Page 75 of The Jinglebell War
“Sounds good.” I’m mesmerized by the flames in the fireplace and, in spite of the cold and my hunger, I’m feeling incredibly sleepy.
My eyes are only half open when he gets back. “Want a nap before we open presents?”
I wrap my hands around the warm mug he hands me and yawn. “Pretending to be your girlfriend is exhausting.” I’ve never been anyone’s girlfriend for real, never been taken to meet the parents. If this is what it’s like to be a girlfriend, I don’t want the job.
“It’s been a really long day.” He sits on the couch next to me and sips from his own mug of hot chocolate. “Want a nap?”
“No. The hot chocolate is helping. Let’s open presents until the food gets here.”
He laughs. “Food isn’t delivered out here, Blue. Haven’t you figured that out yet?”
I yawn, not at all bothered by him laughing at me. “I work late most nights and one of my staff gets the food or I stop somewhere on the way home.”
“Well, now you know. If you place an order, someone will always have to go out and pick it up around here. I’ll run out andget it in about ten minutes. We have time to open one or two presents.”
I set my hot chocolate on the coffee table and hold out my hands, palms up. “Give me.”
He grabs a large package that looks professionally wrapped in ecru paper and tied up with a silver bow. “This is from my parents.”
“The wrapping is pretty.”
“They don’t do it themselves.”
I rip open the package, because I don’t believe in saving wrapping paper. Inside is a large coffee-table book with the words Sugar Valley and a bird's-eye view of the town on the cover.
Next to me, Garrick chuckles. “So typical.”
I open the book and flip through the pages. Inside are gorgeous professional photos of Sugar Valley with brief descriptions of each photo. “I feel like they’re trying to tell me something with this book.”
Garrick snorts. “You think?”
“I’m going to take it as a compliment.” I close the book and set it next to me on the couch. “They at least like me enough to use a beautiful book to convince me to move there in case Avery doesn’t work out.”
“Except they bought the book before they met you.”
I toss a ball of wrapping paper at him and miss by a mile. “You aren’t very nice, Garrick Evergreen.”
He laughs. “At least I’m honest.”
I can’t help but smile. “Open yours from them.”
He grabs a box wrapped in the same paper and ribbon as mine and opens it. Inside is a small leather box and inside that is what looks to be a very expensive pair of cuff links in the shape of tiny skis.
“They aren’t subtle, are they?” I ask.
“Not subtle, and they don’t know me at all. I never wear a suit to work and, even if I did, cuff links would be completely out of place.”
“It’s the thought that counts?”
He stands, not looking at me. “There was no thought in this. I’m going to run out and get the food. You stay here and relax.”
“Can I open presents while I wait?”
He looks down at me with narrowed eyes and twitching lips. “You were one of those kids who peeked at her presents before Christmas, weren’t you?”
“Every year.”
“Don’t touch the presents or I’ll drop you in another snowdrift.”
