Page 60 of Charlie Takes a Chance

I raise my eyebrows and do my best to pretend to be innocent. “I have no idea what you’re even talking about.”

Max points at me. “You’re just flattering me so that I’ll help you decorate this giant tree.”

“What!” I take a long, loud sip from the milkshake. “I would never—”Sip.“Never—”Sip. “Do something devious like that.”

Max shakes his head and chuckles. “Fine. I’ll help a little bit. Besides, you need to finish your dinner.”

He slips off his coat and tosses it on the couch next to me. I can still feel his heat radiating from it and it smells faintly of a nice cologne. He tosses his ball cap at me, and it lands on my head, cockeye.

I flip it around to wear it backward and give him a cheeky grin. He smirks back.

I pick up the burger and keep eating while I watch Max pull various ornaments from the boxes. He begins laying them on the carpet, organizing them into groups, and moving glass ball ornaments together. Cutesie ornaments together. Sentimental lined up. Color-coordinated groups, etc, etc.

“What are you doing?” I ask as he takes a few of the glass ornaments and begins climbing the ladder to reach the higher branches.

“I’m helping you decorate the tree, what’s it look like I’m doing?” He asks as he stretches out to hang the ball on a branch just out of his reach.

His shirt stretches tight, and I sip my milkshake, admiring the muscle show I’m getting. He hangs the ornament and moves on to the next one.

“How’s that look?” He asks.

“Why, Mr. St. James, are you fishing for compliments?” I tease as I finish off the last of my fries.

“I’m fueled by affirmation. If you want me to keep decorating, you have to tell me I’m doing a good job.” He climbs down the ladder a few steps and hangs a couple more ornaments before climbing down to reload. He grabs a few snowmen-shaped ornaments this time.

“It’s the best decorating job I’ve ever seen. The spacing is impeccable, you’re design choice is chef’s kiss good.”

Max’s body jerks a little at the word kiss, and it does something odd to me.

“Have you climbed—er, decorated—many Christmas trees?” Max asks as he climbs the ladder.

“Only mine. Christmas tree decorating isn’t really in my wheelhouse.”

He glances down at me. “Then you don’t understand how important taking your time is.”

His eyes are looking a little heated, and all of a sudden, it’s a bit warm in this room. I take a big gulp of the chocolate shake and jump up.

Hurrying to the box of ornaments, I reach in and pull out a small cow-shaped ornament. “You are very methodical about it,” I finally answer him.

We spend another full hour teasing each other and decorating the world’s most enormous tree. When we finally reach the last small box, I pull the lid off and squeal with delight at what’s sitting on top.

“What are you going on about?” Max asks as he steps closer. “Is that a pickle?”

“Yes! Don’t you have a pickle ornament?”

Max coughs loudly and mutters, “I better not comment on that.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “I’m serious! This is a tradition in my family! There are lots of different ways to play it, but in my family, one person hides the pickle. And if someone spots it on the tree, you owe them something. Like a favor.”

Max reaches for the ornament. “Hmmm, that’s interesting. That sounds like it could be fun.” He passes it back to me. “You hide it first. We’ll take turns.”

“What? You think you’ll be able to find it?” I throw my head back and laugh. “I am the queen of winning this. I haven’t owed anyone a favor since the third grade.”

Max shrugs. “I’m feeling pretty lucky.”

I study his face, watching for anything that says he thinks this is ridiculous. What I find is a heated look that makes my heart race. I might be the queen of this game, but he’s the king of sending mixed signals. One minute, he’s telling me there’s nofuture for us; the next, he’s bringing me dinner and looking at me with eyes that make me feel like I’m swimming in them.

“You better go stand by the front door while I hide it. You’ll never find it.”

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