Page 7 of The Gift Rarely Given

ELEVEN DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS

On the eleventhday of Christmas, Baker Oaks gave to me a proposal we couldn’t refuse…

5

AN ASSHOLE EVERYONE HATES

BUBBLY, COLBIE CAILLAT

Livie

“Areyou going to tell me about what happened last night, or am I going to have to beg for details?” Hailey, my best friend and roommate, asks as we walk with our arms looped around each other. We had decided to brave the Christmas market, which is currently bustling with life.

The air is crisp, a welcome relief from the usual heat of Florida. Twinkling lights dangle overhead between all the small businesses’ stalls, weaving through their doors and windows. The scent of cinnamon and roasted nuts fills the air as Christmas carols play at almost every vendor’s station.

Baker’s Christmas Market is always fun. The day starts with a parade and the school band playing for the whole town. Sixth Street is closed to vehicles, allowing only foot traffic, making it a lot more manageable.

“Not much to tell, Hales. I went,he was a dick, so I left,” I answer, walking fast and trying not to bump into anyone.

“Then why did it take you so long to get home if it was such a bust?” Hailey questions, lifting her eyebrows and matching my pace.

I look up at her and bite my lips. I’m sure I’m blushing, too.

“Livie! What did you do? Did you fuck Frank from finance?” she asks, nudging my shoulder playfully.

“Shh! This is a family event.” I force a laugh as I dodge a kid darting past, clutching a candy cane as big as his head. “And to answer your question, no, I didn’t fuck Frank. The hot probably six-five-foot Adonis of a man, though? Him, I fucked thoroughly in the back of his truck.” I continue walking like I didn’t just reveal my latest escapade to my best friend in the middle of a public market.

We pass a stall draped in red and green where a woman is selling handmade ornaments. I catch a glimpse of a sparkling glass star, and it reminds me of when I was little. All I wanted was to hang my own ornaments on the tree, but my mother would only allow the ones she deemed perfect to go on it. That little sparkling star would’ve been my choice, but it would’ve never passed her approval.

I look to my side and notice Hailey’s not there anymore. I turn to find her, and see she’s frozen in place, her eyes wide and sparkling with curiosity.

I rush back to her and say, “Stop being dramatic! Like you haven’t had sex in the back of a vehicle before.”

“Yeah, but I never just nonchalantly told my best friend without any details whatsoever! Spill,” she snaps as she links her arm with mine and we continue walking.

“Well, remember, first I had the date with Frank. That went as well as I expected; it didn’t last long at all and I leftpissed.” We stop in front of a vendor selling hot cocoa and order a couple with whipped cream and a dash of sprinkles. The air is crisp, and for this Florida girl, that means I get to drink all the hot drinks and wear all my cute winter clothes without feeling like people will roll their eyes at me. I enjoy this weather more than anything and the hot cocoa will be icing on the cake.

“Mm-hm,” Hailey hums as she grabs her hot cocoa and takes a sip.

“Well, after I left, I sat by the water to just listen to the waves, and I guess I fell asleep. The next thing I know, I open my eyes and this handsome—no, not handsome, more like hot as sin—man with dirty blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes was sitting by me. He scared the shit out of me, but I guess he saw me sleeping alone and he was keeping an eye on me. I don’t know...it was sweet and weird and hot. Is that even possible?”

“Sounds like a book, to be honest,” Hailey smirks.

I take a long sip of the hot cocoa, tasting the rich chocolate mixed with a hint of cinnamon. The whipped cream is smooth against my tongue and I close my eyes, humming at the taste. “It was quite hot. Well, we chatted for a minute, I accused him of stalking me, because he also said he saw me leave the date, and he was just a bit shocked about my outfit.”

“Well duh, Livie. You had a costume on.”

“I was going to a party,” I defend.

“And nobody else knew that.”

“What? I was just going to be walking around dressed like that for no reason?”

“With how confidently you hold yourself? Nobody would even question it. But what happened next?”

“Well, we bantered for a bit and then he asked me tohave dinner with him and we went to Yummy’s. He didn’t even bat an eyelash at the amount of food I ordered, and honestly? That was hot, too. And there I was, on a Friday night, having dinner with Thor personified and then one thing led to another. It wasso hot.”

“You forgot to tell her about the parking spot you stole from me,” a voice says from behind us. I jump and tense at the same time.

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