Yeah, that wasn’t happening. He grinned. “How long have you known me, Becca-bug? You might want to go change.”
She squealed as he started to give chase, and she ran down the hall to her bedroom, cutting him off just in time. “I hope you like me in sweatpants, you stinker,” she called through the door.
Um, yeah, he liked her in anything. That was the problem.
He took another big chunk and then put the rest in the oven so they’d at least have something to eat later. Then he hid behind her counter and waited, rolling the dough in his hands into several small round balls. The second she came down the hall, he pelted her with them, laughing as she whirled around and grabbed the tiny cookies off the wood floor, ready for battle.
“Gross, they have dust bunnies in them now.” She chucked them back as soon as he peeked out again, missing him completely and hitting the counter and fridge.
He picked up as many as he could find, but by then, Rebecca had ducked behind the other end of the counter. “So, are you the neat freak at your house or is it Shannon?”
“Shannon.”
“Dang, I was hoping you’d make my kitchen look that good.”
“I will do my best, considering it’s my fault you’ll be finding dried up cookie pieces until next Christmas.”
She groaned. “And yet, I still want to make dough balls so I can hit you at least once.”
“Nope, the big ugly cookie is in the oven, and I have all the cookie bullets.”
It was quiet for a minute, and he peeked out again, just in time to realize she’d snuck up on him. She smooshed a cookie ball against his cheek, and he grabbed her hands and pulled her to him.
“An ambush!”
She laughed and wiped off his cheek with her thumb. “Sorry, I had one more.”
Her phone rang out from the couch, and he let her go, realizing it was for the best. Christmas Eve was not the time to be overstepping his bounds again, not when he wanted to spend time with her tomorrow as well.
Rebecca answered her phone. “Erin! Merry Christmas!” She covered the receiver and mouthed, “My friend living in Tokyo.”
Erin seemed to have a lot to say, and Jay took that as his cue to start cleaning up from their food fight. He found Rebecca’s broom and mop, and by the time she was done catching up with her friend, he had their big cookie out of the oven and the floors and counters cleaned. Interestingly, while Rebecca mentioned her new job and details about the weddings they’d attended, she didn’t once mention him. It made him wonder what she would have said if he wasn’t in the room.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean for you to have to clean up all by yourself.”
He shrugged. “I don’t mind. So, are you ready to eat a part of this, now that we’re done throwing it?”
“Heck, yes.” She got out a pizza cutter and sliced it up, and they each took one. “Merry Christmas, Jay.” They tapped their pieces together and then took them over to the couch. Rebecca turned onHome Aloneand snuggled into his side, though he’d made sure to leave plenty of room for her on the other end. She was going to be the death of him.
“Becca?”
“Hmm?”
“Can I crash your family thing tomorrow?”
She was quiet for a minute. “Thank you for not making me beg.”
***
Jay’s house smelled amazing when he welcomed her in on Christmas morning. They’d agreed to start at his place for breakfast, and she was trying not to be giddy about a whole day with him that didn’t involve weddings.
“I hope you’re hungry.” He led the way to the kitchen and immediately went to the stove to stir the eggs and potatoes.
“You’re making breakfast burritos.”
“Still your favorite?” he asked.
Oh, man. She was getting a little teary-eyed over breakfast burritos. She nodded, afraid to say anything in case her voice gave her away. They used to eat them every Saturday morning before going for a run, or in her case, a slow jog. She should really take up both of those again: jogging, and her old favorite breakfast food.
