“I didn’t give him the address, but I told him you moved in with me.”
She’s quiet for a moment. “Was he mad?”
My brow furrows. “Why would he be mad, pretty girl?”
She shrugs gently and it nearly breaks my heart. “Just thought he might be.”
I kiss her hairline. “He’s not mad. Come on, let’s go take that shower.”
34
ROSIE
The smellof pine and snow is strong in the air and my boots sink into the muddy footpath. I cling to Jackson’s arm just in case I lose my footing and get stuck like a turtle on its back. Getting out of the house is becoming more and more of an ordeal now, especially because I hardly want to leave my new home.
“What about this one?” I ask, pointing to a lopsided fir with a gloved hand.
Jackson tilts his head. “Sure, if you’re happy to look at it at a forty five degree angle.”
I sigh under my breath and wrap my hand further around his arm. I never would have guessed that Jackson takes Christmas tree shopping as seriously as he takes an exam, but I can’t help finding it endearing. Even if we’ve walked past half a dozen perfectly fine trees already.
“This one,” I say, pulling him to a stop in front of a thin, maple spruce.
He hums under his breath. “It’s too skinny. It will look like we’ve dragged a branch in from the street.”
“I like the Charlie Brown tree,” I protest but he’s already moved on.
The tree farm is almost an hour out of London, but when I said offhandedly that I wanted to start decorating the house for Christmas he bundled me into the car and drove me all the way outside of the city to find the perfect tree.
I readjust the fluffy hat on my head and squint at all the options.
“You’re going to have to pick one eventually,” I tell him. “Before I give birth next to the netting funnel.”
“Great, we can catch the baby on the way out.”
I bite my lip to stop the laugh bubbling up inside. How can he know exactly what to say to make me laugh?
“Hey, I wanted to talk to you about something,” he says casually, slinging an arm over my shoulder.
“Is it about the difference between Fraser and Douglas fir? Because I honestly don’t know the difference, they look identical.”
“It’s unrelated to trees. Related to Christmas.”
I look up at him from under my glasses. “Hit me.”
“Well, now that we’re settled into the house and we’re decorating, I just wanted to see what you wanted to do for Christmas.”
“Oh.” I step out of the cradle of his arm. “Uhm, yeah. Well, I guess I can spend it with Anya and Danny? I already told her that I don’t want to be a third wheel on their first married Christmas, but she probably won’t let me spend it alone.” And I think it’s better for everyone if I don’t go to my parents house. “So, I mean, I can definitely, like, get out of your hair.”
I glance down at my boots, my fluffy jumper and winter coat covering my bump, and I try not to let the blush showon my face. His hands come to my chin as he tilts my head towards his. “Shall I tell you my thoughts and then you can let me know what you think?”
I nod as his thumb teases at the bottom of my lip.
“I would like to spend Christmas with you. I want to wake up in our bed and give you all the presents that I’m going to pretend I haven’t bought you already. And then I want to go downstairs and give you some more presents. And, y’know, if you have any for me that would also be okay with me. And then I want to eat some good food and snuggle on the sofa with you and watch Christmas films and then fall asleep full of chocolate.”
He doesn’t look away as he tells me his plan, his eyes sparkling.
I have to look away to blink the tears that are rimming in my eyes. This man. His communication method should be sold in a relationship guide book. “Uh, yeah, I mean that sounds nice, I guess.”
