Wrapped Up In Christmas
Page 50
“I read them all,” he clarified. “Hard not to since the sign is right next to the cash register. As far as memorizing them, I never had any intention of repeating them.”
She lifted one of the antique glass ornaments from its box, running her finger over its smooth lines, before hanging it on the tree. “So why are you?”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “You’re smiling, aren’t you?”
“Kinda hard not to with your corny Christmas jokes.”
“Not mine. Lou’s.”
She pulled another ornament from the box, deciding she was going to hang the glass ball in honor of the Hamiltons. “Tell me another.”
“What does a sheep who doesn’t like Christmas say?”
Putting the ornament on the tree, she turned, met Bodie’s gaze and waited for the punch line.
“Baaaaaaa humbug.”
“Good thing you’re not a sheep or you’d be baaing all the time.” Sarah snickered at the thought, then went back to the box see what was next.
“Oh, here’s another ornament I made,” she cooed, lifting the angel out of the box and holding it out for Bodie to see.
“Nice,” he enthused with a teasing tone. “How old were you?”
She arched her brow. “You implying it looks like I was young?”
He laughed. “Just curious.”
“Third grade.”
His forehead furrowed. “How do you remember that?”
“Because I put the red hair on the angel because my schoolteacher had red hair. I thought she was beautiful, like an angel. I remember telling everyone that when I grew up, I was going to be her.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.”
“Grow up to be her?”
He nodded.
“Schoolteacher is a noble profession.”
“Agreed, not what I meant.”
She waited for him to elaborate and wasn’t surprised when she had to prompt him. “What did you mean?”
“That, although I’m sure your third-grade teacher was great, she wasn’t you.”
“And being me is a good thing?”
“Look at how many people you help, how many lives you touch,” he pointed out. “Being you is more than good, Sarah. The world needs more people like you.”
Heat flooded through her at his compliment. “That’s a nice thing to say, Bodie.”
He shrugged as if what he’d said was no big deal. “It’s the truth.”
“You’re not just saying that to keep me from getting all weepy over these ornaments again, are you?”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “Would I do that?”