“And you get presents at Christmas. Sparkling lights, laughter, warmth?—”
“Only when you’re a kid.”
“I still have that.”
“Let me guess, you still spend Christmas at your parents’ house.”
I grinned up at him, not at all ashamed of that. “Guilty as charged. And it’s still just as fun as when I was a kid. I still wake them the minute I get up. I have to wait for the coffee to be ready before we can do stockings. And I still spend all day at their house watching movies.”
“That sounds like too much family.”
I shrugged, not really caring. I loved my family, and those traditions were still important to me.
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.”
His eyes locked on mine for a whole twenty seconds before he answered. “That’s so cheesy.”
“And yet, it’s still true,” I grinned. “Tell me, is there another time of the year when you can just sit around drinking all day, laughing and listening to music while you open presents and reminisce with family?”
“You could choose to do that any day of the year.”
“Yes, but you can also light a fire for ambiance.”
“You can light a fire anytime you want.”
“And there’s the Christmas tree, filled with all love and sunshine.”
He chuckled at that. “I had no idea a tree could do all that.”
“Well, it does for me.”
“And you spend the night at your parents’ house, just like when you were a kid.”
“Yep!” I grinned. “I usually stay over there for Thanksgiving as well to get up at the crack of dawn to help my mom with the baking. Of course, my dad always tries to eat the pies before dinner. Then my mom smacks his hand and shoves a piece of cornbread in his face to tide him over.”
“Cornbread tides him over?”
“Well, we have cheese and crackers and olives and all kinds of appetizers. It’s not like we starve him.”
“And all this is just for the three of you.”
“Well, we always have an open-door invitation. Occasionally, someone shows up. But this year, I’m hosting,” I beamed, so excited for my first Thanksgiving at my house.
“Tired of waking up in someone else’s bed?” he asked, his tone interested, though his eyes wandered around the bar.
“Actually, my mom said she needed a break from it all. So, I happily volunteered to host. I still have to get the tablecloth and the runner, and all the other fancy decorations to make it really beautiful.”
“Why don’t you just borrow it from your mother?”
It seemed logical, but I wanted all my own things. “Because if I do it again next year, I’ll have to borrow everything from her.”
“Seems like a waste of money,” he muttered.
“It’s an investment in the future.”
“A wasted investment. Shouldn’t you put that money aside for a house or something?”
My good mood vanished at his criticism, and my back instantly stiffened. “Like you are? Last I heard, you were still living with another couple. How long were you planning to mooch off them?”