More Than You Know (h.s)

Chapter Eighteen.

ROSALIE'S POV ❁

- Five Years Ago -

"Did you bring your jacket?" Harry asks softly from across the car as he unbuckles his seatbelt. His mitten-clad hands move to shift the car into park, then he's look back up at me again with a red nose and rosy lips.

"Yeah, I did. We don't have to do this today if you don't want to, baby. You don't look very good." I keep my voice low as I lean across the seats to brush my fingers across his cheek. He sniffles softly and wipes his nose, then sighs.

"It's just a cold. Plus, time is running out. Christmas is only a week away." He says back. Both of our lips pout slightly as we look at each other, which makes us laugh. I lean in to kiss his lips and only manage to stay put for a second before he pushes me back gently.

"Rosie, I'm gonna get you sick." His voice is sad and slightly raspy from his congestion.

"So? It's just a cold, not a brain tumor. I'll live." I bring both hands up to cup his face and he groans quietly when I pull him in again to press our lips together.

"I'm going to feel guilty if I get you sick, too." He tries to pull away again and I allow him to, but pout once he's leaned back in his seat again.

"I really don't care if I get sick. It'd give us a good excuse to lay in bed together for a few days while we get better." I reach for my puffy coat that's in the back seat and begin pulling it on over the green flannel shirt I borrowed from Harry's closet this morning.

"Who's going to take care of me if you're sick too?" Harry asks back playfully while nudging my arm with his own.

"You'll be making your own damn soup whether I'm sick or not." I jokingly glare back at him, then zip my coat and reach for the handle of the door.

"Let's get this done so we can get you back home." I reach my hand over to pat his leg, then open my door.

"Go on up to the front. I'll be out in a second, baby." He calls back. I nod my head and slip out of the car into the cold December air.

A shiver immediately settles over my body as I trek through the snow on the ground towards the front of the tree farm. My beanie, gloves, and scarf are doing no justice against the cold air surrounding me, but I fight off the urge to get back in the car. Harry and I have been talking about picking out a Christmas tree together for weeks and now that we're here I couldn't be more excited to make the decision official.

In the year three years that we've been together, we haven't made a huge deal out of the passing holidays. Last Christmas he went to his fathers house and I stayed home with my family, then we met up the next day to exchange gifts with each other.

I got him a knit sweater and a bottle of cologne, which seemed to be a mutual idea between us beings he got me a new jacket and a bottle of perfume that I had been wanting but didn't want to invest in. We joked for days after that we both were hinting around at each other's body odor.

"Hello. Can I help you?" A man in a thick brown coat asks as he steps out of a small shack off to the side of where the lines of trees begin. His large beard is surprisingly nicely manicured and his tall frame towers over my own as he approaches me.

"My boyfriend and I were hoping to pick out a Christmas tree. Are you still open?" I ask back, glancing down at the watch on my wrist. Harry couldn't get off work until four and now it's a quarter to five and we're the only ones in the parking lot.

"I was just about to close up but I can stay open for a pretty little thing like you, I suppose." The man smirks back down at me and I swallow uncomfortably.