Page 38 of Getting Wrapped Up

Right. A tree.

Dang, her head was still a little swirly from that kiss.

But she did want a tree. And he wanted to get her a tree. And that was the nicest thing anyone had done for her in a very long time.

Except maybe Phoebe insisting she come to Sapphire Falls in the first place.

Chapter Six

“What about this one?” Levi asked.

Levi was in love. With Christmas trees, with crisp December Nebraska air, with the fact that the people at the gate had greeted them warmly and handed Kate and him each a candy cane. And then readily given him three more when he’d asked. They were tucked securely in his coat pocket and he was feeling alive.

He’d been completely sincere when he’d told Kate that he had intended to stay away from her right up until the second he’d seen her eyes light up because of a tray of cookies.

He wanted to make her light up—in so many ways.

That had to mean his soul was getting to be more of a steel-gray color than charcoal-gray.

And he was having a hell of a good time. As they’d driven to the farm and begun walking through the trees, they’d taken turns sharing family stories—good ones and bad ones. Kate’s family had been no perfect white-picket-fence family either, and that made him feel more comfortable with her. He didn’t actually think that just because someone lived in a small town in a cute house they were guaranteed happiness and sunshine all the time. But now that he’d thought about it more, he was a little intimidated by the idea of living in a place like this with a girl from here. Nothing was perfect, and the higher the expectations for perfection were, the bigger the disappointment when things didn’t work out.

That was why he worked to keep people’s expectations of him low.

He could really frustrate a girl who had been raised in Sapphire Falls. With Kate, maybe not so much.

Strange reason to like someone, but being able to be himself and not feel like a complete failure was probably kind of important for a long-term relationship.

And, yes, he’d started thinking of things with Kate in terms of long-term.

“Levi, that tree is like fourteen feet tall,” Kate said with a laugh.

He lifted the chain saw, feeling manly and stupid at the same time. He’d been surprised to find the thing in Joe’s garage, but he figured if Joe was using a chainsaw, then he could handle it. It couldn’t be too hard. He had a degree in business and finance. Technically. He hadn’t actually used his degree in…ever. But he wasn’t a dumbass.

“So? I think size matters in Christmas trees.” He waggled his eyebrows.

She rolled her eyes but was still grinning. “Phoebe and Joe’s house does not have fourteen-foot ceilings.”

Ah, good point. He lowered the chainsaw and moved a few trees farther into the row they were in.

“How about this one?” He didn’t hear anything behind him so stopped and turned.

Kate was standing in front of a tree a row over. She was looking up at it like she’d never seen anything more beautiful.

Levi stayed where he was, content to watch her for a minute. She looked young and happy and vulnerable. It hit him that this was very important to her. He’d known it, he’d heard her say it, but looking at her now, as if a childhood dream had just come true, he found himself a bit choked up.

Finally, she took a deep breath and pulled her gaze from the tree. She looked around and then saw him standing there. Her lips spread into a big smile and he realized that she’d been looking for him.

He walked toward her. “Hey.”

“This one,” she said.

“Okay.” He stepped back from her, his hand on the starter rope, but as he was about to pull he heard, “Levi! Kate!”

He lowered the saw again and turned.

A big guy and a gorgeous brunette were coming toward them with huge smiles.

“Lauren? Hi! Oh my gosh.” Kate and the woman embraced.

---