Page 54 of Getting Wrapped Up

He got it.

Pushing himself up, he ran a tired hand over his face. He was going to need to call to see what time her flight was and then get a hold of his pilot. But first, he had to go undecorate the house so that his niece would be able to help her mom and dad deck their own halls.

He came to the bottom of the stairs and stared.

The tree was already undone. The other decorations had been re-boxed as well.

The boxes were stacked to the side of the staircase with a note.

Phoebe and Joe, thanks for letting me stay. We brought the Christmas stuff down from the attic for you but knew you’d want to put everything up as a family. K.

As a family.

Those three words slammed into Levi’s gut. He’d agreed that they should take everything down, but he’d had images of helping put it back up. As a family.

Somehow, he suddenly felt like a fifth wheel in his own brother’s house.

The living room, the remnants of their dinner and their candy canes had been cleaned up too. The blanket was refolded and the clothes that had been strewn around duringElfwere folded on the arm of the couch for him.

Hers, of course, were gone.

Levi suddenly wanted to throw something. Or yell. Or swear.

He had never ever had an emotional reaction over a woman he’d slept with. That had been one sign of his cold, black soul. He slept with women who he didn’t care about even twelve hours later.

But he could happily say that his soul was healing, because he definitely fucking cared this time.

Having a feeling soul already kind of sucked.

He turned a full circle. He had to find his phone. He needed to know where she was now and if he could head her off during a layover or if he needed to meet her in California.

Where the fuck was it?

He stomped around the living room and then headed for the kitchen.

On the center island, next to the plate of remaining cookies and fudge, sat his phone, two candy canes, a Christmas ornament…and a note.

He pulled in a deep breath, his chest hurting. He didn’t want to read the note. But he pathetically wanted to see her handwriting again.

Opening the folded piece of paper, he swallowed hard.

Dear Levi, This was the most magical couple of days. I know it’s not real, that we got caught up in everything, but just like a wonderful dream, I’ll always remember this as the best Christmas I’ve ever had. Katie

The ornament she’d left him was a tiny replica of the Sapphire Falls town square, painted in blues, whites and silvers. Everything from their night there was depicted, including teeny tiny reindeer munching hay in one corner.

He read her note again. And four more times after that.

Not real? A wonderful dream? Everything in that square, everything represented in that ornament, was real. Those reindeer had been real. The trees, the hot chocolate, and dammit, the feelings between them, had all beenreal.

He took a deep breath. He’d known last night that’s how she felt, and he got it. The whole thing did seem bizarre.

Maybe he should give her some time. Maybe being away from all of this—him—she’d realize that she missed it. Maybe it would all feelmorereal when she was back in the real world.

And maybe she’d forget all about him and Sapphire Falls.

Fuck.

The front door opened and Levi heard his brother’s voice, the sound of footsteps and the roller wheels on a suitcase.

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