Candy Cane Christmas by Laura Trentham

Author:Laura Trentham
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Swerve

Chapter 4

“What do you want for Christmas? If you don’t tell me, you might get underwear.”

Jeremy was equal parts annoyed and hopeful at Kayla’s pressuring. On the one hand, he hated Christmas. Hated the songs, the fake Santas, the commercialization. On the other hand, the little kid that hadn’t been able to squash the leap of excitement every Christmas morning still lived inside of him. Even when that same little kid had been disappointed every year.

“Don’t get me anything. I’m serious.” Jeremy worked the wrench, but kept his gaze on her. Anyway, he had the best present he’d never dared wish for. The force of her smile was directed at him. He made her happy. Or, at least, that’s what she’d claimed last night in his bed after she’d rocked his world—again.

“If I can’t get you something, then you can’t get me anything.” Tease lightened her voice.

“I wasn’t planning to.” As soon as the words ejected out of his mouth, he knew he’d jumped without a parachute.

“Okay, fine. We’ll pretend Christmas doesn’t exist.” She took two steps before whirling back. “By the way, I told Mom I’d have dinner with her tonight. So . . . I’ll see you later.”

She stalked off and whipped the door to Cade’s office open. Something slapped the back of his head and he jerked around. Sawyer stood there with a rolled up magazine. “I know you don’t have shit for brains, so what was that about?”

“What? Is it illegal for a man not to celebrate Christmas?”

“You are like the Grinch to Kayla’s Cindy-Lou-Who. That girl loves Christmas. You saw what she did to the break room.”

The mini tree and string of multi-colored lights had been a hit along with the Secret Santa gift exchange she’d organized. He’d chosen to abstain. “What do you think I should do?”

“Get her a present, you dumbass. The invite to Cade’s Christmas Eve party stands. Bring Kayla. Find some mistletoe and try to be romantic. Basically, you need to suck it up to make her happy. That’s what you want, right?”

Jeremy strung together a few curses and ran a hand through his hair. “Yes, dammit. I want to make her happy.”

Sawyer aw-ed. “I think your heart just grew three sizes.”

Jeremy swatted with the wrench, but Sawyer jumped to the side and continued his retreat to the break room, trailing laughter. No way could Jeremy smile and laugh with a bunch of dopey Christmas-sweater-wearing party-goers. Anyway, he wasn’t part of Cade and Sawyer’s family. Not really. But he might be able to manage something decently romantic if not particularly Christmas-y.

It was the day before Christmas Eve and the last day of work before Fournette Designs shut down until after the New Year. After a shower in the locker room, he made his way into the break room where Kayla poured the last of the hot spiced tea into Cade’s coffee mug from the electric kettle.

Wrapping both hands around the mug, Cade took a sip. “Reminds me of church potlucks at Christmas when I was a kid.

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