Page 76 of The Best Little Christmas Shop
‘Right. No,of course. I didn’t think …’
Cal slanted his gaze to me and I stopped talking. Of course he wasn’t doing it for me. Why would he be?
The workshop was quiet now, the other mechanics having left some time earlier. I finished tidying my tools and tucked them in a spare space on the bottom shelf of the workbench.
‘Are they OK there?’
‘Sure.’
‘I’ll get out of your way now.’
‘You’re not in myway.’ He shrugged, looking at me.
He was doing that thing again, making the rest of the world disappear.
‘No … I meant …’ January couldn’t come too soon for me. Truthfully I hated the thought of Christmas, and my time at home being over but getting some distance between me and someone easily qualifying for the county’s sexiest man was probably a good thing.
‘Oh! I have some decorations foryou in the boot of my car. Like you asked?’
The smile transformed his face. ‘Great! I’m getting asked about twenty times an hour about them at the moment. I told George you were on the case.’
I laughed. ‘No pressure then. Hopefully he’ll like them. With a bit of luck you won’t think they’re too much.’
‘Hey –’ he spread his hands as we walked to my car, him having now drawn the doors and lockedthe workshop back up ‘– it’s only once a year.’
‘Once you’re finished putting all this lot up, you’ll probably be glad of that!’
Cal waited as I lifted the boot lid. ‘Is my house about to become a full-on grotto?’
I lifted out one of the boxes and put it into his waiting arms. ‘I’m afraid so,’ I replied, pulling out the second one.
‘Do you want me to take that one too, or are you bringingit in?’ I gave him a wary look under my lashes at the suggestion. ‘George would love to see you,’ he added.
I let out a sigh. ‘That was low blow.’
‘I seem to remember you using him to get me to hand over my keys when I was too tired to drive once before.’
‘That was for your safety.’
‘And this is for George’s happiness.’
He raised his eyebrows, daring me to question. OK. I could do this. Ifhe could be casual about it all, then so could I. At least on the outside.
‘OK.’ I hefted the box up, turning slightly as Cal made a move to take it from me. ‘I’ve got it. Lead the way.’ Cal studied me for a moment, assessing. His mouth tilted at the corner just a fraction and I knew he’d seen straight through me. But right now, I didn’t care too much. If George had missed me even half as muchas I had him, then I was doing the right thing.
‘Lexi!’ George scooted along the hallway, leaving Martha looking on, and charged towards me. With perfect timing, Cal whipped the box out of my hands, allowing me to drop to one knee and hold out my arms for a hug.
‘I haven’t seen you for aaaaages!’ George said into my shoulder, his little arms wrapped as tight as they could be around my body.
‘I know. I missed you.’
‘I missed you too!’ he said, pulling back. ‘I know Daddy missed you too because he hasn’t been very smiley this week.’ George gently lifted my plait and began using the end of it like a paintbrush on my shoulder. ‘Are you and Daddy not friends any more?’
‘Of course we are.’ Cal stepped in before I had to, and I flashed him a grateful look. ‘Now, how about letting Lexiget up off the floor?’
‘OK,’ George said.
I stood and he snuggled against my hip.
