Page 32 of The Bookworm Who Stole Christmas
MADDIE
“You brought me to buy a Christmas tree?” I ask incredulously, looking around.
After Parker picked me up, I assumed we’d go watch a film, or he’d take me to one of his favorite places. What I didn’t expect was for him to bring me to a place called Ben’s Yard, somewhere you can buy any kind of Christmas tree you can think of.
The snow keeps falling, and the temperatures are near freezing as he looks over at me excitedly. His red cheeks from the winter wind and the twinkle in his eye melt me slightly.
He’s practically glowing with smug satisfaction as he replies, “I had a funny feeling you wouldn’t have a tree, and everyone needs one to get in the holiday spirit.”
Goddamn him and his logic.
“I don’t have space for a tree,” I say pointedly, desperately trying to get myself out of it.
“They have all shapes and sizes here, sweetheart. I’m sure we’ll find something to fit,” he teases with a wiggle of his eyebrows. “I feel thereshould be some kind of dirty joke inserted here.” He flashes me a wide smile, and I feel the corner of my mouth tugging upward.
He’s so adorable when he’s like this.
“Fine,” I pout, hands on my hips. “Onesmalltree.”
Parker does a fist bump in the air and wraps an arm around my shoulder. “Come on, you’ll love it.”
I roll my eyes, but secretly, I’m kind of loving every minute of it. He’s opening my eyes to what Christmas could be like if I just let go and enjoyed it.
Christmas growing up was awful. The people I lived with treated it as a day to flaunt their wealth to anyone in the neighborhood. They were the type of people to hide who they really were—narcissistic assholes who only cared about themselves. They would buy presents for each other, and I was left with the scraps that no one wanted. Add in the same Christmas music that’s put on repeat year after year, and yeah, I became a hater of the holidays.
But with Parker? I feel like my outlook on Christmas is changing ever so slowly, and I think I’m okay with that.
Still doesn’t mean I’m going to suddenly become Mrs. Claus, though.
He leads me down a narrow path lit by outside lights, where a few people are dotted around looking for last-minute trees. We walk round and round, his arm slung over my shoulder as we look each one over.
After twenty minutes of looking, I sigh. “It’s useless, Parker, there’s nothing here that’s going to fit in my apartment.”
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way, sweetheart. We’ll find one, I’m sure of it.”
I shrug my shoulders and keep walking. The lot is fairly empty now, with most people having already gotten theirtree. They're probably tucked up at home reading with a mug of hot chocolate. I’m slightly envious.
Finally, right in the back corner, I see a tree. Tugging Parker along with me, I head over to take a closer look. It’s not the best-looking tree in the world—most of the needles have fallen off, and some of them have turned brown—but it’s perfect to me.
I point at the tree. “That one, please.”
He scratches his head, a confused look on his face. “You sure you don’t want one that’s a bit… nicer?”
“Nope. This one’s perfect,” I declare, smiling. “I always was a sucker for an underdog.”
Parker chuckles and kisses the top of my head. “If that’s the one you want, sweetheart, that’s the one we’ll get.”
He grabs the tree and heaves it up onto his shoulder; the tree can’t be any more than two feet high, but it looks really heavy.
“You okay with that?” I ask.
He raises an eyebrow as he replies, “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Don’t want you throwing your back out over a tree,” I retort, smothering a grin with my hand.
“Ha, ha. I’ll get you back for that later,” he deadpans, shifting the tree higher on his shoulder.
“Looking forward to it,” I reply with a wink.
