Page 61 of Hostile for the Holidays

She nods, considering this a moment while she examines the Monopoly box. “I get to be the banker, right?”

I chuckle at how quickly she got on board with the game. “The job’s all yours.”

“Okay.” She turns to go. “Wait. I really don’t have any other clothes but these,” she points to her jeans and sweater, “and lingerie.”

Now it’s my turn to smirk. “Check the closet.”

Her eyes narrow at me suspiciously, but she disappears into the bedroom.

A few minutes later, she returns wearing the burgundy-colored cashmere pant and sweater lounge set I brought for her.

“You have to stop buying me things,” she protests, but I can see how much she likes the outfit, and it looks perfect on her.

“I like buying you things.”

“Okay, well now that you mention it, there is something else that I need.”

“What’s that?” I ask, knowing already that I’ll get her whatever she wants.

“Tampons.” She smiles teasingly.

I reach for my keys. “I’ll be right back.”

“What movie are we watching?” I ask, spreading the food out in front of us.

“The Holiday,of course.”

The cabin I rented is a twenty-minute drive from Cedar Hollow, so I made the drive to the store to get Stella’s tampons, and picked up dinner from Flores Mexican restaurant, which I know Stella loves, on my way back.

I spread out our feast. Tacos, nachos, and their famous tamales.

“Which one is that?” I ask.

“Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet. They switch homes for the holidays and end up falling in love with guys at their new locations. And Jude Law is gorgeous, especially when he wears glasses. It’s only one of the best holiday movies of all time.”

“Okay, let’s watch it.”

“Wait. You’ve never seen it?”

“I’m sure I’ve seen parts of it. It sounds familiar.”

“This is my favorite holiday movie. You’re going to love it.”

We start the movie, then dive into the food. Twenty minutes in, it’s clear that I won’t actually be watching the movie, because watching Stella watch the movie is more fun. She’s giggling and kicking her feet like she’s never seen it before. Me, I’m just enjoying being close to her.

I hit pause on the remote. “Hold on. The asshole’s name is Jasper?”

Stella presses her lips together trying not to laugh, then shrugs. “I mean, if the name fits.”

She gets pinned down and a twenty-minute make-out session for her impertinence before we can continue watching the movie.

When the movie is over, Stella turns to me. “Okay, favorite part?”

“I did enjoy seeing Cameron Diaz in that lacy little bra thing.”

She gives me a playful whack with the pillow. “That’s it?”

“Okay, I got it. The moment her character, what was her name?”

---