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“What’s that?”
“What do you want for Christmas?” I lift a brow, and she continues, “I mean, for real. I know it’s already Christmas Eve, but there’s still time to hit the store. I want you to have a real gift. Only I have no idea what to get you.”
Something about the sweet simplicity of it tugs at what’s left of my heart. I never had a chance against her. She was always going to find a way to knock down every last one of my defenses.
I comb sweat-dampened hair away from her forehead with my fingers, laughing gently. “Who says I need a gift? Who says what I have right here in my lap isn’t the best gift I could ever ask for?”
For some reason, she frowns like she can’t believe it. Haven’t I already shown her? “Do you mean that? You don’t have to say it if you don’t mean it.”
“I don’t say things I don’t mean. That’s one thing you need to know about me.” I take her face in my hands and look deep into her ocean-blue eyes. I could drown in them and not complain. “You are all I want. You are all I need. And if you’ll let me, I’ll treat you like the gift you are every single day.”
“Really?” she whispers as her eyes well up with tears. Fuck, I made her cry.
“Are those happy tears?”
She laughs, nodding. “Very happy. Because that was all I wanted, really. For you to say that. I mean, I would’ve bought you something too.”
“Well, shit. Maybe I should’ve asked for a snow blower.”
This time she bursts into laughter, throwing her head back as she does. “Look at you, having a sense of humor. What other secrets haven’t you shared with me yet?”
“I guess you’ll have to find out.”
She winds her arms around my neck, eyes narrowing while she gives me a playful grin. “I can hardly wait. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas, sweetheart. The greatest gift I could’ve got this year,” I reply, and all I can think is how I never thought I’d find love again, yet a Christmas miracle appeared, and her name was Noelle.
HOLIDAY STALKER
Winter
If I could wish for anything, it would be for a better life.
Down on my luck, and on the verge of losing my tiny studio apartment, I accept a last-minute job, helping cater for a Holiday event. The pay isn’t great, but it’s going to keep me from sleeping on the street this Christmas.
Warren
One look is all it takes for me to become obsessed with her.
But before I can get her name or number, she is gone. I will do anything to find that woman is, and once I do, I’m never letting her go.
1
WINTER
The thingsI’ll do to avoid getting evicted.
Not like taking a job as a server at a big charity event is such a terrible opportunity. It’s not like the woman down at the employment agency asked me to strip at a bachelor party or, I don’t know, empty porta-potties. Basically, things could be worse than serving filet mignon to rich people.
Who knows? I might even end up eating a full, hot meal for the first time in as long as I can remember. Weeks of living on ramen and cereal have left me practically swimming in the white button-down shirt I found at the back of my closet. When I step into the kitchen of the hotel hosting the event, the aroma of so much rich food hangs heavy in the air and makes my empty stomach growl audibly.
Not that anybody would hear it. I've never worked in a kitchen before, and the first thing that comes to mind as I stand in the doorway with my mouth hanging open is the opening scenes ofSaving Private Ryan. In other words, it's brutal chaos: pans slamming onto burners, cooks shouting back and forth, open flame flaring up here and there. It's a wonder nobody singes off their eyebrows.
Dishwashers carry racks of glasses, plates are stacked, and always there’s shouting, the voices overlapping, making my head ache. And the servers, like me, are already in a frenzy. I barely jump out of the way in time to avoid getting run over by a girl dressed the same as me, her hair slicked back in a bun like my blond locks are.
“Get moving!” she shouts over one shoulder, carrying a stack of empty trays on the other one.
Yeah, I’ll get moving. Right out the door.
