MY CHRISTMAS ROMANCE

CHAPTER 3: CHRISTMAS DEAL

Before going to the story, it's time for another dedication, and today, I dedicate this chapter to @Watson1416 because she and Penelope have some things in common: they both have crazy ideas and enough boldness to put them into action, even if @Watson1416 is more about pranks! 😂😉 Love you and your hidden devious side! Stay awesome 😘❤

"Okay, I understand it's all about sharing moments with your family–"

"And your loved ones," I add, trying to catch those cinnamon eyes with my meaningful look, but Aden only nods.

"And your loved ones. But it can be at any other period of the year, so what is so special about the holidays?"

I lift my head up to the squared white ceiling, hoping that Santa will maybe help me. It's been about half an hour that we're here, but Aden doesn't seem to make any progress at Christmas or anything holidays-related. It isn't that he isn't trying, yet he just seems to be lacking totally of the Christmas spark we all have inside.

I let my gaze come back down, being caught once again by the contrast between the tidy white desk along with Aden's neat gray suit and the wide look in his eyes that resembles a lost puppy in front of all my explanations and the various Christmas pictures I've brought.

"I don't know... It's something special in the air... Maybe the fairy lights, the children's laughers, the snow... You can't really describe it, you gotta feel it."

He blinks his puppy eyes at me, and I swear no one can be as frustrating and adorable at the same time.

"No offense, but it mostly looks like a commercial strategy for me."

This plan is gonna be more complicated than I've imagined...

Speaking of plan, as if summoned by my disheartening thoughts, my phone starts ringing.

"Oh, sorry." I reach for my phone, looking at the screen but not even reading the name flashing as I say to Aden, "Just give me one minute."

"Sure." He offers me a soft smile, already diving back into studying the holidays' photos and articles as if it was a school subject to study, and he looks so cute doing it.

But I have to focus, so I quickly answer the phone, walking to the corner of the room. 

"Hello, Mom? I'm at work, I can't talk to you now. It can't wait for tomorrow?"

I throw a glance at Aden, not really listening to the voice on the other side of the phone.

"Mom, I've already told you I'm fine by myself!" I try to raise my voice, yet keeping it a whisper so it looks like I don't want Aden to hear, when in fact, it's the contrary.

Luckily, his office is quite small, so even my 'annoyed' whispers can be heard in the few feet separating us.

"So how's it going with the 'lover boy'?" I hear Amy on the other end of the phone along with some snickering from Kyle in the background.

They are making it really hard to keep a bothered face when I feel the corner of my lips tickling with an impending laugh. But I stay in character like a professional actress.

"No, I'm not interested. I can take care of my love life, so stop trying to play the matchmakers."

I glance up at Aden with an embarrassed expression that I think should earn me an Oscar with my friends' teasing on the other side of the phone, and I cross his cinnamon gaze for a second before he quickly averts it. 

But the way his eyebrows are slightly creasing and his fingers are frozen on the piece of paper he's holding lets me know I've caught his attention and interest. I can almost picture the wheels spinning in his head, trying to guess what I'm talking about. For someone so closed-off with a strong carapace, he is so easy to read; well that's maybe because I'm used to observing him a lot.