by Leah Atwood
“What do you think?” He circled the tree, investigating it from all angles.
“It’s pretty.” Kate tapped a finger to her chin then slid her hands upward at a diagonal angle. “And its shape is near perfect.”
“Do we have a winner?”
She clucked her tongue. “You never pick the first tree you look at.”
“Even if you like it?” Not understanding why, he quirked a brow and looked at her.
“Searching is half the fun.” Her hand cupped his shoulder. “If we don’t find another, we can always come back to this one.”
“If you say so.” He never realized there were rules for choosing a Christmas tree. In his family, they bought the first one everyone agreed on. Lighten up, Luke. You’re spending time with her and that’s the point. A wide grin took over his face. Indeed, he was, and he’d look at a dozen more trees if that’s what she wanted. Man, he had it bad for her.
They walked around for another forty-five minutes and debated on a dozen more trees. In the end, they went back to the first tree at which they’d stopped. Luke knelt on the ground, grateful it was dry and not muddy. He also was glad that he’d changed into jeans from the original khakis he’d worn that morning.
His fingers wrapped around the saw’s handle, and he pushed it against the reddish-purple bark. Applying pressure, he moved the blade back and forth, making the teeth dig into the tree. A woodsy scent released as tree dust sprinkled on the earth.
“Want a turn?” He glanced up at Kate once he’d cut several inches into the trunk.
“You know it.” She knelt beside him and took possession of the saw.
Luke stood and clasped the upper trunk of the tree, supporting it so it wouldn’t fall when Kate made the final pass. He felt the release and moved the tree from its separated base. Stepping back as far as his extended arm allowed, he gave the tree a full appraisal.
“You better like it because it’s yours now, for better or worse.”
He flashed her a sly grin and a wink. “I’d definitely say it’s for the better.”
Chapter 4
Bags of Christmas decorations loaded Kate down as she walked up the three steps leading to Luke’s townhouse. Excited to decorate, she’d insisted on carrying their purchases so he could get the tree situated in its stand. She placed the bags on the kitchen table before going to join him in the living room, where he fought to get the tree exactly straight.
For several minutes, she stood in the shadows to watch him undetected. Every time he stood up to check if the tree was straight he would bite his lower lip in concentration. He’d hold his arms out, as if measuring lengths and angles. And he couldn’t be cuter while doing so.
Contentment filled her when she reflected on their day, and she was glad she’d taken Sophie’s advice to let Luke into her circle. When she was with him, she was happy and relaxed—she didn’t feel like she had to be anyone but herself. Perhaps it was because he’d already seen her at her worst that her need to present perfection didn’t matter as much. Or maybe, just maybe, it was because she instinctively trusted him and was letting go of her fear, which was a rarity.
Either way, she was thankful for his presence in her life. She still missed her brother and worried about him, but it no longer overshadowed the season.
She walked across the room, into the light. “Need help?”
“Yes.” He motioned her to him then guided her to a spot several feet from the tree. “Can you stand right here and let me know when it’s straight?”
Kneeling on the floor again, he adjusted the bolts, working on her guidance, until the tree stood tall at a one hundred and eighty degree angle.
“Ready to eat or do you want to decorate first?” Luke stood by her side and she became too aware of his presence.
“Let’s do the tree, then eat. After that, we’ll transform the rest of your place.” She went to the other room and returned with two boxes. “Start with the lights, and I’ll unpack the ornaments.”
“I still can’t believe you talked me into purple ornaments,” he grumbled, but his eyes sparkled.
“Purple and gold, and don’t blame me.” A hand went to her hip, and she shot him a saucy grin. “You’re the LSU fan. If you’d gone with my team, you’d have red and black.”
“And I refuse to put black on a Christmas tree.”
“Well then, that’s that.”
He laughed and took the two boxes of Christmas lights from her. “Whatever happened to decorating a tree with traditional ornaments?”
