“Actually, no.” Lizzy looks surprised as I answer. “There are a few stops I need to make, so I’ll be in the office tomorrow.”
Before he has time to question anything, I hang up the call and chuckle.
“What stops do we have to make?” she asks curiously.
“Well, for the past few miles, I’ve been seeing signs for a Christmas festival. Want to go and blow off work?”
Her face lights up once more, and she all but jumps out of her seat. “Yes!” Seeing her happy is worth every worry that I have. It’s worth every missed day at work. Her smile is enough to fuel me to get through my day.
I turn the car down a snowy back road, and within miles, we come up on a large red and white sign, hanging from power lines above the road that reads: Christmas Wonderland.
I can’t hide my amusement as I watch her practically vibrating.
She doesn’t even allow me enough time to open her door after we park before she’s out of the car and grabbing my hand, pulling me toward the festivities.
Vendor stands line the pathway, each filled with foods, candles, and crafts. Snow falls from the sky, giving the perfect aesthetic. Cheerful music plays off in the distance as people dressed in festive, Christmas clothing wander about, entertaining some of the younger children.
I feel the smile on my face becoming permanent as Lizzy pulls me from stand to stand, pointing out different decorations or interesting food. We finally reach the end of the row and follow the signs for Santa’s Workshop, a large building that has actors as elves, showing each step on how the toys are made.
As we walk through, snowmen walk around, handing out hot cocoa and popcorn. This place is something I would dream ofseeing as a little kid before my life changed and I had to grow up too fast.
I don’t like to admit these things, but my younger self is loving this Christmas Wonderland, especially because I get to experience it with her.
By the time we loop back around to our car, her hands are full of goodies, and I’m exhausted, but in the best way possible.
“So, did you have fun?” I ask as we make our last bit of the trip home. The sun has since started setting, and unfortunately, the day has to come to an end.
“Are you kidding? That’s the most fun I’ve had probably ever,” she replies excitedly as she takes another drink of her cocoa and grabs my hand. “Thank you so much for this entire trip, Jon. You have no idea what it meant to me.”
“I think I do,” I whisper as I squeeze her hand. There’s a twinge of sadness as I drive back into the bustling city, and she points me in the direction of her apartment. With it being so late, I wouldn’t feel right making her drive home.
We can worry about her car later.
Lizzy stares up at her building as I park and let out a sigh. “Well, here we are. I can pick you up tomorrow before work.”
She turns to me and nods, yet her eyes are filled with sadness. “What does this mean…for us?” she blurts out, taking me by surprise. I had been thinking about this all day, unsure of what this means or how she is feeling.
“I don’t really have a set answer for you,” I reply and sigh again. “But what I can tell you is that I want whatever this is to continue.” Her blue eyes peer into mine, and she blushes.
“But,” I continue, laying down the ground rules, “it has to stay between us for now. I’m not sure how it would look for either of us in the office, you know?”
Smiling, she leans in and kisses me, her soft lips making it extremely hard to let her go. “I know. I think we can do that.”
Winking at me, she smiles and climbs out of the car, telling me she’ll see me in the morning.
I wait until she’s in the building before pulling away. Everything that has happened in the last twenty-four hours has been nothing short of a dream.
One that I never want to wake up from.
11
ELIZABETH
The key slides into the locked door to my apartment, and I stall, not ready to face the reality that the last day that I spent with Jon is now over. Now, I have to put on my professional face and pretend that nothing happened between us.
Maybe sliding into that ditch was the best thing that could’ve happened to me. Now, there’s no awkwardness, no questions in my mind whether he likes me back. Having to keep it hidden shouldn’t be too hard since I’ve been doing a lot of that lately.
However, it isn’t ideal.
