"Why are we at a Christmas tree lot?" Paige asked, looking around. When Mike told her they had one stop to make before heading home, this was the last place she imagined stopping. She thought that he wanted to stop by the store, not pick up a Christmas tree.

"I know it wasn't really a thing for you growing up, but everyone should have a chance to decorate their own tree," Mike explained, ushering her out of the car.

"The house already has a tree." Paige softly smiled at him. It was sweet of him to do this for her, but unnecessary. Johnny's Charlie Brown Christmas tree definitely had some appeal, despite it being a far cry from the 8-foot tree her parents always got.

"Johnny decorated that tree. This one is yours, with your own decorations."

"It's not like we didn't celebrate Christmas, it's just my dad - he thought it was a waste of time to decorate the tree." Paige rolled her eyes, recounting her dad's annual speech about Christmas trees. There were always business associates that her dad was looking to impress and that included having the perfect tree, decorated by professionals, not his family. Their tree always came straight from a department store and it always felt so impersonal. Every ornament was perfectly selected to match a theme. Their Christmas tree looked like it was ready for a magazine and part of her hated it. Her best friend's mom saved every ornament she and her siblings made over the years and proudly hung those with all of her other ornaments. She didn't even know what happened to the ornaments she and her brother made in school. "I don't want my ornaments to match."

Mike leaned forward and dropped his voice down to a whisper, "They don't have to match, just promise me, no grub worms."

Paige laughed, "What about a sexy baby Jesus? One with better abs?" She didn't care what Charlie said, that grub worm looked nothing like a baby Jesus.

"If you want."

Taking advantage of his proximity, Paige placed her hand on his chest. "I like your abs." Paige flicked her eyes towards his and offered him a small smile. She and Mike were slowly getting to a place where maybe they could be more than friends again. They were both constantly testing the waters but neither of them would actually make a move.

He met her gaze for a moment and it was like they were transported back to the summer. This past summer. Or the one before that. It didn't matter. Back when things were easy between them. Back when they could easily get lost in each other's eyes. When a look was just a look. When they could look in each other's eyes for more than three seconds without having to look away. Because of guilt. Or anger. When their touches were friendly. More than friendly. When everything was new and exciting. Not laced with regrets.

"I thought I was the cheesy one."

"Maybe it'll be my resolution for the new year."

Mike met her eyes again and she swore her heart skipped a beat when he placed his hand over hers. Mike cocked his head towards the entrance, "We should head inside before it gets dark and we can't see anything."

Paige nodded, offering no resistance when he tugged on her hand and laced their fingers together. It was an ordinary gesture, but for them it signified so much more. It meant they finally worked their way through all their garbage. That they were both ready to try again. That she was comfortable enough with the idea of them that she didn't flip out because he tried to hold her hand in public.

Mike glanced at their joined hands and didn't even try to hide the smile filling his face. Both of them were content to just be in that moment and they walked in a comfortable silence through the parking lot until they neared the trees.

"Can I get any tree?"

"Whatever you want."

"Be careful, those are my three favorite words."

Mike shook his head and laughed, "Yeah, I know."

Paige leaned towards Mike and pointed far across the lot, "Even that one?" Paige tried to keep from smiling as she pointed to one of the taller trees.

"Don't you want look around first?" Mike asked, gesturing towards some smaller trees.

"You just don't want to carry that thing upstairs," Paige teased, laughing as she pictured Mike dragging that tree up the stairs all by himself, because he was too stubborn to ask for help.

"It won't fit in your room!"

Paige ignored Mike's logical statement and tugged on his hand, taking him around to another section of trees. They wandered around the lot, laughing as they touched the needles of the various trees, trying to figure out which one she liked best.

"I kinda like this one," Paige said, stopping in front of a nearly three foot tall tree with full, lush branches. "It smells amazing."

Mike flipped over the label, "Balsam fir."

"Do you..." her voice trailed off when she noticed a pair of pre-teen girls making their way past them. She would have ignored them if they hadn't kept turning around to look at them. Paige watched them for a few seconds before an older woman smiled apologetically at her and Mike. The woman grabbed the girls by their arms and ushered them in the opposite direction.

Paige looked around them and laughed softly to herself when he noticed that she and Mike were standing under mistletoe. She pointed up to draw Mike's attention to it.

He nervously laughed. "Yeah, so that explains..." his voice trailed off and he gestured in the direction that the pair of girls went.

"We don't have to," Paige quickly said. The last thing she wanted was for Mike to feel like he had to kiss her. She wanted him to want to kiss her. There had been a few times over the past month where they had almost kissed, but something kept stopping them.

"What if I want to?"

Paige held her breath as Mike moved closer. Mike's stare was intense as her tongue darted out to wet her lips. Mike cupped her face in his hand and rubbed his thumb along her jaw. Paige sighed, leaning into his touch, feeling at peace for the first time in months. After what felt like an eternity, his lips were on hers.

Their first kiss happened so suddenly, despite suspecting they would hook up at some point last summer she hadn't expected it in that moment. Although, even though though Mike wanted her, that kiss had nothing to do with her.

Their second kiss was a prelude to sex. There was no anticipation, it wasn't a matter of if, it was a matter of when. They had been flirting all day and Mike arrested her pushed her over the edge. She hadn't been willing to wait all summer for him to make a move. So she dropped her towel and he didn't leave her room until the next morning.

But this, this felt different.

Paige wrapped her arms around Mike's neck, threading her fingers through his hair as Mike slowly, yet insistently kissed her.

It felt familiar, yet new at the same time. It wasn't hurried or rushed. Despite being surrounded by dozens of of people, they were existing in their own little bubble as they re-explored each other. Everything about this moment felt right, from the butterflies in her stomach to how normal this felt, like they were exactly where they were supposed to be.