“Trying to get rid of me?” I chuckled, climbing onto the bottom rung.
“Not in a million years,” he grinned back. “But you’re lighter thanme and more nimble. I’m a klutz.” He patted me on the back. “Just be careful, alright?”
I couldn’t help but notice the gentle concern in his voice. It was the same tone he’d used in the hotel when he’d asked if I was okay after we’d... I pushed the thought away, focusing on the task at hand. I didn’t want to get a boner in front of the entire restaurant.
“I’ll be fine,” I said, climbing higher. “Just hold it steady.”
The ladder wobbled slightly as I reached the middle rungs, but Diego’s strong hands kept it stable. I glanced down at him, finding his eyes fixed on me with an intensity that made my breath catch.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing,” he said, a small smile playing at his lips. “Just making sure you don’t fall.”
We started with the lights, which thankfully, were not already tangled in the box. I wrapped them around the upper branches while he handled the lower ones, our hands occasionally brushing when we met in the middle. Each touch sent electricity through me, memories of Amarillo flashing unbidden through my mind.
“So,” Diego said casually as I stretched to reach a particularly stubborn branch, “had any thoughts about what you’re doin’ after New Year’s?”
The question caught me off guard, and I almost lost my balance on the ladder. His hands quickly steadied me, warm and strong against the back of my legs.
“Easy there,” he murmured, his grip tightening slightly.
I focused on wrapping the final bit of lights around the very top branch, buying myself time. What was I doing after New Year’s? The plan had always been to head back home, lick my wounds, and try to rebuild my life. But lately, I’d been wondering if there was anything there for me except an empty house and uninvolved parents.
“I’m not sure,” I finally answered, my voice softer than I intended. “I haven’t really figured it out yet.”
“No pressure,” Diego said quickly. “Just curious.”
I climbed down a few rungs to grab a box ofornaments, finding myself eye-level with him. Up close, I could see the flecks of gold in his brown eyes, the slight curve of his lips that always seemed ready to smile. Three days without seeing him, and I’d somehow forgotten just how unfairly handsome he was.
“What about you?” I asked, surprising myself as I moved back up the ladder, box balancing in one hand. “Still planning to move on?”
Something flickered across his face. He grabbed a box of ornaments himself and began hanging them on the tree.
“I’ve been thinkin’ about that, actually,” he admitted. “Turner Ranch is a good place. Beau and Lucas are good people. Maybe... maybe I don’t need to keep movin’ all the time.”
My heart did a ridiculous little flip. “You’d stay in Sagebrush?”
“I might,” he said, those dark eyes locked on mine. “If I had a reason to.”
The implication hung between us, heavy with possibility. I swallowed hard and turned back to the tree, climbing higher to escape the intensity of his gaze.
We worked in companionable silence after that, hanging ornaments one by one as the boxes slowly emptied around us. Dolly had accumulated quite the collection over the year. There was everything from handmade paper stars to delicate glass balls that looked like they’d survived multiple decades or been passed down as family heirlooms.
“Look at this one,” Diego chuckled, holding up a mirrored glass cowboy boot with “Merry Christmas Y’all” painted across it. “Pure Texas.”
“It’s hideous,” I laughed. “Put it right in front.”
As we decorated, the diner gradually emptied and refilled of customers, leaving us on display for a brand new audience. Christmas music played softly from the speakers, and outside, the streetlights cast a warm glow on the darkening street. It felt cozy, almost magical.
“I think we’re almost done,” I said, surveying our work from the ladder. “Just need to put the star on top.”
“Here you go.” Diego handed me a large silver star, our fingers brushing again. “Make a wish when you put it up there.”
I scoffed, taking the star from him as I climbed higher. Stretching my arms as far as I could, until the star slipped over the top of the tree and slotted into the place.
“There,” I sighed, leaning back to get a better look at it. “That should do?—”
My words were cut off as the ladder suddenly tipped. I barely had time to cry out before I felt myself wheeling backward, my feet no longer touching the ladder rungs. I tensed my body, waiting for the impact on the hard linoleum floor and hoping I survived the ordeal.
