Page 53 of 27 Kisses

I shake my head at the stack of presents. “I may have gone a bit overboard.”

“You think?” Jane shakes her head. “Damn, Christy. Is the entire kingdom of Lutiana coming for Christmas?”

“Hush, now.” My smile drops. What am I doing? I rub the back of my neck and look over at her. “Can you help me or not?”

“I still don’t understand how you can decorate beautiful cakes, but your wrapping skills look like the work of a toddler.”

She’s not wrong, but I have no answers. I hand her gifts to wrap. “I put sticky notes on them in case I forgot who they were for.”

“Oh my gosh! Remember that time you hid one of Lanie’s presents and found it two months later?”

“In my defense, the lass had a ton of presents that year. She dinna even miss it.”

“And it was the best Groundhog Day present ever.” She laughs, and for a moment, she reminds me of Emily. “How long did you and Em buy her presents on Groundhog Day?”

“The next year, but then she wanted to know why the groundhog wasn’t bringing her friends presents.” The memories seem fresh. Emily always bought us matching family pajamas. I can see her opening presents, hugging Lanie and me. She loved Christmas so much. I wish she were here now.

But do I?

Of course I do. I’d give anything to have her back with us.

Give up Garrett?

I shut my eyes, but it doesn’t stop the thoughts in my head.

“Christy?”

Standing, I clear my throat. “Jane, can you start on these? I’m just gonna take care of something real quick.”

And if she realizes that’s code for “find someplace to have a good cry,” she doesn’t call me on it.

Fifteen

GARRETT

Two Days until Christmas

I hate leavingAidyn and going into work for the second time during the week when I’m supposed to be off, but I couldn’t ignore this cry for help.

I find Nat in her office, throwing things into a box. Shit.

“You can’t quit.”

She drops the box and puts her hands on her hips, eyebrows arched.

I’m seriously off my game. An announcement like that is like waving a red flag in front of a bull. “Please don’t quit.”

“What are you doing here? Don’t you have a secret boyfriend to woo?”

“Woo?” I tentatively walk closer to her desk. No sudden moves and all that. “Are you okay?”

“Was it that smooth-talking muscled rat bastard. I told him not to call.”

I have so many questions. But I don’t ask them. Not yet. “Jonah is worried about you.”

“Yeah? Where is he?” She peeks behind me like Jonah might be there.

“I think he’s hiding in the TARDIS.”