“Well, it’s kind of hard to sleep with all the ruckus you’re causing,” I retort, my eyes drifting down his body.My mouth falls open in shock when I see what he’s wearing.
“You like?”he asks, a sly grin plastering his face.
I erupt into laughter.“What are you wearing?”
His face flushes bright red, matching the Santa Claus apron tied tightly around his incredibly toned physique, hugging him in all the right places.
“I got you one too.”He sets the baking sheet down and presents me with a similar apron, this one emblazoned with Mrs.Claus.
“What’s this for?”I ask, trying to stifle my giggles.
“I scoured the internet, searching for American Christmas sugar cookie recipes and even managed to track down most of the ingredients.”A proud look crosses his handsome features.“I hope it’s close to the one your mom used to make—the one you were telling my nephews about.”He steps aside to reveal the small countertop behind him, overstocked with cookie cutters in festive shapes, ingredients, and all the necessary supplies.
Everything looks brand new.
Did he go out and buy all of this just for me?Is this what he dashed off to do last night?If so, his communication could use a teensy tiny upgrade, but I can’t be angry.I don’t have words—I’m shocked.
Tears spring from my eyes.
Without one iota of thought, I spring toward him, tossing my arms around his neck.“Oh, Luca.This is the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me.”
His clean, woodsy scent wraps around me like a gift, making it nearly impossible to release him.I let the hug linger a few more moments before pulling back to meet his gaze.
“I was worried that I might have gotten carried away, and you would think I’m overstepping.”His eyes glow with relief.“After hearing you talk to my nephews yesterday, I thought it might be time for you to bake again.”He swallows hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat.“I want you to experience the joy it once brought you—in honor of your mother, of course.I’m sure she would want you to carry on her tradition.I know my mother would want the same.”
“Thank you,” is all I can muster as tears spill down my cheeks, carrying away all the doubt I had last night.
“You’re sure you’re not upset?”he asks gently.
Reaching up, I pat the palms of my hands against my cheeks, trying to wipe away the tears that have taken over.“No, not at all.The truth is, I didn’t realize how much I had been missing these little things until yesterday.Avoiding them seemed easier, you know?”
Luca nods sympathetically.
“I always thought moving on would mean forgetting her.But now, I’m starting to realize that by not moving forward, I might actually be forgetting her.Does that make sense?”
“It makes total sense, Jemma.Everyone copes with death in their own way.”
“I’m not sure if what I did could really be considered coping,” I respond with a sigh.“I threw myself into my job, allowing no free time to grieve.I even stopped celebrating Christmas.It didn’t seem fair that my mother could no longer enjoy her favorite holiday, while I carried on without her.”I slowly shake my head.
His eyes search mine.“May I ask what happened?”
“Accident.”My words come out hushed—foreign—like they don’t belong to me.“My mom didn’t even have a chance to react.It was raining so hard, and the other driver ...”I can’t finish, the words choking in my throat.
Luca wraps his arms around me, pulling me close to his chest, his heart pounding in rhythm with mine, as if our hearts are beating as one.
“That’s awful,” he murmurs softly, his breath warm against my messy morning hair.
I pull back just enough to meet his frosty blue eyes.“She would have loved you.”
A tender smile crosses his full lips.
“How did I get so lucky running into you?”I ask.
“It was all the elf man’s fault, remember?”He chuckles.“Why don’t you go shower?I’ll finish prepping everything.”
I squeeze Luca once more.“I owe the elf man big time.”
ChapterTwenty-One
