information

inside of your head.Yeah.

I have to come up with new questions all the time.Exactly.

So, maybe you just need someone new to ask you questions...

so you can focus on some answers.

Okay. Fine. Have at it.

What's your story about?

It is a story about two former high school sweethearts,

Holly and Derek, who years later meet up by chance

and start to fall in love. Okay, and what happened

when they first broke up?

Well, they are from a small town and so she goes away to college

and he stays and blah, blah, blah.

Stop it right there.

Your answer lies in the "blah, blah, blah."

What happened when they were teenagers?

Somebody broke somebody's heart, right? Yes.

So, inevitably, that is going to inform

how they get back together.

That is exactly where my block is.

You're not gonna believe this.

My ending takes place at a train station.

Trust the process.

Should we go try something new? Absolutely. Come.

All aboard!

This is even better than I imagined it in my book.

Okay. I want you to stop thinking

about the work right now and just imagine

what it would be like to be on this platform

with your high school sweetheart.

And all those old feelings start to resurface.

I see what you're doing

and my book is not about Caleb and me.

That is just a point of reference.

What would you do?

What would I do?

I would...

have to let go of a lot of hurt and...

learn to trust again.

And where does that hurt come from?

Caleb was my first crush,

and I'm not even sure he knew.

So he broke your heart. My teenage heart.

And what broke it?

My junior year...

Caleb asked me to go to the Christmas dance.

I was thrilled.

My mother went out and got a new dress

and I did my hair

and I stood by the front door, waiting for him to come get me.

And he never showed up?

He ended up taking someone else.

Ouch. Yeah.

Two days later, when I finally got the courage

to ask him what happened...

he said, he didn't remember asking

and he may not have.

I'm not even sure anymore, but he was very apologetic

and he asked what he could do to make it up to me,

blah, blah, blah. Now, you see

where the "blah, blah, blah" comes from.

He was very, very sorry and I did my best to let it go.

It takes a lot of strength to do that.

I don't know about that. It didn't feel strong.

It just felt like I was trying to preserve the friendship.

He was such a good guy. NICK: No, no, no.

Don't you dare deflect that.

That takes real strength. That is your strength.

Thank you.

Okay.

That in mind, back to the book.Okay.

Take that strength in. NATALIE: Mm-hmm.

And hand it to Holly.

An entire year had passed

since Derek and Holly rekindled their childhood romance.

The plan was to wait a year

and if their feelings were just as strong,

return to the spot where they said their last goodbye.

Derek!

Holly. I knew you'd make it.

Wait, this isn't hello, is it?

I'm here to apologize.

Something I should have done a long time ago.

Look, back when I left for college,

we said that we would try

to keep a long distance thing going

but then the calls became fewer and the emails drifted off

and then you sent that text saying,

"maybe it's time for us to talk."

And you never called me back. I couldn't do it.

I thought it was because I was scared,

but now I know the truth.

And that's that I chose not to call you back because...

I wasn't ready to let you go.

Holly...

what are you saying? Don't you see, Derek?

I have never stopped loving you.

And now fate has given us this second chance

and this time, I am not running away.

I am standing right here and I am telling you...

that I am not letting you go.

Nick, you did it! I... I have my ending!

Oh, my Gosh, thank you, thank you, thank you!

You're welcome, you're welcome.

Okay. Well, I guess, I gotta go to the firehouse.

All right, go.

Thank you!

You must be so excited for the Dickens Festival.

I know I can't wait. Actually, we just found out

that some of our sponsoring businesses have backed out

and there's a chance that we'll have to cancel the festival

unless we pull a rabbit out of our hat.

Oh, no. I'm sorry. How can I help?

Maybe I can make a donation?

That's very generous, Natalie. I can't ask you for money.

What we need is public awareness.

People don't know about us.

We're like New York state's best kept secret.

I get it. Why try to save the festival

if no one shows up to support it.

Mm-hmm.

Maybe I can help.

I don't want to put you out, but you certainly do have

a fanbase that could turn this around in a hurry.

I can't make any promises,

but let's see if my publicist

can get the, uh, snowball rolling.

Thank you! You're the best.

