Page 69 of Wrapped Up with the Three Scrooges

As if on cue, Emery’s voice drifted in, loudly singing “Santa Baby” while she worked. I caught myself smiling again before I could stop it.

“See?” I gestured toward the door. “That’s like the tenth Christmas song she’s sung today, and it’s not even noon.”

“Heaven forbid someone be happy at Christmas time.” Sophia arranged the ribbons on a shelf. “Especially someone dating her three bosses.”

We weren’t exactly advertising our relationship at work, but Sophia had figured it out almost immediately. According to her, we were about as subtle as a Christmas tree in July.

“That’s not-” I started, but Emery appeared in the doorway, cutting me off.

“Oh! Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.” She smiled innocently, but there was definitely a glint of mischief in her eyes. “I just needed more gift tags.”

“Top shelf.” I pointed, watching as she stretched up on her tiptoes to reach them. Her Christmas sweater rode up slightly, revealing a strip of skin that made me forget what we’d been talking about.

“Thanks!” She bounced back down, clutching the tags to her chest. Before leaving, she pressed a quick kiss to my cheek, too fast for anyone else to notice. “Now stop being nosy.” Then she was gone, leaving me staring after her like a lovesick teenager.

“She’s up to something,” I muttered, more to myself than Sophia. “I just know it.”

“You could just wait and find out what it is like a normal person.”

“Have you met me?” I ran a hand through my hair, probably making it stick up in weird directions. “I hate surprises. We all hate surprises… well, except for Levi.”

“No, you hate not being in control.” Sophia patted my arm as she headed back to work. “But sometimes the best gifts are the ones you don’t see coming.”

I watched from the supply room door as Emery wrapped a gift. She caught me looking and winked, which only made me more suspicious and completely smitten at the same time.

The rest of the day passed in a blur, and about an hour before the end of her shift, Emery left. She’d apparently talked to Janet, who had okayed her leaving for a last-minute hair appointment.

We’d be having words about that later, but it only made my suspicions grow.

As we headed home, I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel. Levi was sprawled in the passenger seat while Ronan sat ramrod straight in the back, probably mentally reviewing spreadsheets or whatever he did when he was quiet.

“She was definitely up to something today.” I broke the comfortable silence, unable to get today off my mind. “Did you see how she practically skipped out of there?”

Levi chuckled. “You mean besides the twelve times you mentioned it already? Our Christmas Spirit isn’t exactly subtle.”

“A hair appointment.” Ronan’s skepticism was obvious. “She knew how busy it was going to be today.”

I pressed the button to open our gate and when I turned into our long driveway, our darkened house suddenly burst into blinding light. I hit the brakes harder than intended, nearly giving us all whiplash.

“Holy shit,” I breathed.

Our house had been transformed into what could only be described as Christmas incarnate. Thousands of white lights outlined every architectural feature, making it glow like something out of a holiday movie. Illuminated reindeer grazed on the front lawn, giant candy canes lined the driveway, and wreaths with red bows hung in every window.

“Is that...” Ronan leaned forward between the seats. “Is that music?”

Sure enough, as I slowly drove closer, the faint sound of Christmas carols drifted into the truck. The massive tree in our front yard was now draped in lights that changed colors in time with the music.

“When did she...” I couldn’t even finish the sentence. My throat felt tight as I pulled up to the garage.

“She must have been planning this for weeks.” Levi’s usual playful tone was replaced with something that sounded a lot like awe.

I put the truck in park but couldn’t move. The house looked... it looked like home. Like the home I’d dreamed about as a kid, but never thought I’d have. The kind where people actually celebrated holidays and made memories and...

Fuck. I would not cry over Christmas lights.

“Max?” Ronan’s hand squeezed my shoulder gently. “You okay?”

I nodded, not trusting my voice. A projector was casting snowflakes that danced across the garage doors, and there was a massive bow on the front door, like our house was the world’s biggest present.

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