He sighs. “I’d like to get her a lobotomy.”

“Andrew!” I laugh and smack him across the upper arm.

“Honestly, if you could see what I deal with day to day with her, you’d agree.”

I blow on my hot chocolate again then lean in to take a small sip. It’s better than it was, so I go for a full sip and put the lid back on top. The liquid is still piping hot, but doable. “Mmm, that’s so good.”

“You have a little…” Andrew points at his upper lip.

I use my tongue to try to get the chocolate off, but Andrew shakes his head, his eyes laser-focused on my mouth.

“Here.” He leans forward and uses his thumb to wipe the corner of my mouth.

The urge to open my mouth and wrap it around the tip of his thumb is overwhelming. I mean, what the hell?

“Thanks,” I say in a soft voice and look away. Eventually, once I compose myself, I give him a small smile. “Ready to go explore some shops?”

“Definitely.” He looks as eager as I am to forget what just happened.

We stroll aimlessly down the path between the small glass huts, popping into shops here and there until we come upon one that sells vintage Christmas decorations.

“Oh, we have to go in here.” Hot chocolates long since discarded, I pull Andrew into the glass hut to look around.

He chuckles, having grown used to my enthusiasm, I think.

After greeting the attendant, I look around, admiring the wares until I turn and see a green ceramic Christmas tree with lights on one of the tables.

My hand flies to my mouth. “Oh my god.”

“What’s wrong?” Andrew comes to my side.

Tears sting my eyes as a flood of memories wash over me.

“Kenzie, are you okay?” His voice is soft as though he’s afraid he might startle me.

I nod. “I’m okay. It’s just that this Christmas tree reminds me of my grandparents and the Christmas holidays I used to spend with them.”

I finger one of the lights, remembering how my grandma would always let me stick them in every year when I arrived at their house.

“Your family spent Christmas with your grandparents?”

“No. Just me. My parents always wanted to travel and so did Finn, so after enough begging, they let me spend every holiday with my grandparents in Colorado from the time I was seven.”

The nostalgia is overwhelming and suddenly the space feels too small, too hot and confining.

“Let’s go.” I bolt out of the shop into the crush of people walking down the center of all the huts.