Christmas Eve Love Story

Twenty-Four

Annie couldn’t wait for lunchtime. Braden entered the break room and grinned, observing Annie sitting at the table with her peanut butter sandwich. “Light lunch,” he said.

Annie smiled. “Yeah. Maybe I’ll share your cookie?”

His forehead scrunched up. “Don’t tell me”—he shook his finger at her—“that happened yesterday?”

Relief swamped through her. Yes. Finally, someone to share memories with . And there was no one she’d rather share them with than Braden.

He pulled his lunch bag and water bottle from the refrigerator and joined her at the table. “You know, it’s true.” He shook his head. “Certain details are coming back to me, but they’re still really fuzzy.”

Annie took a bite of her sandwich, enjoying its crunchy peanut butter goodness. “It’s not just with you. Seems my neighbors are remembering things too.”

“Oh yeah?” He paused in unwrapping his sub. “Like who?”

“There’s this one mom downstairs, Jane.”

Braden nodded. “Daughter’s Caridad, right?”

Annie gasped. “Yes!” She widened her eyes at Braden. “But Jane calls her Cari.”

“So, what did she say—this downstairs mom, Jane?” Braden began eating his sub, resting his elbows on the table.

Annie couldn’t wait to tell him. “She mentioned feeling like she’d met me before—almost like she and I are meant to be friends, and I believe that too.”

“Like the two of us?” His blue eyes shimmered, and she caught her breath. Definitely not like the two of them. With Braden, things were different, romantically tinged. In her dreams anyway. She couldn’t outright admit that though. Embarrassing to publicly announce her crush. So instead, she just said, “Yeah.” Annie stood to fix herself a coffee but kept talking. “Similar things have happened with Bea too.”

Braden uncapped his water bottle. “The lady upstairs,” he said. “The one who used to be a vet tech.”

Annie’s hopes rose. Was he really remembering? “Go on,” she said, sitting down at the table with her full mug. “Who else do you know about?”

Braden shrugged. “The gentleman downstairs, Harrington, and the grad student.”

Annie nodded eagerly. “That’s Eric.” She gaped at Braden. This was an enormous breakthrough! “I can’t believe you—”

“Annie,” he said, cutting her off. “I didn’t actually recall all that.” He winced. “Truth is, I kind of took notes.”

“Notes? When?”

“Last night, after the Blue Dot, I typed it all in on my phone when I got home. I looked everything over this morning.”

“Oh, wow.”

“But I do think you’re on to something,” he said. “The fact that I’ve got certain vague memories surfacing must mean this time loop is weakening, losing its grip. I mean, can it really be a time loop if we’re aware of it?”

“I’ve been aware,” she said seriously, “and it’s kept on happening for me.”

“True.” He crossed his arms. “But it’s been happening differently, with lots of little changes every day.”

“Some have been bigger.” Like my heart-pounding attraction to you.

“Okay, yeah,” he said. “We’ve changed up your window, and you and I have gone for coffee.” He stared at her. “How many times now?”

“Let’s see.” She counted in her head. The first time she’d said no, but she did go the second day. This was her eighth Christmas Eve, so she’d been out with Braden—“Six times.”

“Man.” He chuckled. “We’re practically exclusive.”

I wish.

He misread her embarrassed flush. “Oh sorry, Annie. I didn’t mean anything offensive. I was just joking around.”

She waved her hand. “Of course.”

“But I do think your situation with your neighbors is important. How close were you with them before?”

Annie frowned. “Not close at all, truthfully. I hadn’t even met most of them. I still don’t know one. That person really keeps to themself, I guess.”

Braden unwrapped his cookie and broke it in two. He smiled and handed her half.

“Thank you.” She set it on a napkin by her coffee.

He chuckled. “I had a hunch you were going to ask.”

Annie grinned. “You really are the nicest guy.”

His neck reddened above his collar. “Thanks, Annie. You’re pretty amazing yourself.”

Annie’s heart fluttered. She’d never been amazing to anyone. Not even to Roy. And being amazing to Braden felt extra special.

“I mean, look at you,” he said. “Look at all the care you’ve taken with your neighbors. Maybe you didn’t know them before, but you do now, and in this little bit of time. Only a week, yeah?”

She nodded.

“In only one week,” he continued, “you’ve made some kind of difference in their lives.”

“Not a huge difference, probably,” she said modestly.

“Maybe not huge, no.” He glanced at the door. “But big enough to leave an impression. How else would they be remembering you?” He studied the ceiling and said, “It’s kind of like that furniture thing, you know?” No. He’d completely lost her. “When furniture sits in place long enough,” Braden explained. “Say, for instance, on a carpet, when you go to move it, small indentions are left where it stood.”

