Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 78357 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78357 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
No one would think that spoiled Milly Hendricks—with her blonde hair, big blue eyes, and appetite for expensive things—would go out of her way to help someone else. Then again, maybe none of us know her. I know I don’t, which is something I’m going to use the next few hours with her to change.
“So what’s the plan?” I ask as I follow the directions on the GPS.
“When we get to the house, you’re going to have to park down the street, since they have a dog, and I don’t want to wake them up.”
“How do you know they have a dog?”
“Research. I always scope out the neighborhood and the family, so I don’t have what happened my first year happen again.”
“What happened to you the first year?” I ask, knowing from her tone it wasn’t pleasant.
“My last family of the night had a dog, and it started barking, so they let it outside as I was finishing up. The giant beast was as big as me, and it chased me all the way down their driveway that had to have been a mile long. I thought I was going to have a heart attack or end up in the hospital.”
“Christ, Milly,” I groan, not liking the idea of her being in danger.
“It all turned out okay in the end, and that situation showed me that I need to be more cautious and plan a little.”
“How many of the families tonight have dogs?”
“All but two, but don’t worry. Most of them are small, and I’ve strengthened my ninja skills over the years, so we shouldn’t have any problems.”
“Ninja skills?” I chuckle.
“Laugh all you want, but I’m a professional,” she informs me hotly, and I glance over at her, thinking she’s even cuter with her cheeks pink from the cold and little to no makeup on her pretty face. My attraction to her isn’t anything new. I’ve always thought she was beautiful, but she’s forever been like an untouchable object at a museum. Something to admire from afar but know you will never be in a place to own it.
“You can park anywhere around here.” She breaks me out of my thoughts, and I recognize the street, because my grandmother lives a few houses down the block. After I park, we both get out, and then I follow her to the back and help her drag out a tree that already has a temporary base on it. Once it’s standing, she reaches for another bag and pulls out a length of thick red garland. “I know it might seem crazy, but I always set up each tree before carrying it up to the porch. Then, I place the gifts, and last, I leave the groceries. On average, it takes me fifteen minutes from start to finish, unless the family has a dog. Then I have to go ninja style, which makes the process take a little longer.”
“You also never had a partner before,” I remind her, helping her wrap the garland around the tree.
“Yeah.” She glances at my biceps. “With you helping lug the tree, we should be done in half the time.” She stands back when we’re done and rests her hands on her hips, looking me in the eye. “Are you ready?”
“Yep.”
“Okay, let’s do this.” She grabs one of the red sacks from the bed of the truck and two of those reusable shopping bags. “Follow me and be quiet.”
I pick up the tree with one hand and use the other to take the red sack from her, a move that only makes her roll her eyes. I follow her up the street, and when we reach the house, I quietly set the tree in place and watch as she deposits the bags she’s holding. She then unloads the gifts under the tree. When we’re done, I take her hand to help her back down the snow-covered steps and keep hold of her until we reach the truck.
Buckled in and on our way to the next house on her list, I ask softly, “Why them?”
“I overheard someone talking about the family in that house. Both parents aren’t really around much, because they have to work a lot, and the two teen boys who live there have never had a real Christmas. I know that me showing up with a Christmas tree, a few gifts, and all the fixings for Christmas dinner won’t really help them, but if I can give the boys in that house something to smile about, I feel like I’ve made a difference.”
Her words rock me to my core, and I wonder if she really understands the gift she’s giving. At the end of the day, it won’t be about the stuff; it will be about the memories she was able to give a family. Without thinking, I reach out and take her hand, and when she doesn’t force me to let go, I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “Can I ask you something?”