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I parked and climbed out to meet her as Butch leaped down to get to her mistress.
Tish trudged up the slope with a bright smile on her face. I reached out for her hand, helping her up the last bit that had turned to ice.
Damn, I didn’t get to enjoy her mega-watt smile that much. Though I had to admit, she did it a lot more since Caleb’s wedding.
Her full-on killer smile made my chest tight.
She crouched to give B a scratch then shielded her eyes against the blazing sun. “What did you do to your truck?”
I pulled her in close, then turned toward the truck. “Well, since you have to sacrifice your beloved Hallmark movies for the next few days, I figured I’d bring one to you.”
She huffed out a laugh. “You weren’t supposed to see that.”
I stroked my hand down her ponytail. “Couldn’t sleep last night.”
“I tried not to wake you.”
I kissed her temple. “I can tell when you’re not next to me. Especially since your bed is made for midgets.”
“Shut up. It’s a perfectly respectable queen-sized bed.”
“I’m not a respectable man.”
She snickered then lifted onto her toes to kiss my cheek. “There is that. I love the truck.” She scooped up B and rushed to the door. “Oh my God, a tree too?”
Her eyes sparkled as she circled the back of the truck. Her delighted husky laugh made every hour of setting this up worth it.
She opened the tailgate and hoisted herself in. “There’s a freaking train!”
I went around to the side of the truck and peered in. The tabletop tree was small and probably wouldn’t make it past the ride to her dad’s house, but it had the intended effect. I’d nailed the crisscrossed wooden base of the tree to an apple cart I’d snagged from Happy Acres, then jury rigged the whole damn thing to a piece of plywood.
I’d found a kids’ toy train set at one of the big box stores—where I’d also snagged the tree and some cheap ornaments. Well, all but one ornament. The one that had given me the whole idea.
“Is this what you were doing when you said you needed to go to the store?” She was crouched in front of the tree, touching the star lights and smoky red balls that reminded me of her hair.
“Maybe.”
“It’s utterly ridiculous.” She looked up at me, her eyes wet. “I love it.”
I sniffled a little. Seeing her happy was going to take me out. The difference between the woman I’d met a few months ago and this smiling one seemed huge.
Baby glow?
Maybe some from me?
Right then, I didn’t care.
“Check out the ornament near the top.”
Her gaze skimmed the gaudy garland that I’d clumsily wrapped around each branch. My damn bear paws weren’t made for tiny things. Though that would be changing soon.
She tugged off her glove and cupped the crystal couple. “Our First Christmas,” she said with a little hitch in her voice. Then she flicked it off the branch and tucked it in her pocket. “I don’t want it to get ruined on the drive.”
Then she hopped down and launched herself into my arms. I caught her against me and was surprised at the heat in her kiss. She wrapped her legs around my waist and nearly knocked us both into the snowbank.
Staggering, I laughed and spun her around, Butch yipping and jumping around my ankles.
“I can’t believe you did this.”
