Page 83 of Sail Away with Me

She shook her head. She’d been able to do it all when she and Caroline had gone shopping. Her father was staying in California to give his employees the time off since most of them had families with little kids, and Galvin would stay in Seaport to save money.

This would be Galvin’s first huge Christmas, according to Sail. His family didn’t do anything small, and their definition of small was twenty or so people. Galvin suspected Christmas with the Carter’s was much like Thanksgiving – a revolving door of endless people. At least this time, she would have a good idea of who everyone was.

Sail drove toward the middle of the island, which was thicker populated, but farther from the water. Not that people were ever far from the water. The island itself was only five miles wide. Go any which direction and there would be water.

His first stop was a coffee shop. They went in and each ordered a peppermint mocha and bagel, choosing to sit by the fire and enjoy their breakfast inside.

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”

Sail shook his head. “Why can’t it be a surprise?”

Galvin shrugged. “I’ve never been good at waiting for surprises.”

He laughed and winked which was something she vowed to never get over because each time he did it, her heart did a little flip each time he graced her with the gesture.

“I fully intend to surprise you every chance I get.”

“I guess I better up my game.”

“We’re not playing a game, Galvin. We’re in a relationship. One I happen to cherish and am very happy in. It’s not a competition.”

His words stunned her.

Sail shook his head. “That didn’t come out right, but I hope you understand what I’m saying.” He took her hand and kissed the back of it.

“I do,” she said, smiling. “I’m just eager.”

“Well, let’s get to it,” he said as he pulled her to her feet. They got back into his car and drove for another two blocks before he pulled into a nursery. The parking lot had a good number of cars, and it wasn’t until she saw someone carrying a Christmas tree to their car had she realize what they were doing.

“Sail, I don’t have the things to put a tree up, let alone decorate one.”

“You do now,” he said as he shut the car off. “Everything’s in the trunk. Come on, we need to go pick a tree. It’s our first Christmas together. We need a tree.”

It took them about twenty minutes to find the perfect tree. Being that she lived in a studio, she couldn’t have a very tall or bushy one. They’d reached for the same tree, at the same time and both deemed it to be their first tree.

Sail paid and strapped it to the top of his car. The entire drive back to her apartment, she angled her head to look at it through the side mirror, afraid it was going to fly off and hit the car behind them.

Thankfully, they arrived back at her place, the tree safe and sound. While Sail took the tree upstairs, Galvin carried all theChristmas décor Sail had bought for their first tree, and while he set the tree up in the stand, Galvin ordered them takeout from Sail’s favorite pizza place.

They got to work, decorating the tree. Sail had bought string lights, bulb ornaments and gave Galvin a special one to commemorate her first Christmas in Seaport. After they ate pizza and Christmasfied her studio, they sat back, turned the lights off and enjoyed the twinkle.

“It’s amazing how something so simple as holiday decorations can change your outlook on the holiday.”

Sail kissed her temple. “You’re going to have an amazing Christmas, Galvin.”

“I know,” she said as she snuggled into him. “But this, right here, is more than I could’ve ever asked for.”

“I know what you mean.”

By the timeChristmas Eve rolled around, Galvin was beside herself with anxiety. While the invitation to the Carter’s had long been extended, she worried about imposing during family time. Figuring Jack and Pearl would want to spend most of their time with their boys, so when Sail said he fully intended to stay at her apartment the night before, she didn’t know what to think. The last thing she wanted was for Pearl to be mad at her.

“Your mom is going to think I’m some . . . I don’t even know the right word,” Galvin said to Sail.

He laughed and pulled her toward him, kissing her lightly. “Believe me, Pearl is just fine. Regardless, I told her we’d wake up here and then head over. My brothers take their sweet time getting out of bed.”

“If you say so.”

“I do,” Sail said as he led her to the couch. “Besides, I want you to open your gift here.”

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