Kissing Christmas Goodbye by Wendy Dalrymple

Author:Wendy Dalrymple
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wendy Dalrymple
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Max hauled himself up into his F-150, his thoughts full of Home Depot shopping lists, DIY to-do lists, and his neighbor, Lizzy Wahl. He looked down at the little felt Krampus ornament Lizzy and Sophie had given him the other day, its ghoulish expression smiling back up at him. Dark tufts of fur sprung out from its horned head and a long red tongue snaked out of its mouth. The whole thing was held up by a chain, and it was the one and only Christmas decoration he even owned.

He loved it.

Max hung the little totem on the rearview mirror of his truck as the reflection of the house across the street caught his eye. He wondered if Lizzy were home. Maybe she would want to come to Home Depot with him? Then maybe they could get dinner and…

No. He had already let himself get too close to his neighbors. He should regret offering Lizzy a job, but seeing her crying in the driveway had sparked a protective urge inside of him. Max hadn’t spent that much time around children before; all of his family was spread out across the country, and his own nieces and nephews were grown. There was something about being around Lizzy and her daughter that he couldn’t put his finger on. Something he had been avoiding for a long time.

Max pushed his keys into the ignition and turned his engine over. It roared to life, his stereo system at full blast.

Don’t do it, don’t do it, he warned himself. Don’t get invested.

With his eyes shut tight, the heavy, thudding bass and crunching guitar flowed out of his speakers and through him, vibrating into his brain, but still not wiping out his thoughts or his worry. He opened his eyes back up to see the reflection of the decorated houses across the street. This vibrant, holiday wonderland neighborhood that Lizzy was determined to get him accustomed to was somehow growing on him.

Coward. The Krampus ornament glared at him. Go knock on her door.

Max cut the engine and retrieved his keys, his lips pursed together. His pulse was thudding in his ears at the prospect of what he was about to do.

It’s just a trip to the hardware store, he reasoned with himself. It’s just so she can help me pick out paint.

Hesitantly, Max opened his truck door, swung his leg out and landed with a heavy thud on the driveway. Before he could talk himself out of it, Max strode across the street and knocked on the door of the Tucker family home.

***

“Lizbeth Anne! You have a caller!”

Theresa Tucker leaned against the doorway of her home with her arms crossed, scanning the lumbering figure that had just knocked on their door. She had one eye half closed with her lips pursed as she evaluated the man who was beginning to spend a little too much time with her daughter.

“We thank you for putting up the arches after all, Mr. Ingle,” Theresa said, trying to remain polite.

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