His logic made an odd sort of sense. “But I haven’t been in my neighbors’ lives for very long at all.”

“Maybe not,” he said, “but still, something about you is sticking. Just like it is with me. I can’t say how, or why, but I feel it in here”—he placed a hand on his heart—“and sense it up here”—he tapped his temple—“and coming from me, that says a lot. I mean, I’ve always been a very rational guy, which is why there has to be a rational explanation for all of this.” He pushed back his chair, and Santa strolled down the hall.

“Afternoon, you two!” he said, peering into the room as he passed by.

Annie eyes widened.

“Not real magic though,” Braden whispered.

Annie leaned toward him. “Oh right, then what is a time loop, exactly?”

“Physics?” Braden turned up his hands. “Some kind of wormhole, black hole, a causal loop? Annie, I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure of one thing. This has got nothing to do with Lawson’s store Santa.”

She crossed her arms. “If you say so.”

Braden glanced at his watch, developing a plan. “Do you think we can stop those boys tonight? Dillon and Marcus?” he asked her.

“I doubt it,” she said. “I’ve tried before.”

“Yes, but”—he grinned—“not with me there to help you.”

“You were there,” she said. “ Are. Every single time.”

“One important exception,” he said. “This time, I’m better prepared.”

“And if we stop those boys from trashing the window?” she asked him.

“We’ll have more time to fix things the way you suggested. If we can pull off that window, showing the arrival of Christmas Day, maybe Christmas Day will finally get here? For you. For me.” He picked up his phone. “Maybe you’ll even finally give me your number?”

She smirked playfully. “I did give you my number. That’s how we texted this morning.”

“Oh yeah, right.” He set his chin in one hand, his elbow on the table. “In that case”—his voice went a little husky—“maybe I’ll finally ask you on a date?”

Annie held back a big grin. “You did that too.”

“Oh yeah?” He cocked his head. “How did that go?”

“I, um.” Her heart thumped when he took her hand. “I said yes.” Annie fell into his eyes, instantly at home there. Welcomed, as if she’d been allowed through his private door and into the depths of his caring soul. Braden made her feel accepted and appreciated. She yearned to be there for him in the same way.

“Annie?” Patrice pushed open the door. She looked at Annie and Braden, and they immediately broke contact, pulling back their hands and picking up their drinks. “Do you have a moment, when you’re done here?”

***

Braden approached Louise in the security office. She stood to stretch her legs after her stint manning the security cameras. “Hey, Lou,” he said, “I’ve got a favor to ask.” He glanced at Mike, who looked up from his paperwork at a nearby desk. “If it’s okay with the boss.”

Lou set her hands on her hips. “What’s up?”

“Would you mind watching the door for me? I’d like to do some rounds in the store.”

“We’ve got Tony and Randal on patrol,” Mike told him.

“Yes, but.” Braden pursed his lips. “I have a feeling about some rascally kids I saw racing around earlier, and I want to keep my eye on them.”

“You personally?” Mike crossed his arms.

“If that’s all right?”

Mike stewed on this and nodded at Louise. “You okay on the door?”

“Yeah, fine.” She cracked her back. “Wouldn’t mind standing for a bit.”

Mike radioed Charlie, who’d been filling in for Braden during his lunch hour. “Lou’s coming to relieve you,” he said. “Braden will take over shortly.”

Charlie’s voice crackled through Mike’s radio speaker. “That’s a ten-four.”

That settled, Braden went to make his rounds. He spotted Annie chatting with Kira in Juniors. She held a jumbo package of Christmas tree lights. Annie met his eyes as he passed them, and he shot her a wink. He was not going to let those boys trash her display. Not since he knew what was coming and when. Annie had been very specific about the time. He checked his watch, scanning the area as he passed the toy section. Santa was busy working his magic at the pretend North Pole. He beckoned another child forward and she eagerly approached, dragging her dad with her by the hand.

“No, Dylan! Let me!”

“Nuh-uh, Marcus! Me first!”

Braden whipped his head around to see two boys racing through the crowd. Their mom trailed close behind them. “Boys! Stop running!”

Braden’s heart pounded, and he picked up his pace, determined to get to them first.

“Whoa!” Annie sprang back when Quinn stepped out in front of her. He lifted his fancy jewelry bag in the air. “Sorry!”

