I’m not sure of much of anything right now. Is he annoyed because I’m with Conner? He may be jealous, but he doesn’t seem to want me enough to take a chance on us. The only thing I’m certain of is that he keeps holding back. And all too soon, Ronan, and this chance to explore whatever it is between us, will be gone.
CHAPTER24
9 DAYS TO CHRISTMAS
Poppy
The living roomlooks like a Christmas explosion. Wrapping paper and ribbons threaten to swallow me. Death by Christmas Wrap. I could think of worse ways to go.
It’s nine days until Christmas now, and I’m mostly through my gift shopping. I try to choose presents that are personal and mean something, which puts on extra pressure.
The gifts with the most potential for controversy are the potato ricers I bought both my aunts so they can bring them to our Thanksgiving festivities and hopefully settle the great potato debate that happens every year. I think they secretly like arguing, though, so I’m not sure if the gifts will be a hit.
I got my mom aFlashdance-inspired Zumba outfit that I know she’ll love. But even better than ’80s workout gear is the gift for my mom that will keep on giving—a little-known, extremely rare Jane Fonda workout video I found for her. It’s one that was never released. A video from the vault, if you will. I followed up on a rumor when I was researching Jane Fonda gifts, somehow managed to track it down, and used my powers of persuasion to get a copy. A mix of compliments, bribery, and tough love.
My mother is going to adore it. So. Much.
I wrap it carefully, making sure to make the edges straight. I’m not the best wrapper, but what I lack in precision, I make up for in creativity and a plethora of ribbon.
A cornucopia of ribbon. A veritable waterfall of it.
I hold up a stuffed animal and chew on my lip, debating my wrapping strategy. Soft gifts without an obvious shape are especially hard. It’s for Belle. She’s obsessed with corgis. And I know she wants a real dog, but though I’ve tried to use those same powers of persuasion on Ronan, I haven’t had much success with that particular dream gift. So I bought the cutest stuffed corgi for her, a placeholder of sorts for the pet she will eventually get.
I found rhinestone custom collars on Etsy and ordered one that reads Peppermint Patty, which is the name Belle wants for her dream dog. I bought a Christmas outfit for the stuffed puppy also, of course.
I must say, so far, I’ve hit all my gifts out of the park this year. Except for one.
Ronan.
What do you buy a superstar who has everything? A man who could purchase the best money can offer?
I’m making him a gift, but it doesn’t seem like enough. Though, I know what I wish I could give him. Me, wrapped in just a bow, in his bed. But I worry he would return that gift unopened.
He’s been avoiding me ever since our latest make-out session. We’ve done a few holiday activities with Belle in our joint quest to give her the best Christmas—visiting my favorite Christmas market and even a tree-lighting ceremony last night—but he’s made sure we’re never alone. Which means we haven’t talked about the kissing—and more—that we’ve done.
And then there was his annoyance that day on the phone when I was with Conner.
The door swings open, and snow blows in. Along with the snow comes Ronan, as if my thoughts have conjured him up.
My stomach tightens with nerves.
“Hi,” I say, looking up at him.
He stops short when he sees me, surrounded by all the Christmas paper.
“Sorry about the mess. Just trying to get some wrapping done.”
His mouth draws down, and his shoulders tense up.
“It’s…festive,” he says, looking around at the explosion of wrap.
I smile awkwardly. Tonight, there’s no cherry nightshirt, no wild hair. I haven’t changed for bed yet, so I’m in jeans and a sweater, my hair in a neat ponytail, tied up with a green ribbon. No one could fault me for being unprofessional. I’m in respectable nanny mode.
He picks up the corgi, and his face softens.
“For Belle.”
I can’t help my grin. “Who else?”
