While they ate pizza, the dogs, including Tater Tot, ate their dinners from a line of metal bowls along the wall under the window.Colin told her about his day, and then she told him about her day.It wasn’t exciting.It wasn’t earthshattering.And yet it was the best dinner conversation he’d ever shared with anyone.She could read him the weather forecast, and he’d hang on her every word.
Together, they cleaned up after dinner.There wasn’t much to do since the dishes went in the garbage.It felt good to have someone to share the mundane, routine things with.And yet when he was with her, nothing felt mundane or routine.Being with Holly turned his black and white life into technicolor.
He glanced at the time on his smart watch.“I need to go out to the barn and feed the animals.”
“Can I come with you?I’d like to see Cupcake and Jinx again.”
“Uh, sure.”No one had ever offered to help him feed the animals.“Let me just get a few things.”
He grabbed a large plastic bowl.He opened the fridge and pulled open the crisper drawer.He took out some carrots and added them to the bowl.He also added a couple small zucchini, spinach, and kale.
When he turned around, he noticed Holly eyeing up the little bowl of Christmas candy that his mother had dropped off.“Go ahead and have some.In fact, you can have all of it.I’ll never eat it.”
“How about I help you out with one piece?”She perused the bowl before selecting a peppermint starlight mint.
He placed the bowl of vegetables on the counter.He retrieved a cutting board and then with a butcher knife, he chopped it all up and placed it back into the bowl.
“It looks like someone’s going to have a yummy dinner,” she said.“Is there anything I can do?”
“Yes, you can put on your coat.It’s time to go.”Once they were both dressed, he opened the door for her.“Come on.”
They bundled up and headed out into the wintery evening.As they neared little barn, big snowflakes began to fall and form a halo atop her head.He told himself not to let himself get too caught up in this evening—in her unexpected presence.After all, this was just a friendly gesture.It wasn’t like she was falling for him.
When they stepped into the barn, they were greeted with oinks and bleating.Colin was a little jealous because he rarely got such a boisterous welcome.Then again, he couldn’t blame them because when Holly smiled, it was like the sun had come out from behind a cloud.
As they both made a fuss over Cupcake and Jinx, Holly asked some more questions about the animals and about their care.It was like she was truly interested in them and by extension she was interested in him.At least that was what he hoped.
In the end, he let her feed both the pig and the goat.She turned to him with a sun-shiny smile.“I think they like me.”
The warmth of her smile infused him from the inside out.“I think you’re right.If you keep fussing over them, they’re going to get spoiled.”
When she looked into his eyes, his heart thumped in his chest.He’d never had this strong of a reaction with another person.There was something special about Holly.
His fingers tingled with the urge to reach out to her.He longed to let his fingertips trace down over her rosy cheeks.And then he’d run his thumb over her plump bottom lip.
His heart beat faster.It was all he could do not to pull her into his arms and kiss her.He raised his gaze to meet hers.
“You’re such a good guy,” she said.“It’s not surprising.You were the same way as a kid.”
“And you were always the inquisitive one.You haven’t changed much either.You’re still so beautiful.”It was only after the last words crossed his lips that he realized he’d vocalized his thoughts.
She glanced away as the color in her cheeks intensified.“You don’t have to say that.”
“I do.I mean it.You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known.”He stepped closer to her.
She looked at him.His heart was pounding when he reached out to her.His fingers wrapped around her upper arms.All the while, he continued to drown in her blue-gray eyes.
When he drew her toward him, she followed his lead until she was standing right in front of him.This was it.This was the moment he’d been waiting for.His heart thumped so loud it echoed in his ears.
He hesitated for just a second, but when she leaned into him, he lowered his head.He claimed her lips with his own.In that moment, he couldn’t remember why he’d waited so long to kiss her.
As her lips moved beneath his, the pounding of his heart drowned out the sounds of the animals.Her kiss was sweet and tasted like peppermint candy.He would never again taste peppermint without recalling this very special moment.
Her hands moved over his shoulders and wrapped around the back of his neck.If it were possible to make time stand still, he wanted that to happen now.
The final pieces of his life felt as though they’d fallen into place as he held her.But he didn’t want to think about what that truly meant.There would be time for that later.
For now, he wanted to enjoy this moment.There was no need for it to take on a serious tone.Serious never worked out for him.It was best to keep things light.
