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“Got it under control,” I reply tersely, shooting him a warning look.
“If you need anything, I’ll just be at the front.” As he retreats, I realize just how protective I’ve become of her in such a short time.
“Um, so…what exactly am I looking for in a tree?” Harper asks, her uncertainty bringing me back to the task at hand.
“Trust your instincts,” I tell her softly, guiding her through the rows of trees. “You’ll know when you find the right one.”
“Instincts, huh?” She smirks, playfully bumping her hip against mine. “Let’s see if I have any of those left.”
We continue our search, laughing and teasing each other as we compare the merits of various trees. The sense of camaraderie between us is intoxicating.
“You know, my kids would have loved this,” she says softly, her voice tinged with wistfulness. “I never thought about bringing them to a place like this to pick out a tree. I didn’t realize it could be so, well, heartwarming.”
“It’s in the movies for a reason, right?”
She laughs. “I guess so.”
The mention of her kids catches me off guard. I can’t deny the curiosity bubbling within me about her family situation, but I push it down, not wanting to ruin this moment we’re sharing. She got so upset when I asked questions earlier.
Instead, I smile gently at her and say, “Well, now you get to experience it yourself. And who knows? Maybe next year, you can bring your kids along too.”
“You think we’ll be doing this next year?”
“Oh, I’d like to.”And every year after too.
Harper smiles back, but there’s a hint of sadness in her eyes that tugs at my heartstrings. “I’d like that,” she murmurs, giving another tree a gentle pat before moving on to the next one.
“Did you have any special Christmas traditions growing up?” I ask, hoping to steer the conversation toward happier memories.
“Nothing too fancy,” she replies. “My parents were pretty poor, so I never expected much. Presents were always something small, but my dad had a way of making every year special.”
“Where’s your dad now?” There’d been mentions of her mom but never her dad.
She lets out a breath. “He’s gone. He never even got to meet my kids.”
“I’m so sorry, Harper.” The sadness in her eyes makes me want to gather her up in my arms and squeeze her, convince her that everything is okay as long as she’s near me. If I could take away her pain I would.
“That’s okay.” She offers me a sad smile. “So, what about your family? How were your Christmases growing up?”
“Christmases?” I repeat. “Is that even a word?”
She laughs. “How else would you say it?”
“Okay, okay. Our Christmases were quite elaborate,” I say, remembering the grand celebrations my family used to throw. “Decorating the entire house, inside and out, massive dinners with more food than we could ever eat, and extravagant gifts exchanged at midnight. It was quite the production.”
“Wow,” Harper breathes, her eyes lighting up with envy. “That sounds incredible. I always wished for something like that when I was younger.”
“Sometimes bigger isn’t always better,” I tell her, offering a reassuring smile. “There’s something special about the simple traditions that bring families together and create lasting memories like your family. Our Christmases may have been nice, but that didn’t mean much when my parents ended up getting divorced—two isn’t always better than one.”
“I never thought about that.” She nods. “Well, you know what? This can be the start of our own traditions.”
I smile. “I like that.”
A gust of chilly wind blows through the lot, causing Harper to shiver and wrap her arms around herself. I notice her discomfort immediately and feel a wave of concern.
“Are you cold?” I ask, even though the answer is obvious. She nods, her teeth chattering slightly as she tries to rub warmth into her arms. I’m not surprised really, considering she’s only wearing a sweatshirt,mysweatshirt, although that’s really more my fault. I’m the one who brought her here without giving her a heads-up, or finding a winter coat for her to wear.
I shrug off my coat and drape it over her shoulders. The scent of my cologne clings to the fabric, and I see her take a deep breath, inhaling it.
