Page 98 of Shut Up and Jingle Me
He does. The lid flips back, and his breath catches. Inside is a small silver keychain—Maxthe dog fromThe Grinch, tail wagging, a tiny gold star hanging from his mouth. The metal catches the light, gleaming soft and bright.
He laughs, this surprised, breathy sound that makes my chest ache. “You did not.”
“I absolutely did.”
He lifts it carefully, the keychain turning between his fingers. “It’s Max. And a star?”
“Yeah,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck, suddenly feeling more exposed than I thought I would. “So you always remember.”
He flips it over and reads the engraving on the back:So you always remember.
His eyes soften, meeting mine. “You planned this before we came here?”
“Yeah,” I admit, voice low. “Ordered it right after Thanksgiving break. Figured it was kind of… us. Grinch and Starling.”
His smile wavers slightly. “But you… you weren’t even planning to come home with me then.”
I nibble on my lower lip and swallow, trying to make my heart—currently lodged somewhere in my throat—go back where it belongs. He’s right. I hadn’t even decided to come with him at that point, but Christmas means so much to him, and I wanted to make sure I had something to give him.
Shrugging, I try to find the words I actually mean. I can’t sayno big deal—because giving anyone anything for this holiday hasn’t happened in years. So, I settle on a partial truth.
“I think I knew I was, even then.”
Eli’s lips part, like he wants to say something but doesn’t quite know where to start. His thumb drags slowly across the edge of the keychain, the little star catching the light.
“You’re gonna make me cry,” he says finally, voice soft and uneven.
I huff out a quiet laugh. “Please don’t. I barely survived all the sugar from your mom. Tears might kill me.”
That earns a small, watery laugh from him—the kind that hits me harder than it should. He shakes his head and leans in until our foreheads touch.
“You knew you’d say yes,” he murmurs, his breath warm against my skin.
“Maybe,” I admit. “Or maybe I just didn’t want to risk not being here when you asked.”
He lets out a shaky breath and slips his arms around my neck, holding on a little tighter than before. For a second, the room fades—his family, the faint hum of music, the creak of the old floorboards—and it’s just us.
He pulls back just enough to look at me, eyes still bright. “I love it,” he says again, firmer this time. “And I love you for thinking ahead like that.”
“Good,” I whisper, brushing my thumb over his jaw. “’Cause you’re kinda stuck with me now.”
Eli laughs softly and presses a kiss to my chin. “Best Christmas ever.”
“Only because of you,” I murmur, brushing my thumb over his jaw.
Eli smiles, soft and a little shy, but we both know we’re not alone. His family’s right there—Jules stretched out on the armchair with her coffee, his mom and dad sharing the loveseat by the tree. The room’s cozy, golden, filled with that easy kind of noise that only happens when people love each other without trying too hard.
Eli leans in anyway, resting his forehead against mine. “You realize my parents are watching this entire thing, right?” he whispers.
I grin. “I’m counting on it. Gotta prove I’m worth keeping around.”
Jules snorts into her mug. “Mission accomplished. Mom already called dibs if you ever dump him.”
Eli groans. “Jules.”
“What?” she says, laughing. “He’s polite, he makes good coffee, and he actuallylikesyour ugly sweaters. I’m just being realistic.”
Ava smiles over her cup. “She’s not wrong. You make a very sweet pair.”
