Collin twisted his lips. “I like red and blue and yellow.”
“Me too,” she replied. Being under the tree was like being in their own little space and away from social pressure. She didn’t have to worry about talking with or introducing herself to the other guests–although she’d come for that very reason. It was time to start making friends again and building a life.
“Do you have a tree?” Collin asked.
“I do.” She pulled her phone in front of her face and opened her gallery. “Want to see a picture?” Thankfully, the guy at the phone store was able to transfer everything to the new model.
Collin scooted so his head leaned into her shoulder, and he could see her screen. She tried not to think about how silly they must look to everyone else with their legs poking out from under the branches like some strange holiday decor. It didn’t matter, not really. This was her moment with Collin. He was adorable and her first friend in town.
He grabbed her hand to stop her from swiping. “Are those your dogs?”
She stared at the picture of Tanya and Tucker as they lay in front of the large windows. The scene was so sweet, the two of them back-to-back and snoring away. “No. I’m dogsitting them, though.”
“Cool. Can I meet them?”
“They don’t get out much, so you’d have to come to my house.” Auntie didn’t like them tromping around town and hadn’t trained them to be around other dogs.
Suddenly Collin slid out from under the tree. One second he was there, admiring Tanya, and the next, the space was empty.
“What in the world?” she asked as strong hands grasped her ankles.
“Ready?” asked Ethan. “I’ll slide you out.”
Valerie giggled as she put her hands at her side to ensure her skirt didn’t come up. “Ready.”
He pulled, and she easily slid against the wood flooring. Laying on the floor, looking up at Ethan’s outstretched hand, she giggled again. “I’m not gonna lie; that was weird.” He helped her up. “But fun.” She brushed off her backside and ran her hand down the back of her head to smooth her hair.
Collin tugged on Ethan’s hand. “She said I could visit her dogs.”
Ethan grinned down at him. “Really?”
“Yeah. They’re lazy and don’t go outside,” Collin patched together what she’d told him into his version of the story.
Valerie smiled at him. “Something like that.” She decided to take a chance and put herself out there. “I figured since you already know the code to the gate. It would be a shame to waste that kind of power.”
He grinned. “Agreed. We’ll come over tomorrow when he gets out of school.”
Valerie barely held back her squeal. “It’s a date.” Ethan’s eyes widened. “I mean,” she hedged. “Not a date-date. Collin will be there. And the dogs. I just meant that it’s an appointment. We have an appointment.” Could she blather anymore? Probably. But she wisely clamped her lips together and refused to open them again.
Ethan smiled softly. “I likeddate.”
Oh! Oh! Oh! This man was too much! Just as Valerie was about to melt into a puddle of fan-girl goo, Pearl walked in, and the whole room went silent. Heads swiveled back and forth between Ethan and his ex-wife, who looked like she’d stepped out of a commercial. Her hair was shiny. Her dress was so tight Valerie counted her ribs. She didn’t look motherly–she looked like she was on the prowl.
Valerie glanced at Ethan. Was Pearl trying to win him back?
People backed up, opening a channel for Pearl to get to Ethan and Collin like actors in a Western scooting to the side of the road for a shoot-out.
Pearl smiled like a beauty queen and began shaking hands and kissing babies–literally kissing babies and leaving behind smears of red lipstick on their flushed cheeks. Valerie didn’t even remember seeing a baby at the party. It was like the little elf magically appeared to make Pearl look good.
Valerie had no intention of taking on a queen bee tonight. Obviously, Pearl was a hometown girl–knowing everyone from the elf principal to the ex-football star wearing a football jersey.
She lightly touched Ethan’s arm, a zing going over her skin at contact. “I think I’ll check out the backyard. It was good seeing you.”
Ethan’s brown eyes held hers for longer than conventional. “I’m glad we connected, and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.” He touched her side lightly, making the moment more personal and intimate. She floated away.
Tomorrow afternoon she’d have Ethan and Collin all to herself. She needed more lights for her tree. The prelit ones were fine, but if she was going to lay under there with the two of them, she wanted to knock their socks off.
CHAPTEREIGHT
