I park out front of the diner and rush around the truck to help Holly out. They salted the lot but I’m still worried about her slipping and falling. She told me that she was feeling better this morning but I still don’t want her getting hurt on my watch.
The diner is pretty empty since it’s past lunchtime and we seat ourselves at a booth near the back. Ms. Polly grabs two menus and smiles at me as she heads our way.
“Afternoon, Beau. Who’s your pretty friend?” She asks me as she hands us each a menu.
“Ms. Polly, this is Holly. Holly, Ms. Polly. Holly is just passing through town.”
“My car broke down and Beau is fixing it for me,” Holly says, aiming a bright smile my way.
My heart feels like it just shot up into my throat as her bright eyes meet mine. I think I would do anything to get her to keep looking at me like that. Like I’m her hero.
Ms. Polly takes our orders and I notice that Holly orders a hot chocolate with her meal. She said she doesn’t like coffee and I wonder if she usually drinks hot chocolate for breakfast. She had a cup of it on the desk back at the auto repair shop as well. I make a mental note to grab her some more at the store on our way home.
We eat lunch as snow starts to fall gently outside. Holly tells me about growing up in Lansing and going to school at Michigan State University. Her mom died when she was younger from a brain aneurysm and I tell her about losing my mom and then my dad. She said her and her dad were never very close and after her mother died, he seemed to throw himself into work at his law firm.
“So that’s why you’re not spending Christmas at home with family?” I ask and she nods slightly.
“It’s never very cheery there. My dad works everyday. Even on Christmas. Holiday’s have been pretty lonely around my place. To be honest, I’m actually really glad that I’m here with you this year. Now I won’t have to spend it alone. I’ll be here with you and Ford!”
She seems so excited to be spending time with me and I can’t help but feeling warm and happy by the look on her face. For the first time since my parents passed, I’m actually looking forward to the holiday season.
“I’ve been pretty lonely too,” I admit. “Ever since my parents passed, well I guess I just haven't seen the point in celebrating. Somewhere along the way, I think I turned into a bit of grinch.”
Holly reaches across the table, her small hand warm as it rests on top of mine.
“I’m here. I’ll help you find your Christmas spirit and we can make your heart grow three sizes bigger!” She says with a infectious giggle. “That’s how the story goes, right?” She asks.
“I think so. I haven’t seen that movie or read the book in years.”
“We’ll have to watch it. I’m sure it will be on TV this week.”
“Yeah, we’ll have to watch it.”
I pay the bill when we’re done eating and we both thank Ms. Polly as we head outside to the truck. The snow is starting to come down a little heavier now, blanketing the ground and making the town eerily quiet.
I help Holly up into the truck and then climb behind the wheel.
“I just need to make one more stop before we head back to the shop,” I tell her and she smiles at me.
I head down a few streets and pull up in front of the Naughty and Nice General Store. It’s the only store in town. If you need something that they don’t have then you have to travel twenty miles to the nearest Walmart.
I help Holly out and we head inside the store. I grab a basket by the door and together we start to walk up and down the aisles. Christmas decorations are prominently displayed up front and I pause when I see Holly look at them longingly.
“Let’s get some,” I say before I can second guess myself.
“Really?” She asks, her whole face lighting up and I nod. Like I could tell her no and take that look off her face.
It becomes apparent right away that one basket is not going to be enough for it all. I leave Holly in the aisle as I head back to grab another basket by the door. I think Holly has one of everything in the basket by the time I get back but I don’t say anything. I just switch her baskets so that she doesn’t have to carry the full one around.
“I just need to grab one more thing,” I tell her, leaving her up front as I head to the back to grab her some hot chocolate.
I pass by an endcap filled with fuzzy socks and before I can think too hard on it, I grab two pairs and toss them in the basket. I head back up front and find Holly taking a bag from Danny, the checkout boy. She thanks him and then tucks the bag behind her back as I step up to the counter to checkout.
I want to ask her what she bought but I don’t as we climb back into the truck and head back to the shop. I park out front and watch as Holly grabs the bags of decorations and hurries across the street to the house. I should work on her car but what if she needs help hanging up the decorations? I don’t want her getting hurt when I can just help her.
Ford greets us at the front door when we push inside and I smile as Holly bends down and pets him. We dump all of the bags in the living room and I head into the kitchen, making Holly and I a cup of hot chocolate each before I join her again in the living room.
She’s already got half of the decorations lined up on the living room floor and I smile when I see Ford sitting next to her, watching her every movement. She grins up at me, her cheeks flushed and her green eyes filled with excitement as she happily takes the hot chocolate from me.
“Where should we start?” She asks as she takes a sip from the mug.
“Wherever you want,” I tell her as I take a sip from my own hot chocolate.
We spend the next two hours hanging lights, garland, and everything else that we bought at the store. We didn’t get enough lights for the outside of the house and I make a mental note to get more. We plug in the inflatable reindeer and sleigh out front and I make sure that the stakes are secure.
We’ll need a tree too but the snow is coming down harder and it’s almost time for dinner so that will have to wait until tomorrow.
“Did you want me to grab dinner?” I ask as we pick up the trash in the living room.
“Let’s just make something here,” Holly says as she surveys our work.
I follow her into the kitchen and wash my hands at the sink next to her. Holly pokes through the cabinets and the fridge before she decides on some chicken and vegetables. I help her cut and peel the vegetables as she places the chicken in the oven.
We eat at the kitchen table and Holly tells me all about her favorite Christmases growing up and what her favorite gifts had been. I smile when I see her sneak Ford a bite of her chicken and she blushes when she notices that I caught her.
“I’m trying to bribe him so he sleeps with me again. He’s so warm,” she says with a laugh and once again I find myself jealous of my own dog.
“I think he’s already in love with you,” I murmur.
I push away from the table before she can see that I’m feeling something similar.
“I’m going to clean up before bed,” I tell her and she nods as she carries her dishes over to the sink.
I don’t bother to stick around. I need to get out of there before I do something embarrassing, like beg her to let me taste her. Her full lips have been calling to me all day and my hands have been itching to grab hold of her hips. I want to feel her curvy body against mine. I want to feel those thick thighs wrapped tight around my waist.