Page 209 of How My Neighbour Stole Christmas

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That makes me want to sink to the floor and cry some more.

Because…he just started loving Christmas again, and then this had to happen?

“It’s fine, Aunt Cindy.”

There’s silence on the other side and then the doorknob twists. “I’m coming in. Cover up.”

“Aunt Cindy, I said it’s fine,” I say as she opens the door, her hand covering her eyes.

She leans against the doorframe. “Are you decent?”

“Yes,” I reply, exasperated, as I turn toward her, arms crossed, trying to put on a good front.

She doesn’t say anything at first but instead uncovers her eyes and looks me up and down, studying me, clearly waiting for me to burst into tears.

I want to.

I want to break.

I want to show her how sad I am.

But that will do nothing.

It won’t solve the problem, so I hold strong.

“You don’t look like everything is fine.”

I feel a sting in my eyes.

“Well, it is.” I lean against the counter and look down at the floor, not wanting to see the sadness in her eyes.

“Storee, talk to me.”

“I said it’s fine,” I repeat, slightly more aggressively as tears sting my eyes now.

“Storee—”

“Aunt Cindy,” I say, looking up at her through watery eyes. A tear slides down my cheek. “We have a plan. It will be okay.”

“Storee, come here.”

I hold up my hand, not wanting her to come closer. I then swipe at my tears and blow out a heavy breath. “Please, I need to get changed so I can help out. I don’t want to talk about this, not right now. I just need to…I need to fix it, okay?”

She slowly nods, understanding washing over her face. “I understand. But I would like to say, for what it’s worth, what you’re doing…it will work, Storee. I know this boy and I know his heart well enough from observing him over the years. This will work.”

My lips tremble as I look away from her and say, “I can only hope so.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Cole

It was a sad day in Kringle, a sad day indeed.

How could she take those lights down at such lightning speed?

Cole’s heart was shattered, shattered and crushed,

and now where Storee is concerned he has lost all trust.

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