He parked on the curb in front of Clara's Christmas Shop. Hers was the most festive on the street with the ornaments and decorations. We got out and went inside.
Clara was in the backroom with Ayla going through some ornaments. "Oh, you're here. Ayla was helping me stock ornaments."
"We have plans tonight," I said.
"We do?" Ayla cocked her head slightly, probably wondering why Hudson was with me.
"Hudson invited us to go to church with his family."
"It's the kids' service. They'll have a live manger scene, and there's lots of singing."
"Can we go?" Ayla asked.
"Yes, but we need to thank Clara before we go."
Ayla hugged Clara. "Thanks for hanging out with me."
"Anytime. Don't stay up too late waiting for Santa," Clara said with a smile.
"I won't." Ayla skipped out, and Hudson followed her.
"You've been adopted into the Sterling family?" Clara asked, putting an ornament into a red bucket that she'd placed on the floor under a tree.
"I don't think so."
Clara gave me a look. "You've been invited to church. That's a big deal."
"He said his mom would want him to invite me."
"I bet she will once she sees the way Hudson looks at you."
I stilled at that. "How does he look at me?"
"Like he can't get enough of you. I've never seen him look at a woman like that. He's usually quiet and reserved. If he was dating anyone, I never heard about it. But now he's been seen spending a lot of time with you."
"He's fixing my pipes." Then my face flushed when Clara gave me an amused look.
"Is he now?"
"Ugh. That's not what I meant. He's fixing the building's pipes. That's it. Nothing else is going on."
"Let me know if you feel the same way after Christmas. I have a feeling everything is about to change for you." Clara's expression was introspective. "And it's about time. You deserve a man who puts you first and worships you."
"You deserve the same," I said because I wasn't ready to talk about me.
She waved a hand dismissing my comment. "I just came off a breakup. I need some time to be single."
"I didn't realize that you were dating anyone."
"For about six years. I thought we were moving toward something, but he didn't want to take that next step."
"He didn't want to get married?"
"Kids. Marriage. The white picket fence. I should have listened to him. He never wanted that. I thought I could change him. But I'm onto bigger and better things, and so are you."
"Yes," I agreed.
"Merry Christmas Eve," Clara said softly.
