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She grins as she grabs Tucker’s drink, and we head back to the living room to decorate the tree.
Tucker puts on Christmas music, and when a Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers song comes on, Justine leaps for joy.
“Oh my God! I haven’t heard this in years!” She starts to sing, “I’ll be home with bells on!”
I take her hand, and we start dancing around the room as I sing, “Trim the tree and wrap the presents, turn the Christmas music on.”
To my surprise, Justine stops, and when I glance around the room, everyone is staring at me.
“See, I told you she could sing!” Justine yells out.
“Hannah!” Matthew says in disbelief.
“Oh, stop. It’s just Dolly. Anyone can sing to her.” I try to blow them off.
“You have a beautiful voice, Hannah,” Tucker says.
“Well, thank you. Now, let’s get back to this tree,” I plead, feeling embarrassed and hoping to take the pressure off of me.
When the tree is done, we sit around, eating, drinking, and sharing stories of our favorite Christmas traditions.
* * *
After dinner, Matthew drives me home, where we see my mom still isn’t home from work.
He leans over and grabs my hand. “I hate you being here alone.”
My mom has strict rules about Matthew coming over when she’s not home, and even though I don’t like being here alone either, we both respect her wishes.
“She shouldn’t be too much longer. I’ll be just fine.”
I open the door and hop out. He’s quick to follow me and rushes to my side.
When I glance at him, he holds up his hands in surrender. “I just want to make sure you get in safely.”
I grin at him and reach for his arm to wrap it around my shoulders and nestle into him as we walk up the front path to my home. When we get to the door, he grabs my keys and unlocks the door, pushing it open for me to walk through.
Like the gentleman he is, he stands outside and says, “Now, go check around to make sure it’s safe, and I’ll be right here, just in case.”
I grin as I turn and do as he asked. Our place is only a two-bedroom, one-thousand-square-foot home, so it doesn’t take me long to glance around before coming back to him.
“All clear. Thanks for making sure I’m home safe.”
“Have you asked your mom about coming with me to college?”
I sigh. “I’m sorry. It’s too much to put on her. I just can’t. I wish things were different, but—”
He grabs my hand in his and pulls me toward him, shutting me up for the moment. I wrap my arms around his neck, loving that I’m his height since I’m standing inside the house that is a step up and he’s still outside.
“Don’t ever be sorry. I just wish you could come with me.”
When his lips press to mine, I melt at his touch. The way his large hands grasp my back and bring me more toward him hits deep in my soul, and for a moment, I’m lost in the way his body feels against mine.
When he steps back and breaks our kiss, I want to cry at the loss of him, but I’m quick to gather my wits about me.
“Have a good night, Hannah,” he says, backing away from me.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. “You too, Matthew.”
