Page 62 of Sleigh Bells and Snowstorms
“Miss Annabel, I have a very important job for you.”
She nodded, her expression turning serious.
“Your auntie hasn’t had the best day. Could you take good care of her for me while I’m gone?”
Her nodding turned vigorous. “Okay, Mr. Jensen. I’ll take care of her.”
“There’s a good girl.”
He stood, gave me another brain-melting smile, and left.
It took me a second to come out of my daze, but the pain from being banged around inside a moving car did it. I needed to sit down.
Fortunately, Annabel was used to entertaining herself. She grabbed a box of crayons and a coloring book and took them tothe table. I carefully lowered myself onto the couch and did my best to get comfortable.
Nina got home soon after. The door opened, and she walked in already talking. “Is your phone off? I tried to call you to see if you wanted me to pick up dinner, but you didn’t answer. Hi, Annabel. How was your day?”
“Good,” Annabel answered without looking up from her coloring. “I got to ride in Mr. Jensen’s car, and we’re having pizza, and can I put my Christmas pajamas on now?”
Nina paused with her coat half off and her mouth open. “That was a lot in one sentence.”
I chimed in. “It’s a long story, but it starts with, ‘Don’t worry. As you can see, I’m okay.’”
“Obviously not a good story if it starts like that. What happened?”
“I got sideswiped, and they took me in. Minor injuries. I’m bruised and sore. The car… I don’t even know yet. I lost my phone, too. It’s probably in the car. And then…” I hesitated, not sure how to explain the next part. “Jensen came to the hospital, and we picked up Annabel. I invited him over for pizza, and somehow, it became pizza in pajamas.”
Nina gaped at me, her coat still hanging from one arm. “I have so many questions.”
“I know.”
We both looked at Annabel, then back at each other.
“Hey, kiddo,” Nina said, “you can go put on your Christmas pajamas now. That’s a great idea.”
A crayon rolled onto the floor as she scrambled off the chair. A second later, she was thundering up the stairs.
Nina slid her arm from her coat and let it drop to the floor—like mother, like daughter—then rushed over to me. She sat on the floor next to the couch. “What is going on? Car accident? Jensen?”
“Yeah, it’s a lot. I was heading for the picket line this morning, and some dude couldn’t stop on the ice and slid into me. It sucked, but I’m okay. I was taken to emergency to get checked out, just as a precaution. And then, out of nowhere, Jensen showed up at the hospital.”
Her brow furrowed. “You’re going to need to explain that because I am obviously missing something.”
“You’re missing the part where I’ve secretly been hanging out with him.”
Eyes widening, she gasped. “What? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was going to. I just hadn’t yet.”
“So the wickedly hot guy has a heart,” she said. “Who knew? But why are we having pizza?”
“I invited him over for dinner but said it would probably be pizza. Because, you know, car accident. And somehow, that turned into wearing pajamas. I don’t know. A lot happened and my head is kind of fuzzy.”
“Do you have a concussion?”
“No. But he kissed me, and it basically melted my brain.”
She squealed. “This is the best early Christmas ever.”
