Her pretty face twisted in irritation. “Left when I was a baby. She didn’t want me or this life so she walked away from us and never looked back. Funny thing is, I never missed her. My dad did because he loved her but I didn’t know her. You can’t miss what you’ve never experienced. I hated that he missed her and I hated my mother because she hurt him. I loved my dad and he was all I needed but that’s enough sad stuff. Sad and Christmas are an oxymoron.”
I could fuck with that so I let it go.
“How’s your drink?” She pointed to my mug.
I took another sip before I set the mug down. “Dangerous. I don’t know what the hell you put in here but I’m going to regret it later.”
“You are.” She grinned. “It’s my father’s recipe. He used to make me hot chocolate when I was a kid, then he made his own. I never knew what was in it until I was old enough to drink.”
“I’m pretty sure your father didn’t like you all that much then because he was trying to take you out. Whatever is in that mug is real shit lethal.”
She laughed and rolled her eyes. “I’m pretty sure you can take it, cowboy. Now, are you helping or looking pretty?” Her eyes swept over me and I smirked.
“Do I have a choice?”
“No.”
I crossed the room and stopped in front of her, lowering my chin. “You think I’m pretty?”
She smiled and nodded. “You are but right now you’re pretty useless. Let’s go, we’ve got work to do.”
We got to work, with her bossing me around to reach the higher parts of the tree, Reece explaining the decorating process. Ornament selection, branch distribution, and spacing, all of which I didn’t give a damn about but paid attention to because it was her.
I was completely consumed by everything about Reece. Once we finished layering the tree, she opened the last box and removed a star. It was copper with a snowflake design etched into it and she was grinning so dramatically I almost fucking laughed.
“Alright, give me the story.”
“What makes you think there’s a story?”
“That goofy ass grin on your face is screaming story, Reece. What’s the deal?”
“Do you like it?”
“Yeah, I fuck with it. It’s unique. Can’t say I’ve ever seen one like it before.”
She grinned and removed it from the box, handing it to me. “You haven’t because it’s one of one. My own creation.”
I turned it in my hands. The star was about a foot in height and width, light and hollow because there were two pieces welded together so there was nothing between but the base that would attach to the tree.
“You made it?”
Her brows pinched as she nodded. I could tell she was anxious to know whether or not I really fucked with it. I did though. It was nice as hell, unique, and if she made it, Reece was talented.
“This is dope, Reece.”
She smiled. “It’s kinda my thing. I make a lot of stuff.”
“You gonna make me something?”
“I can.” She smiled big. “But right now, that needs to go up there.” She pointed to the top of the tree then dragged me toward it. I had to use the step ladder but managed to get the star in place so Reece had no complaints. Then she hit the lights and we stepped back, taking in our handiwork.
“It’s perfect.”
“You did your thing,” I praised because the tree was all that.
“We did our thing. Thank you.” When I dropped my eyes to hers, she bit her lip and stared at me. My focus was on her mouth when I gripped her waist and pulled her in front of me.
“You still want that do over?”
