Page 33 of Flirting with the Scrooge

“Die Hardisnota Christmas movie.”

“It is one hundred percent a Christmas movie. In fact, it is the greatest Christmas movie of all time.”

“If you take the Christmas out of the movie and make it any other day, the plot would be the same. If it took place during Easter, then it could be an Easter movie,” she counters.

“But it doesn’t. It takes place during Christmas, so it’s a Christmas movie.”

“Ugh. I can’t with you.” She rips the towel from my hands and playfully smacks me in the chest with it.

“Let’s flip for it. Winner picks the movie.”

She whirls around, resting a hand on her hip. “Really? A coin? We’re going to let a coin pick the movie?”

“I was going to say arm wrestle, but that seemed unfair.”

She rolls her eyes but giggles. “Fine. But if I win, we’re watchingLove Actually.”

I groan. “That sounds terrible.”

Shoving off the counter, she saunters to the dining room table on the other side of the kitchen to where her purse is sitting. My gaze drifts down to the way her hips sway back and forth. Fuck.C major seven to G. E minor to D. C major seven to G. E minor to D.

“Call it in the air.” She flips the coin, and it rotates end over end.

Her voice yanks me from my thoughts. “Heads.”

She catches it in one hand and slaps it on top of her other hand. Slowly, she peels away. “Best two out of three.”

“No. No.” I grab my crutches and limp toward her until I’m standing directly in front of her. “Can’t change the rules now. I won, didn’t I?”

“Traitorous quarter.” She slaps her palm against my chest. When she pulls away, the coin slides down and she pouts all the way into the living room.

“Thank you, Mr. Washington,” I whisper to myself. I slide the quarter into the pocket of my sweats and use the crutches to follow her into the other room. She’s already sitting on the couch with her legs tucked under her and a blanket draped over her lap, but something else draws my attention.

I limp toward a tall table next to her tree that showcases an entire porcelain Christmas village. “Whoa. Is this your way to take over the world?” I glance over my shoulder at Tatum.

She jumps to her feet and moves to stand next to me. “What are you talking about?”

I point to the tiny village in her living room. “Is this how you map out your holiday takeover?”

She laughs. “No. It’s just one of my holiday decorations. It’s a little Christmas village. It belonged to my nana.”

“What goes here?” I point to a vacant spot between a toy store and a pet shop.

“It’s a spot for a bookstore to complete the set-up. Every year I keep it open with hopes that I’ll find it at a reasonable price.”

“What does it look like?”

She grabs her phone from the couch and pulls up a picture. “Unfortunately, four-hundred dollars is a little out of my price range.”

“Holy shit. That much for a little porcelain building?”

“It’s basically a collector’s item now. They stopped making them years ago so now the only way to get them is second hand. I’ve spent hours scouring the internet in hopes of finding one at a reasonable price. So far, no luck.” She sighs, tucks her phone in her pocket, and makes her way back to the couch.

I tap my finger against my crutch before turning around and taking the empty spot next to her. She searches for the movie on a streaming app and presses play.

After an hour, my mind wanders. Not because I don’t like the movie. I love this movie, but I’ve seen it so many times. I stretch out my legs in front of me and throw my arm over the back of the couch. Glancing over, Tatum picks up her phone and a picture of her and someone else on her home screen catches my attention.

“Who’s that?”

---