Then she walks out onto the porch and right past me.
“Hey.” I chase her down the sidewalk. “I really am sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’ve never said something so stupid to a date before.”
Her lips curl in the corners. “I believe you.”
I open the truck door for her, and she climbs in. I round the truck, my eyes meeting her father’s one more time. He still doesn’t like me. That’s okay. I can change his opinion of me. But first I have to change London’s.
***
“A tree farm? You’re really invested in this Hallmark scenario, aren’t you?” London asks when I turn down the lane for the “Ivy Forest.”
I shoot her a grin. “I have it on good authority they hang plenty of mistletoe around these places.”
She taps her chin. “You’re thinking of pinecones.”
I chuckle. I want to lean across the console and hold her hand, but her little arm is the one available to me, and for some reason, I’m scared to cross that threshold. Not because it’s weird. The exact opposite. Her little arm is special, and I want her to know I respect her and won’t do anything she’s not comfortable with.
“So are we picking out a tree?” she asks, breaking me from my thoughts.
I rub my jaw. “Yes…” Crap, is this a stupid idea? “Unless you don’t want to?” Why am I doubting everything when it comes to this date? I’ve been nervous all day. I’m never nervous. Not even when I went skydiving for my eighteenth birthday.
She bites her bottom lip, contemplating. “It’s not that I don’t want to. I’m just… surprised. But it’s probably a good idea we are going somewhere where you will remain vertical.”
“I would have remained vertical if you hadn’t intercepted my landing.”
“How was I supposed to know you were planning a suicide mission?” she laughs.
I love her playfulness. Her teasing. She’s the same girl I remember in high school, time has only made her more beautiful, more gracious, more incredible.
“I like your laugh.”
She swallows and stares straight ahead as I pull into a spot.
Her eyes are wide and worried. Do I worry her? Was it too soon for a first date? She still doesn't trust me. And I can’t say I blame her. But I’m not giving up yet. Not unless she chases me away with a witch coven.
I hop out of the truck to go to her side. She lets me open the door and waits for me to lead the way.
Lights dangle over the entrance and Christmas music filters from the barn a hundred yards away. The whole scene is very romantic, so where’s the mistletoe?
“Stop looking. There’s not any up there,” London says.
I arch a brow, a grin taking over my face. “You checked already?”
Her cheeks turn bright pink. “Yes. So I can avoid it.”
“Is that the lie you’re telling yourself?” I look up one last time. This would be the perfect place for the little sprig of that stuff. “Wait that might be—”
I look down at her…but she’s not there.
“London?” I call into the endless rows of trees.
I would be offended if this didn’t feel like her flirting. Lucky for her, it’s my favorite kind.
I walk perpendicular to the aisles so I can see down each one. On the third row, I catch a glimpse of blue before it disappears down a different aisle. I take off in that direction, slowing down when I reach the spot. Another flash of blue two rows away. I sneak through the trees, catching a glimpse of her white pants. Phew. I’d hate to scoop up a stranger instead.
I weave in and out of the trees, following her at a safe distance. Finally, she stops and looks around with a smile on her face. She thinks she’s lost me.
She turns in each direction and I match her movements, inching closer to her.
