Page 31 of The Lie That Stole Christmas
A huge grin spread across Taylor’s face before a squeal burst free.She bounced in place, her hands clapping together at rapid speed.“It’s been so long since I’ve done a big Christmas shop for people.”
Ashley’s eyebrow shot beneath her bangs.
“Every year, Tay buys gifts for all the animals at the local shelter, dresses up like an elf and delivers them.”
A laugh slipped from Ashley, and she covered her mouth with her hand.“That is very sweet of you.”
Taylor shrugged.“Christmas hasn’t been the same since Grandma Lily died.I’ve just been trying to find the joy in it again.Besides, I’d rather spend my trust fund on animals than myself.It’s not like I earned it.”
“That sounds exactly like something Grandma Lily would have loved.”
“She gave me the idea.One year, I went with her when we were at Winterridge.We visited the local shelter.”
Silence settled over their small group.Flurries began to fall from the sky, and Ashley watched as one melted on her boot.
“She’d insisted every dog needed a Christmas sweater, even the big scary ones.”
“They’re the ones who need them most,” Ashley said.
“That’s exactly what Grandma Lily said.”
“Then it’s settled.”Ashley adjusted the strap of her bag.“We’re all buying gifts.”
“You realize you just gave her permission to go wild,” Tori said.“She once spent six thousand dollars on a cashmere sweater for a goat.”
“He looked cold.”
A laugh burst from Ashley, and a few passersby turned toward them.God, she had missed her cousins.“How about we set a budget?No more than a hundred dollars per person.”
“That’s it?”Taylor pouted.
“It’s not the price tag that counts.It’s the thought.”
“But my thoughts are expensive,” Taylor countered, and Ashley couldn’t help but shake her head with a laugh.
“Okay fine, just no cashmere sweaters.”
“Deal!”
They walked the sidewalk, looking in windows and dipping into stores that caught their attention.Taylor found a store with pet clothes and couldn’t contain her excitement.
“You two go in.I’m going to walk a little more.”
The sound of the bell above the door rang out as Ashley continued down the sidewalk.
A blur of a man nearly knocked her over as he barged out of the drugstore.Ashley reared back, her heel catching awkwardly on the uneven sidewalk.Her body pitched sideways before a hand closed around her arm and steadied her.
“Thank you—” Her gaze lifted and caught a flash of familiar blue eyes.“Carter?”
His grip tightened for a second before easing.“Not the first time I knocked you off your feet.”
The low roughness of his voice dragged her straight to the corridor, his body pressed against hers as he’d asked whether she wanted to rethink her evaluation.
Ashley lifted an eyebrow.After everything they had said to each other, this was where he wanted to retreat?Childhood memories and harmless teasing.“Excuse me?”
A corner of his mouth twitched, but the amusement never reached his eyes.“The sprinklers.I ran into you, and you fell flat on your ass.”
“I remember.”She remembered him hovering over her in a panic, spewing apologies and begging her not to tell on him.“You felt so bad you begged me not to tell your dad.”
