Page 32 of A Curvy Wonderland

Holly blinked back her tears and said, “I thought I was a bad kisser or something.”

I had to let out a chuckle at that. “You are not a bad kisser. Although I certainly wouldn’t mind more practice.”

That had her giggling, a sweet sound that made me float like the snowflakes starting to drift slowly toward the ground. But instead of kissing me, she smiled and gave me a hug. “You don't need to be afraid,” she said. “I can give you space if you need—just talk to me about what's going on if it happens again so I won’t take it personally.”

“You’re perfect, Holly,” I said, my voice almost a whisper. “You never did anything wrong.”

She smiled slightly. “Really? I might need that reminder.”

My lips spread into a smile. “Get ready.”

“For what?” she asked.

I held up my finger, getting out my phone. After a moment, she got her phone out of her purse. “Sorry.”

Then she grinned at my text.

Eldan: Just reminding you. ;)

She laughed, the sound so contagious, I had to chuckle too. I found laughing was getting easier and easier around her. I reached for her hand, and she laced her fingers easily through mine. The connection was warm, safe, and this feeling in my chest? There was fear, yes, but also excitement. It blended into something that had my heart racing, soaring. “Come with me,” I said.

“Where are we going?”

We reached the end of the stand of trees, and at the end of the driveway, and I answered her question just as Rudolph’s sleigh came into view. “We’re going on our first date.”

20

HOLLY

Butterflies’ wings lifted, first slowly, and then a torrent rising through my chest as I walked toward Rudolph’s sleigh with Eldan at my side.

The old man steering the horse-drawn sleigh smiled back at us before looking ahead. Eldan climbed up first and then extended his hand to me, and even when I had gotten inside, he didn't let go.

We settled together in the wooden seat cuddled under a warm wool blanket kept for passengers.

Rudolph called over his shoulder, “Ready?”

Eldan looked to me for confirmation.

The answer was an easy, “Yes.”

With Rudolph’s signal the horses started to move, their hoof beats filling the night, clattering over the frozen black top. The city unfolded before us, a bed of sparkling lights and translucent gray smoke puffing toward the heavens.

I looked over at Eldan, and after a moment he smiled. “What?”

I shook my head, looking down at our intertwined fingers resting on his lap and said, “I can't believe this is real.”

“Me too,” he admitted. “Part of me was worried you'd only ever see me as a Scrooge.”

I tilted my head, seeing him, the vulnerability in what he admitted. “Do you know the first thing I noticed about you?”

He shook his head, his eyes slightly guarded as he waited for my answer.

“It was that you were grumpy.”

He let out a laugh. “Go figure.”

“But the second?” I continued. “The second was how beautiful you are. And the third? How hard you worked to make everything perfect for Mrs. Banerjee, even when you were pretending to not have a care in the world.”

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