Mackenzie walked around the tree’s circumference, stalling when she noticed him standing there. Then she caught sight of his wad of baubles. He placed his hands behind his back and tried to morph his face into the expression of fake innocence Nate still tried to pull off from time to time. Maybe with a dash ofI’m so pleased with my accomplishmentthrown in for good measure.
Mackenzie stared at the wreckage. She peeked over at him.
Jeremy beamed.
She gave a wobbly smile. Without a word, she stepped around him and attached a star to a branch.
He moved to another section of the tree and continued his horrendous decorating assault. When he went back to the bin for more ornaments, he noticed his clump of globes had been removed and hung from more pleasing locations. He peeked around the branches. Mackenzie was busy putting a new hook into a silver star. Quickly, he gathered the spheres back together and rehung them in their original wadded position. Rustlingalerted him that Mackenzie was heading his way, so he dashed around the tree and out of view.
“Seriously?” she muttered under her breath. That was all. Just one word. Then she rearranged the globes for the second time and went back to intricately creating a masterpiece.
After thirty minutes back and forth where he’d screw up the flow with an ornamental train wreck and Mackenzie would fix the damage without a word, Jeremy shook his head. He’d learned two things from the experience. One, pushing Mackenzie or baiting her wasn’t an effective way to get her to open up and start talking. Two, he’d never encountered a more patient or longsuffering person in his life.
10
How many hours did it take a person staring at a computer screen to go cross-eyed, for his vision to blur, for him to momentarily lose his will to live? Jeremy didn’t know, but he figured he was nearing the answer.
He dragged his palm over his face, blinking rapidly as if that were the reboot button for his eyes to restart and the bug in his brain to magically be gone.
He’d been staring at this design too long. The details were all blurring together. He’d reduced the number of elements in the overall layout so the eye would know where to focus, and he’d cleaned up the color saturation problem, but the design still didn’t seem polished.
“I have a delivery for Jeremy Fletcher.”
Jeremy’s head snapped up. It wasn’t quitting if hehadto step away from his computer. Besides, coming back to it with fresh eyes might be exactly what he needed to do.
He sprang up from his chair, the caster wheels propelling it out a good five feet. He quickly wheeled it back to its home at his desk so no one would trip, then hurried to the delivery person holding two white bakery boxes. After pressing a couple of billsfor a tip into the young man’s hand, he took the three dozen cookies to the break area, set them down, then lifted the box lids. Delicious-looking treats stared back at him. Little Santas with vibrant red hats and suits. Deep blue snowflakes with intricate piping details. Lastly, forest-green Christmas trees with golden stars on top. His mouth flooded in anticipation of the much-needed sugar boost.
“Wow. Those look good.”
Jeremy peered over his shoulder, surprised to see Jill. He turned and gave her a one-armed hug. “Hey. What are you doing here?”
Lincoln appeared, shrugging into a black leather jacket. “We’re headed out on a lunch date.”
Jill threaded her arm through her husband’s. “You could stand to experience a little midday romance yourself.” She gave Jeremy a meaningful look.
Jeremy picked up a cookie. “I expect to feel a lot of love for this baked good, so I’d say I’m all set.”
“Are those cookies?” Derek did a poor job restraining the expectancy from his voice.
“I ordered Christmas cookies for everyone. Help yourself and enjoy.”
“Sweet.” Derek palmed a snowflake, but instead of taking a bite, he placed it on a napkin and carried it over to Annabelle’s workstation. “You remind me of this snowflake because there isn’t another woman out there like you.”
An elbow to the ribs made Jeremy’s breath whoosh out of him. He stopped watching the sappy scene unfold and glared at Jill.
“That’smidday romance. Don’t you want that?” she asked.
“To spout off corny one-liners? No, thank you.”
She threw her hands in the air. “I give up.”
Lincoln reined her in by tucking her into his side. “Don’t give up yet, sweetheart. He still has to go on that double date with Alejandro.”
“But he’s so stubborn he won’t even try to like her even if she’s perfect for him.”
Jeremy crossed his arms. “You guys realize I’m standing right here.”
“Mommy and Daddy are talking, son.” Lincoln patted him on the head.