This is a pretty big favor for Caleb to ask.

Given that you barely know one another.

He didn't ask, I offered.

Well, if you really want to make a splash

and take a giant leap out of your comfort zone,

you'd speak directly to your followers.

You mean like a live feed of me, on camera to millions?

To millions of your hardcore fans who love you.

Yeah, no. Just forget it.

I'll wave your magic wand like I always do.

I'll get this festival trending like a Christmas Kardashian.No.

I'll do it.

It's time for me to step out of the shadows.

Really? NATALIE: Mm-hmm.

Wow, so you must really like this guy.

This time, I'm not running away.

I'm standing here, telling you...

that I'm not letting you go.

Hey guys, if you're looking for true Christmas spirit,

check out the Dickens Festival here in Cranberry Falls.

You'll be magically transported into one of those

quaint Christmas towns I'm always writing about

and you'll be helping to make...

so many deserving children's holiday

a lot more special.

How did you get Natalie to do this?

It was her idea. I mean, we had to do something.

I'm just glad we didn't have to cancel the festival.

When Buffalo news caught wind of her post,

they ran a story and the phones immediately began to ring.

Well, I guess my festival isn't small potatoes anymore.

Holly throws Derek a breathless gaze

and as he leans in to plant a tender kiss on her lips,

soft Christmas snow begins to fall all around them.

The...

end.

No. Okay...

There you go, Gloria.

Hi!

Hi.NATALIE: Hi.

Thank you.

You put the Dickens Festival and Cranberry Falls on the map.

We're at full capacity. Wow, that was fast.

I want you to know, you made

a whole lot of people's Christmases

a whole lot brighter.

Not to mention mine.

Hey, uh...

what do you like better in terms of description?

Lingering or wistful?

Nick, look.

You totally surprised me.

I really don't know how to thank you

or what to say...

other than the other night...

I forgot to give you this.

Hey, uh, let's...

let's give them their privacy.

Really? Yeah. We don't need the kiss.

Thanks to you I am a complete wreck.

Yay! Yay!

Now that is a Natalie Wolfe ending.

I don't know where you got these 30 pages from,

but it's like it came straight from your heart.

You know Gloria, it's this place.

There is something about this place.

I love it.

I think it's the best thing you've ever written.

Really?

It's authentic. It's heartfelt.

You really touched me. And from your prose,

it seems like Natalie managed to touch you, too.

Oh, yeah.

Well, I mean, if you were here you'd have a hard time

not getting carried off in the moment.

And I love the way you feathered

the whole theme of the Dickens Festival

into the story. It's just brilliant.

Welcome to Cranberry Falls.

Where real life and fiction begin to blur.

Well, your article's already sent to copy.

Lucas is sending shots of the festival tonight.

We'll embed them as soon as possible

and hit the newsstands first thing tomorrow morning.

Good.

Oh.

Hey. You must be Trish.

And you must be the writer from SHEmagazine.

Mm-hmm. Caleb told me about you.

So, Dickens Festival.Hmm.

I understand you and Caleb used to be an item.

Yeah. Who told you that? Ben, down at the firehouse.

Well, to be honest, Ben doesn't know

that Caleb and I still have an on-again, off-again thing going.

Oh.

Let's just say my Caleb has a hard time

resisting temptation.

Which shouldn't have come as such a shock

since I was the girl he cheated on his wife with.

Yeah.

Oh, no.

I am not letting you sneak out of here without a look first.

Okay.

Very nice. But you're missing something.

Your hat. Follow me.

And while I'm searching...

maybe you'll explain to me the million mile away gaze

you have in your eyes.

Oh, uh...

It's that obvious, huh?

I guess, I'm a little worried that someone might be falling

for a guy who's not exactly all he's cracked up to be.

Someone you've come to care about?

You know, I seem to have broken the cardinal rule of journalism

by getting emotionally involved with my subject.

And how did that happen?

This place. Uh...

Their chance meeting. Uh... I guess I couldn't help myself.

I just don't want to see her get hurt.

That really isn't in your power, is it, Nick?

Found it.

What do I do?

Maybe it's time you trust that thing inside your chest

that started beating again.

