“Timeoff,”Addisonsaid. “Ilove traveling to new places, and an extra three days would make that even better.”
“Whathave been your favorite places to travel to?”
Addisonstarted telling him, and he tried hard to listen, but he kept noticing how organizedKelliwas with the craft supplies she was working with.Therewere twelve people around the table working, and it looked like an explosion of scissors, glues, paints, brushes, and all the craft supplies they’d been given to make the ornaments with.
Exceptfor right in front of him and right in front ofKelli.Everythingwas lined up so neatly and orderly that she could find anything she needed quickly.
“Howabout you?Doyou have any favorite places you’ve traveled?”
Okay, he had to be more serious about not letting his eyes or his mind wander to the other side of the table.Sohe talked withAddisonas they finished making their four ornaments.
WhenElisecalled time,ParkerandAddisonlooked at their ornaments.Headmired the horse they’d made out of brown felt that stood next to a cactus that was decorated like aChristmastree, and the cowboy hat with mistletoe on the brim.Hewas pretty proud of what they had created once he’d quit looking inKelli’sdirection.Elisehad them all gather up their ornaments and bring them to the tree, and thenGrahamsaid, “LettheChristmastree decorating begin!”
Addisonhung two of them, andParkersearched for the perfect spot for their other two, as all twelve of them were gathered around the same tree, trying to find places for theirs.
Beforehe knew it, he was reaching to put one of his up high while someone was reaching in front of him to place one, and he looked down to see thatKelliwas pressed against him, their faces less than a foot apart.Therewas so much jostling around the tree that someone knocked intoKelli, and he had barely placed his ornament in time to put his arm on her shoulders to keep her from falling.
Hereyes held his for a small moment as they stood inches apart, sharing the same air, electricity seeming to crackle between them, before she cleared her throat and said, “Thankyou,” and then looked away.Hequickly turned away from her gaze, too, and his eyes landed on her ornament.
“Wow,Kelli.”Heleaned in closer to it.Therewere little elves with wooden marble faces and felt bodies, wearing tall pointed hats with a mini pompom on top.Theywere both kneeling on the floor, wrapping gifts.Differentlycolored wrapping paper covered the floor, and she had even taken curling ribbon, cut in half so it was thinner, and made little tiny bows out of it.Theamount of detail in such a small space was mind-blowing. “Thisis incredible.Sointricate.I’mimpressed.”
Helooked back at her to see that she was beaming at the compliment.Sheshould be.
Onceall the ornaments were placed and they had all stepped back,Grahamturned the tree lights on and led them all in theoohing andaahing.Itdid look decent.Nothinglike home, though, which caused a wave of melancholy to wash over him.Butthen he glanced atKelliand saw the joy on her face as she stared at the tree in wonder.Itmade him look back at it again.Fornot being like the one at home, it was a good tree.
Grahamclapped his hands together. “Okay, you’ve got two hours to head to your room and get settled.Yourpacking list asked you to bring the most formal outfit you had.Whenyou come back, be wearing that, because we’re headed to theTinselandTidingsChristmasfeast and ball!”
Parkerheaded to his room, which was so much more impressive than his room in his apartment.Hissuitcases were waiting for him, just likeMeritsaid they’d be, so he started unpacking them and hanging up his clothes.Thenhe saw the envelope on his nightstand and remembered about theSecretSanta.Heset down the shirt he’d been about to hang up and walked over to it.Heopened the envelope, looked at the name printed inside, and smiled.
KelliEllis
Oncehe got all of the items put in a closet, drawer, or in the bathroom, he still had about an hour and fifty minutes before they had to be dressed and downstairs.
Helooked around the giant room and exhaled.Gettingready would only take about thirty minutes.Beingin this room just made him realize even more strongly how alone he was, and he couldn’t spend the extra hour and twenty minutes here or he was going to go crazy.
Heheaded down to the second floor, but there wasn’t a soul in the family room or kitchen, so he headed to the basement to check it out.Theexercise room had several machines and a good number of free weights.He’dhave to take advantage of them while he was here.
Thetheater was impressive, too.Itseated twenty-one people in three rows, all in reclining chairs.Andin between the theater and exercise room were several table games.Hewalked over to the ping pong table, grabbed a paddle and ball, and started bouncing it on the paddle over and over.
Downhere was just as depressing as his room.Maybehe just needed to leave the mansion and explore a bit.Heset the paddle and the ball down and had taken one step toward the door whenKelliwalked into the room. “Oh, hi.You’renot spending the extra time resting from travel, huh?”
Kellilaughed.Howhad he not noticed how amazing of a laugh she had before now? “Igot my rest from travel on the plane, remember?”
Hechuckled and smiled again at the memory of her being so close as she lay her head on his shoulder. “Youup for a game?”
“Wecould,”Kellisaid. “Orwe could get a jump start on everyone else and do something that will earn us some points.”
Parkerlooked at the pool table.Thegame sounded like a lot more fun—he really wasn’t in the mood to do anything else that wasChristmassyafter making the tree decorations. “Whatdo you have in mind?”Hewanted to know exactly what they’d be doing before he would be willing to commit.
Kellipulled out her phone, probably to see the picture she had taken during the presentation. “Oh!Oneof them is to walk along the beach and write aChristmasmessage or draw aChristmasscene with a stick in the sand.Thatwould be fun, andIhave been dying to check out the beach.”
Awalk on the beach wasn’tChristmassy, and he didn’t have to draw a picture if he didn’t want to.Hecould do that.
Lessthan five minutes later, they were both walking along the beach.Ithad only been a short pathway from the mansion, and the weather was nice.Easilyover fifty degrees and sunshiny, so it felt warm enough without wearing jackets.
Thebeach was nearly empty, which surprised him.Sure, it was too cold to play in the sand and water, but it was still beautiful out.Kellihad changed into flip-flops, and she took them off and ran along the sand at the edge of the water, scrambling out of the way whenever a wave came in, and squealing when it washed over her feet because she didn’t make it far enough onto the beach in time.
Hesmiled as he watched her.
