Chapter 3
Chapter Three
SAYLOR
“I know what you’re doing,” I tell Lottie as we gather the supplies for the kids’ craft table.
Luke’s supposed to show up soon, and I can already picture Lottie finding some excuse to “help” elsewhere on the ranch.
Plain Daisy Ranch’s Christmas Festival is a big deal in Willowbrook. I haven’t been since before I went to college because Tyler never found it worthy of coming back for.
“Me? I’m not doing anything.” Her innocent act gives her away.
“You’re trying to push us together.”
She’s absolutely trying to push Luke and me together.
I’m pretty sure he regrets our kiss. I do, too, but only because I was still tangled up in my feelings for Tyler at the time and I was just looking for comfort.
It wasn’t fair to Luke. But now, I can’t get the kiss with Luke out of my head.
Sometimes I catch myself wondering… if it had been Luke and not Tyler all those years ago, where would I be now?
She hops onto the counter beside me. “Take it from someone who was in her own way for years. Don’t give someone else the chance to have him.”
“I’m in no place to be in a relationship. I’m fresh off my relationship with Tyler.”
“It’s been six months now—” I open my mouth to voice a rebuttal, but she continues.
“I know it’s not a ton of time, and everyone works through things at their own pace.
But I wouldn’t push it if every time he comes into the store with Brooks, you didn’t blush and keep sneaking looks at him.
I’m not saying marry the man. I’m just saying…
open yourself up to the possibilities a bit. ”
The bell over the front door dings. It’s after hours, so it’s probably Luke and Brooks.
“Did you ever give yourself some grace and think maybe you were already getting over Tyler while you were still with him? I doubt he just surprised you one day and said, ‘I’m done.’” She quirks a brow, then slides her hand down my arm before heading out front.
Cue her squeal when she spots her husband. “She’s in the back, Luke.”
My stomach tightens. I keep my focus on the construction paper shapes I’m cutting, anything to avoid looking at him when he comes in. The two of us are doing prep work for the event tonight.
“Hey,” he says, moving to the other side of the table. “What do you need me to do?”
Before I can answer, Lottie is in the doorway. “We’re heading out. You two are good, right?”
“They’re fine,” Brooks answers for us.
I glance over my shoulder. “We’re good. Go.”
“I’ll lock the front door on my way out. You’ll get my girl home, right, Luke?” she winks.
I roll my eyes. “I have my car.”
“It’s snowing pretty bad. Might want to have Luke drive you home in his truck,” Brooks says.
Why don’t they go have sex and leave us out of it?
“I’ll be fine.”
“Okay, call me if you need me,” Lottie calls as the door shuts the door to the back behind them.
Silence falls.
Luke’s hand slides into view, picking up a pair of scissors and a sheet of paper. “Just cut it out?”
“Yeah.”
For a minute, the only sound is the snip of scissors and the rustle of paper. I figure that’s how the whole night will go.
Then his scissors clatter to the table. “This is boring.” He pulls out his phone and thumbs through it. “Your favorite song still Extraordinary Merry Christmas?”
A smile sneaks across my face. “Yeah.”
It’s been my favorite since I was ten. Every year when our moms baked cookies, Luke and I got roped into helping, and I’d put that song on repeat. He’d always complain that if he had to listen to that song one more time, he’d go crazy.
“You told me once you’d never play it again.”
“It’s grown on me over the years.” He shrugs, then goes back to cutting.
The beat works its way into my hips, and despite myself, I feel lighter. This is what people mean when they talk about the magic of Christmas. The warmth spreads in your chest and makes it hard not to be happy.
“Want something to drink?” I head for the fridge. “Tea? Hot cocoa?”
He shakes his head. “Nah, water’s good. Did you eat dinner?”
“No. I thought this would take less time.”
My phone dings with a text from Mom saying she’s going to stay at my aunt’s in Hickory because of the weather.
“Is it really that bad outside?” I peek out the back window.
“It was coming down pretty good when we got here.” Luke steps in behind me, his chest brushing my back, his breath warm against the side of my neck. “It’s so pretty when it snows.”
Goose bumps rise along my skin.
“Until you have to drive in it. My car’s not made for this weather.” I turn and he’s still right there.
“I’ll drive you home.”
It would be so easy to tilt my chin up, close the space, and kiss him again. But that would only make everything more complicated.
“I’ll be fine.” I sidestep him and gather the supplies.