“Again, don’t look at me.” She pulled out two wrapped bulky items from bags. “You said you wanted something different.”
“No, I said something different from my parents.”
“Same difference.” Moving her head, she tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Besides, I like the purple regardless of the team.”
“I know.” He flipped her a wink that sent a pleasant shiver down her spine.
While Luke strung the lights on the tree, Kate carried all the bags into the living room and unwrapped the ornaments they’d chosen. Once she’d finished, she carefully carried the glass ones and lined them by the tree. The less fragile ornaments she piled in a box until they were ready.
“Close your eyes,” Luke instructed.
“Why?”
“I need to make sure the lights are even, but don’t want you to see yet.”
“Okay.” She pinched her eyes shut, amused at Luke. He’d jokingly called her Ms. Christmas Spirit, but he wasn’t so free of it himself. She might start calling him Mr. Christmas Spirit. One day they could be Mr. and Mrs.
Whoa. Slow down there. Talk about runaway thoughts. They’d been seeing each other just shy of two weeks, and that’s if she counted the first date at the pizza place. She had no business letting her mind wander that far into the future.
But she couldn’t stop it. She was falling in love with Luke, already had if she was honest. And it’s not like they’d only known each other for two weeks. They’d been friends for years. She’d never bought into the when-its-right-you-just-know philosophy, but Luke changed that. Admittedly, she’d dated many men over the years and not a single one even began to stir in her what Luke did. None had broken through her defenses as Luke had.
She’d also prayed about it and had peace that God wanted her to pursue a relationship with him. Everything pointed to opening her heart to Luke. Her face flushed when she replayed the image of his face right after she’d kissed his cheek. It was the first time in her life she’d ever made the first move. Her fingers touched her lips where she could still feel the smoothness of his cheek.
“They’re good.” Luke’s announcement interrupted her memory, which was for the best. “Did you grab the box of ornament hooks?”
“Right there.” She pointed to the box nearest the tree.
One by one they strategically placed the ornaments on the tree until not a branch was bare. Luke lifted the star. “Would you like the honor?”
“It’s your tree. You should do it.”
He shrugged and fitted the circular base over the top tree branch, then plugged it into the top set of unlit lights. “Did we forget to add anything?”
Kate traveled her gaze over the entire tree. “Not that I can think of.”
“Let’s plug her in then.” Luke turned off the overhead lights, and the room went pitch black. Using the flashlight app from his phone for light, he bent down, grabbed the tail end of the light cord and stuck it into an outlet.
This was Kate’s favorite part, the magic of seeing the year’s tree lit for the first time, even if it wasn’t officially her tree. The display did not disappoint. Despite its sports theme, it gave the room a Christmas cheer. Luke stood and came to her side. Slipped an arm around her waist. Not for the first time that day, their eyes locked and spoke more than they could say.
A lump formed in her throat and she opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
Luke tilted his head. “Are you ok
ay?” he asked in his deep, calming timbre.
Swallowing, she nodded. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” The corner of his mouth rose. “For what?”
“Today, this week.” She leaned into him. “You’ve kept me so busy, I haven’t had time to worry about Evan. Not just that, but I feel comfortable around you. You have no idea how rare that is for me.”
“I think I do.” He turned her so they faced each other. His finger tipped her chin. “I really like you, Kate. And there’s nothing I’d like more than to kiss you right now.”
An airy gasp trickled up from her throat. The overwhelming urge to run when anyone dared get too close reared its ugly head. He only wanted to kiss her—she’d kissed other men. But none of them had held a piece of her heart, and kissing Luke would only allow him closer to the burden she carried.
Clamminess took over her palms. Blood pumped through her veins at pulsating intervals in contrast to her erratic heartbeat. She pulled away, and Luke gave her the space she needed. Her fight against panic continued. Why can’t I be normal? Averting his gaze, she shifted her attention to the tree.