The boys barreled toward the front window, and Braden’s senses went on high alert. “Hey!” he shouted. “You two! Slow down!” How had they dashed out ahead of him? Fast little buggers. He started running, determined to blockade the retractable belt shielding the window. He darted in front of the oncoming duo and stretched out his arms. “Now—”

“ Stop! ” their mom hollered, her voice high and tight. She caught the hood of Marcus’s coat as he tried to evade Braden standing in front of him, squirming to the left and to the right. Braden scuttled from side to side with his hands outstretched, but Dylan pushed into Marcus, and the pair tumbled forward below Braden’s raised arm.

You’re kidding me.

Down went the retractable belt and its pole—slamming into the Christmas tree.

Annie dropped her package and broke into a sprint.

Braden scrambled over the lip of the window, but the tree crashed down, sweeping the items off the mantel and tugging down a row of icicle lights.

Annie gasped. “What a disaster.”

Braden turned to see her hands pressed to her mouth.

This was what she’d been living through day after day? No wonder she’d gone pale.

“What happened here?” Veronica Lawson questioned.

Annie heaved a defeated breath. “It was an accident.” She rolled her eyes toward the boys, who were speaking with Santa while their mom frowned, dashing off a text.

“What a shame.” Veronica shook her head. “Glad no one was hurt.”

“Ronnie? What are you doing in that window?” Quinn arrived and tugged her out of the fake snow. She smoothed down her dress.

“Just hanging those stockings back on the mantel.”

Wait. Braden got it now. There were two stockings in place, but the display had originally had only one, he was sure of it. He eyed the downed Christmas tree with its shiny strands of tinsel, staring at Santa’s partially eaten oatmeal cookie on the ground and the nutcracker pair piled on top of the fallen angels. He squatted low to grab the upended train engine at his feet, shutting it off. Braden pressed the button on his mic.

“Mike, we’ve got a—”

“Saw it all on CCTV. Sending Charlie to assist.”

Lou set her hands on her hips by the door, shaking her head at Braden. She knew he’d tried his best and was just as stunned as the rest of them about the mess.

Quinn turned to Annie. “Hello? Have we met.”

She smiled. “I’m Annie Jones, Lawson’s Assistant Visual Artist.”

“Ah yes.” He nodded. “Quinn Kelly.”

Veronica tugged on his arm. “What are you doing at Lawson’s?” She tried to peer behind his back, but he hid his bag. “A little Christmas shopping?” Her voice held a hopeful lilt, and he gave her a swift peck on the lips.

“Maybe,” he said with a mysterious edge. “Not saying a word more!”

Annie walked over to Braden, and he held up the train. “I’m really sorry, Annie.”

She set her chin. “None of this is your fault.”

He peered into her big, dark eyes. “Yours either.”

Her shoulders dropped. “It kind of feels like it is though.” She leaned toward him and whispered, “It keeps happening again and again, and—for the life of me—I can’t prevent it.”

He considered the mess. “The display’s changed though. You were right about that.”

She stepped a little closer, and her springtime scent rushed toward him, making him think of meadows and flowers and picnicking with a very lovely lady with a penchant for holly wreath pins and snowman-patterned turtlenecks. “Are you saying that because you actually remember?” she asked. “Or based on what I told you earlier?”

“I do remember some of it,” he said in hushed tones. “Enough to notice the things that are here now—that originally weren’t.”

She wrinkled her nose, the picture of cuteness. “But how?”

“I pay attention to things, Annie.” Lately, he’d been paying loads of attention to her. The way her pretty eyes shone when she smiled, her sweet-and-sassy laugh. The good-hearted way she looked after her neighbors, and the kindly way she was with him. He never would have told her about Harper and Iraq unless he’d believed she was very special. He definitely sensed that about her. Regardless of what he did—and couldn’t—recall about these past several days.

“I like that about you.” Her words went wispy like dandelion petals scattering on the wind.

“Everything under control over here?”

Braden turned toward Charlie as Charlie shooed some curious onlookers away.

“Yes, thanks.” Braden replied in an official manner. “Annie and I are on it.”

Charlie nodded and corralled back the dwindling crowd as the young mom towed off her sons, and Santa returned to his workshop. Lou wished Veronica and Quinn a merry Christmas and a good night as the couple waltzed out the door. Quinn popped open a large umbrella, shielding them from the snow, and they traipsed past Lawson’s front window, laughing and chatting merrily and looking very much like a couple in love.

“So those two?” Braden said to Annie.

She smiled sunnily. “Yeah. Think so.”

Braden shook his head at the window display. “At least someone’s getting good news tonight.”

“Yeah.” Annie picked up her package of Christmas tree lights. “So, what do you say? Want to start over?”