He lets it drop.
“What do you want for Christmas?” he asks a bit later, taking the plastic off from around the new paint sets.
“Excuse me?”
He chuckles and slides up on the counter next to me. “What do you want for Christmas?”
“I think I’m a little old to sit on Santa’s lap or send a letter up to the North Pole.”
I hadn’t really thought about what I want. I’m sure my mom will get me her usual winter-themed candle and thick, soft socks. It’s her go-to every year, but I’m not complaining. The smile she gets when I put the socks on immediately is enough of a gift for me.
“Bah humbug, then.”
“Okay, what do you want?” I look over at him, but his gaze is so intense on me that I strip my eyes off of him quickly.
“The same thing I’ve wanted for about a decade.”
“Which is?”
A small sound slips out of him. “I can’t tell you.”
My forehead wrinkles. “Why? It’s not like a wish where you aren’t supposed to tell anyone.”
“This one is kind of both, so I’m keeping it locked up for the time being.”
“Well then, I’m not going to tell you mine.”
He chuckles and hops off the counter. “Let’s get out of here.”
I stack all the stuff into the bins and put them in the corner, ready for us to grab tomorrow. “You know tomorrow’s going to be a nightmare, right? Don’t wear your fancy Deputy uniform unless you want it ruined.”
“My fancy Deputy uniform?” His wicked grin makes my heart pitter-patter a little.
I shove at his chest, and he pretends to falter back. “I think you wear it to pick up women.” I grab my purse and swing it over my shoulder, walking to the back door.
“You’d only think that if you liked seeing me in my uniform.”
“In your dreams.” I roll my eyes.
“Yeah, exactly.”
I open the door, and a gust of snow stings my cheeks, cooling my warming face from this conversation.
He shuts the door, and I lock up the country store before we walk around the building to the parking lot.
There’s a blanket of snow around us.
“Here.” He steps ahead of me, leaving two deep prints in the snow. “Step in my footprints.”
“Okay.” His stride is so long I have to half-hop to keep up.
I’m still focused on my feet when I realize he’s led me to his truck.
The engine is running, and I assume the heat is going.
“I can drive,” I say, turning toward my snow-buried car in the corner of the lot. Though it’s probably not the wisest decision to drive home in these conditions.
“We’re neighbors. Get in.”
“Okay, thank you.”
I climb in, and yes, the cab of his truck is warm. I try to recall seeing him starting it, but I missed it. Must be on one of those remote starters.
He doesn’t get in next to me. Instead, a big brush lands in front of my line of sight, and snow clears off the windshield.
After he’s done, he climbs into the driver’s side and removes his gloves, putting his hands up to the vent. “Shit, it’s cold.”
Luke looks really sexy right now, and that is not a good thing since I’m imagining unbuckling myself, straddling him and warming him up myself.
He shakes his head, and a few snowflakes come off. Then he buckles his seatbelt, none the wiser to what’s going through my head.
“Let’s get you home,” he says.
I nod, unable to find my voice.
I just need to get home and lock myself in my house. Then I can compartmentalize these feelings and regroup before I ruin what’s left of our friendship after I stupidly kissed him when I first arrived home.
Fifteen minutes later, we pull into his driveway. There are no Christmas lights on next door at my place. Mom must have forgotten to turn them on before she left. I follow in his footsteps again on the way to my house and when I unlock the door and go to turn on the lights, nothing happens.
“The grid is out!” Mr. Temple shouts from across the street.
I’ve been successful in dodging Tyler’s dad since I returned home, until now.
I peek next door to Luke’s house and see the Christmas tree in the living room window shining bright from inside.
The grid is right between our two houses.
It’s how our parents first meet. At least that’s the story—Luke’s parents moved in, and a big storm took out their power.
My parents invited them over, and they put us in a playpen while they played cards, and an instant friendship formed between them.
“How long now?” Luke hollers back.
The two of them have a conversation, but no matter what, this isn’t good for me.
“We’ve got the generator, come on over,” Mr. Temple says.
Luke glances at me and I give him an expression to say, “No fucking way.”
“Thanks. I got it handled.” He waves to Mr. Temple.
I don’t even bother to look but hear Mr. Temple’s front door close. Thank God.
“I’ll be fine,” I say.
He scoffs and bends down, picking me up fireman style. “I’ll be fine,” he mimics my voice. “Give me a break, Saylor. You’re coming with me.”