The room was still dark, save the glow of two hundred miniature white lights. A purple bulb with a golden fleur-de-lis caught her eye. Luke had chosen that one on his own said it would be a nice complement to the other decorations. Their hands had brushed when she’d taken it from him to look at more closely.
“Don’t feel bad. You aren’t ready and that’s okay.” Luke’s patience with her knocked a brick from her carefully built wall.
She looked at him. His russet eyes held nothing but understanding.
Flight or fight.
What did she want?
Her heart knew, but could it be heard through the scars?
A tentative hand reached out to Luke, landing on his chest. She waited to see if the panic would resurface. When it didn’t, she took another step back to him. His quiet strength gave her assurance.
“Luke…” Her voice wobbled—she was scared but determined to push past her old fears. “I’d like nothing more than for you to kiss me.”
A faint smile appeared. His brows crinkled, silently asking, “Are you sure?”
She nodded. Her hand didn’t move from his chest, her other stayed at her side. She needed Luke to guide her, to help her not run away.
When he lowered his head, his eyes not leaving hers, she knew he understood. His arms folded around her, closing their gap with a tender touch. Taking a slow pace, he rested his forehead against hers. He raised a hand, trailed it down her hair, allowing the tips of his fingers to graze the top of her back.
Her shoulders tingled with his touch. Trepidation fled her, and she didn’t worry about giving away her heart. She tilted her head and parted her lips. Luke angled his head to meet her lips. His touch was gentle, giving her time to back away if she needed. Her hands slid behind his neck, telling him she was staying. She returned his kiss and with it, gave him her trust.
Chapter 5
Luke parked in the driveway of Kate’s parents’ house. Their home was located a few miles beyond city limits and was a newer construction of brick and stucco nestled on a corner lot at the rear of a subdivision.
“There’s something I should tell you.” In the passenger seat, Kate gripped her purse in her lap.
An uneasy hunch rolled over in his stomach. “What would that be?”
“I told my parents I was bringing a friend to dinner.” Her sharp intake of air produced a hiss. “I didn’t specify a boyfriend.”
He quirked a brow. “Do you make a habit of bringing guy friends home to dinner?”
“No.” She squirmed in her seat. “I’m sorry, I should have told them the truth, but we happened so fast, and I was worried they’d think we jumped into a relationship.”
“Relax, Kate.” He wrapped his hand around hers. “I’m pretty sure they’ll figure it out once they see me.”
“I know.” Her resigned sigh filled the air. “I’ll tell them when I introduce you.”
“You don’t have to if they don’t ask, but I’m not going to lie if they do.”
“And I wouldn’t want you to.”
Tilting his head, he brushed a kiss on her cheek. “Don’t worry. It’s going to be fine.”
Giving Kate time to gather her thoughts, he made no move to leave his car. It amazed him how little he’d known her for four years compared to what he’d thought he knew, and then how well he understood her after just a week of dating.
All right, so technically they’d been dating for almost three weeks since the conference, but not officially until last Saturday when they’d shared their first kiss—a kiss that knocked his perfectly situated world off-kilter. They’d connected in an emotional intimacy that was new to him. He didn’t know what to make of it, except that he cared deeply for Kate.
When he saw that her features had calmed and her eyes didn’t look quite like a deer caught in headlights, he hopped out then opened her door. He reached for her hand, but withdrew, uncertain of her parents’ reaction. The front door opened and a pleasantly plump woman stepped out. She wore a black polyester skirt and a white turtleneck. Over her shirt, she had donned a Christmas vest with miniature gold bells attached. Her hair was chestnut brown, her face heart-shaped and cheeks a rosy red. If he had to guess her age, he’d place her in her sixties.
“Hi, Mom.” Kate embraced the woman.
Standing back, Luke observed the two women. Hard as he tried, he couldn’t find a similarity between the two. Mrs. Jergens reminded him of his fourth grade teacher who brought the class homemade cookies every Friday while Kate could easily grace the cover of any fashion magazine.
