Page 19 of Stuck in Christmas

The word hung in the air between us, heavy with meaning. Time seemed to stop. Eli leaned in, his face just inches from mine, and for a heartbeat, I thought he might kiss me. I could feel the heat radiating from his body, the crisp scent of pine, and the lingering spice of his cologne filling my senses. But then my eyes caught something just beyond Eli’s shoulder.

"That’s it!" I cried.

Eli blinked. “Yes. It is.”

I pointed past him, excitement bubbling in my chest. "No, I mean, that’s the one. The tree we’ve been looking for. The perfect tree."

Without waiting for a response, I startedtoward the tree I had spotted, my boots crunching through the snow. But as I neared it, the toe of my boot caught on a hidden tree root, sending me toppling forward.

Right into the snowbank.

“Sugar,” I swore.

Five golden rings

Part Five

Nine

I didn’t sleep very well after the reset and subsequent reintroduction of myself to Bonnie, Joe, and Eli. No matter what I said or did, we always ended up right back here in the diner on a bright December morning.

It was the same as yesterday - the smell of bacon, the energy of the townsfolk, the sound of Christmas carols, and the jingle bells over the door.

Bonnie held court in the middle of it all, wearing her fifth wedding anniversary present - the five golden rings pin. I approached her with a sinking feeling as I eyed the rings. I knew time was slipping away, even though I kept restarting my day. I just didn’t know how to fix it. Maybe Bonnie had an idea.

“I have an idea,” Bonnie said as I joined her at the counter.

My spirits soared. “You do?”

“Yes. I need a favor.” She smiled.

“Let me guess.” I tilted my head and tapped my finger to my lip. “Go get your Christmas Tree?”

“No. The Dinkins’ boy brought mine earlierthis morning. It’s right over there.” Bonnie gestured toward the decorated tree that filled the space with holiday cheer.

I frowned. This was different. “Oh. I thought he had the flu.”

Bonnie chuckled lightly, the warmth of her laughter easing my tense shoulders. “Well, the one has the flu, but his brother brought me this one.” She stepped closer, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret. “I need your help in the kitchen today. Well, Eli needs your help.”

“Does he now?” My mind returned to the ruggedly handsome not-lumberjack leaning against a red truck. I could almost smell his cologne as I conjured up the memory. And it was getting hot in here.

“Yes. We’re baking cookies for the Christmas Carnival. I usually help him, but since my hip surgery, it’s hard for me to stand for very long. I need someone I trust to make sure he doesn’t go all ‘HOO-RAH’ on the cookies.”

“HOO RAH?”

Bonnie’s laugh rang in the dining room. “Yes—you know, making stuff up as he goes along.”

“Oh, like he did as a Marine cook,” I offered.

“You know about that?” Bonnie leaned in, her curiosity piqued.

“Yes, he told me. Yesterday,” I trailed off. It would actually be later today if things played out like they had in my yesterday. But it seemed the holiday movie gods weren’t into repeating scenes.

“Well, he hardly ever talks about his time in the Corps, except to Joe. Joe’s the reason he joined theMarines in the first place.” A hint of memory flickered in Bonnie’s eyes.

“Joe was a Marine?”

Bonnie laughed. “I know he doesn’t look it now with his hippie hair,” she remarked, laughing as she brushed a stray strand from her face. “But he was awarded the Navy Cross in Operation Desert Storm. He was a Marine pilot.”

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