Page 21 of Light Up My Life

Momma laughed. “You don’t have to go,” she said again.

“Well, now I want cocoa. And I’m going to spend your entire ten dollars.” That statement I directed at Mom.

“Please do!” Mom called as I left.

“All I Want for Christmas Is You” was playing from the speakers next door, the lights doing their dance to the beat, as I walked down the path toward the hot chocolate trailer. There was a line, of course, and I joined the back of it.

Two kids and their dad in front of me were talking about their favorite lights in the neighborhood. The little boy pointed to the Moreno house and said, “I love that one! It’s so cool!”

“That house is better,” the little girl said, pointing to our house. I smiled. She was my favorite now.

I studied the menu options printed on the side of the trailer. They were extensive—lots of syrup flavors to add to the different chocolate bases, plus marshmallows, sprinkles, chocolate chips, candy pieces, and even candy cane stir sticks. I was impressed.

“Hello,” I said as I stepped up to the ordering window.

The guy smiled. Up close, I could see he was in fact about my age, though I didn’t recognize him from school. He had a name tag on that said Buddy.

“Like the elf?” I said with raised eyebrows.

“Of course,” he answered. “What can I get for you?”

“I’m mostly a purist. But I do want a candy cane.”

“Whipped cream too?” he asked.

“No, I’m good.”

As Buddy plucked a cup off the top of his stack, he gestured to my house. “You live across the street, yeah?”

“I do.”

“I might need to start parking in front of your place.”

“Why? Is Mr. Lenny giving you a hard time?” I glanced over at Mr. Lenny’s dark windows and the single string of green lights across his roofline. I was surprised. Mr. Lenny was pretty easygoing.

“No, but I had a note on my windshield when I left last night telling me to find a new place to park.”

“That might be from the owners of that house,” I said, nodding toward the Morenos’ place. “They must think you’re distracting people from their splendor.”

“Good to know.” Buddy plopped a candy cane into my cup and slid it over to me. “I think I’ll stay here, then.” He gave me a wide smile that lit up his whole face.

I couldn’t help but smile back. “I would too.” I handed him a ten.

While he was getting my change, I saw Ryan’s car pull into his driveway across the street.

“Here you go,” Buddy said, holding out my change.

“Actually will you make me another one just like this?”

“Sure,” Buddy said, adjusting my change and then mixing another drink. I willed him to go faster as I watched Ryan exit his car and head toward his house. Buddy barely had time to drop a candy cane in before I snatched the drink with a thank you. The hot liquid sloshed onto my hand but I kept moving.

Chapter 8

“Ryan!” I called as I reached the sidewalk. He’d made it to his front door and was messing with his keys to unlock it. He couldn’t hear me over “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”

I hesitated, my heart beating out of my chest, as I stared down his walkway. Why was I even doing this? He’d all but ignored me at school earlier today. You ignored him too, came a voice in my head.

I had never, ever stepped a toe onto his property. But he had his key in the lock now. I launched myself forward several steps.