"Because I've always liked you."
"Liked me?" she says.
"Yeah," I say. "You always ask how people are. You're wearing a Santa hat. You bring in coffee for your coworkers and you're nice and kind. You're good. When I stand behind the camera lens, I see what people are really like."
"And what do you see when you look at me?" she asks.
"I just told you. I guess you need a lot of compliments, huh?" I say, teasing her. Wanting her. Bad.
She laughs. "I am a model. I'm a little self-centered. We should get that out of the way. You think I'm a nice girl, but..."
I laugh. "Angel, I know you're a nice girl, but."
Angel laughs. "Hey, maybe I have a little spice to my sweet, okay?" She takes another bite of gingerbread before popping the lid down on the tin and throwing it into her big tote bag. "Are you really going to shove off this whole photo shoot and screw over Allister?”
I shrug. "Actually, yeah. What he said to you and how he acted is not cool at all. I'd much rather drive through the night and get to your grandma's house by morning. We'll spend the day with her. Look, my dad's a pastor. I grew up knowing that Christmas is all about giving to other people."
Angel smiles. "I have no idea where you came from or why you're doing this, but I'm game. You have a car, right?"
I laugh. "Yeah, I have a car. You don’t?"
Angel shakes her head. "No, I don't. I was going to take a Greyhound bus to my grandma's house."
I crack up. "Well, thank God I'm here. Those things always break down at Christmas, don't they?"
"That's only in the movies," Angel says. "I would've been fine."
"But now?" I ask her.
She grins. God, she's gorgeous. "Now," she says, "now, I think I'm set. Come on. It's time to pack for Christmas, fake fiancé."
"Don't start saying fake. We have to act like this is the real deal."
"Right." She reaches for my hand, laces her fingers with mine. I swear, it's damn electric. "All right, Andrew," she says, on her tip toes, though she doesn't have to go far. "It's time to take me home for Christmas."
I wrap my arms around her and I know I shouldn't, but I do.
I kiss her to seal the damn deal.
CHAPTER 4
ANGEL
In the taxi to my apartment, I have these warm butterfly feelings swirling around me. I call my grandma because I can't wait. I am so excited to share the news with her.
"Hi," I say.
She answers on the first ring. "Angel," she says. "I wasn't expecting to hear from you. Aren't you working right now?"
"It's a long story," I say. "But the good news is, I'm going to be there tomorrow morning."
"What?" she says. "You're surprising me for Christmas?"
"Well, you knew I was coming as soon as I could, but I got off work early and a friend offered to drive me and–"
"A friend?” she asks.
"Yes, Grandma, a friend. His name's Andrew and–"
"Oh, Angel. I'm so excited to see you. And good thing the house is all cleaned. That cleaner you sent here did a real fine job, which was too generous of you. You shouldn't be using your paycheck to send cleaners to your grandma's house."
"Grandma, you can't be cleaning right now. You need to be taking care of yourself and resting."
"Well, you're sure good to me. All the ladies at the church always tell me that I am blessed beyond measure. Don't I know it."
"Well, I'm pretty blessed too, Grandma," I say. "And I can't believe I get to see you tomorrow morning. Now, do you need Andrew and I to stop at the grocery store for anything? We can pick up some food or–"
"Oh no. I got plenty of food here at the house. My prayer group helped me stock my cupboards for Christmas. I knew you were going to be here. I just didn't know you were going to be here tomorrow morning. I thought you were going to be here on Christmas and now I get one extra day with you. Oh, Angel, you just made my whole heart so happy."
"Well, speaking of happy, I'm feeling pretty good myself. I got some gingerbread this afternoon," I tell her with a smile.
"Did you now? Well, I guess it came right in the nick of time. If it would have been one day later, you wouldn't have gotten it at all."
"Well, thank you," I say. "And it reminded me exactly where I need to be tomorrow. You always seem to remind me who I am and where I belong. I love you, Grandma."
"Well, I love you too. I cannot wait to meet this friend of yours."
"Yeah, I think you're going to really like him," I say. When I hang up the phone, I think, I can't wait to get to know him myself considering I know only a handful of things about Andrew, a man I've only had a couple conversations with.