Page 49 of Babies for the Christmas Grump

Sunny glances up at me, her cheeks flushed from the cold, eyes wide as she takes it all in. Her breath fogs in the air as sheexhales, and I catch myself thinking about how much I want to make this night last.

“You know,” she starts, “this city feels like it’s made for Christmas. Like, really made for it.”

I smile at the enthusiasm in her words, the way her eyes twinkle as she rediscovers the world. “Yeah, Boston’s pretty much the Christmas capital.”

Sunny stops in her tracks, her eyes fixed on something ahead. I follow her gaze and see it: a vintage trolley, glowing softly in the distance.

The carriage is decked out in strands of twinkling lights, and the jolly sound of Christmas music drifts from the speakers. The scene feels like it’s pulled from a holiday movie, complete with snow gently falling around us.

Her face lights up, her breath hitching in excitement.

“Oh my gosh,” she gasps, almost in awe. “Look at that! It’s like a real-life Christmas wonderland.”

I glance at the trolley, then back at her, already knowing what’s coming.

“You want to ride that thing?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

She steps closer to me, her grin growing, and her eyes sparkle with that mischievous charm that always gets to me.

“Yes!” she exclaims enthusiastically. “I remember going on it with my aunt, years ago. We have to, Ryder.”

I let out a soft chuckle, trying to pretend I’m not already melting under her gaze. “It’s just a trolley, Sunny. We could walk through the city and enjoy the lights. Don’t you think that’s enough?”

She gives me the look, the one where she tilts her head and bats her eyelashes, acting all sweet and innocent.

“Come on,” she urges, dripping with charm. “It’ll be fun.”

I can feel myself softening, the absurdity of resisting all this Christmas magic fading with every second. Sunny’s infectiousenergy is impossible to ignore, and I’m already picturing us together on that trolley, her face lit by the twinkling lights, her hand brushing against mine.

She takes a step closer, her breath fogging up in the cold air as she presses her palm gently against my chest.

“Please?” Her tone drops to a soft, coaxing whisper. “For me?”

Her words hang between us, and I feel the warmth of her touch seep through the chill of the evening. There’s something in the way she asks, her smile, her voice… she’s offering a piece of her joy, just hoping I’ll take it.

Before I can even stop myself, I find myself nodding. “Alright. Fine. But only because you’re impossible to say no to.”

Her face lights up bright as the Christmas lights around us, and before I know it, she’s grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the trolley, her laughter trailing behind us.

We board the trolley, the air inside warm and smelling faintly of cinnamon and pine. The soft hum of the old-fashioned carriage beneath us blends with the cheerful jingle of Christmas music playing in the background.

The streetlights outside seem to twinkle in rhythm with the song, creating a hypnotic glow that feels both familiar and magical. Sunny is practically vibrating with excitement, her eyes wide as she gazes out the window, her breath fogging up the glass in little puffs.

As the trolley begins its journey, I lean back in my seat, trying to absorb the scene around me, but it’s hard to focus when she’s sitting right next to me. Her energy is contagious, pulling me in.

She points out the decorations, the carolers standing by the sidewalk, their harmonies rising into the night air, full of joy and life. I glance out the window and catch a glimpse of the group, their faces rosy from the cold, singing in perfect harmony.

They wave at the trolley as it passes, and I give them a nod in return. It’s strange, but I find myself smiling as I watch them.

Sunny moves her face closer to the window, her hands pressed against the glass, trying to absorb every detail. “This is the best thing ever. Just look around. It’s like we’re inside a snow globe.”

I can feel the tug in my chest, that deep ache again, the kind I haven’t felt in years. The world outside is wrapped in Christmas lights, the whole city bathed in a soft, dreamy glow.

It’s perfect, too perfect, and I want to make this moment last forever.

Sunny laughs beside me, a soft, melodic sound. She turns to me, her eyes bright, her cheeks pink from the cold.

“I’m glad you said yes to this,” she says warmly. “You’re not such a grinch after all.”