Page 65 of Hiding for the Holidays
“Whispering Pines and Silent Pines? Really?”
“What? I didn’t name them.”
She chuckles and shakes her head. “What are we doing there?”
“First, we’re going to the mall.”
“The mall?” she asks in confusion.
I reach over and grab her hand, threading my fingers through hers and resting them on the console between us.
“I know you love Christmas traditions, and I have one I do every year. I thought you might like to do it with me?”
She perks up at my words as she asks, “Of course! What is it?”
I reach into my pocket and pull out a few folded sheets of paper and pass them to her. “We’re going shopping.”
I glance at her as she unfolds the paper and frowns at it for a few seconds before her eyebrows raise in surprise. “These are families in need, aren’t they?”
I nod. “Yes, the local church in Silent Pines organizes it. I always sponsor two families. These are the lists of the ages and things they suggest, although we don’t have to stick to it.”
“Grant… this is amazing. You do this every year?”
I do, thankful that she understands the importance of giving someone a Christmas they can’t afford.
“Yes, my parents always sponsored a family, and when they passed, I took on the tradition. Since I didn’t have to buy them gifts anymore, I decided I could afford to sponsor two families.”
She’s quiet for a minute, and I glance over at her. She’s studying the list as she bites her lip, but I can see the smile on her face. “Oh! I have an idea for this fourteen-year-old girl, we could get her headphones. Oh and this younger mother, she needs a baby monitor.”
I smile at her excitement for shopping for someone else. Not everyone enjoyed that. There wasn’t anything wrong with wanting to receive gifts, but my last girlfriend hadn’t wanted to help me with the shopping. She said it was boring buying for people she didn’t know. I didn’t really begrudge her of it at the time but now, seeing how excited Rosie is, it heightens my own enjoyment.
She doesn’t just make Christmas better, she makes my whole life better.
We spend a couple of hours running around the mall, getting everything we need to give the two families a great Christmas. When we’re done, and my trunk is packed tight, we climb in the car and I head for a restaurant nearby.
“Do you like Italian food?” I ask her as I pull into the parking lot.
“I love it! This place isn’t too fancy is it? I’m not exactly dressed for fine dining,” she says , looking down at her jeans and sweater.
“Nope, just casual dining. I thought we’d feel more relaxed here.”
She smiles as she waits for me to round the car and help her out. I had told her at the mall that I preferred to do that. It was a little old-fashioned but with Scott out here, I also felt the need to be next to her all the time.
She places her hand in mine, and I help her out and close the door, locking the car behind us as we head inside.
The hostess seats us in a booth in the corner that’s probably the closest thing to romantic in here. After we place our order I reach across the table and she gives me her hands.
“You looked like you had fun today.”
“I did! It gave me an idea, actually.”
“Oh yeah?”
“We should add a toy drive to our Open House. I’ve already handed out some flyers, but we could add it to the ones we’re going to put around town and we can collect the day after the event, too.”
I smile, amazed at the kind heart she has. “That’s a great idea.” I can’t believe her ex treated her the way he did. She’s the kindest, sweetest, most thoughtful person I’ve ever met. I imagine she’s an amazing girlfriend, too. She probably baked him cookies and made his bed every day.
“What are you thinking about right now?” she asks with a tilt of her head.
