Christmas Eve Love Story

Thirty

Braden was at the main entrance when Dylan and Marcus’s mom walked in. Snowflakes covered her coat and hat. “Good afternoon,” he said.

She smiled at him. “Hi, again!”

Braden nodded politely. “Just so you’re aware, Lawson’s is closing at four today.”

“Four?” She stared around the store. “Oh. That’s early.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Braden glanced toward the street. “On account of the weather.”

She pulled off her gloves, sticking them in her coat pockets. “Thanks. I’d better hurry along.” She strode through the busy crowd, heading to the toy section.

Braden checked his watch. Yesterday, at this time, he’d noted that the lights on Annie’s Christmas tree had gone off. Then he’d seen her traipsing toward her window with a huge box of lights in tow. Memories of that day were crystal clear. He also fairly well recalled the rewind days after he’d found that napkin in his jacket pocket, but the part of the time loop before that was largely a blur. Good thing he had his notes app on his phone to keep straight everything Annie had told him about. Otherwise, he might start to doubt this was actually happening.

If things went well, it wouldn’t be happening any longer tomorrow. He frowned, recalling Annie’s disappointed expression in the break room after she’d asked him about their future. She was right to worry about how things would wind up between the two of them after Christmas Eve. He had his questions about that too. How could he know how they’d both feel, or what they’d each remember after all this zaniness ended? Only one thing was certain: Braden was done making promises he couldn’t keep. He’d promised his soldiers he’d get them through. He hadn’t. He’d promised his mom he’d make Fred’s funeral, but the hospital had held him back.

Santa paused in front of Braden. “Sometimes it’s good not to dwell on the past,” he said.

Braden blinked. “I wasn’t—dwelling,” he lied.

Santa gave him a knowing look. “You did your best in each case, given what was laid on you. Now it’s time to move on.”

Right. If only I could move on to Christmas.

***

Annie approached Braden at his post wearing a grin. “Guess what?” she asked Braden and Santa, but her joyful expression gave it away.

Braden’s heart pounded. “You got the promotion?”

She nodded proudly. “I did.”

“Annie!” Braden stepped forward and embraced her. “That’s great.” Seconds later, he realized his arms were wrapped around his coworker at Lawson’s Finest and that they were blocking the entrance. Unprofessional. He released her, his face burning hot.

Pink spots formed on Annie’s cheeks. “Thanks, Braden.”

Santa held out his hand. “Congratulations on a job well done.”

Annie shook his hand and laid a finger aside her nose. “All in a day’s work,” she said teasingly to Santa. Braden had never seen her appear so accomplished, or beautiful.

“Ho, ho, ho!” He hugged his big belly. “You make a very fine elf.” He peeked at his workshop and the line that had formed during his short break. “Looks like I’d better get back to work.”

He shuffled away, and Annie perused her window. “I guess there’s nothing left to do here.” She shrugged happily.

“No need to start over,” Braden agreed.

She beamed at him. “The Christmas tree lights seem to be working fine.”

“Everything looks great, Annie. Really.”

She ducked her chin. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Oh yes, you could have.” Braden set his hands on his duty belt. “But I’m happy you didn’t have to. I was more than glad to help.”

Kira hurried toward Annie and braced her arms in her strong grip. “Say hello to your new Assistant Visual Artist.” She grinned broadly.

“Yay, Kira!” Annie whooped. “That’s awesome.”

“Congrats,” Braden said from beside them.

“Thanks”—Kira read his name tag—“Braden.” She stared at Annie and then at him. “Hey, are you two—”

Annie stepped back. “No, no.”

“Not us,” Braden added quickly. He avoided Annie’s eyes and greeted another group of customers scurrying in the door. “Store’s closing shortly, folks.”

“Don’t worry,” one lady said, tugging along her companion. “We’ll shop fast.”

Kira walked away, talking to Annie. “I can’t wait to let Avery know. What a great Christmas.”

Braden turned to Annie and nodded toward her window. “Seeing as how everything’s good here, looks like we’ll be leaving at closing today. So.” He held his breath, hoping. “Maybe there’s time for coffee?”

“I’ve got tons of shopping to do.” Annie grimaced. “Cooking too.”

“As long as you’re home in time for Harrington though.”

“I intend to get there before I’m needed to help him,” she said. “Otherwise, I might not be able to get it all done.”

“Gotcha.” Braden’s heart sank. What did he expect? She’d asked him about their future together, and he’d basically blown her off.

Santa approached, wearing his heavy overcoat. “Have a very merry Christmas, you two.” He smiled at Annie and Braden. “I hope it’s your best one yet.”

“Merry Christmas,” Annie said. She grinned at the older man. “And thanks.”

“Ho ho ho.” He laid a finger beside his nose. “All in a day’s work.” He winked at Annie. “Now, I’ll have a busy night.”

