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Pulling her closer, he wrapped his arms around her as she leaned her head against his shoulder. ‘I’m so glad I met you, Poppy.’
‘Me too.’ She laughed. ‘I mean, I’m glad I met you.’
‘I know what you meant.’ Chuckling, he gently tucked her hair behind her ears and leaned towards her.
As their lips touched, Poppy closed her eyes. She hadn’t felt like this in a very long time. If at all. Had she felt this deeply for Ben? She wasn’t sure she ever had.
‘Oh, I’ve got something for you.’ Pulling away, he rummaged in his coat pocket and pulled out a small present.
‘Oh, thank you.’ Taking the gift, she looked at it. The gold wrapping paper was finished with a red bow and a small cardboard tag in the shape of a heart bore the words, ‘Merry Christmas xxx’. ‘Shall I open it now?’
Mack nodded, rubbing the back of his neck.
She smiled as she carefully untied the ribbon. As the wrapping paper fell to the floor, she gasped and held up the small snow globe. It was smaller than the one he’d won for her at the ice rink. Small enough to fit in her palm, but the metal casing around the globe was so intricate and delicate. Tiny silver snowflakes were etched across branches that weaved around the sphere. Inside the glass was a woodland scene, four beautiful silver reindeer standing in a copse, looking right at her.
Standing behind her, Mack wrapped his arms around her. She leaned her head against his chest and he enclosed her hands with his so they were both holding the small snow globe.
Together they tipped it upside down before setting it right again and watching the almost impossibly delicate snowflakes flutter gently down, covering the reindeer and the ground in a dusting of snow.
‘Mack, it’s so beautiful.’ Twisting in his arms, she looped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, their lips touching. ‘I have a present for you too.’ Stepping back, she opened the top cupboard by the door and pulled out a present. ‘It’s not much though.’
‘Thank you. I didn’t think you’d have had time to get me anything.’ He rubbed his palm across his face before taking the small gift. He squeezed it and grinned. ‘It’s squishy.’
‘It is.’ Laughing, she went to go stand next to him. ‘Go on, open it.’
Ripping the paper off, Mack grinned as he held up the keyring – a small reindeer teddy holding a tiny banner with the words ‘Merry Christmas’ in a cursive font.
‘Thank you.’
‘Sorry, it’s only small and nothing like what you’ve given me.’ She looked down at the snow globe, still in her hand, and shook her head. She still couldn’t believe he’d bought her something so special.
‘Oh, it is. It’s brilliant. Thank you, and it seems as though we both had the same idea.’ He chuckled.
‘Yes! Both our gifts are similar to the ones we won at the lucky dip.’
‘A reminder of a wonderful date together. The perfect Christmas gifts.’
EPILOGUE
Poppy lowered the large plastic storage box in front of the Christmas tree and stood, hands on hips, looking up at it.
‘You’re going to miss it, aren’t you?’ Mack opened the stepladder next to her.
Poppy nodded. ‘I am actually.’
Mack shrugged. ‘At least it’s less than a full year to next Christmas.’
‘Ha ha, yes, I suppose it is.’ Poppy shook her head. ‘I’ve enjoyed this Christmas more than any other. It’s strange to think that when I arrived at the beginning of December I hated the festivities, everything to do with Christmas, but now…’
‘You’re no longer a Scrooge wannabe?’ Mack leaned against the stepladder and grinned.
‘Oi!’ Poppy glared at him before laughing. ‘I guess you’re right. I hated Christmas. I guess I dreaded having to pretend to be happy.’
‘And now?’
‘And now, I don’t need to pretend.’ She tilted her head back, looking up at the top of the tree. The pine needles were falling, and some branches looked a little bare, but she felt hope. Hope for the year ahead. Hope for her and Mack’s relationship.
‘You’re happy?’