Oh, no.

Now what are you supposed to be, an undertaker?

Uh, the ghost of Christmas future.

I mean, I asked for the Miss Havisham costume

but they only had it in extra petite.

But, you'll be happy to know because of you

my New Year's resolution is me deleting my dating app.

Oh, wow.

Well, in that case,

what are you doing Christmas Eve?

'Cause I would love to take you out to dinner.

Maybe. If you agree to stop whining about your ex.

Done. I will never mention him again.

Well, then, of course, I'll have dinner with you.

Now that we have so much more to talk about.

Shall we? LUCAS: Absolutely.

Don't tell me, spirits.

What are you here to show me the shadows of?

Christmas past? Maybe.

What do you think? You look great.

Of the festival?

Oh. It's, uh... it's perfect. It's perfect.

I can't believe you brought this whole festival to life.

Thanks. It's far from perfect

but you certainly helped make it more than it could have been.

Caleb, we're ready for you.

Ah, yeah, and... of course

the Chief is eager for me

to continue capitalizing on the 15 minutes of fame

that you brought to our little town.

Why don't you go wander? I'll come find you.

Okay.

♪ Hark the Herald angels sing ♪

♪ Glory to the newborn king

♪ Hail, the Heav'n-born Prince of Peace ♪

♪ Hail, the Son Of Righteousness ♪

♪ Light and life To all He brings ♪

Hey.

Friends don't let friends drink mulled wine alone.

Oh, hey, I'm just sitting here

toasting Christmas Dickens style.

Cheers.

Hmm. What about you? Where's Caleb?

He's busy for a sec

but I wanted to come by and say thank you.

To say thank you for what?

For pushing me.

Well, I just hope I didn't push too hard.

I'm glad you did.

I just think that you're cautious

and that's not such a bad thing.

What's going on with you, Nick?

You look like Ebenezer when he sees his tombstone.

Hey, Nick!

Oh, uh, it looks like...

Uh, yeah, Lucas is ready to take some shots.

Okay. Come on.

Okay.

Oh, that's the one. Yeah.

Perfect. Look at that.

Oh.Wow.

Thanks, Natalie.

Uh... how about just a few with Caleb and Santa?

Yeah, sure. I don't mind.Yeah.

He's really something, isn't he?

Sorry? Caleb.

When you're in his company

it's like the whole world suddenly vanishes, right?

That's a part of his charm.

I'm sorry, do I know you?

No. But I know you.

And why he broke up with me

three nights ago for the fifth time.

I just want to let you know that when Caleb grows bored

of his latest conquest, he always comes back to me.

Trish?

Natalie, whatever Trish said to you,

you have to know that it's been over between us

for a long time. Three days ago?

Natalie, I meant everything that I said to you.

Why should I believe you, Caleb?

You literally just tried to lie to me.

Look, I'll admit, I'm no angel but I'm not a bad guy.

No, but I'm not sure you're a good guy either.

Ryan, can we go?

Natalie.

You just used her, didn't you?

You used her for her celebrity

and you used her for her social media platform.

Just to help your festival.

You don't know me. NICK: Oh, I think I do.

And I know that you just blew the best thing

to ever come back into your life.

Trish! Baby, wait up!

Thank you. MISS OLIVIA: I hope to see you again.

Natalie! I'm so sorry. You knew.

That's why you were acting strange before.

Look, I had run into his ex-girlfriend and she mentioned

that she was the woman that he had had an affair with

when he was married and that they had this weird

on again, off-again thing, but I didn't know

if they were off or on. I trusted you, Nick.

Why wouldn't you just tell me that?

Especially, because the same thing happened to you.

But I get it. Why let a thing like that

stand in the way of a good story.

Hey, um... RYAN: Yeah.

♪ Joy to the World

♪ The Lord is come ♪

♪ Let Earth receive her King ♪

So you gonna join the party

or am I gonna bring the party to you?

♪ Prepare Him room

♪ And heaven And nature sing... ♪

♪ And heaven And nature sing... ♪

Look, bud, you gotta stop kicking yourself.

You wrote what you thought was happening at that time.

Yeah. But I could have told her.

