Chapter 17
“We have quite the pick of the litter.” Mirth dances in Mallory’s eyes.
I look from her to the three trees remaining on the lot. They’ve seen better days. Two are probably around six feet tall with patches of missing branches. The third is barely half my height, with only five branches total. I’m pretty sure I just watched multiple pine needles fall off it.
“I should’ve known this is all that would be left two days before Christmas Eve.” I rub my chin. I’ve failed my granny. None of these will do much to spruce up her room. They might even make it worse. A blue Christmas, indeed.
“Did you end up checking with her facility to make sure we can bring a live tree?”
“Yeah, it just has to be under seven feet, but I don’t think we’ll have an issue there.” I gesture to the meager selection.
Mallory moves forward, walking between the trees as if assessing the value. She finally stops beside the little one. “I think this one will be perfect for your granny’s facility.”
“Right.” My laugh is dry. I step closer, examining the other two trees, trying to decide which one is the least damaged.
“I’m serious.” Mallory grabs my arm, pulling me to her side.
The small motion doesn’t go unnoticed. Something changed in Mallory after I carried her to Shayna’s car at the Winter Market.
It might have been my eyes playing a cruel trick on me, but it looked like she wanted me to kiss her in the car before we came here.
And when she said she wanted to talk soon, after I said that I wasn’t acting…
well, let’s just say I hope we can have that conversation very soon.
“It’s a little Charlie Brown tree, neglected by everyone else. It deserves a good home for Christmas, too.” She shrugs. “Plus, it’s small, so it should fit well in her room.”
She’s not wrong. A large tree would take up the majority of Granny’s living space.
“As long as you think we can make it look full of cheer.” I look at her and she nods, so I raise my hand to draw the attention of the lot attendant.
I didn’t think that would be hard to do when we’re the only people here…
with three trees. But I could’ve had all of them loaded and strapped down atop Mallory’s car in the time it takes him to walk over to us.
This teenager likely hates his job, but I can’t blame him.
I wouldn’t want to be working here while on winter break either.
When he reaches us, the boy sounds bored as he asks, “How can I help you?”
“We’ll take this one.” I gesture to the small tree.
“That one?” The boy’s mouth falls open. “You sure?” When I nod, he laughs. “Just take it. My parents would kill me if I made you pay for it.”
“What do you normally charge per tree?”
“Usually ten dollars per foot, but it’d feel wrong taking thirty for that.”
I reach into my pocket, grab my wallet, and pull out three hundred dollars. “I think this should more than cover all three trees so you can go home and spend time with your family.”
The boy’s entire demeanor changes. He lights up brighter than the star atop the tree downtown. “Really?”
“Absolutely.” I give him the bills. “On one condition.”
“Anything.” He bounces on the balls of his feet.
“You drop the other two trees off somewhere they can bring joy to someone. A homeless shelter. A nursing home. Anywhere you can think of.”
The boy salutes me. “Yes, sir. Thank you.” He shoves the bills in his pocket and moves with purpose, strapping down the little tree to the top of Mallory’s car. It looks ridiculous—such a small tree atop a big car—when it could’ve easily fit in her trunk, but I’m not going to deny the kid his job.
Mallory sidles up next to me, fisting her hands on her hips. “You don’t have to give money away to impress me.”
“When I’ve been blessed, it only seems right to give to others.” I kick the gravel in the lot. Realizing what she said earlier, I smile at her. “Did you say that you’re impressed with me?”
“Did I?” A winter breeze hits, and she smooths back her curls.
I wrap my arms around her, surprised when she returns the embrace. “I like it when you talk sweet to me.”
She pats my chest. “Don’t get used to it.”
Can she feel the rapid racing of my heart beneath her fingertips? I wonder what her reaction would be if she knew it beat that way for her.
Always her.
Only her.
“I wouldn’t dare.” My lips tilt into a smile.
Mallory’s eyes dart to my lips before dragging back up to mine.
She’s looking at me like she did at the Winter Market and in the car.
I almost kissed her both times, but I promised myself I’d let her make the first move.
I’m not going to scare her away again, but keeping that promise is extremely difficult when she’s looking at my lips like that.
I lower my head closer to hers. Our noses brush, and I—
The boy clears his throat, and we jump apart like two teenagers caught dancing too close together at homecoming. “Sorry to interrupt, but you’re all loaded up.”
“Thanks.” I give him a forced smile. It’s not his fault that I completely messed up the best thing that ever happened to me three years ago, and now that I’m finally getting the opportunity to make up for it, he interrupted a potential kiss.
“You ready?” I look at Mallory.
Her cheeks match the pink of her coat. “Yeah, let’s go.”
We walk to the car, and I open the passenger door for her.
“Thanks again,” the boy calls after us, waving the bills I gave him in the air. “Merry Christmas!”
I give him a two-finger wave back before getting in the driver’s seat.