“Any time, Annie, with you.”

“Are you flirting with me, Braden Tate?”

He pursed his lips. “Might be.”

An image flashed through his mind of a falling cardboard box. He caught it as the same time as Annie, and their fingers overlaced. He got a snippet of a memory. A very welcome one. “Also, might be buttering you up to invite you to coffee.” He bent down low to hoist up the Christmas tree and she walked over to help him. “Seeing as how you’re single, and everything.”

“Oh? So you remember that part, do you?” Her face glowed, and other images came back to him, like flipping through the pages of an illustrated book. Annie stumbling on the ladder—and him catching her. The two of them holding hands at the café. So that’s why having his fingers wrapped around hers had felt so familiar—and right—today in the break room when Patrice had surprised them.

“I am remembering things,” he confided. “And all of them are good.”

“I had a thought about your window!” Santa spoke to Annie with a raised gloved hand, and she winked at Braden. This was yet another thing she’d told him was coming.

“Oh yeah?” She folded her arms. “Do tell.”

Santa stroked his snowy beard. “I was envisioning shiny baubles.”

Shiny baubles? Right. Hadn’t Annie said Santa might suggest just that? “What sort of shiny baubles?” Annie asked Santa.

“You can probably use your imagination,” Santa said. “You might find one or two in back.”

Annie squinted at Braden. “I think I have a set of miniature golden sleighs somewhere.” She turned to Santa. “Something like that?”

“Excellent!” He nodded. “You get everything just right.”

“Not everything,” she groused under her breath to Braden. “Obviously.”

“Come on, let’s not lose hope. We can try again tomorrow, or is that”—he was still wrapping his mind around it—“really today?”

She nudged his arm with her elbow. “Now you’re getting it.” He stared into her eyes, and suddenly he was swept away. Yeah, he was getting lots of things, including getting hung up on Annie. But he wanted Christmas Day to get here just as much as she did. His mom’s day today was sure to be long and grueling in the ER. He couldn’t see wanting her to repeat that again and again. Hopefully, him being stuck in this time loop wouldn’t affect her. Merely two weeks ago, he’d asked her what she wanted for Christmas, and she’d given him a clear answer.

Braden’s mom sat across from him at the deli. She didn’t eat out on her own often, so he took the opportunity to invite her when he could.

“So, tell me, Ma,” Braden said, enjoying his Philly cheesesteak sandwich. “What do you want for Christmas this year?” He surveyed her frayed coat, thinking she could probably use a new one, given the harshness of the winters here and the hours she worked on her job.

“I don’t really need anything in particular.” She smiled, and lines formed around her mouth and her deep-blue eyes. Her wavy hair had gone from nearly black to almost gray. “Other than to spend the day with my favorite son.”

He laughed. “I’m your only son, Ma.”

She sipped from her coffee. “Yeah, and also the only child I’ve got in the city.” She was going to visit his sisters and their families after the start of the New Year, once things at the hospital slowed down.

“It’s really good of you to work Christmas Eve and also New Year’s Day.” He knew she’d volunteered because so many of the other staff took vacation time during the holidays.

She shrugged and said, “It’s nice being needed.”

“Yeah,” Braden answered, silently acknowledging the gap in his own life. He didn’t need a woman to complete him, but he had a lot of love to give in his heart. Someday it would be nice to find someone with whom he could share it.

His mom finished her BLT. “Weather’s supposed to get dicey,” she said, “right around Christmas. They’re calling for a major storm. So—”

“No worries, Ma. I’ll be there.” He grinned. “Rain or shine.”

She viewed him tenderly. “I’m really sorry about why it happened, but—selfishly—I’m glad you got out of the army and settled here.”

He splayed his hands out on the table and shrugged. “What’s not to love about New York?”

“Braden?” He looked up to see Annie handing him another section of her strand of lights. “Ah yeah, right.” He cleared his throat. “Sorry about that.” He took the string and threaded it through the tree’s branches.

“Are you all right?” she peeked around the tree from the other side. “You seemed far away.”

“Just thinking about Christmas.”

“I’ve been thinking about Christmas too.” Her brown eyes shimmered. “I’ve got some more ideas.”

“Yeah? That’s terrific. How about we war-game this at the Blue Dot, you know, jot everything down.”

“Are you sure the list will be there tomorrow when we need it?”

He wasn’t one hundred percent on that, but he was hopeful. “When I used my notes app yesterday, it seemed to work okay.”

Her face lit up. “And your cell number stayed in my contacts.”

“Ditto.”

“Okay,” she said. “Let’s try it.”