Page 76 of A Love Like Christmas Time
When the snowflakes become scarcer, Lauren downs the last bit of coffee, sets down her mug and gets up to stretch her arms over her head. It makes the hem of her shirt ride up the tiniest bit, and my eyes are captivated by the sliver of skin it reveals.
“Okay,” she says and shakes out her arms. “I’ve got a pile of boxes to bring in and pack away. Do you want to join me? Or would you rather entertain the kitties?”
She disappears into the hallway without waiting for my answer. My eyes dart to the two cats sitting on their cat tree by the window. Simultaneously, they slowly turn their heads to me, and I could swear they give me a judgmental once-over. I’m pretty sure they’re planning my murder.
Their eyes are… empty. It makes them look unpredictable.
“Coming!” I shout and jump up, pulling my sweatshirt on along the way.
She’s already wearing a red puffy winter jacket, a white scarf that she has pulled up to her nose, and tucked her hair under a beige knitted wool hat.
“Okay, let’s do this.” Her voice is muffled through the fabric of her scarf as she pulls the door open with vigor.
“Wait, wait, wait. Don’t you have a shovel?” I ask her, pulling on my jacket.
She turns around and narrows her eyes at me. “I’m not going to shovel the five steps it’s going to take to my car.”
I hold her gaze, eyebrows lifting up my forehead. “You should, though. Unless you want to slip on your stairs, face-plant into the snow, and have to wait hours for an ambulance.”
“You’re overreacting. I’ll take that risk.”
“And have me laughing at you,” I add as I slip into my winter boots. She freezes, slowly turning her head to me and giving me a hard stare with narrowed eyes.
“Okay. I’ll get a shovel.”
“Thought so.” I shrug and lean down to tie the laces. By the time I’m done, she’s already back with a huge snow shovel that she all but thrusts into my hands once I’m upright.
“I bet you’resomuch more practiced with shoveling snow,” she says sweetly, eyes wide and fluttering her eyelashes at me.
“And what are you going to do?” I ask, already having accepted my fate.
“I’ll be your emotional support. And DJ.” She grins and holds up her phone, the first notes of Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas’ filling the hallway.
“Sure.” I chuckle and pull the door open.
Thank God her car isn’t too far from her front door. Honestly, it’s five steps down and then not more than another ten feet.
It seems ridiculous to shovel snow for such a short distance. However, the snow is so high that I can’t even make out the steps down her porch. Considering we won’t be able to watch our steps while carrying boxes in our arms, it’s a recipe for disaster. I’d rather feel ridiculous and waste ten minutes of my time shoveling snow than have either of us slip and break an ankle, or worse. It will be at least another day or two until there’s even the possibility of getting anywhere by car.
When I glance over my shoulder, Lauren is leaning against one of the porch’s pillars, eyes staring into the distance and obviously bored. When she catches my eye, she demonstratively taps her wrist with a grin.
“Were you planning on finishing today?”
Instead of giving in to my instincts and subtly scratching my chin with my middle finger, I pretend to continue, but lean down, press the fluffy flakes between my hands into a ball. Then I turn around, aim and…
“What the—” Her head whips to me when the snowball lands on her shoulder. “Are you for real?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I act innocently and shove the shovel into a pile of snow. “Voilà. It’s done. Let’s do this.”
“Oh no, no, no, mister.” She walks closer slowly, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Suddenly she grabs my jacket by the collar and pulls, making the two of us fall face-first into the snow.
“Hey!” I try to push her off me, but she’s already taking a handful of snow and trying to rub it into my face with a devious giggle.
“Take this!”
“Not a chance.”
With one swift move and I turn the two of us around, pushing her back into the soft snow. I pull at the collar of her jacket and try to stuff a handful of snow down her sweatshirt.
