Page 137 of Securing the Pucking Rebound

“No, the decorations should be easy.”

“Okay, good. Are you a color-coordinated kinda girl or⁠—”

“Random. My mom’s tree is the best. It’s covered in decorations from different vacations and events. Each year it’s like taking a trip down memory lane.”

“I think it’s time for you to start your own collection.”

“I’ve got a few in a box already.”

“I knew you weren’t that anti-decorations,” I tease.

“We’ll just need lights and a few extra tree ornaments, maybe. I don’t really have much spare cash, so I need to be good.”

I don’t want to say anything, but long before we get into the store, I have a feeling that Sienna isn’t going to be able to stick to her “just a few extra” rule. And I’m proven right when we finally get to the checkout with a cart full of decorations.

“Shit, how much?” Sienna balks when the total shows up on the register screen.

Before she has a chance to open her purse, I’m tapping my card against the reader.

“Calvin,” she warns, having already allowed me to buy the tree.

“This was my idea. It’s the least I can do.”

“I wasn’t expecting⁠—”

“I know, but I want to. You deserve all the pretty decorations.”

“They really are pretty,” she breathes as we take everything out to her car.

“What are we having for dinner?” she asks once we’re halfway home.

“I’ve got it covered.”

“Have you cooked again?”

“I promised you I would, didn’t I?”

She sighs happily. “You’re too good to me.”

“No less than what you deserve.”

It takes us two trips to get the tree and everything we bought up to Sienna’s apartment, and then I have to go up to mine to get dinner while she pokes and prods her tree.

“What is it?” she asks when I appear with a saucepan in my hands and bags swinging from my arms.

“How do you feel about nachos?”

“Like everyone else in the world, obviously.”

“So you like them?” I question, unsure what she means by that.

“Love them,” she confirms.

“Okay, good. I made the cheese topping earlier; it just needs to reheat before we can assemble. But in the meantime…” I pull out ingredients for hot chocolate, and Sienna’s eyes go wide. “What? You can’t decorate a tree without hot chocolate and Christmas music,” I say, mentioning the song that’s already filling her apartment.

“I couldn’t have said it better myself,” she states proudly before her expression falls serious. “Thank you for taking me to get all this, for buying it for me.”

“It’s the least I can do after everything you’ve done for me.”