Then I think of how I shouldn’t let others determine my future plans. I need to stand up for myself and go after what I want. Forget what everyone else thinks and focus on me.

And Isaac…

In the early days of our relationship, my parents liked Joe only because he seemed solid. He had a plan, and he was executing it. His one single flaw?

Asking me to move in with him versus asking me to marry him. And my biggest flaw was agreeing to it. Oh, how my parents hated that. I think they were secretly relieved when Joe and I broke up and I found my own place. At least I wasn’t living in sin any longer.

“Hey.” I startle at the sound of Eleanor’s voice, and I try to smile but it feels too forced so I give up. “Are you all right?”

“I’m a little scared,” I admit, deciding to be truthful. “It’s been so long since I’ve been in a relationship, and the last one ended so badly. I’m afraid of messing everything up all over again.”

“You won’t know if you’re messing it up unless you give this guy a try first,” Eleanor says gently.

Very true. And I’ve already been giving him a try.

I really like him, too. I think he likes me, too.

So why the sudden fear?

“He seems really nice. Candice wouldn’t try to set you up with some random guy either,” Eleanor continues. “I watched how he watched you at the wedding reception. He couldn’t take his eyes off of you the entire night. Plus, Mitch told me he paid him twenty bucks to purposely not catch the garter. He wanted it that bad.”

“He wanted photos of us together,” I say, my heart squeezing when I remember that night. We ended up having so much fun. I couldn’t believe it when he caught that garter after I caught the bouquet. He said we were a perfect match.

Was he right? Are we really a perfect match? Or are we just getting caught up in the romanticism of it all?

“You should go for it,” Eleanor encourages. “Think of it as a Christmas treat for yourself.”

I frown at her. “Are you calling Isaac my Christmas present?”

She laughs. “Come on, you have to admit it’s a good idea.”

Hmm. Eleanor’s right.

It’s an excellent idea.

Twenty-Four

Isaac

December 24th. That time of year when the holiday tunes playing overhead irritate a man beyond reason.

Those last-minute customers who come in looking for a tree and lament over the lack of selection? Should’ve been here two weeks ago is what I always want to tell them, but I keep my mouth shut. That’s not very customer service manager-like of me, now is it?

I’m tired to the bone and looking forward to the next two days off. For some reason, I’m not on the schedule for the day after Christmas this year, and it disturbed me so much I went straight to Charlie and asked him what was up.