It was there she found colorful gift bags, ribbons, and bows.And then she stumbled across a selection of journals.She paused and looked at them in shades of pink and blue, and then she spotted a black and white one with a paw print on it.
She picked it up and opened it.Inside were blank lined pages, and she could envision Colin writing stories of the animals that he’d helped.The thought made her smile.
She also picked out a pen set for him to write his stories.On the way to the checkout, she noticed a mug with a dog and cat on it.It too made her smile.
After she put everything on the counter, she realized she didn’t have anything to wrap it with.She asked the clerk to hang on a moment.Holly ran to the back of the store and grabbed a gift bag, tissue paper, and bows.
After she paid for her purchases, she made her way to the grocery store, where she picked up some dog and cat treats, as well as some apples and carrots.
With a smile on her face, Holly headed home.Were they expensive gifts?No.Would that matter to Colin?She didn’t think so.Colin was never one who cared about appearances.He cared more about how people treated each other and their pets.
She did hope that in some way, they would show Colin how much she cared about him.She placed the gifts for the animals in a woven basket.She loved how the carrot greens lay over the edge of the basket and fell down over the side.The snack bags, she stood up in the back of the basket.And then the apples.She arranged them on the other side of the basket from the carrots.She affixed a large red bow on the handle, and it was done.
She wrapped Colin’s gifts in tissue paper before placing them in the gift bag.She also added the gift card she’d won to the Peppermint Courtyard.But there was something missing.It took her a moment, then she realized that she’d been in a card store and walked out without a card.Who does that?
She had some blank cards in the shop downstairs to go with the gift baskets.They weren’t what she wanted, but it was the message that mattered, right?
She told Tater Tot to stay.He didn’t like being left out of anything, but he sat back down.She ran to the shop.Minutes later, she returned with a small white card with a simple wreath on the front.Now it was up to her to make the card convey her feelings.
With a pen in hand, she stared at the blank white space.She had to decide between keeping things light or telling him what was truly in her heart.
The answer came instantly.After all he’d done for her, he deserved the full truth.And so, she began writing, and then she realized she was running out of room to write everything that was in her heart.Who knew she was so long-winded?
She finished with:Love, Holly.
Then she turned to Tater Tot.“Well, little boy, it’s time to go out in the cold.”
The pup gave her one of his side-eyed looks.He was not wild about the cold.
“It won’t be that bad.”She put on his red and green plaid coat as well as his little boots.When he whined, she said, “But we have to deliver these Christmas presents.They’re very special.”
She just hoped Colin would feel the same way.With Tater by her side, she drove to Colin’s house.
She turned on Christmas carols and sang.Tater Tot wasn’t a fan of her singing so he laid down and pretended to be asleep, but she knew he was anxious to visit with Colin’s dogs.
The drive was short.Once she parked, it took a bit for her to get herself, Tater Tot, and the gifts out of the car.At last, they made it up the slick steps to the front door.
With her heart racing, she knocked.There was a chorus of barks, but there weren’t any sounds of footsteps.When there was no answer, she knocked again.And there were more barks.
He wasn’t home.Disappointment slammed into her.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Hewasdeflated.
Colin thought about leaving the Christmas card and ornament on Holly’s doorstep, but he was afraid the wind and weather would get to them first.Plus, there was a selfish part of him that wanted to witness her opening them.
He wanted to see her eyes light up.He wanted to see her amazing, wondrous smile.Nobody had a smile like hers.It warmed him from the inside out.
He would wait to give her the gifts because when he finally saw her, he wanted to walk up to her and pull her into his arms and…
His thoughts screeched to a stop as he pulled up in front of his house and saw Holly standing there.This was his chance.His chance to play out his fantasy, instead of just thinking about it.
He barely pulled off the road.There was no time for perfect parallel parking.He wasn’t even sure he’d turned off the engine as he hopped out of the pickup.His heart was pounding so hard it echoed in his ears, drowning out any other sounds.
He rushed up the steps, taking them two at a time.How could he not?Holly was standing at the top of them with that smile of hers that caused his heart to beat out of rhythm.
“Colin, I…”
