Page 48 of All's Fair in Love and Christmas
She shrugged before looking back over at Mackenzie. “Maybe time will tell.” She lifted her cup. “Thanks for the drink.”
Everyone seemed to love the hot chocolate bar, especially Sofiya. She put a little of everything in her cup, and Jeremy had to press a hand on his stomach to keep it from rolling. Even so, his Christmas activity for the day was a success.
He’d celebrate, but he’d lost his enthusiasm for keeping score. Otherwise, he’d add another tally mark to his side of the leaderboard. He had a sinking suspicion, though, that no matter which of them won, they’d both also have lost.
———
“Hey, Jeremy.” Rosa walked over to him later that day after lunch. “I have the gift for my Christmas child. Did you bring wrapping paper?”
He snapped his fingers. “I left it in the car. Let me go grab all the supplies.”
He took the elevator down to the parking lot, quickly retrieved the rolls of wrapping paper, tape, scissors, and gift bags from the back of his SUV, then returned upstairs.
“Oh, good,” Mackenzie said as she walked over to him. “I need to wrap my gifts, too.”
The space in front of the Christmas tree turned into Santa’slittle workshop. Ribbons lined the floor. Bows were scattered in a semicircle. Rolls of wrapping paper leaned haphazardly against the wall. Mackenzie selected a red-and-white-striped bow, but instead of sticking it on her gift, she placed the swirled ribbon on her head, holding her arms out wide as she said something to Rosa that caused the other woman to laugh.
As he was realizing more each day, Mackenzie had been keeping the different sides of herself hidden. At work, she’d always tended to be quiet and shy, but watching her now, she obviously had a fun and playful side as well.
But no matter how tempting she looked as a gift that could quite possibly be perfect for him, he couldn’t allow himself to discover just how fun she could be.
The weekend was just around the corner. He had that blind date Alejandro had set him up on the next day. A reminder that his social life had already been planned out. As in, to not have one. Although he knew that hadn’t been his friend’s intention.
Jeremy watched Mackenzie throw her head back and laugh in almost carefree abandon. His chest swelled.
What if he gave himself one day? A few hours to forget that he didn’t have room in his life for a relationship and give in to his growing attraction to Mackenzie. Letting his guard down and enjoying her presence would by no means get her out of his system, but maybe it would be the bolster of strength he’d need to resist her in the future. Plus, he’d have all weekend to gather his resolve and shore up his determination.
Before his thoughts even had time to settle, his feet took him in her direction. She looked up at him from her position on the floor, her smile at what she’d been laughing at still on her lips.
Jeremy leaned down and reached around her, his hand on her shoulder in the guise of needing her to help him keep his balance. She inhaled a sharp breath as he let his thumb trail the wing of her shoulder blade as he stood back up.
He looked at the long roll of wrapping paper in his hand.Bears with Christmas sweaters and festive hats marched along the parchment with the wordsBeary Christmas.
“When I was a kid...” he began.
Mackenzie perked up. He knew those words would get her attention. She seemed to love all things relating to family holiday traditions.
He moved the roll to his other hand. “My sister and I would pretend we were pirates, the presents our treasure, and sword fight each other to see who got to discover what the hidden treasure was first.” He looked at Mackenzie and Rosa and winked. “Meaning whoever won got to open the first gift.”
“How’d you determine the winner?” Rosa asked.
“Well, we used empty wrapping paper rolls, so whoever’s broke first lost.”
Mackenzie reached for a roll of wrapping paper. She rose slowly, never taking her eyes from Jeremy’s. When she gained her feet, she went into a fencing position, the cardboard tube held out in front of her like a rapier and her other arm curled up behind her head.
“Hello, my name is Mackenzie Graham. You’re trying to take my job. Prepare to lose.”
Her Spanish accent and Inigo Montoya impersonation were so bad, and yet she was so cute doing them. Jeremy had a hard time keeping a straight face. The first thing that popped into his head was to respond with a bow and the iconic line from the movie, “As you wish.” But everyone who’d ever seenThe Princess Brideknew those three words represented another, more meaningful trio—“I love you.” Better to respond with something that had no hidden meanings at all. That kept this thing between them light and fun.
Only today,he reminded himself.
He screwed up his lips and held himself with an air of self-importance. “The thing that bwings us togeder todaaay is Chwissmas.”
Mackenzie’s lips twitched as she tried to keep from laughing. Rosa, on the other hand, had no such restraint, her high-pitched gales following a pig-like snort. Both Jeremy and Mackenzie swung their gazes toward Rosa, which caused her to snort again, then cover her mouth with her hand.
Laughter bubbled in Jeremy’s chest, getting harder to contain by the second. He made the mistake of glancing at Mackenzie. Their eyes locked, and they both erupted.
It took a few moments for both of them to catch their breath, but then Mackenzie raised her tube back into a fighting position, her brows following the motion in challenge.