It's not your job to burst her balloon.

Also it wasn't my job to fill it with air.

You wanted to believe what we all thought

was unfolding before our very eyes.

And Nick, all that means is that you still believe in love.

Yeah, maybe. But at Natalie's expense.

Okay. Hear me out.

'Cause I think your problem is,

is that you have feelings for Natalie...

and you were afraid that she might interpret it

as the reason why you weren't telling her about Caleb.

No. She trusted me.

Yeah. She did.

And now you gotta go talk to her and tell her the truth.

She doesn't want to talk to me. Since when have you

let a little thing like that hold you back?

Go get her.

I'm touched by the invitation

but what kind of first date would it be

with me tagging along?

Well, it's gonna be a memorable one.

Aw. I love that he bought you flowers.

Oh, uh... actually these aren't for me.

Nick asked me to give these to you.

♪ Round yon Virgin

♪ Mother and Child

"Because of you, I'll never stop believing...

Nick".

It wasn't about getting the story, Natalie.

Nick really cares for you. And I don't know,

being around you somehow hit his reset button.

Did you see he signed it with a red heart?

That's a lot for him.

You really don't see it, do you?

Do you know where he is?

I want to thank him for these and wish him a Merry Christmas.

Yeah, he's volunteering at the potluck for the less fortunate.

At the train museum.

That's his favorite part about Christmas.

I can't believe I missed it.

Missed what?

The fifth thing I need in a soulmate.

One, must have a sense of humor.

You know, there's a study about first impressions

and it shows that they are way overrated.

Really? NICK: Hmm.

How overrated are they?

Way. Wow.

Two, must be kind.

Takes a lot of strength to do that.

It just felt like I was trying to preserve the friendship.

He was such a good guy. NICK: No, no, no.

Don't you dare deflect that.

That takes real strength. That is your strength.

Three, must be vulnerable.

I invite her back to the Polar Express train,

I get down on one knee...

and I propose. And she turned you down?

If only it were that simple.

Four, must be trustworthy.

Do you think you could tell my story

with the same...

honesty as you told yours just now?

We wouldn't be sitting here if I didn't.

And five...

I love Christmas.

I really do. I love everything about it.

And I even went back the next year

to that train museum and I've been back

every year since. And I love to see

the looks on everybody's faces

and we make their Christmas Eve just a little bit brighter.

And five...

must love Christmas.

They seem pretty obvious to me.

Me too.

Why?

- Oh! Because I write Christmas... - Yeah.

I have to go. Have so much fun tonight.

Merry Christmas!

♪ I don't care, I don't care ♪

♪ If I got it all And no one to share ♪

♪ All the magic and mystery ♪

♪ Won't be the same Without you with me ♪

♪ I can see Santa fly I won't believe it if I try ♪

♪ Until you're here with me Because you make it real ♪

♪ You make it real ♪

♪ All the magic and mystery Won't be the same... ♪

Wow, Nick.

This is everything you said it would be.

Natalie? NATALIE: I couldn't sleep.

I figured I'd come check it out in person and...

thank you for the flowers and the card.

Yeah, you're welcome.

What did you mean in the card about believing?

When I saw you and Caleb come together

in Cranberry Falls, it made me start to believe

that all those fairytale endings you write could be real.

It really did feel like that, didn't it?

And then when we found out that he wasn't exactly the hero

that either one of us wanted him to be,

well, I thought that would change everything but it didn't.

It didn't? Because there was you.

Me?

The real story was finding you, Natalie.

Look, ending up together in Cranberry Falls,

that happened for a reason and it wasn't because of Caleb

and it wasn't because that you needed to be rescued.

It was me.

And me. I needed to be pushed to go out.

To open up, to question

the way I was doing things. NICK: It was me.

I needed to be reminded of what it felt like

to fall in love.

Both of us needed to be reminded of that, Nick.

I was hoping you'd say that.

It's Christmas.

Yeah.

The end.

Oh, no. Natalie, you are not putting me

in one of your books. I am totally putting this

in the book. This is gold! NICK: No!

Please, do not. No, no, no. The story of us.

And it shall be called Must Love Christmas.

Boom!

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