The Geek Who Saved Christmas

by Annabeth Albert

“Watch it.” A voice I knew a little too well had me looking up in the nick of time to avoid crashing into my next-door neighbor. My very hot, very grumpy, very not-into-community-meetings neighbor.

Maybe he was allergic to smiles and needed someone similarly dour to hang with, not that I’d seen him date.

had a plan B, C, and D where Paul Frost was concerned, and I wasn’t giving up quite yet.

He was such a bundle of contradictions.

Trying not to care about whatever was making Paul so lonely was far harder.

if there was one thing I hated even more than pity, it was being unprepared.

“You do. You need help. And luckily, I’ve got a plan for that.”

Need a master bedroom refresh? Call Gideon. Need a birthday party planned? Gideon will help. I was nothing if not good at throwing together random bargain finds to bring together a theme.

Gideon was a man with a plan, and that worried me.

Other people walked. Gideon sauntered.

We weren’t friends, even if the neighbor part was starting to get damn complicated.

Marrying my best friend was easy. Coming out was harder.

I want to be that feeling for others who might need the lights this time of year.”

Sometimes hoping hurt and rolling with the punches was the only way to avoid hitting the floor.

“How is it you don’t have a boyfriend?” Paul frowned, then shook his head. “Never mind. That was rude.” “I don’t mind,” I assured him. “And hey, I’m flattered you think I should have one.

It’s okay to keep special things around, no matter how humble the items.”

And maybe he had everything under control, all his emotions locked down, but I sure as hell couldn’t say the same.

“Bad owner,” I said without thinking. No bad dogs.

This many years into living right next door, and I’d never realized Mr. Holiday was alone on Christmas.

“Yeah, but dogs are easy. It’s people that are the problem.”

Yup. He was such a catch. And him being oblivious somehow made him all the hotter.

“I don’t need cookies.” “Yes, you do.”

It had been thirty-five odd years since anyone had shown this level of concern over my welfare, and that it was him, my grumpiest of neighbors, had my eyes stinging.

“It’s okay to want things, Paul. Everyone needs a dream.”

The world needed more Gideon. And maybe I did too.

All my uncomfortable energy wanted to do something. Run. Hide. Kiss him stupid. Maybe especially that last one.

Gideon was supposed to be the happy one. And I hadn’t realized how much I depended on that fact until he wasn’t.

“I’m always a little outside the core.”

Later I would figure everything out, but not before I soaked up some more of Gideon’s holiday magic.

Some fears you can’t outgrow.”

Every time he looked at me like that, like I was special, I ached with wants I thought I’d packed away a long time ago.

He told. He directed. He managed. And lord, I wanted that.

He made me feel like I’d won a gold medal in sex, and that thrill was almost better than coming myself.

“I like you happier.” I followed him out of the truck. “I like me happier too.”

He deserved someone watching out for him, someone to leave a light on, and if he’d let it be me, well, I liked that. It also terrified me. But not enough to dampen how much I wanted to be someone for him.

I had to work to avoid swooning like a Victorian virgin.

I needed better words, the right ones, words that he’d take seriously. He deserved that.

“I love that you, with all your endless sunshine, have a cranky cat.”

But here, I felt less like a guest and more part of the group.

“You make me want year-round lights.”

I wasn’t brave. Not like that. But I wanted to be.

wanted you there. For me. Because you being there makes everything better.

“Can’t it be both?” He rubbed his thumb against my palm. “We rescued each other.

“Don’t change, Gideon.” I dropped the belt so I could cup his face instead. My stomach cramped. I hated that I’d hurt him. “Not for me. Keep the robe. And the slippers. And the drawer of bow ties. I love them.”

“You gave me back the season. I didn’t even realize how low I’d sunk until you pulled me back out of the pit. Not dreading the holiday, that’s something.”

“It’s so soon.” Like him, I was whispering, terrified that if I spoke too loudly, I’d discover this was all a dream. Next to me, he shrugged before tugging me closer. “And yet not nearly soon enough.”

“I really can’t wait to see your plan. I mean it. I want all your dreams to come true.” “Our plan,” I corrected him. “If you’re all in on doing it together, it needs to be our plan. Not just mine. Not just you doing me a favor. Or me bossing you around. Both of us. Together. Our plan.”

“No, thank you. I mean it, Gideon. You saved me.”

“You saved you.” He cupped my face. “But maybe I brought the garland.”