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“Hate to break it to you, buddy, but I don’t think Luke meant for you to put your goddamn life on hold. Ask her out already,” Jackson says bluntly.
I grit my teeth. I know what Luke meant. I was with him as he took his last breath, goddamnit.
I shake those dark thoughts from my head and focus on the task at hand. “I need to check the perimeter. Julianna is concerned some celebrity gossip types are trying to get a scoop since this is a last-minute project.”
Jackson releases a frustrated breath. “Okay. But take a piece of advice from someone who knows. Don’t do what I did. Don’t throw away the best thing that could happen to you because you think you’re doing the right thing. It’s not always that simple.”
His words hit me in the gut. Am I throwing away my chance at a future with Charity? Does she even see me as anything other than a brother figure? And then there’s Luke, still hovering between us like a ghost of Christmas past. I’ve seen action and survived. I carry baggage. I have scars—emotional and physical. Pretty damn sure I’m not the kind of man Luke envisioned for his sister.
I turn, leaving Jackson without another word.
CHARITY
It’s getting closer to Christmas, and work on the movie is moving along nicely. I’m not needed on set on the fourth afternoon of filming, so I take some downtime to shop for gifts for my family before I head home to Vermont for the holiday on Christmas Eve.
Only when I climb behind the wheel of my car it won’t start. The engine tries to turn over repeatedly, but nothing happens beyond some unhealthy-sounding splutters.
“You need to stop doing that.” Ryder’s voice comes loud and clear through my closed window.
I open the driver’s door, climb out, and slam it shut. My breath comes out in puffs of condensation as the temperature drops. “I can’t believe it’s broken down this close to Christmas.” I glare at my little Chevy for a moment before shrugging. It’s too nice a time of year to get upset about stuff.
“I’ll call a garage and get it towed,” Ryder offers immediately. “In the meantime, consider me your personal driver.”
I hurl myself at him and wrap my arms around his solid frame. “Thank you so much. I was worried I wouldn’t finish my Christmas shopping in time.”
Ryder groans. “Shit. Spoke too soon. Didn’t realize you were going shopping.”
I punch his arm lightly. “Ha! Too late now, buster. Bevans, no less.”
Ryder smacks his hand to his forehead before pushing it through his thick dark hair. The tattoo on his neck comes to life with the lift of his shoulder, and I bite down on the urge to lick him there. God, he’s gorgeous.
“Fine. I’ll take you to Bevans, but I’m not shopping. I’ll push the cart.”
My grin is still in place as he marches to his truck and opens the passenger door for me to get in.
I poke my tongue out at him. “Deal, Mr. Scroogey-Pants.”
When we pull into the parking lot at Bevans, most shoppers are heading home, meaning fewer crowds.I make my way into the large, brightly lit building, with Ryder following closely behind me, and it only takes me a short time to choose gifts for my family and friends back home.
“I need another cocoa-gingerbread hit from The Magic Beanstalk before we go,” I tell Ryder once I’ve paid and we’re headed back to the truck. “I want the recipe, but I’m guessing it’s a closely guarded secret.” I scrunch my nose at the thought of not being able to make my own gingerbread-flavored hot drink.
“Your wish, my command,” he says tongue-in-cheek, resigned to driving me around.
Six
RYDER
Afew minutes later, I pull into The Wright Tree’s lot and Charity leaps from the truck like an excited kid.
“Same again?” she asks as we make our way to The Magic Beanstalk truck.
“My treat, this time.” I give her a wink as we join the short queue.
I order our drinks and give Charity hers with an extra gingerbread man on top.
“They’re so cute.” She beams as she pulls the gingerbread man from his creamy bed and pops him straight into her mouth.
She moans and closes her eyes as she crunches the cookie, and my blood heats as I watch her. I want to lick the blob of cream on her lower lip, but her tongue darts out and beats me to it.
