Chapter 15 #2
When we finally pull back, our foreheads rest together, and neither of us says anything. We’re both breathing hard.
A wide smile stretches across my lips. “Having you by my side is the best Christmas gift I could’ve asked for,” I murmur.
Drew leans back just enough to reach into his jacket pocket. “Speaking of gifts, I almost forgot . . .” He pulls out a small box wrapped in green paper and silver ribbon and hands it to me, a little sheepish. “This is for you.”
The tag reads,
To Chloe, from Drew (with a little help from Emma)
, in curling silver ink.
“You had Emma help you?”
His cheeks color. “Uh . . .”
I show him the tag. He sighs. “That’s what I get for not looking at the box. If we’re being honest, yeah, I needed a little help.”
I untie the ribbon and open the box. Inside is a silver skate on a dainty chain. I take a close look and notice it’s engraved with the words—In your corner. Always.
My breath catches. “Drew . . .” I run my thumb over the smooth silver. “This is . . . wow. I don’t even know what to say.”
He shrugs. “You don’t have to say anything, Jingle Blades.”
I tilt my head. “Jingle Blades?”
“I’ve just decided it’s the perfect nickname for you because you’re joy, strength, grace, and grit all wrapped into one amazing person. Your personality shines so bright, it feels like Christmas.”
“Jingle Blades . . . I like it,” I say softly. It’s a unique name that I doubt anyone else has. It’s one that Drew made up for me. Just me. “Can you help me put this on?”
He nods and takes it out of the box. I lift my hair, and he drapes the necklace over my neck. Then I kiss him again.
When I pull back, my hand still in his, and I take a breath. “So . . . are you doing anything tonight?”
He smirks. “Another date? Does it involve more glitter?”
“Close,” I say, giggling. “All the athletes here have a different charity event that they’re hosting, and tonight is my turn. I’ll be skating on a small rink at a Christmas tree farm. I might not be free for the first hour or two, but I was hoping we could hang out afterward.”
He laughs under his breath. “Chloe, the farm you’re going to . . . it’s my parents’ place.”
My jaw drops. “Wait. Seriously?”
“Yep.” His grin deepens. “Sullivan Pines. Right outside town.”
A memory tugs at the corner of my mind as soon as I hear the farm’s name, from when I got back to our dorm room one year after Thanksgiving break and was given quite the surprise.
I had just opened the door, calling out, “Honey I’m ho—” Then I was smacked in the face by a wall of pine needles. “What on earth?” I yelped, stumbling back. A massive Christmas tree was wedged halfway into the room, blocking the doorway.
“Good timing, Clo! I just got back too. A little help?” Emma’s voice floated from somewhere behind the tree.
“I—what is this?”
“A tree,” she said matter-of-factly, like I was the one asking dumb questions. “It’s too big. I thought it would fit.”
I couldn’t even see her through the branches. “You brought a full-sized Christmas tree into our dorm room?”
“Yup. Drew helped me drive it down from Colorado. He was heading back to LA anyway with a half-empty truck bed. I figured we might as well use all the space available. So I asked if we could stop by my parents’ Christmas tree farm and grab one. Why pay for one here when I can get a tree for free?”
“I thought your parents owned a flower shop.”
“They do. And a tree farm—Sullivan Pines. It helps pay the bills in winter when flower sales drop.”
Emma’s head popped out from the tangle of needles. “So? Can you help me trim the back? If we cut off enough branches, I think it’ll fit where the mini fridge was.”
“Where’s the fridge?”
“In my closet.”
I rubbed my temples. “Do you have any pruning shears?”
“No, we’ll, um . . . have to use scissors.”
I blinked slowly. The only scissors we had were the kind that you used in grade school. I doubted they’d cut the tree very well. “I need coffee first,” I said, passing Emma my suitcase through the tree branches.
“Would you mind getting me one too? Oh, and a muffin. Chocolate, if they have it. I’ll pay.”
“Deal.”
The memory fades as I look back at Drew, still smiling like he knew I’d piece it all together eventually.
“So it’s a yes?” I ask, my voice light.
“It’s a date.” He winks. “Our first real one.”
My chest tightens, like I’m being given a hug. I refrain from jumping up and shouting “yes” at the top of my lungs, trying to play it cool. “Awesome.”
After Drew and I part ways, I take a quick detour into the gift shop on my way back to my room. It takes me ten minutes to find exactly what I’m looking for—a keychain shaped like a fish tank, complete with a miniature goldfish floating in a plastic bubble.
“This is perfect,” I mutter. It’s silly, but I can’t help it. I saw it, and I immediately thought of him.
My fingers brush the pendant he just gave me. This little keychain doesn’t compare to Drew’s gift, but I know it’ll make him smile. It’s only a placeholder until I can come up with something that feels right.
“Do you need a bag, miss?” the cashier asks me.
“Yes, and a pen if you have it.”
The cashier nods and hands me the items. Tucking the keychain into the small paper bag I scribble on the tag—
In case you forget how many lives you saved this week. -C
I leave the package at the concierge desk with his name on it. Emma will make sure it gets to him. Hopefully before our date tonight.