Braden waved. “Fly safely!”

Annie watched Santa stroll out the door. “I wish”—she turned to Braden—“I knew what he was really doing tonight. Do you think he’ll be okay?”

Santa paused on the street, cinching his overcoat around his thick middle. “He seems like the sort to land on his feet.”

Annie turned her questioning eyes on Braden. “What if we’ve missed something?”

He looked concerned. “Like what?”

“Not you so much,” she said. “Me. About Santa? Here I’ve been reaching out to my neighbors while forgetting all about him. He’s an old man, Braden. Maybe he’s lonely? Maybe he lives in a shelter?” She gasped and covered her mouth. “What if he’s homeless?”

“Annie,” he said kindly. “He had to have given an address when he got hired by the employment agency.”

“I know.” She bounced on her heels, and her whole face lit up. “I’ll invite him to Christmas dinner!”

“He’ll have plans!” Braden shouted after her as she raced for the door.

She grinned over her shoulder. “I’ll ask!”

“Annie! It’s freezing—”

She dashed out into the snow and stood on the sidewalk, staring in both directions. She looked up, shielding her eyes with her hands.

Braden hurried through the entrance, pushing open the door. “Come back inside!” he cried. “You’ll catch your death.”

Snowflakes dotted her hair and clothing. “Look!” She pointed to the sky. “There!”

But all Braden saw was a big slosh of snow hitting him in the face. He blinked and rubbed his eyes. “Come on, Annie.” He stepped toward her and gently took her elbow. “Let’s go back inside.”

She stared into his eyes and—for an instant—he was floating. Drifting away to some special place. Snowflakes flitted around them, dusting their hair and eyelashes. Annie’s cheeks were pink from the cold, her pretty lips so inviting. Somewhere high above them—and beyond the gloomy clouds—Braden thought he heard sleigh bells. No. Impossible.

Annie grinned. “Did you hear that?”

He shook his head. “We must have imagined it.”

“What? The two of us, together?”

“Annie.”

“Braden Tate!” She playfully shoved his chest. “When are you ever going to believe?”

He laughed at her antics. “The jury’s still out,” he said. “Now, come on.” He nodded toward the store, and she finally came along. Heat enveloped them the moment they stepped indoors. They dusted the snow from their clothing and hair as others walked past them, exiting Lawson’s Finest.

“Some Christmas Eve, huh?” he asked her.

“Some Christmas Eve,” she agreed on a wispy breath.

Her gorgeous eyes glimmered, and he was desperate to hold her. He’d experienced that sensation over and over, and not just on account of the revolving day. It was all because of Annie and how she looked at him. The way she made him feel. Like someone who could be special in her life. True, he couldn’t promise, but he could hope.

He gathered his nerve, knowing she could easily say no, but somehow saying goodbye at Lawson’s didn’t seem right. “Look,” he said. “I totally understand about not having coffee, but…” He faltered and pressed ahead. “Can I at least walk you to the subway?”

She smiled, and his heart soared. “That would be nice.”

***

Annie strolled along beside Braden, stewing over how to get that napkin. It was the only shred of evidence he still had about the time loop. Without it, he might totally lose his memories of being here—Annie’s heart ached—and becoming close to her.

“I love this time of year,” he said as snow cascaded around them. “Everything just seems so, you know.” He shrugged, and snowflakes fell from the shoulders of his jacket. “Christmassy.”

She smiled despite her inner melancholy. She’d done the right thing in deleting her information from his phone, but she didn’t feel great about having invaded his personal device. “I love the holidays too.”

“Glad this one’s worked out for you, finally.” He lightly nudged her elbow, and she went all fluttery inside. “With Tina, and your job and that promotion. Patrice hinted I might be getting one too.”

“What?”

He shared a handsome grin. “Said Mike was looking for a new daytime supervisor. I knew that, only I thought he’d pegged Lou for the job.”

“But no?”

He shook his head. “Lou’s retiring in February. She hadn’t let on to the rest of us.”

Annie was so happy for him and also for herself. He’d be working different hours in that case, so they’d have potential to see more of each other. Hope bloomed in her heart like the faintest candle flame. Maybe it wasn’t too much to wish for a romantic relationship with Braden—even if he didn’t remember all of his Christmas Eves with her.

They passed a storefront selling cell phones. Each device in the window wore a small Santa hat, and Annie thought of Lawson’s Santa. Where would he go after tonight? There weren’t too many Santa gigs beyond the holiday season. She hoped he’d be all right. Annie glanced at Braden. “Guess we’ll both be a little richer going into the new year.”

He nodded. “Always a good thing in New York.”

She was curious. “Any big plans for the money?”

He laughed. “I’m not sure it’ll be that big a raise, but any little extra I get I intend to tuck away in the cookie jar, figuratively speaking. In reality, I’ll put it in the bank. I’ve started a small investment account.”

