A Holiday Temptation: A Holiday Novella by Tiffany Patterson

Author:Tiffany Patterson [Patterson, Tiffany]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: TMP Publishing LLC
Published: 2020-11-04T16:00:00+00:00

She’s still holding onto secrets. Throughout dinner, I do my best to ignore it, to avoid the heaviness behind those captivating eyes. But, like my father used to call me, I’m a glutton for punishment.

“How was your gyro?” I question, needing to pull my mind from my roaming thoughts.

“Delicious. Just like you said.”

“Maybe one day you’ll learn to trust me.”

My comment surprises both of us. Jackie’s eyes widen. It’s on the tip of my tongue to add with your food choices, but that’s a lie, so I don’t bother with it. Jackie is withholding the same as back in high school.

“Thanks for bringing me,” she says after a minute of silence.

I nod and wave for the check from the waiter.

“The light show is down this way,” I tekk her minutes later as I hold the door open for her.

“So, it’s a light show and not a tree lighting?”

“Right. The tree lighting happens this weekend.”

“I remember those. Downtown, right?”

I nod as we walk down the city block, people moving around and next to us. The only regret about this moment is that I can’t take her hand into mine.

“Those tree lightings used to be epic.”

“Yeah, only because you and your crew would spend your time flirting with the college girls who showed up to them.”

I chuckle. “True.” I banged a few of them, too, but that didn’t need to be said out loud. “There was that one lighting where I didn’t worry about my crew or the college chicks.”

She pauses, turning to me. The look in her eyes and the wistful smile on her face tells me she remembers that night.

“That was a special night. My first tree lighting.”

“Ever? How is that possible?”

She shrugs as we keep walking. “My parents weren’t really into doing the whole holiday thing. We celebrated but hardly went out as a family to things like tree lightings or shows and the whole shebang.”

A few feet ahead, she stops and gasps. “They have hot chocolate. My favorite. This is my treat,” she insists, glaring at me as if she knew I were ready to pony up for the cost.

Without waiting for me to respond, she heads in the direction of the small, wooden booth where an older man is selling hot chocolate and cookies.

“Thank you,” I hear her say as I move closer.

Turning to me, she hands me one of the styrofoam cups of the chocolate, piping hot liquid, and a sugar cookie.

“Dinner was on you. Dessert is on me.”

“Thank you.” I take the cup and cookie but watch her as she inhales the steam from the hot chocolate before taking a sip. Her eyes close, and she smiles.

“So good. Try it.”

I take a sip of the sweet beverage and nod in agreement. “Marshmallows.”

“I told him to add a few extra to your cup.” She winks.

“Good job.”

After finishing our drinks, I toss both cups in a nearby bin.

“How was your cookie?” she asks as we continue down the long, paved walkway, moving into the beginning of the light show.

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