Before I Called You Mine

by Nicole Deese

  He searched my profile now, waiting for an answer as I closed my eyes and braved a new wish before I planted it deep inside the batting.

  “Make the right wish?” he asked as we stepped out of line with our finished Christmas gifts.

  “Yes, I believe I did.”

  The crease between his eyebrows deepened, as if he was trying to solve a crossword with one too many blanks.

  “Come on,” I said, ready to push through the crowd even though my heart, like the one in Iris’s unicorn, continued to buck under muted layers of half-processed thoughts. “We’re not even close to finished yet. We still have to choose the outfits.”

  “Wait—outfits? But they’re unicorns.” He gestured widely with his arms, nearly smacking an older man carrying a pile of sequin dresses across the store to his wife. Joshua apologized before catching up to me. He softened his voice. “I haven’t the first clue about any of this stuff.”

  “And that’s why you have me.” I smiled up at him, testing it out, this new feeling of letting go, of giving in to the attraction I’d been denying myself for weeks. I was done pretending that Joshua didn’t stir up every romantic ideal I’d ever had. Because he did. And more.

  Again, he eyed me, like he wasn’t quite sure what was happening, but also like he wasn’t about to turn this new, enthusiastic-about-everything Lauren down.

  “Look up there.” I pointed at a crowded shelf where every kind of glittery outfit, hair bow, and custom shoe awaited. I didn’t step out of the way as Joshua reached past me. “Those princess dresses are adorable, but if Emma would rather have something more casual or sporty, they have a ton of more options near the front.”

  “Um . . . . well . . .” I couldn’t get enough of this off-kilter Joshua. “Considering Emma makes me drink from a tea set plastered with crowned ladies in ball gowns, I’m gonna go with princess on this one.”

  Seriously, he has princess tea with his niece? What had I ever been thinking to push this man away like he was a piece of forbidden fruit?

  “What?” he asked. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “I just really want to see that, you drinking from a princess teacup.”

  “You’re welcome to join us anytime.”

  “I might just take you up on that.” I tipped my head and used a tool from his favorite flirtatious tool box—a wink. “Now, which color dress do you want?”

  Briefly, his gaze dipped from my eyes to my mouth as several harried customers pushed past us on their way to the cash registers. Neither of us moved until I blinked.

  “Blue,” he said finally. “Definitely blue.”

  I secured the sparkly, periwinkle gown at the top of the display. “See? You’re better at this than you thought.”

  Our fingers brushed slightly as he took the miniature hanger from my hand. “You make it easy.”

  But wasn’t that how it was supposed to be? Because I was certain that falling in love with Joshua Avery would be exactly that—the easiest thing I’d ever done.

  chapter

  twenty-three

  I anchored my hip against my bathroom vanity and willed my hand to steady as I applied onyx liquid liner to my upper eyelid. My third attempt. Seriously though, who had time for this on a daily basis? It was usually around this point in the beautification process that I’d call Jenna and ask for a step-by-step tutorial on how to create a proper “smoky eye” look, preferably one that wouldn’t land me in the center of a sarcastic meme with the hashtags #nailedit and #failed. But seeing as Jenna’s cell coverage was spotty in the mountains—and also how I wasn’t quite ready to divulge my current mental standing with All Things Joshua—our limited communication was probably for the best. All she really needed to know was that I was keeping my promise: I wouldn’t be alone on Christmas. Other details, like how I was meeting Joshua’s family tonight for caroling, cider, and a stroll through the Winter Gardens . . . well, I’d catch her up later on all that.

  My phone buzzed with a text from Joshua.

  When should I pick you up?

  I rubbed my freshly glossed lips together.

  I didn’t realize going to the gardens meant getting a chauffeur, too?

  It’s too bad my horse-drawn carriage is still in the shop. Hope you’re okay with a Ford Explorer.

  Sigh. Guess it will have to do.