Page 79 of The Mistletoe Mix-up

“What are you gonna do with that?”

“That’s for me to know and you to find out,” he said.

“Oh, so that’s how we’re gonna play this?”

Sam arched a brow, staring at her. “You started it, not wanting to show me what you’re making.”

“I’m embarrassed because you are an artist and I am not.” She held up her Popsicle stick reindeer with buggy eyes and a puffy red nose. “Obviously.”

Sam tilted his head to the side and laughed. “I don’t know. I mean, it’s got a little something.”

“Yeah, it’s got something alright. It’s got ‘a fifth grader made this’ vibes.”

“You have talent in other places, Wren,” he said, smirking. “You can’t be the best at everything.”

“Well, I think that sucks,” she said with a sigh. She pointed her Rudolph ornament at him. “So are you gonna tell me what you’re making?”

“I’m making a ball ornament with swirls on the inside, and I am going to paint a design on the outside.”

“What kind of design?” she asked.

“I want it to be a surprise.”

She huffed, picking up one of the clear glass balls and setting it in front of her. “I’m surprised that you guys bought Popsicle sticks and stuff to make reindeer and snowmen.”

“Oh no, I got that special just for you,” he said.

Wren scowled. “What do you mean?”

“I stopped by the market and grabbed a few of those kid ornament-making kits for you.”

Wren threw a white pom at him. “You think you’re a funny guy, huh?”

“I am a funny guy,” he said.

“Just ask your fan club,” Wren grumbled.

Sam slapped his hands against the surface of the table with a whoop, startling Wren and waking up Duke. “I knew it.”

“You knew what?”

“Seeing Ilsa talking to me bothered you.”

Wren snorted. “Please, she was doing more than talking to you.”

“How do you mean?” he asked.

Wren sighed. “Seeing you with another girl hanging all over you bothered me.”

“I don’t know how to take that, since we really were just talking, and more to the point, you aren’t interested in anything from me, right? So what’s with the note of jealousy I’m hearing?”

“That’s why I debated even saying anything,” Wren said, avoiding his gaze. “I was just pointing out that if I acted a little weird earlier, that’s why.”

“Because you were bothered that girls were quote, unquote hanging on me?”

“Maybe a little more than bothered, since my Taser hand was twitching.”

Sam chuckled. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, I am not doing anything with anyone else in town.”