Page 90 of Not in My Book

Alexa:proud of u. do whatever u need to do

Maria emerged from my bedroom with a bunch of wrapped boxes and gifts, and something else in a paper bag. Aiden and I apologized again that we hadn’t gotten them anything, but they all waved us off. We watched as my parents exchanged gifts with each other and gave Maria her gifts, too. They gave me a few romance novels I’d been wanting and a couple of sweaters. Aiden sat back and watched the whole thing with a light smile on his face. I couldn’t stand the fact that he was watching us all give each other gifts without receiving anything.

“I’ll be right back,” I muttered, running off to get his gift out of my room. I’d made it before we got in our fight and hadn’t wrapped it because I didn’t know if we’d make up.

I held it behind my back and looked at Aiden. “I haven’t had time to wrap this so close your eyes while I place it in your hands.” He gave me a flat look, but when I widened my eyes, he relented, holding hishands out. I gently placed the gift in his palms and whispered, “Okay, open.”

When he opened his eyes, they widened. “Did you …makethis?”

I hadn’t been able to get the picture of Aiden burning CDs based on books out of my head after we got burgers. I loved giving Christmas gifts and when he’d told me, the idea flew into my mind.

“It’s based on our book—or at least what we have so far.” I nodded at the CD in his hands. “I tried to put one on for every chapter we’ve written so far. I know people don’t really listen to CDs anymore, but I thought for the nostalgia of it all … and there’s probablywaytoo much Taylor Swift, but—”

“I love it.” He smiled softly, reading each title I had written carefully on the front of the CD. “I can’t believe you made me this.” He shook his head. “Hang on a second. I got you something too.”

I bit down on a pleasantly surprised smile. I hadn’t expected him to get me a gift at all.

He dug around in his peacoat for a second before instructing me to close my eyes. I held my hands out and felt a cool metal touch my hands. My eyes flew open and I gasped in surprise. It was the locket from the Holiday Village. I ran my thumb over the smooth, oval locket before opening it.

There were two empty slots for pictures, one on each side. My lita had had a portrait of her children on one side and her husband on the other. It had felt wrong to take them out, so I’d never really imagined what pictures I would put in a locket of my own.

“Aiden, how did you—”

He shrugged. “When you went to the bathroom, I ran back to get it.”

“Rosie, that looks like the one Lita gave you,” my dad said quietly.

My throat thickened with tears. It was terribly expensive and even though Aidenhadthe money, he didn’t have to spend it on me. So many memories of my lita and that trip to Peru rushed back to me. Now this locket held memories of AidenandLita in it. I knew I’d never take it off.

I looked up at Aiden, trying to blink back the tears. “Help me put it on?”

He nodded and stood behind me as I lifted my hair, carefully chaining it behind my neck. His fingers brushed against the base ofmy neck. My breath hitched, resisting a shudder. Once he finished, he brushed his thumb on a spot on the back of my neck slowly, his hand sliding down my shoulder. I held the locket close to my chest and turned around smiling.

“Aiden, you don’t know how much this means to me. Thank you.”

“Give him a kiss,” Maria said encouragingly. I shot her a look, and she shrugged innocently. “What? Y’all aredating.You gave each other sentimental gifts. When Peter gives me a gift, I give him a kiss.”

Aiden’s gaze was like steel on me. I wished I could read his mind because obviously I wanted to kiss him, but I couldn’t keep making him do things he didn’t want to do.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Aiden said, determined. “I oughta give you a kiss.” He stepped toward me, his hands cradling my face. He leaned in close to me and whispered, “This okay?”

I responded by pushing up to press my lips against his. His lips were warm and soft, and he tasted like peppermint bark. I stepped back from him, suddenly sheepish that I had done that in front of everyone. It was just a peck, but I felt a rush through my body because this wasAiden.I’d never run out on him after a kiss again.

“Aiden, we actually got you something, too,” my dad said.

Aiden’s soft smile morphed into shock as he turned toward my dad. He shook his head, his eyebrows creased. “Oh, you didn’t need to—”

“It’s not much,” Maria said. “But we didn’t want you to be empty handed on Christmas.”

The paper bag was still sitting there amongst the torn wrapping paper. My mom handed it to Aiden, who took it skeptically. He peeked inside the bag slowly and closed it, laughing.

“What is it?” I asked.

He pulled out an orange and white hat, a T for Tennessee sitting on the bill.

“We knew Rosie was homesick so we brought it for her, but you’re with Rosie now, so you must know how much Tennessee means to her. We thought you might like this.”

Aiden smiled, flipping the cap around in his hands before pulling it on his head. I had never seen Aiden wear anything other than a beanie and he suddenly looked like every guy from my hometown with the bill sitting low on his eyes.

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