Stuck in Christmas (Holiday Magic #1)

Chapter 7

Seven

Eli leaned casually against the glossy red vintage pickup truck, its paint gleaming under the late morning sun. With its vibrant color and polished chrome accents, the vehicle radiated a classic charm perfect for picking up a Christmas tree in this holiday-obsessed town.

It wasn’t the truck that captured my attention as I made my way out of the Inn, but the dark-haired chef, who resembled a sexy lumberjack in a rugged tan jacket that covered a blue flannel shirt that brought out the intensity of his eyes. He looked so relaxed, leaning against the truck, with one foot propped against the vehicle’s wheel. Eli exuded an effortless confidence that drew me in.

He looked like he could be on the cover of Hot Guy with a Truck Magazine .

I stopped dead in the middle of the street as the thought echoed. “Hot guy with a truck.”

Eli immediately stood as his attention snapped to me. “What’s that?”

I let out a nervous laugh and continued walking toward him. “I said - that’s a nice truck. ”

I didn’t think Eli could get more handsome, but I forgot about his dazzling smile that I’d seen only once before. This one lit up his entire body as he met me halfway. “Thanks. I found it on the side of the road a few years ago, and the previous owner gave it to me on one condition.”

We walked together toward the truck, and he opened the passenger door for me, gallantly gesturing me inside. The movement stirred up his enticing scent: engine oil, cinnamon, and the hint of adventure. It set off butterflies in my stomach. And the heat of having him stand so close to me caused my mouth to dry up. I swallowed. “And, what was the condition?”

“That I restore her to her original glory. It took about a year of tracking down parts on the internet, working on it in my spare time, but I got her back to what she looked like when she rolled off the lot in 1949—with one exception.”

I climbed into the truck and settled against the comfortable bench seat. Curiosity got the better of me, and I turned to ask Eli. Our eyes locked, and I felt an almost electric spark between us. “What’s that?” I whispered.

“Seatbelts.” Eli grinned. He reached around me, pulling out the lap belt, his arm brushing against my shoulder. The world around us faded as he lingered just inches from my face. “Safety first.”

Time came to a standstill. Our eyes locked. My heartbeat hammered loudly in my ears. And for a fleeting second, everything else disappeared. All that mattered was the electricity that hung in the air between us. My breath caught in my throat, and I could hardly think straight .

“Are you okay?” Eli’s breath brushed across my cheeks.

I sucked in a breath and giggled. “Yeah. Safety. Safety is a good idea. G-O-O-D. Good. Safety. Safety is good. Safety is…safe.”

Mortification colored my cheeks, and I thought this might be a good time for a time loop reset. But whoever was driving my trips into the snowbank thought this scenario was too funny for me to have any relief, so I ducked my head and clicked my seatbelt into place. Eli shut the door, giving me a brief respite from my embarrassment.

I heard gravel crunch as he made his way around the truck to the driver’s side. I watched his confident stride with the town square as a backdrop. Twinkling Christmas lights winked back at me, even in the daylight. Booths and tents were scattered around the central lawn in a random pattern that was pleasing to the eye.

It looked like a Christmas card.

Or the movie poster for one of those holiday films.

My heart skipped a beat. My arms and legs tingled. I felt dizzy.

Holy smokes. Why didn’t I see this sooner? Hot guy with a truck taking me to pick out a Christmas tree? It’s like one of those holiday movies. This has got to be a dream.

I relaxed and swallowed down a laugh.

All I have to do to wake up is make the magic happen.

I glanced out the window, looking up to the sky. “Fine. Bring it on. ”

Eli opened the door and slid into the driver’s seat. "Bring what on?"

My stomach flipped. I cleared my throat and shook my head. "The Christmas tree farm, of course.”

Eli smiled but said nothing as he started up the truck. The engine rumbled to life, and we slowly drove around the town square to the other side—the point of no return.

"This should be interesting," I muttered.

“What?” he asked, glancing my way as we passed the last festive shop front.

I stared out the window. “Every time I try to leave the town square—” But before I could finish, we were already beyond it, cruising down the quiet, snow-covered road that led out of town. My eyes widened. “What the heck?”

Eli arched a brow. “Every time you try to leave the town square, what?”

“Never mind.” I waved away my embarrassment for the second time in less than ten minutes. “It’s a nice day for a drive, that’s all. I can’t believe there’s snow everywhere.”

"It does take some getting used to.” Eli glanced at the thick blankets of white piled high along the road. “For some reason, it always snows this week, every year. I guess someone up there likes us to have a white Christmas. Makes things more?—”

“More?”

“More, you know, romantic.”

Romantic? I blinked. “Well, well, well. I never would have pegged the big-time chef as a romantic. ”

He smirked. “I didn’t say I was romantic. Just this time of year, don’t you think?”

“I don’t know about that.” Romance and love had been elusive, and the thought of taking a chance on it was unsettling.

Eli glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. “This town has a way of making you look at things in a new light. You’ll change your tune before you leave us.”

Leaving. Something I was desperately trying to do, but it seemed the universe was working against me. I felt a slight chill creep through the window and rubbed my arms to generate warmth. It all felt way too real to be a dream.

And that was the scariest thing of all.