bells. Her hat was red and green striped with red fur. Still trying to look wounded over her comment he said. “Well, some elves wear their bells in all the wrong places.”
Her laughter brightened his day.
They watched the twins return to their parents, and then Sheila returned her attention to him. “What are you getting at the pet store?”
Still she didn’t release his hand. He smiled. “I was given a new puppy for Christmas.”
They continued walking.
“This Christmas?” She tossed her empty hot-chocolate cup into a trash can as they passed.
“There’s Santa!” the cry rang out as a family with several children hurried past them. One of the older children bumped
into Sheila while trying to grab the one running toward Santa and his elf.
Sheila stumbled into Morgan. He held her close and looked down into her upturned face. “Yes. This Christmas.”
“Oh.” The sound came out rushed from between her slightly parted lips.
He fought the urge to kiss her right there in the middle of the mall. Morgan knew he wanted their first kiss to be special. The more he was around Sheila Fisher, the more he knew God had handpicked her just for him. Still, one kiss wouldn’t hurt anything. He leaned forward.
A mother’s voice broke into his thoughts of kissing. “I’m terribly sorry. At this time of year, it is so hard to contain their excitement.”
Sheila stepped away from him and turned her attention to the woman. “No harm done,” she assured her.
The family continued on in their wild dash through the crowded mall.
Morgan continued to hold on to her hand and led her the last few steps to the pet store. Had she realized he was going to kiss her and pulled away? Or had she just been polite and answered the woman, unaware of his intentions?
Sheila followed him into the pet shop. He still grasped her hand tightly as if he were afraid he might lose her in the crowd. She liked the feeling of being a couple and for a moment thought he had been about to kiss her if the woman hadn’t interrupted and reminded her they were standing in the middle of the mall.
He pulled her past the display window filled with colorful birds. “You never did say why we’re here,” she reminded him.
“Noel needs obedience classes.” He answered, stopping by a glass wall that allowed customers to view the various puppies and kittens they had at the store without touching them.
She noted that his voice no longer held the teasing it had earlier. He seemed a little more standoffish, and she wondered if it had anything to do with their run-in with the family. “I’m assuming Noel is the puppy you got for Christmas?”
“Yes. She’s a Great Dane, and according to the book I bought last week, she needs to be trained. So here we are.” He indicated a sign-up sheet resting on a table beside the door that led into the glass room.
Sheila couldn’t say he was rude, but he wasn’t the fun-filled man of a few minutes earlier. She gently pulled her hand from his. “Okay. I’m going to see what kind of toys they have for cats.” She walked away from the puppy section of the store in search of the cat items.
The store felt festive like the rest of the mall. Decorations hung from the ceiling and along poles throughout the store. Over the cash register, she noted several sprigs of mistletoe dangling over the cashier’s head. A sign hung on the pole beside her read, Beware of the Mistletoe—You Never Know Where It Might Be Hanging. The price tag on it was unreadable from where she stood.
Sheila shook her head. That sign didn’t even make sense. She continued through the store. She couldn’t believe all the Christmas items they had for animals. She saw Santa hats made just for dogs and cats. Sweaters for all kinds of animals hung on end caps. She ventured past a cage where little brown, raccoon faced Ferrets sported red, silver, and green jingle bell collars. A smile touched her lips. Chrissy wouldn’t be too happy with her
Her laughter brightened his day.
They watched the twins return to their parents, and then Sheila returned her attention to him. “What are you getting at the pet store?”
Still she didn’t release his hand. He smiled. “I was given a new puppy for Christmas.”
They continued walking.
“This Christmas?” She tossed her empty hot-chocolate cup into a trash can as they passed.
“There’s Santa!” the cry rang out as a family with several children hurried past them. One of the older children bumped
into Sheila while trying to grab the one running toward Santa and his elf.
Sheila stumbled into Morgan. He held her close and looked down into her upturned face. “Yes. This Christmas.”
“Oh.” The sound came out rushed from between her slightly parted lips.
He fought the urge to kiss her right there in the middle of the mall. Morgan knew he wanted their first kiss to be special. The more he was around Sheila Fisher, the more he knew God had handpicked her just for him. Still, one kiss wouldn’t hurt anything. He leaned forward.
A mother’s voice broke into his thoughts of kissing. “I’m terribly sorry. At this time of year, it is so hard to contain their excitement.”
Sheila stepped away from him and turned her attention to the woman. “No harm done,” she assured her.
The family continued on in their wild dash through the crowded mall.
Morgan continued to hold on to her hand and led her the last few steps to the pet store. Had she realized he was going to kiss her and pulled away? Or had she just been polite and answered the woman, unaware of his intentions?
Sheila followed him into the pet shop. He still grasped her hand tightly as if he were afraid he might lose her in the crowd. She liked the feeling of being a couple and for a moment thought he had been about to kiss her if the woman hadn’t interrupted and reminded her they were standing in the middle of the mall.
He pulled her past the display window filled with colorful birds. “You never did say why we’re here,” she reminded him.
“Noel needs obedience classes.” He answered, stopping by a glass wall that allowed customers to view the various puppies and kittens they had at the store without touching them.
She noted that his voice no longer held the teasing it had earlier. He seemed a little more standoffish, and she wondered if it had anything to do with their run-in with the family. “I’m assuming Noel is the puppy you got for Christmas?”
“Yes. She’s a Great Dane, and according to the book I bought last week, she needs to be trained. So here we are.” He indicated a sign-up sheet resting on a table beside the door that led into the glass room.
Sheila couldn’t say he was rude, but he wasn’t the fun-filled man of a few minutes earlier. She gently pulled her hand from his. “Okay. I’m going to see what kind of toys they have for cats.” She walked away from the puppy section of the store in search of the cat items.
The store felt festive like the rest of the mall. Decorations hung from the ceiling and along poles throughout the store. Over the cash register, she noted several sprigs of mistletoe dangling over the cashier’s head. A sign hung on the pole beside her read, Beware of the Mistletoe—You Never Know Where It Might Be Hanging. The price tag on it was unreadable from where she stood.
Sheila shook her head. That sign didn’t even make sense. She continued through the store. She couldn’t believe all the Christmas items they had for animals. She saw Santa hats made just for dogs and cats. Sweaters for all kinds of animals hung on end caps. She ventured past a cage where little brown, raccoon faced Ferrets sported red, silver, and green jingle bell collars. A smile touched her lips. Chrissy wouldn’t be too happy with her
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