Page 115 of Fumbled Into Love

A lifetime with someone you love.

“Everyone has their gifts?”

Nathalie bounces around the room, ensuring everyone brought their Secret Santa gift, and it’s been placed under the tree. She’s been patient, but I can tell she’s been waiting all night for this. First, she showed everyone her decorations, parading the group through my house and pointing at all the things she bought on clearance.

I subtly texted the Seattle Super Spies group chat, telling everyone they needed to pretend they care about the shower curtains. Her excitement is infectious, and the way her eyes brighten as she shares her joy is intoxicating.

Henry seemed genuinely curious about her clearance shopping, but they all lost it when she led them intoThe Lairand showed them all ourLord of the Ringsmemorabilia mingling with her Christmas decorations.

I chuckled at the pile of shoes in the corner, like she forgot she needed to put them away in her haste to put up decorations, and they were banished to the forgotten corner.

Once the tour was over, she guided us all to the dining room, where she had candies, frosting, and sprinkles by the dozen for a gingerbread house competition.

To no one's surprise, it became incredibly competitive, but I couldn’t rip my eyes away as Nathalie’s tongue peeked out as she concentrated on adding gumdrops to the roof of her house and building a candy cane fence.

My house fell apart, and my chest burst as she laughed and laughed and laughed.

Throughout it all, Sharon’s words continued to play in my ears.

I’ve never had a Christmas celebration like this, where joy is infectious. Sawyer and Henry smashed their houses together, building what they coined a ‘megahome’. Maren andJack decorated one house to look like a small greenhouse. Declan’s house was bare, but that’s because he spent the whole time eating the decorations instead of putting them on the house.

Nathalie darts around the living room, the bells on her elf slippers dinging with every step. We’re all sitting in the living room when she stands.

“I’ll start,” she says, grabbing a small bag and a box beneath the tree and handing it to Jack. “One thing I got wasn’t going to make it in time, so I shipped it to your house. It should be there by Christmas.”

Her eyes dart to Maren, who smiles knowingly.

Jack opens the small bag first, choking with laughter as he pulls out a massive shirt. He bends over, the shirt falling slack and Maren snatches it and reads it out loud.

“Nathalie saw my ass and all I got was this t-shirt,” Maren reads as her face turns red and she begins to snort. “This is my new sleeping shirt.”

Nathalie wiggles beside me and she scrunches her lips to prevent a smile. She loves this, watching people open gifts. “Keep going,” she urges, sitting on her hands.

Jack rips the wrapping paper and peels open the box, pulling each item out, one by one. Plant shears. Fertilizer. Stickies to catch gnats. Small glass bottles for cuttings. He pulls out the last item and gasps.

“Is this…?”

“It is,” Nathalie confirms, beaming at the single green and white leaf like it’s a Christmas miracle.

“It looks like a plant,” Declan says, confused, and I have to agree. It looks normal to me.

“This is a rare Monstera Albo cutting,” Jack says, clutching the plant to his chest. “How did you find this?”

Nathalie blushes, leaning slightly into my side.

“One of the parents at GameChangers runs a rare plant business and I convinced her to cut me a deal.”

Jack’s eyes brighten. “This is amazing. Thank you.” He gently places the items back into the box and picks up a large box covered in shark wrapping paper.

He stops in front of me and drops the box into my lap.

“Merry Christmas.” Jack leans over to Nathalie and whispers, “Send me that parent’s information.”

“Thank you,” I say, oddly timid, and I begin to methodically peel off the paper.

Nathalie squeals, and I stare at the box, brows furrowed. I lean over and whisper to Nathalie, “What is it?”

Everyone laughs, and Nathalie flips the box in my hands.

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