Page 45 of Light Up My Life

Sorry—I had no idea Fiona was going to do that, I finally texted him as I was getting into the car with Marcus after school.

I stared at my phone while we drove. But there was no response.

Chapter 16

“Hey, Costa family! Come get some hot chocolate!” Buddy called as we set out to walk the lights the next night.

On two different nights in December, people in Cherry Ridge filled the streets with only illuminated wagons or bicycles or horse-drawn carriages or just their feet. Anything without a gas-powered engine. It was its own kind of magic. Tonight was the first walking night of the season, and the second would be on Christmas Eve. We walked as a family every year.

There was a line at Buddy’s cocoa trailer, but for some reason he was waving us to the front.

“For your walk,” he said when we reached him, passing us a cup holder with five already-made drinks. He smiled at me.

“Thanks,” I said.

“Yours is the one with the candy cane.”

“My favorite,” I said.

“How much do we owe you?” Momma asked.

“No, it’s on the house, for letting me park in front of yours.”

“Technically you’re in front of Mr. Lenny’s,” I said.

“Yes, but yours too.” He was making a drink for the next customer while talking to us.

“Is your name really Buddy?” Harris asked. His face glowed from the necklace around his neck that was fashioned to look like a string of colorful Christmas lights.

“It sure is,” Buddy said, but I didn’t know if he would admit that it wasn’t to a kid and ruin the whole aesthetic he was going for.

“Like the elf,” Harris said.

Mom dropped a five-dollar bill in his tip jar and thanked him again. I waved to Buddy, took Harris by the hand, and started to lead him away, following my moms and Marcus.

“We had an elf decoration before I was born. My grandma made it,” Harris said, forcing me to a stop.

“Oh yeah?” Buddy asked, handing a finished drink to the next customer.

“They stole it.” Harris pointed to the Moreno house with his drink.

“Allegedly.” I used my arm to lower Harris’s hand because mine were full.

Buddy tilted his head in question at me.

“Long story,” I said.

“I like your necklace,” he said.

Like Harris, I was also wearing lights around my neck, but mine were gold fairy lights that I’d twisted with a garland of holly leaves and red berries. “Thanks. Me too. See you later.”

“Have a good walk.”

“We don’t need to tell other people our business,” I said to Harris as we joined up with the rest of our family.

“Why?” he asked. “It’s true. The neighbors stole our elf.”

Here I went again, feeling protective of Ryan. He’d texted me back last night when I was watching a movie with my moms.