Mad About Yule: A Sweet Small Town Romantic Comedy by Genny Carrick

Author:Genny Carrick [Carrick, Genny]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-12-03T16:00:00+00:00

NINETEEN

HOPE

Okay, so maybe my big plan of multiple trains passing each other on interlocking paths in a perfect Christmas scene was a little too ambitious for our skill set. Some of the train boxes have instructions in them, but they don’t cover the elaborate project I had in mind. We have three instruction booklets opened up in the window and no idea between us how to make the simplest combination track.

Griffin agreed to meet me awfully quickly for someone who doesn’t know the first thing about electric trains. It could just be his Type A, Mr. Manager personality shining through. Boss Griffin, come out to take charge of the project. But I’m hoping he agreed for the same reason I’d asked him in the first place.

“This doesn’t look right.”

He frowns at the tracks in his hands, trying to get the ends to snap together. He shakes his head at the results as though this train is serious business. Maybe he hadn’t liked me using the word cute, but seeing him so disconcerted is adorable. In the warehouse, he’s always so tough and in control. I like seeing this glimpse of uncertainty.

“Let’s see if we can get a little assist from the good old internet.”

He pulls out his phone and calls up YouTube. After a quick search, he finds some videos for beginner vintage train enthusiasts. I huddle next to him, trying to keep up as Engine&Tonic77 talks trains.

I can’t focus on much of anything beyond his body against mine, all hard muscle that sends my thoughts drifting. He smells good, too, the lightest hint of mint and spice, with a trace of sawdust from his work in the warehouse. Griffin McBride is just straight-up sexy, even when standing in the middle of a somewhat dank, mouse-infested department store.

I need to remind Mom to do something about the mice before she tries to show the store again. A vermin infestation would kill interest pretty quickly.

“This one looks good.” He thumbs a video for a compressed figure-eight, with the track crossing in the center of the scene and loops running parallel to the window. The layout would make good use of the space and shouldn’t outreach our limited time and abilities. Once we have a couple of trains weaving in and out of vintage toys, it should be reasonably impressive, even if it isn’t the dream window I’d originally imagined.

We keep the video on repeat as we lay out each track piece, double-checking where everything goes. When we finally have it ready, Griffin sets both engines on the tracks in preparation for our test run. If all goes to plan, they’ll circle the tracks and cross in the center with plenty of room to spare.

If things don’t go to plan, Mr. Deckard will add our heads to the display shelves in his basement.

Griffin rests his hand on the train switch, ready to get the party started. “Do you want to say a few words?”

I look to the ceiling, pressing my palms together in front of my chest.

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