Page 23 of OMG Christmas Tree
CHAPTER EIGHT
Megan
––––––––
THE GIFT SHOP LINEnow stretched halfway through the store.
Nick looked at me. “Let’s give the staff a chance for the crowds to ease up before I bug them about the supplies. Interested in coffee?”
When wasn’t I?
Nick and I ended up at Main Street Sweets two doors down. Adorable gingerbread creations danced in the window and glittering paper snowflakes twirled from strings. Inside, the scent of pure sugar mixed with rich coffee roast sent comforting vibes through me. Beside me, Nick’s solid presence and his festive plaid scarf added another layer of vibes.
He caught me looking at him and my cheeks heated. I made a show of peeling off my coat now that we were inside. “Warm. In here. It’s...warm.”
Nick only grinned.
I ordered a flat white, my current favorite drink, curious how the shop would handle the balance of espresso and steamed milk.
“I’ll have a coffee, black,” Nick added over my shoulder while swiftly handing over a plastic card.
“Hey. I can get my own drink.” Getting coffee didn’t mean this classified as a date. No matter what my mom thought.
“Not in my town.”
I rolled my eyes. “Here we go again with the Nick Bennington Display of Ego.”
“It’s egotistical to buy someone their coffee drink?” He pretended to look offended. “For someone who works at a cafe, I figured your order would have twelve parts.”
“Sometimes simple is best,” I offered, and sauntered over to the baked treats section. I picked out a bear claw with flaking pastry, and several cookies. After paying, I found a table by the window. I unwrapped my bear claw and bit into it. My eyelids involuntarily closed.So. Good.Amazingly good.
Nick found the table and sat across from me, setting down the drinks. I slid two cookies from the bag, a macaron and a shortbread, placing them on a napkin in the middle of the table.
“Ooh, these are awesome.” Nick stuffed the macaron into his mouth.
“Macarons are more of a cookie you bite into.” I stared as he munched the whole thing.
Now he was nodding with an expression that appeared to be deep contemplation about what he was tasting. He took a swig of coffee. “Man, is that good. Coffee and a cookie. Can’t beat it.”
The strangest, warm sensation floated over me. I couldn’t nail it. Maybe the holiday spirit finally catching on? I attempted to simultaneously shrug the feeling aside and settle into it. “So, I was thinking. You still have ways you can make the benefit special. I know what it’s like to want to do right by your family. When you have something to make up for.”
“Like buying a mammoth Christmas tree? And by mammoth, I mean it’s the size tree a woolly mammoth would choose.”
