Five minutes after Micah left her shop, Charlotte was still staring at the door, puzzling her puzzler a little bit more over him.
The revelation that Micah hadn’t always been a Grinch sat on her mind like a fruitcake on her stomach–heavy and with a bit of rum that made her thoughts swirly and hard to grasp. She’d assumed people were either into Christmas or they weren’t. Sure, adults became immune to the magic; the wonder that allowed children to see Santa’s sleigh in the sky grew smaller each year. It was a shame that the natural order of things was to leave behind the joyful celebrations of youth for sophistication and dress shoes.
She thought Micah was one of those people who doubted, from the start, like Jeremy Lostbottom.
That boy was ice-cold snow shoved down the back of her coat.
He’d started a There’s No Santa campaign to her I Saw Santa testimony in first grade. By the time they hit 6th grade, all her classmates had gone to his side, and she didn’t dare ask them to come over to write a letter to Santa, bake him cookies, or sit on his lap in the town square.
She’d felt so very alone.
This was one reason she’d wanted to steer clear of Micah–despite how her pulse thrummed like a Little Drummer Boy when he was near. She didn’t want to fall for a man who would try to flatten her love for Christmas like a bully knocking over her snowman. Frosty deserved to live!
With her armor securely in place, she’d been so sure of her decision to keep her heart out of Micah’s reach.
But he’d thrown one snowball at her that hit its mark. One piece of information that made him more attractive than she’d allowed herself to believe before: It was as clear as a snow globe that he loved his mother and missed her terribly.
If there was one thing Charlotte could relate to, it was missing a parent at Christmas. Dad was the kind of guy who decorated a tree stump with Christmas lights just for fun. His booming laugh and personality could take up an entire football stadium.
Her wish hovered next to her left shoulder. As if sensing her thoughts, it bumped her shoulder for comfort. She reached out and ran a hand over the top of it. “I know he’s with Jesus and happy. I just miss him.”
Jacob, her older brother, burst through the door like a storm on Christmas Eve, startling the two tourists who debated sweaters for their schnauzers.
Charlotte smiled at them–as if his abrupt entry was an everyday occurrence. It wasn’t. Jacob was the calmer out of the two of them–typically. Today, his hair stood on end like he’d pulled off a stocking hat and run his fingers through it a hundred times.
The ladies went back to shopping.
“Where is he?” Jacob looked right and left, his chest puffing like he was ready for the state finals game. It’d been a long time since her brother had been in high school. Even still, he stayed fit and prided himself on being her protector.
All her older siblings did, which was both a blessing and a curse.
He held up his phone, squinting at the screen.
Charlotte chuckled at his angst. “What did Valerie text Lauren that she texted you?” Micah hadn’t gone unnoticed by her friend when he came in, and Valerie was a sensitive soul. She’d covertly scheduled a hot chocolate get-together right in front of Micah so Charlotte could spill the beans about the quiet man who waited for her attention.
Maybe he hadn’t been so quiet with Valerie, practically gushing over her Christmas album, but her superstar BFF had that effect on people.
Jacob held up a finger. “She said, and I quote: Cute guy in The Shop eyeing up Charlotte.”
Charlotte laughed. “Yeah, right. Micah wasnoteyeing me up.” If anything, he kept her at arm’s length and barely looked at her. He was shy, right? She’d noticed a little color on his cheeks when she’d teased him about not enjoying wrapping gifts.
“Micah?” He tucked his phone into his pocket. “I don’t know a Micah.”
“He’s new in town.” Charlotte desperately willed her cheeks not to flush at the sound of his name. It was just a name like any other, even though hearing it made her insides rock around the Christmas tree. “Just a guy in need of some Christmas cheer.” Which was all true. After hearing about his mom, he probably needed more cheer all year.
Jacob’s eyes darted to the mistletoe hanging over the register. “What kind of Christmas cheer?”
Charlotte laughed as if he’d said something ridiculous. However, her thoughts had strayed to that very same thought while standing here with Micah. “Don’t worry. He didn’t notice the mistletoe–nor do I think he would have put it to good use if he had.” For some reason, she was suddenly put off. What good was mistletoe if a hot guy didn’t know how to use it? As much as she wanted to pretend that liking Micah was a lousy idea, she found a new reason to like him each time she was around him.
First, he was a wonderful father to Lizzie.
Second, he volunteered at the elementary school–albeit reluctantly.
Third, he had a healthy respect and love for his mom.
He checked the boxes right and left.
She yanked a nutcracker someone had decided not to buy off the counter and stomped around the store to put it away. “He’s grumpy and barely tolerates Christmas.” Was that enough reason to forget about him and his understated smiles? Each time his lips twitched, she felt like she was peaking under the Christmas tree after Santa stopped by. She wasn’t the type to peak at a present–considered it a hefty sin as a matter of fact. So why did she like the way she felt when Micah teased her with a grin?
