Page 37 of Just A Dash of Holiday Magic
Ryan turns to me. “I can’t let you spend a grand on a scooter that isn’t even what your nephew wants.”
“If you and your wife aren’t interested,” the man says and points over his shoulder. “I’ve got three other parents looking to buy this from me.”
I try to ignore the excitement I feel when the man mistakes us for a married couple. I've spent so many years focused on my career and now taking care of David. All I have is my imagination with Ryan playing the leading man role every time.
“It’s your call.” Ryan shrugs.
As much as I want to make this holiday a memorable one for David. He’s right. This isn’t the scooter he wants. The only memory this gift would make is one we might laugh about later because this is such a terrible substitute.
“No,” I say to Ryan and then turn to the man. “You can let those others you have lined up they can have it.”
It's clear from his expression that he was bluffing about having others lined up to buy the knockoff scooter from him.
“Seven-fifty,” he says, trying to sweeten the deal for me.
“Merry Christmas,” I tell him and loop my arm in Ryan’s.
He leads us back to the car with a smirk on his face as the guy keeps yelling lower numbers at us.
“Four hundred! That’s my final offer.”
We drive away laughing. And I can’t help but wonder if this guy ended up bidding on the same scooter that Macy almost did online, but unlike her, he didn’t catch the incorrect name until it showed up at his doorstep.
Ryan pulls to a stop in front of my house. I don’t move to get out just yet. Neither one of us has said much on the drive back. I was trying to think of the possible outcomes I will have to deal with when Santa completely drops the ball on Christmas morning. David is already hanging to his last shred of hope that Santa is still real. I hate that I'm the one that is going to be the one to ruin it.
“Thank you for everything,” I finally say.
His grip on the wheel tightens. “I didn’t do anything. We didn’t get the scooter.”
I reach across the seat and take his hand in mine. “You helped me—a complete stranger—and tried to fulfill a little boy’s Christmas wish. That’s more than I could have hoped for in a partner.”
“I didn’t hate it that the guy thought that we married,” he says quietly.
“I didn’t either.”
Ryan turns, and the pull between us is undeniable. We both lean in slowly, but a breath away from our lips touching, there is a loud knock on the passenger side window. We pull back like two teenagers that just got caught by our parents.
“Aunt Jul, what are you doing in there?” David’s little voice asks.
He is barely tall enough to see into the window, but I can see the pom on his winter hat bobbing around. The big yellow school bus that just dropped him off passes by.
I open the door, and his little face appears in the crack. "I'll meet you inside, buddy."
“Okay,” he says and runs off up the driveway.
I turn back to Ryan and pull my linked fingers from his. “I should go. But thank you again for all you did for me. I won’t ever forget it.”
I lean in and give him a quick kiss on the cheek and get out. The cold blast of winter weather immediately begins to calm my raging libido.
