Page 31 of He Sees You When You’re Sleeping

Chapter Thirteen

Chloe

Shoveling snow, hot chocolate, and now walking beneath the snowflakes of New York. How much more Hallmark movie can you get?

Oh and Jack. He’s a freaking fireman for Christ’s sake.

I shake my head, laughing at the absurdity of it all. Jack catches my eye and grins, his perfect teeth gleaming against the Christmas light-lit sidewalks.

“What’s so funny?” he asks. “Care to share?”

“Nothing,” I reply, trying to suppress my smile. “Just thinking about how perfectly Christmas-y this is. And I’m not exactly the most in the spirit person. I’m two steps away from being a Scrooge.”

Jack chuckles, his breath visible in the frosty air. “Well, we can’t have that, can we? I’ll make it my personal mission to turn you into a regular Cindy Lou Who by Christmas Eve.”

I roll my eyes but can’t help the warmth spreading through my chest. “Good luck with that, Fireman Jack. I’m a tough nut to crack.”

“I love a challenge,” he says, winking at me. “Besides, I have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

As if on cue, I slip on a patch of ice and Jack reaches out and catches me by the arm. I legit slipped, but you couldn’t ask for a better set up.

I steady myself, my hand lingering on Jack’s arm a moment longer than necessary. “Smooth move,” I mutter, both to myself and him. “Is this one of your tricks?”

Jack’s eyes twinkle with mischief. “Nah, that was all you. But I’ll take credit for the save.” He takes hold of my hand. “But I will keep a hold of this. Just in case.”

“Just in case,” I parrot as our fingers lace together.

We continue walking, our footsteps stomping in the fresh snow. The city feels quieter than usual, muffled by the blanket of white.

“So, Ms. Scrooge,” Jack says, breaking the comfortable silence. “What’s your usual Christmas tradition? Sitting alone in a dark room, plotting against holiday cheer?”

I snort. “Close. It usually involves a bottle of wine, Chinese takeout, and binge-watching true crime documentaries.”

Jack’s eyebrows shoot up. “Wow, you weren’t kidding about the Scrooge thing. That’s... intense.”

I shrug. “Hey, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. Nothing says Happy Holidays like learning about serial killers while stuffing your face with lo mein.”

Jack laughs, squeezing my hand. “All right, all right. No judgment here. But maybe you can find a middle ground between murder docs and Miracle on 34th Street?”

I groan dramatically. “Next thing you know, you’ll be asking me to hang stockings and sing carols.”

“Don’t tempt me.” He grins. “I’ve got a great singing voice. I could serenade you with ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ right here on the street.”

“Please don’t,” I laugh, bumping his shoulder with mine. “I’d hate for you to become the next victim of one of my true crimes.”

Jack feigns a hurt expression. “Ouch. And here I thought I was making progress with you.”

I roll my eyes again but can’t help smiling. “You’re doing all right, I guess. But don’t push your luck.”

We round a corner, and suddenly we’re face-to-face with a massive Christmas tree in the center of a small park. It’s decked out in thousands of holiday lights, ornaments of all sizes, and a giant star on top. The sight is breathtaking, even to my Grinch-like heart.

“Wow,” I breathe, unable to hide my awe. “I haven’t seen this lit up before. I’m not usually out at night much.”

Jack’s grin widens. “See? Even the toughest nut can crack a little.”

I try to scowl at him but fail miserably. “Fine, it’s pretty. Happy now?”

“Ecstatic,” he replies, tugging me closer to the tree. “Come on, let’s get a closer look.”

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