Page 78 of Mechanic’s Christmas Match

He tilted his head slightly, a furrow in his brow as he gazed down at her.

“I’m fine,” she told him. “I’m so happy.”

“That’s all I want,” he said, his voice husky as he stepped closer.

Ana stole a glance around them, but they were alone in the snow, standing in the center of a circle of light cast down by the streetlamp above.

She held her breath as Rory came closer still.

His eyes were on fire as he reached out with a huge hand and caressed her cheek. Though his fingers were calloused, his touch was so gentle.

When he bent to kiss her, Ana closed her eyes and felt her heart swell with a mixture of love and hope. In the circle of Rory’s strong arms, she could feel the future beckoning. And it was filled with happiness at all the good things she had ever dreamed of.

24

ANA

For Ana, the days between the snowstorm and Christmas seemed to move slowly and quickly all at once.

Of course their store was at its very busiest. Everyone in Trinity Falls seemed to have decided to stop in all at once to do a little last-minute shopping. Rory came by after work each day to play with Theo so Ana and her mom could both focus on the customers during the busiest hours. And they managed to ensure that everyone left with smiles on their faces and bags overflowing with beautiful pieces.

It was incredibly rewarding professionally, and a relief to know that Pura Vida would finish another busy holiday season with enough put aside to get through the slower times of the year as well.

But with so much of her attention on the shop, Ana longed for more time to decorate the apartment with Theo, more time to bake with her mother, and more time to spend with Rory one-on-one, getting to know him as a boyfriend instead of just as a friend.

The big man always seemed to know that she and her mom would be too exhausted to do much after their long days. He had come upstairs with them each evening this week, quietly heating up a crock of his own homemade stew or whipping up a tray of grilled cheese sandwiches. He didn’t have a lot of cooking experience yet, but he cooked with love, and asked them for input when he needed it. After a good meal, he would sit by the coffee table with Theo, building a mechanic’s shop out of blocks or pretending to fix all his toy cars, keeping the little fellow busy so that his aunt and grandmother could put their heads together to plan out what stock to bring out of the back-room storage for the next day’s work.

Most nights, once dinner was eaten, plans were made, and Theo was in bed, Ana would go for a little walk around the block with Rory and return to the apartment for a quick goodnight kiss before he headed home.

But on Christmas Eve night, Rory only stayed until Theo was in bed and then headed out to run an errand.

“What errand could he possibly have to run at this time of night on Christmas Eve?” Ana asked her mother after she ran back upstairs, breathless from the long day and Rory’s brief but dizzyingly passionate goodnight kiss.

“Who knows?” her mother said, turning away to fold up the throw blanket on the sofa. “Shall we set up for tomorrow morning?”

That was all it took to get Ana’s energy back up and fill her with excitement at the idea of Christmas morning with Theo. They tried to be careful with money, but she and her mom had been sewing toys and clothing for Theo since fall, and they had splurged at the toy store on an easel and paints that they knew he would love, along with some stocking stuffers, and three beautiful picture books from the bookshop.

They put on the radio and let the holiday music carry them through wrapping Theo’s gifts, preparing the stockings, and sneaking out of the room to retrieve their gifts for each other, which they both slipped under the tree without a word.

By the time everything was done and Ana was lying in bed, she felt a sense of wonder that the holiday had once again filled her with happiness even though she had worked so hard right up until the stars were out.

She awoke the next morning to a snuggly Theo crawling into her bed.

“It’s Christmas,” he whispered happily into the crook of her neck.

“It is Christmas,” she said, kissing him on top of the head. “And look, it’s light out. You did such a good job sleeping.”

“I did,” he said, sitting up with a proud look on his sweet little face.

“Shall we go see if Grandma is awake?” Ana asked him.

“Yes,” he said, hopping out of bed and scampering to the door.

“Okay,” Ana replied, quickly putting on a sweater on top of her pajamas.

Of course her mom was already out in the living room, pulling something out of the oven. The air was already rich with the scent of coffee brewing, and “Jingle Bells” was playing softly on the radio.

“Merry Christmas,” Theo yelled to her, dashing into the kitchen.