Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22483 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22483 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Christian decided he would get in line to sit on Santa’s lap, although he wouldn’t actually sit. Maybe just lean. Holly was so busy behind the lens and her computer that she didn’t notice him until she was about to tell him to smile.
“What are you doing sitting on my d . . . Santa’s lap?” she asked, remembering she needed to stay in character.
“I’ve come to give him my Christmas list.”
“Let me have it, son?” Holly’s dad, Noel, let out a big belly laugh.
Christian looked at the man he’s known his entire life, and while he was dressed as Santa, he was still Holly’s father. “You see, Santa. I really like this woman, and I’m hoping she’ll go to the Christmas dance with me tonight.
“Ho Ho Ho,” Santa chuckled. “Have you asked her?”
“I just did.” He looked at Holly with pleading eyes. “What do you think?” He held the flowers out to her. “Would you like to go to the dance with me tonight?”
“If she doesn’t, I will,” someone in line said.
“I’m telling daddy!” a kid shouted out.
Christian tried not to laugh. But a smile definitely took over. “These are for you,” he told Holly. “An apology for not calling or coming over last night. I fell asleep and didn’t wake up until this morning.”
“It’s okay,” she told him as she took the vase from him. She smelled the roses and then sat them on the table near her computer. “The dance, huh?”
Christian nodded. “Maybe you’ll win Miss Poinsettia.” He winked.
“Oh, God.” As soon as the words tumbled out, she covered her mouth. He had told her to never say that statement again, unless he was balls deep in her—something he hoped to be later tonight. “I guess I can go to the dance with you.”
“You guess?” he asked as he stepped closer, fully aware that all eyes were on them. “I’ll pick you up at eight, Holly.” Christian leaned down and whispered, “Maybe you shouldn’t wear panties under your dress.” He chuckled when her breathing hitched and laughed all the way back to Main Street.
Christian pulled up to the Saints’ right on time. He held the corsage, he went back to Cindy’s shop to buy Holly in one hand and knocked with the other. Elden opened the door, and the two men shook hands and hugged. “It’s good to see you,” Christian said.
“You too. Come on in. You can meet my fiancée.” Christian followed Elden into the house and right into the kitchen, where his wife sat at the table. “Kerstin, this is Christian,” he said. “He grew up down the street from us.”
“Holly’s boyfriend?” she asked with a Swedish accent. “She tells me all about you.”
Christian blushed as they shook hands. “Hopefully, she told you good things.”
“All the things,” she said with a smile. Great. Christian didn’t want to imagine what Holly had said about him now or in the past.
Christian could smell Holly’s perfume before he could see her. He turned in time to see her coming around the corner in a deep red, sixties style of dress. She had curled and pinned her hair and painted her lips a bright crimson to match. He hoped for his sake her lipstick didn’t smear.
“Wow, you look stunning.”
“Thank you,” she said as she brushed her hands down his lapels.
“This is for you.” He took the white orchid out of the clear plastic box and slipped it over her wrist. “Shall we go?”
Holly nodded and put the arm without a corsage through Christian’s. When they got to the car, he held the door open for her and leaned in to kiss her. The brief, yet passionate kiss, yielded a ton of promise for what could come later.
Behind the steering wheel, he drove them to their old high school, where the dance was being held. Everyone would be there, even their parents. It was more of a social gathering than anything, and would be a nice fun night out. The committee had always done a stand-up job with decorations and entertainment. There would be food, adult beverages if you were of age, soft drinks, and a lot of dancing. And at the end of the night, someone would be crowned Miss Poinsettia and Mr. Chestnuts. Every man cursed whoever came up with the title of Mr. Chestnuts, and many have petitioned to have it changed, but it never does.
Christian pulled into the parking lot and Holly told him to drive around back. He smiled, knowing full well that only the teens went around back on dance night to make out and do other things. As quickly as he smiled, it went away, when he remembered this was where he lost his virginity to Skye in the backseat of his car. He shook his head at the thought and focused on the present. Holly was his here and now, and he couldn’t change the past.