“Oh yeah?” This intrigued her. “For what?”

His eyes took on a dreamy cast. “A sweet little cottage in New Jersey.”

She gasped. “For real?”

“Hope so. That’s the dream.”

The wind blustered around them, and she held her shoulder bag tighter.

“You know,” he said. “A home, someday a family.”

Annie’s pulse hummed. She couldn’t let herself think that far ahead. Still, she could almost see it. Braden in the yard of a cute little house chasing around a kid, maybe two. Her heart soared, but then she did a reality check. He wasn’t talking about buying a place with her.

“What about you?” he asked her. “Any big plans for your newfound wealth?”

“Not sure it will be that big a raise either, but it should hopefully be enough.”

“For?”

She grinned so big it hurt. “I’m planning to adopt Leo.”

“He’s not yours?”

“I’ve only been fostering him so far.”

“What a lucky guy.”

Braden stopped walking, and Annie saw they’d reached her subway stop. Part of her badly regretted declining Braden’s offer for coffee. She didn’t want her time with him to end. But her more rational side knew it had to. She had lots to do, and she wanted Braden to wake up tomorrow at Christmas. If she was lucky, she would too.

“Looks like this is my stop,” she said, glancing at the entrance that led underground.

“Yeah.” He shoved his hands in his jacket pockets. “Looks like.”

The snow came down harder, coating his hat and hair in white, and she could see him as an old man. Even a grandpa. He’d make a great one, and probably a super dad.

Stop it, Annie. Don’t hope.

But a lilting voice in her head said believe .

Commuters jostled around them, hurrying for the subway stairs, and Braden stepped closer. He raised his hand and lightly stroked her cheek. “I hope you get everything you want for Christmas.” Warm tingles ran through her from her head down to her toes.

“You too.” Her words were mere wisps in the wind because his mouth was so near—inches away, hovering over hers.

“It’s funny,” he said. “I have a feeling I’m going to miss you.” He traced her lips with his thumb, and Annie’s breath hitched.

“Braden,” she murmured. “I’m going to miss you too.”

“Yeah?” He slid his arms around her, holding her close.

Her pulse fluttered. “Yeah.” She didn’t know where she’d wind up tomorrow, but one way or another, she hoped she’d find her way back to Braden. That’s when Annie realized what she wanted for Christmas. She wanted time. More time with the people she cared for, including Braden. It was hard to know what he was thinking, but from the look in his eyes, he was considering similar things about her.

“This probably is wrong,” he said, “but I’m dying to kiss you.”

Annie met his eyes and whispered, “It’s not wrong.”

His gaze poured over her, all liquid heat in the falling snow, and then his lips met hers, so satiny soft at first, until he increased his pressure, his mouth full on hers. Annie slid her mittens around his neck, and his kisses deepened, sending her spirit sailing through the heavens like Santa’s sleigh on a snowy evening. “Annie.” He held her tighter. “I’ve got to see you again. Please say yes.”

She murmured between kisses. “Yes.” Annie thought she heard sleigh bells.

She and Braden broke apart, staring at the corner. He nodded over his shoulder, still holding her in his arms, and she laughed. A volunteer collecting charitable donations chimed a bell with several quick flips of her wrist. She was dressed like Santa.

“For a moment—” She giggled.

“Yeah.” He smiled. “Me too.”

She suddenly remembered. “Braden, about that napkin? The one from the Blue Dot.”

“I’m keeping that forever,” he said huskily, nuzzling her nose with his.

“No!”

“No?”

“It’s, ah.” She licked her lips. “I was wondering if I could hang on to it.”

He eyed her suspiciously, but then he grinned. “What for?”

She shrugged in his embrace. “As a keepsake maybe?”

He shook his head. “Nothing doing, Annie Jones.” He patted his jacket. “This one’s mine. I want it to help me remember.”

“But, I”—her chin trembled—“think you should give it to me.”

“All righty. I will. Eventually.” He kissed her firmly on the lips. “You did say you’d go out with me?”

“Yes,” she breathed happily. A million times yes.

Braden beamed from ear to ear. “Great.” He glanced at the subway stairs. “You should probably get going, if you’re going to make all that food, and rescue Harrington.” His eyes shone brightly. “ And save the day.”

“Ha.” Annie gripped her bag handle with her mitten. “Yeah, I’d better go.” She kissed him goodbye and turned.

He called after her. “See you soon!” She spun on her heel, and Braden held up his phone. “I’ll text ya!”

She waved cheerfully, but deep inside, her heart broke in two. “Great!” What had she done erasing everything on his phone? Tina’s mantra rang out in her head. Come on, Annie. Be brave. Right. She had to solider on.

Now was not the time to give up.

Not on Braden, or on Christmas.