thinking.
Caleb tickled her side. “Yes. Yes, I do.” He kissed her quickly. “And I’ll probably do that again before I drop you back home. But what I meant was, I’d like to have this Christmas with you—no talk of what comes after. Let’s just see where it all goes in the next week.”
She counted in her head. Seven days until Christmas. Not even a full twelve to count down. It wouldn’t be enough. But it would be a memory she could carry with her for a lifetime. “I’d like that.”
He hugged her close. “We have to do all the Christmas couple things.” Releasing her, he showed her to the gazebo, where there was an outdoor couch with huge red cushions and a table covered in heated dishes, warmed by candles burning underneath.
“Two questions.” She held up one finger. “What couple things, and—” She popped up the second finger. “—when did you do all this?”
He laughed. “I did this right before I came to get you. And we’ll brainstorm Christmas couple things while we eat.”
“Deal.” She settled into the couch while he pulled the lids off the different foods. One was chicken soup, and the other was rolls. They had hot chocolate to drink and warm rice pudding for dessert.
With all the care Caleb took on her behalf, Faith hardly felt the chill in the air.
By the time he finished kissing her goodnight, she could have started a forest fire. As she let herself into the house, she sighed happily. She’d never had a boyfriend at Christmas. This was a new adventure—albeit a temporary one.
She found herself humming “Jingle Bells” as she put on her pajamas. It was easy to get caught up in the holiday when Caleb loved it so much. Maybe even after she left the reindeer wrangler behind, she’d hang on to some holiday cheer.
Either that or she’d end up with a broken heart and never want to celebrate Christmas again. “Nope.” She spoke out loud to give her thoughts more weight. “I’m not going to fall in love with him. And I’m going to keep Christmas in a separate compartment.”
Her heart snickered like it knew better, but she told it to shush and squeezed her eyes shut, willing sleep to come so she could wake up quicker. She and Caleb were going Christmas shopping tomorrow.
Chapter 25
Caleb
Caleb laced his fingers through Faith’s, on air that she let him. She glanced up from the shaving kit she debated over for her dad and winked. He tripped over how happy that wink made him feel. He was flying without a reindeer, and it felt so good.
The local feed store was a compact version of a box store found in other towns. Sleigh Bell Country didn’t need much more than a half-rack of men’s clothing, a whole one for the ladies, and a couple patterns of bedsheets with matching towels and bathroom matts. However, when December 1st rolled around, the owner packed the aisles until the fire marshal came in, waving his badge around, and demanding they keep walkways open. Caleb had been here one year when Officer Adams had shown up, his face red and spit flying from his mouth as he’d barked orders. The shop owner, Timothy Write, had been just as loud and animated. It was right then that Caleb had ruled out a career in retail.
“I think I’ll get him the one with the shaving bar.” Faith put the red box back and tucked the brown one into the crook of her arm. “What about you? Anything you need to pick up?”
He nodded. “Something for my dad.” Reaching across her, he took the red box. “Thanks for helping me decide.”
She laughed, and they made their way to the registers and then stepped out of the gold-framed doors. Caleb shuddered and stopped to button up his coat.
“Caleb!”
He spun around, looking for the person who had called out to him.
“Who’s that?” Faith asked.
He rolled his eyes. “Carlie Jefferson. I can’t imagine what she wants.”
Carlie and a cameraman he didn’t recognize weaved in and out of the crowd on the sidewalk to catch Caleb. “Whew, I wasn’t sure you heard me.” Carlie tossed her long hair over her shoulder, thought better of it, and draped it all over one shoulder, patting the curls to make sure they were bouncy.
“What can I help you with, Carlie?” He didn’t like the cameraman sizing him up. Caleb stood taller, beating him by at least an inch. Faith held his arm and stepped closer.