Chapter Nine
Grayson
My patrol shift ends after sunset, and the streets of Oakridge Hollow take on a cozy glow with holiday decorations filling Main Street. The lampposts are wrapped in greenery and sparkly ornaments, and the shop windows are covered in scenes of snowmen and reindeer in the snow.
It reminds me that it’s time to start decorating Gramps’s house, too. I need to pull the decorations from the garage and hang the lights along the house for him. If I don’t, he’ll climb up that ladder himself, and that’s the last thing I need him to do.
As I approach the house, it’s…brighter. A lot brighter.
Beaming, you might say. I step out of my truck and stare at the house.
Blinking, multicolored lights are wrapped around, well, everything.
The porch pillars, the edges of the windows, and the roof.
Even the bushes out front are covered in a blanket of twinkling rainbow lights.
It’s bright enough to guide an aircraft to a safe landing.
And through the front window, I see even more lights—and not just the usual yellow glow from the living room. No. A riot of red, green, purple, and blue lights flashes inside, like a rave in full swing.
And there’s only one person I know who’d decorate a house like this.
I open the door, greeted with classic Christmas music blasting from the record player speakers.
Despite the Christmas explosion in our living room, the sight warms my heart.
Gramps is sitting in his armchair, a steaming mug in his hands.
Atop his head is a Santa hat, the pom-pom bouncing as he nods his head to “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams. Jet is lying on the floor next to him, sleeping.
Following Gramps’s gaze, I spot Tandy perched on a ladder, decorating the fireplace mantel. She’s wearing oversized reindeer antlers, singing along to the music, while placing a long strand of garland.
Gramps waves as I gesture around the room as if to say, “Wow, what’s all this?”
He shrugs, points to Tandy, then takes a long sip from his mug.
“Tandy!” I call over the music.
She doesn’t hear me, lost in her own Christmas-decorating world. I move closer to her, ready to repeat myself, but Gramps beats me to it.
“Tandy!” His voice booms through the room.
Tandy startles at the sound, twisting so fast the ladder begins to sway beneath her.
She lets out a shriek as I lunge forward, one hand on the ladder and one reaching for her.
But she topples off backwards. There’s nothing graceful about it.
Her feet cling to the rung on the ladder while her arms windmill wildly.
I try to catch her, but her elbow connects with my cheekbone. Down we go in a tangle of limbs. The garland she was placing rains down around us, followed by a dusting of artificial snow, covering us like a white Christmas.
We both land in the middle of the living room with Tandy sprawled on top of me, her red curls shielding her face.
“Still alive, Bookworm?” I ask, brushing the hair from her eyes.
She peeks up at me, a soft giggle escaping her lips. “Yes. Are you?”
Her gaze meets mine, and I can’t help but smirk. Something flutters in my chest, and I become aware of her weight against me, her face close enough that I can see flecks of gold in her hazel eyes.
“I’m good.”
Despite the throbbing spot on my jaw where her elbow hit, I mean it. This whirlwind of a woman—the one who turns the mundane moments into adventures—lies in my arms. The one who brightened up this house, who brightens up my life.
She bites her bottom lip, attempting to hide a smile.
“What’s so funny?” I ask, trying to keep the grin off my face.
“You have fake snow all over you.”
I brush my hand through my hair. “Looks like we finally got the first snowfall, huh?”
She shakes her head, her whole body shaking in laughter. A sound of pure joy rings in my ears. Her face lights up, her eyes bright, her cheeks pink.
“Here, let me…” Her fingertips graze my forehead, sending an electric current down my spine.
She continues to dust off the snow. “There, all better.” Her eyes meet mine with a satisfied smile.
It’s just us in this moment of pure, chaotic happiness. She’s like an untamed flame, flickering and casting a warm glow. And right now? I’m basking in that glow.
Gramps lets out a deliberate “Ahem.”
I drop my arms as she moves off me, her cheeks burning brighter than the red nose on her reindeer antlers.
I scramble up, extending my hand to help her. She takes it, still chuckling, and lets me pull her to her feet. A playful smirk curls her lips as she dusts herself off. My eyes follow every movement, fully captivated by her.
“Your cheek!” Tandy gasps. “Oh my. I’m so sorry, Gray. Let me get you ice.”
Tandy hurries toward the kitchen. I watch her go until I feel Gramps’s eyes on me. When I turn, he’s shaking his head.
“What?” I ask defensively.
He shrugs, taking a sip. “Oh, nothing. Nothing at all.”
I sigh and glance in the entryway mirror at my throbbing cheek.
“Don’t move.” Tandy cups my jaw with both hands. The cold ziplock bag meets my skin with a jolt. Her eyes find mine. “I really am sorry. You scared me.”
I swallow hard, fighting the urge to lean into her touch, to turn my face into her palm.
“That was Gramps yelling for you.”
“Oh.” A sheepish grin spreads across her face. “Still scared me half to death.”
I shake my head, unable to suppress a smile. “You’re a walking catastrophe, Bookworm.”
A beautiful catastrophe, I think.
“I prefer to think of myself as ‘enthusiastically unpredictable,’ thank you very much.”
Grandpa stands from his chair and walks past us. “I’m going to get myself some more hot cocoa. Want some, Grayson?”
“Yes, thank you.”
He shuffles past, eyebrows arched in my direction. What’s gotten into him?
“Guess I should start cleaning up,” Tandy says, already humming along with the music again as she gathers the garland.
I press the ice pack to my cheek, watching her dance around the living room before following Gramps to the kitchen. He hands me a steaming mug, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
“Tandy sure is something, isn’t she?” he says casually.
“She’s one of a kind.”
Gramps glances toward the living room, then back at me. “You know, when you look at her, your face does the same thing your dad’s did when he met your mother.”
“No, I don’t—”
“I may be getting old, but these eyes work just fine.”
I turn to look through the doorway. Tandy’s stretching on her tiptoes to hang a strand of tinsel.
He continues, “I’m just telling you what I see. What I’ve seen for a while now.”
“Gramps…”
“Just think about it. Remember, life is short, and if you care about someone, make sure they know.” He taps my shoulder and walks out of the kitchen.
I nod slowly, then return to Tandy.
“Well, what do you think? We still need a tree but…is it too much? You don’t like it, huh? You like—”
I chuckle, touching her arm. “Tandy, it looks great.”
“Really?” She looks up at me, her eyes wide.
“Yeah, really. I might go blind tomorrow, but at least, we’ll go out in a blaze of glory.”
She elbows me. “Hey!”
“It’s vibrant and joyful. A little chaotic. But it’s everything you are, Bookworm.”