Page 70 of The Christmas Romance Wish

My entire body buzzes with a smile. “We do.”

“But I have to do something to make up for it. To try to make people happy when I’ve been given so much. Let’s get ready for the event at the church. This elf feels like being generous.”

I chuckle and salute Emmie. “If you say so.”

She turns, but I grab her wrist and then spin her back into my arms. “For the record, you’re not selfish. Maybe a little elfish. You found the missing angel and put it on top of the tree.”

She lifts and lowers her shoulder like it’s no big deal.

“And you tidied up.”

Her smile suggests humility.

“You made us coffee this morning.”

With a wink, she says, “That doesn’t count because I wanted my peppermint mocha.”

But I don’t let her off that easy. “And you’re a feast for the eyes in that sweater.”

“It’s the last thing I have to wear that’s clean.”

My thoughts land on the fact that she was supposed to leave last Monday. “And you’re still here. Your presence is a present.”

Her lips ripple with something like uncertainty. “That’s kind of selfish because I don’t want to leave.”

My spirits soar. Pressing my forehead to hers, I close my eyes for a moment, wondering if I should do it now.

“So don’t,” I whisper.

“I have to,” she replies.

My spirits crash to the basement level. Nope. Now is not the time for a marriage proposal.

Instead, we load the gifts into the Jeep and leave for the church.

There, I introduce Emmie to Pastor Jeff and spot Jesse, Pax,Shaylin, Austin, and his flavor of the month. Thankfully, I don’t spot Kissy.

No sooner do I have the thought, than I hear her shrill voice calling my name as if I conjured her.

I all but flinch like I’m under fire and grip Emmie’s hand only so I don’t make a run for it.

“Who’s going to be Santa because I’m ready to be Mrs. Claus.” She puffs her lips at me.

“Shaylin and I already decided. We’re doing it,” Pax announces.

“But we didn’t draw—” Jesse starts, referring to the plan to draw straws. But he must quickly pick up on Pax’s intentions. Whether it’s because he wants to end the day with Shaylin in his lap telling him whether she’s been naughty or nice, or if it’s because he knows I’m trying to avoid Kissy at all costs, I’m not sure.

Either way, I owe him.

“Anyway, I didn’t want to wear an ugly sweater.” Pax puts on the red Santa coat.

“I thought we decided to wear Christmas slogan shirts?” Shaylin says. “Yours saidNaughty for Life.”

“And yours saidGingerbread, Spice, and Everything Nice.”

I don’t think such shirts exist, but I take this to be part of Paxton and Shaylin’s ongoing back-and-forth flirtation if you can call it that.

“Can I get one that saysRiding the Yuletide?” Austin asks. He was a champion swimmer for the SEALs and a surfer in his spare time.

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