Page 21 of A Not So Merry Kiss-mas
Her hair falls in her face, and I reach over to push it behind her ear. My finger lingers, but she barely notices as she excitedly sorts through the ornaments. My gaze roams over her profile, and the corner of my lips tug up.
“These are all so pretty,” she says as she picks up some of the clear glass balls with snowmen on them and puts them on the floor next to her. Then she pulls out the multi-colored twinkle lights, the angel, and some gold and silver balls. She grabs the cookie tin I forgot I left in there. “What are these? Oh, Noelle’s sugar cookies?”
My lopsided grin stretches across my face at her surprise. “I saw them earlier, and Noelle asked me to bring them to you. She said they’re your favorite.”
“Technically, my second favorite, next to her grandmother’s. Oh!” Her eyes pop open, and she covers her mouth. “I can’t believe I said that out loud. Please don’t tell Noelle I said that!Hersarereally delicious.” She turns to me with her green eyes, pleading, and I snicker.
“Promise.” I hold three fingers up.
“Of course, you were a Scout, Michael Matthews.” She shoves my arm and giggles. The sound makes my gut flip. “No wonder you like Steve Rogers.”
“Well, let’s not forget the fact that he’s also strong,” I raise my arm and flex my bicep, enjoying the color that stains her cheeks. I point to the tin. “Can I have one?”
“Of course.” She pops open the lid and pushes it toward me, then takes one for herself. I lift it to my mouth, but stop as she bites into the cookie and lets out a moan.
“So. So. Good!” She turns to find me watching her. “What? Do you not like sugar cookies?”
“No, I like them. Just wanted to make sure they weren’t poisoned before I took a bite.” She rolls her eyes so hard I don’t know how she doesn’t hurt herself and Ichuckle before sinking my teeth into the soft goodness. My brows shoot up, and I nod.
“See why I pester her now?”
“There’s no way her grandmother’s are better than this.” I hold up half of the uneaten cookie in my hand.
“I’ll ask her to send me some for you when she and Cole head to Utah for a visit over Christmas.” I freeze, cookie in front of my open mouth as her words register. Melanie wants to date me.
At least I hope that’s what she meant. A surge of energy rushes through me, and my lips split, stretching across my face.
“Which one do you like better?” She’s holding up two boxes of glass-shaped hearts, one with gold stars and the other with red and green stars.
“Which one doyoulikebetter?” Her brows pull together slightly before she turns back to the boxes and puts the one with the red and green stars in her pile. “Perfect choice.”
A few hours later, the tree is decorated and we’re snuggled on the couch in front of the TV, reviewing our handiwork.
“It’s so beautiful.” Melanie’s hand is resting on my chest as she looks over the Christmas tree, our only source of light at the moment.
“So are you.” I push her hair gently out of her face, but she continues to stare at the tree, acting as if I didn’t say anything, and I know my words struck a nerve. She blows out a sigh and then rests her head on my chest.
Phew, not that big of a nerve.
“Mike?”
“Yes, Mel?”
“You mentioned that you use loud music to help with stress.”
I rest my chin on her head and nod.
“That day I came banging on your door,” a crooked grin creeps on my face, “Were you playing the music because you had a tough shift?”
I think back to that day six months ago, and remember the family who was in an accident on the interstate with a tractor-trailer. I slowly rub my chin back and forth, her silky hair brushing against it and sigh. “Yes.”
“Did you call the emergency room to see how they were doing?” A tightness grips my throat, and I swallow hard. I did call to check on how they were doing. Everyone except the teenage son was in stable condition. I nod again. “I was the one who answered your call. When I left the hospital a short while after that, the son was in critical condition but still alive. Is it safe for me to assume that the loud music was because you found out that he was going to survive on your way home?”
The backs of my eyes burn, and I swallow hard past the lump in my throat. As a firefighter, you never know what you’ll be doing any given forty-eight hours, because we do it all. If the paramedics need us, we’re there. If someone is locked out oftheir car, we get them back in. Cat stuck in a tree, yup. It’s not always just fires. But that night was awful; the family in that car wreck still haunts me.
You never forget the people you rescue with the Jaws of Life.
I can feel the weight of Melanie’s gaze on my face. Patiently waiting for an answer. “Yes.” Her fingers gently tip my chin to her, and when I meet her eyes, I see they’re glassy.
