Page 17 of The Bookworm Who Stole Christmas
“This is the spot,” she declares, a look of triumph on her face.
We stand waiting, the crowd in front of us chatting away, excited to see what’s about to happen, but I couldn’t be more bored. I’m only here for Amelia’s sake. I’d rather be at home, curled up in bed reading.
I rub my hands together from the cold, wishing I hadn’t left my gloves at the bookstore. I shove them in my pockets and hunch my shoulders to my ears to try and keep warm.
“Where’s your dad?” I ask, my breath fogging in the winter air.
Amelia shrugs. “I think he’s here somewhere with my grandma.”
“You didn’t want to do this with them? Might have been more fun?” I ask, perplexed as to why she’d want to spend her time with the town grump instead of spending a happy moment with her family.
“They’re already in the Christmas spirit. I want to be here with you to show you it’s not all that bad.” She grins, her face flushed from the cold.
My eyes widen at her admission. The fact that someone’s taken the time to worry about how I’m feeling is a novelty, and I’m touched. My icy heart feels like it’s warmed a little bit.
“What about your mom?” I ask. Amelia’s face pinches, and I immediately regret asking. “You don’t have to tell me,” I rush out. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“You didn’t upset me,” she says, huddling into her coat,her voice low. “My mom isn't around. She never really has been. It’s always been me and my dad against the world.”
My heart breaks for her, knowing exactly how that feels. “I’m sorry. You deserve better than that.”
Amelia nods, her eyes glassy. “It’s okay. I mean, it still hurts sometimes, but Dad and I are better off without her. I just want him to be happy. He’s the best person I know.” Her face lights up when she starts talking about him. I can feel the love pouring off her.
“He sounds amazing. I’m glad you have him,” I say softly. I don’t know what possesses me to say what I say next, but there’s something about her that brings out a protective side to me. “If you, uh, ever need someone to talk to… that isn’t your dad or gran… you, uh, can talk to me.”
“Thank you,” she replies, a lone tear tracking down her face. She quickly wipes it away before exclaiming, “Oh, here we go.” She jumps around on the balls of her feet, tugging at my coat.
I get whiplash from her sudden change in mood, but I’m also glad she doesn’t dwell on it—it won’t do her any good in the long run. A smile tugs at the corner of my lips as I watch her.
The crowd begins to count down. “Three, two, one…”
I glance around, waiting, wondering why each year everyone gets so excited about lights being turned on. They’re justlights, for Christ’s sake.
The street descends into darkness, and my head swivels around to find out why all of the lights have suddenly turned off. Slowly, each one begins to turn back on. Tiny trees above shop windows begin glittering in the dark, and fairy lights around shop windows brighten the street. My mouth drops open as I watch it all unfold. Inch by inch, the street lights up, a magical glow being castaround, and I can’t stop staring. It continues along in tandem, each one lighting up one after the other until it stops.
I hold my breath, goosebumps peppering my skin as I wait for what can only be the penultimate reveal. Flashing lights start wrapping faster and faster around a large Christmas tree at the end of the street. It keeps going and going, round and round, until finally stopping. A bright light beams out as the star on top of the tree is illuminated, and cheers from the crowd roar around me.
My gaze is focused on the tree in all of its glory, and I wonder if I’ve ever seen anything so majestic before.
My breath feels tight, and my cheeks suddenly feel colder. I reach a hand up to my face and feel they’re wet. But why are they wet? It takes me a moment to realize I’m crying. Tears of joy run down my face as I watch the lights and the crowd around me.
Quickly wiping my face, I clear my throat. I glance at Amelia, who looks happy. She knows. She saw my tears and knows that I was moved by the light display. Amelia doesn’t say anything, though; she just wraps her arms around my waist, squeezing tightly before letting me go.
“You can go home now,” she says with a small smile. “I’m gonna go and find my dad and grandma.”
Nodding, I watch as Amelia walks into the crowd, leaving me with only my thoughts.
What the fuck was that, and why did I enjoy it so much?
Chapter Eleven
MADDIE
Just as I’m closing up for the evening, the bell on the door rings again. I poke my head around the door to my office and gulp when I see Parker walking down the aisle, heading right for me.
“Hi,” he greets as he gets to the counter. “I just finished work and wanted to see if you’d changed your mind about Christmas yet?”
His smirk makes my knees weak, and I have to clutch the doorframe to stop from keeling over. He’s gorgeous in a ‘I’m a pretty boy’ kind of way. His eyes crinkle at the corners as he smiles, and his salt and pepper hair gives him that older man vibe that has my clit pulsing.
