Page 41 of Getting Wrapped Up

“You sound like you speak from experience,” Levi said suspiciously.

“Damn right,” Travis said. “I cut Christmas trees down with my dad every year growing up. It’s cold, hard work. Last Christmas was the first one Lauren and I were together, so I cut the tree down with her watching. This year, I already had the thing in the corner of the living room when she got home from work. She figured I’d cut it down. Trust me, you won’t lose man points because she’llassumeyou did it. I’m your witness.” Travis looked him over and then bent and grabbed a handful of snow that also contained dirt and pine needles. He threw the mess on the front of Levi’s coat.

Levi watched as the loose snow ball exploded against his chest and scattered dirt and needles over the expensive wool.

“That’s better,” Travis said with a nod.

Levi sighed. He was recalling some of the reasons he wasn’t really an outdoorsy guy. He liked boating and skiing. He wasn’t a bad surfer, liked to snorkel and could absolutely lay on a beach or a pool with the best of them. Digging, cutting and building things…not as much.

“Okay, let’s load it up.” Travis pulled gloves from his pocket and slipped them on, then he grabbed the trunk. “Get the branches. We’ll tie it up and throw it in your truck.”

Levi wished he had gloves. He grabbed the prickly branches. “It’s Joe’s truck,” he felt compelled to say.

Travis nodded. “Yeah, I know, man.”

But Levi didn’t feel judged. He did, however, feel determined to learn how to turn on a chainsaw at some point in his life.

“How about this one?” Lauren asked, holding up a gorgeous, hand-painted ornament. It readOur First Christmas.

Kate’s throat got a little scratchy and she shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“You don’t want to remember this Christmas?”

There was no way she was ever going to forget this Christmas. “It’s just that it implies there will be other Christmases.”

“You don’t think there will be?” Lauren asked.

Kate definitely remembered that Lauren was a straight shooter.

“I know there won’t be,” she said, though her voice sounded funny. “This was only supposed to be a date for the formal anyway. And it was supposed to be with Tucker. Levi and I don’t live in the same place and we’ll both be going home after Christmas.”

“Long distance sucks,” Lauren said. “But it’s not impossible. There’s the phone, texting, email, Skype. Sexting. Sex-Skyping.” She grinned.

“You’ve sex-Skyped?” Kate asked.

“Of course. Travis travels with me when he can, but it’s not always possible.”

Kate knew all about Lauren’s company that she owned with her best friend, Mason Riley. Lauren traveled between Sapphire Falls, Chicago, DC and Haiti—where their primary growing program was flourishing in some of the poorest villages in the country—and to some of their newer program locations in Africa.

“But you guys make it work.” Kate couldn’t deny that her heart thumped at the thought of seeing Levi again after Christmas was over.

“We sure do,” Lauren said with a grin. “Married and expecting a baby.”

Kate’s eyes widened and her gaze dropped to Lauren’s stomach. “Really? Congratulations.” The stunning brunette wasn’t showing a bit and looked positively radiant.

Lauren’s hand went to her lower abdomen. “Thanks. It’s terrifying but wonderful.”

“You moved here to Sapphire Falls from Chicago, right?” Kate asked. “And you love it here?”

“Even when I triednotto love it here.” She laughed. “I didn’t want to be stuck here, tied down.”

“Why not?” Kate asked before she could stop herself. “This seems like such a great place.” Part of her wanted Lauren to tell her that her impression of Sapphire Falls wasn’t real, that it wasn’t nearly as wonderful as it seemed. Part of her also wanted Lauren to confirm that it was, indeed, everything that it seemed to be.

Lauren’s smile was full of affection. “Their coffee sucks and I have to shop online for almost everything. Heaven forbid you need an ingredient for a recipe after six p.m. I’ve had to teach them to make a decent appletini and you can’t keep a secret—like, I don’t know, beingpregnant—for more than three seconds. You end up spending all your time with the same people over and over again and hearing the same stories over and over again and going the same places over and over again.” She sighed happily. “And it’s awesome.”

Kate felt choked up.

It was the stupidest thing to desire, but part of her wanted to be in a place where everyone knew everything about her—and loved her anyway.

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