“Are you going to introduce your friend?” Mrs. Jergens addressed her daughter, but offered him a wink so subtle, he half-thought he’d imagined it.
“Mom, this is Luke Tatum, a friend, and co-worker. Luke, this is my mom, Maria Jergens.”
“Nice to meet you, ma’am.” He offered a handshake, staving off the disappointment of Kate’s introduction. ‘Friend’ he could handle. ‘Coworker’—that didn’t sit so well and he felt slighted.
“Please, call me Maria.” She gestured to the door. “Come in. My husband’s out back lighting the grill to get one more use before the cold front hits tomorrow.”
After Mrs. Jergens had turned her back Kate glanced at him, her shoulders lifted in an apologetic hunch. “I’m sorry,” she mouthed.
He shrugged then followed Kate into the house. What else could he do? “Let’s go meet your dad.”
She paused in the entryway, peering at him with a worried expression. “You’re mad, aren’t you?” Her eyes lost their luster.
“No.” Deep breath in. Deep breath out. “But a co-worker, really?”
“Well, it’s the truth.”
The impish smile she gave him to downplay the situation only grated on his nerves. Took him back to the girls who’d told him he was a better friend than a boyfriend. Always the guy to turn to for relationship problems, never the guy in the relationship. He looked to the ceiling, started counting to ten before he said something he’d regret. Really, it wasn’t worth arguing over.
On the count of three he noticed a sprig of mistletoe hanging above them. A primitive need to prove himself as more than a friend replaced reason with impulse.
“Would you kiss a co-worker like this?” His hand cradled her nape and brought her to him.
A surprised, “Oh,” tipped her lips before he pressed his against them.
She melted into him and his irritation faded. Later, he’d apologize for initiating a kiss for the wrong reasons, but in the present, he only held her for all the right ones.
“Ahem.” A masculine cough broke their spell.
Remembering where he was, Luke jerked away, praying he didn’t share the dazed expression Kate wore. If the mirth reflected in the man’s face was any indication, Luke had a feeling he wouldn’t want to look in a mirror. That’s what he got for being impetuou
s.
“You must be Luke.” The older man, tall and graying, offered a hand.
Luke accepted and shook it. “Yes, sir.”
Kate stepped forward. “Luke, I’d like you to meet my dad, Wayne Jergens.”
Maria came behind her husband, breaking in to the exchange. “Sorry to interrupt dear, but the fire on the grill went out.”
“I’ll be right there.” Wayne looked at his daughter, then Luke.
“Did I miss something?” Maria followed her husband’s gaze.
“Luke’s not a friend or coworker. I mean, he’s both of those too, but more.” Stumbling over her explanation, likely due to the same embarrassment he suffered, Kate lost her poise.
He was quick to rescue her and slipped an arm around her waist. “What Kate’s trying to tell you is that we are a couple.”
“That became obvious when I caught you locking lips under the mistletoe.” A stern look from Wayne followed his statement.
“I’m sorry, sir.” Suppressing a sigh, Luke promised himself to never do something so impulsively dumb again. “I meant no disrespect.”
Wayne broke out in a broad smile and slapped Luke’s back. “I’m only giving you a hard time. I trust our Kate to make sound judgments. Besides, I remember what it’s like to be young and in love.” He made a deft move to grab his wife and dip her, planting a full kiss on her mouth. “I still am,” he said with a wink, then left the room laughing with an arm around Maria.
“I’m mortified.” An adorable red blush stained Kate’s cheeks.
“You and me, both.” A spicy aroma wafted in their direction and Luke followed Kate when she walked through the house in the direction her parent’s had gone. “Your parents seem nice.”
“They’re the best.” Kate's lips rested in a serene smile.
They came to a sliding glass door that opened to a slate tile patio. Wayne stood by a large silver grill, flipping a chicken quarter.
Maria walked to them and put a hand on Kate’s arm. “Would you set the table while I put the salad together?”