“Are you ready to deck the halls?” I wiggle my eyebrows, a smirk plastered on my face, thinking I’m hilarious for bringing up the carol she was singing when I first laid eyes on her.
The sound of her laughter floating through the car is an instant serotonin boost.
When we arrive at the rehabilitation facility, I still haven’t been able to wipe the smile from my face.
I walk into the building, one hand intertwined with Mallory’s, the other carrying the tree.
“Hi, Stella.” I wave to the receptionist in the lobby with my tree-filled hand.
She raises a brow, but waves back. “Good to see you, Mr. Reynolds.”
We continue down the hall a ways until I gesture with our joined hands to a door. “That’s it, Room 1104.”
Mallory knocks on it for us.
“Come in,” Granny yells from the other side.
Mallory opens the door, allowing me to enter the room first.
“Hi, Granny.” She’s wearing her Sunday best, a deep-purple dress with a pearl necklace. I help her out of the recliner, pulling her into a hug.
“Griffie, I told you that you didn’t need to decorate my room. I’m happy just to have you here.” She looks past me and smiles at Mallory, reaching out to her. “And I’m very happy to see you again.”
“Since you were never formally introduced, Granny, this is Mallory,” I say.
Mallory immediately steps forward, embracing my granny.
Seeing the two of them together, and especially seeing Granny so happy, has tears threatening to rise to the surface.
I swallow, emotion thick in my throat. Trying to lighten the mood, I say, “We wanted to go for a less sterile look, more holiday spirit.”
While the rehab facility I have her in does a wonderful job of decorating their common areas for the holidays, Granny’s room is whites and grays.
I’ve been too preoccupied this past week to decorate it for her.
Even though Christmas is only a few days away, it’s never too late to liven up the space.
Plus, Granny usually insists on leaving Christmas decor up until mid-January, so she’ll have a few weeks to enjoy it.
“I have to go grab the box of decorations from the car.” I look between them. “Will you two be okay here by yourself for a minute?”
“Of course.” Granny sits back down with Mallory’s assistance.
“We’re going to be two peas in a pod by the time you return.” Mallory smiles up at me, tossing me her car keys.
“Be right back.” I make my way back to the car, grabbing the box Mallory brought. I can’t get over how thoughtful it was of her to bring decorations for Granny’s room. It will look a lot better with all this stuff rather than just the bare tree.
Mallory and Granny are laughing like old friends when I make it back to the room.
“What are you two talking about?” I ask.
“Oh, nothing,” Mallory says. “Just girl stuff.”
Granny grins. “I love this one, Griffie.”
“So do I.” I look right at Mallory as the words spill out of my mouth, like they can’t be contained any longer.
When I realize I practically just told Mallory I love her, the box of decorations slips from my hands, dropping to the floor with a loud thunk.
Some jingle bells shake with the movement.
I turn awkwardly in a half circle, moving my arms in strange motions that feel completely disconnected from my body.
What. Is. Wrong. With. Me?
Oh, right. I just accidentally told Mallory that I love her.
I glance at her and find her shoulders shaking lightly in laughter. Of course, she finds this funny. But I do spot a hint of pink in her cheeks, which gives me hope for the conversation she wants to have soon.
Granny watches us with a knowing smile. I’m pretty sure spotting love matches is her superpower.
Maybe she missed her calling as a matchmaker, or maybe it’s just the magic of Lover’s Grove running in her veins.
But even if Granny didn’t think we were dating, I know she would see my feelings for Mallory written all over my face.
“If I could walk on my own, I’d give you two the room.” She winks at Mallory, whose blush deepens.
“Granny,” I chide.
“What?” She holds her hand to her chest, feigning nonchalance. “I might be old, but I still remember what it’s like to be in that honeymoon phase of a relationship. I bet you can’t keep your hands off one another.”
I shake my head, ignoring her remarks. You can always count on kids and the elderly to be honest. “Let’s decorate, shall we?” I open the box, pull out the tree base, and get that set up with water. Mallory pulls out the garland and strings it around the room.
“Where did you get all this?” Granny wrings her hands in her lap. “I’d hate for you to have spent all this money on decorations.”
“Her mom, Angie, was kind enough to let you borrow them,” I say, shooting Mallory a smile across the room.
Granny places her hands on her cheeks. “I can’t wait to thank her properly at Christmas. For this, and for having us join in your family’s festivities.”
“The more the merrier.” Mallory finishes hanging the garland and moves back to the box, grabbing small holiday trinkets. “Would you like these to go anywhere specific?”
“Hmm,” Granny muses. “Maybe a few on the table here and the others on my nightstand?”
“You’ve got it.” She places a snowman and reindeer on the table before moving to the other room.
“I love her.”
“You already said that.” I laugh.
“It’s worth saying twice.” Granny sighs. “It does my heart a world of good seeing you this happy.”
Mallory walks back into the living room, humming “Deck the Halls.”
It’s been torture knowing that our relationship has been fake to Mallory so far, but these recent changes in her have me hoping that won’t be the case much longer.