1 Chapter One

"Hello? Wait I can't see you."

A voice came out over the speaker of a phone as they accepted the video chat.

The red haired woman stretched out her arm as she angled the phone to look down at her while holding up a dress to her chest, "Hey Olivia, I'm buying presents and I need your opinion. Does this look good or should I go with a black?" She questioned while looking at her phone, looking at the little view of herself in the corner more than her cousin on the full screen.

"Emma, really? You better be shopping for my Christmas present…" She grumbled though she soon caved and gave her opinion, "The black looks better, what's the occasion?" She questioned, wondering why she would be shopping in such an expensive store.

"I am shopping for my own presents this year. Since a certain someone had to leave me in the house alone this year." Emma complained as she brought the phone back to a closer view of herself and placed the two dresses back on the rack no longer feeling it anymore after looking at the price.

"Hey, you can't blame me. Rick wanted me to meet his whole family this year before we told them the news. You're not really not getting me anything right? I got you something while I was here" Olivia whined as Emma shifted through the clothes.

Emma hesitated on her response though she soon sighed caving in to answer her cousin's stare, "No, I already got you something of course. How is it down there with the soon to be in laws?" she questioned keeping the conversation going so that when she found another dress she wouldn't have to call her again.

"It's been interesting to say the least, they celebrate nothing like our family does" She responds trying to downplay how nice it was to have a big warm family gathering unlike what the girls experienced in their own family.

"Yeah must be horrible with so many cousins and loved ones around." Emma said sarcastically knowing from what Rick said they were likely having a blast.

While rolling her eyes she happened to see a dress hanging on the wall just out of reach. Moving over she reached out and touched the fabric to see what it was made of only to find the comfort on her fingers which made her want it even more.

"Don't sound like that, you can always drive down to my parents house for Christmas, they would be more than happy to accommodate you for a few nights" She informed though she narrowed her brow to how much shaking was going on with the phone as Emma was trying to reach the dress's hanger to bring it down. "What are you doing?" she questioned.

Emma placed her phone down on the rack beside her at an angle so she could free up her hand but still see and talk to Olivia. "And sleep with your five year old niece that still wets the bed, I think not… Trying to get this really pretty dress down, almost got it" she grumbled stepping on a shelf that she knew she shouldn't.

"Emma, get down just get a retailer to help you." Olivia warned as she saw someone walking behind her. "Emma stop someone is-" she added only to be ignored and cut off as Emma shouted.

"Got it!" Emma cheered only for the dress to fall off it's hanger causing her to lose balance and fall back.

A surprised gasp left Emma as she actually crashed into someone instead of falling to the floor. Though there was still a sound of something crashing to the floor. Emma quickly stood to her feet as she turned around to look at the person she had fallen into out of her own careless behavior. "I am so sorry" She exclaimed. Only she froze looking up at the really attractive man before her.

"Emma, you alright?" Her cousin asked only to see the man just beyond her cousin as well. "Oh my…" she fell silent as she just watched, not wanting to miss anything nor interrupt.

The man scoffed looking at Emma as he looked at the dress in her hands, "Are you okay, Emily?" he questioned not quite catching her name from the person over the phone.

"Ugh no, Emma… Emma Henry is my name but I just fell into you so I don't think you could care about that. I'm very sorry I fell on you..." She began to ramble after correcting him on her name and soon regretted giving her full name along with every word that followed.

She couldn't seem to gather her thoughts looking at him. He was a tall, well dressed gentleman with dark hair and brown eyes. Very much so her type if she ever were to make a list.

"She's single!" Her cousin shouted after hearing her cousin trail off already in an embarrassing ramble. This caused Emma to turn around quickly having forgotten she was there. Only to give an agitated expression as Olivia smiled, blowing her a kiss, "I'll call you back, bye." she added with a wink as she hung up the phone.

Emma huffed as she was almost tempted to call her back to yell for her comment but she noticed the man behind her bending over. She looked down as he picked up the bag he dropped. She realized that's what she heard hit the ground and let out a sigh, "Oh no, I am so sorry I didn't mean to." She apologized while watching him check on the object inside.

"It's okay really," He informed while picking up the broken glass swan. Broken at the neck it was clearly un-savable since glue would only appear tacky.

She hissed knowing it was likely for someone special, she hated that she broke such a beautiful item. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out her wallet, "It was so pretty. I'm so sorry. How much was it? I'll replace it…" Just as she asked she noticed the little tab attached to the wing and almost dropped her wallet. She couldn't afford such a gift even with a month's salary.

He almost chuckled while looking at her jaw almost drop at the price, "No it's fine really. I don't really need to bring her another swan figure, she has so many." He responds while placing it back in the bag.

"Your girlfriend likes swans?" Emma questioned finding herself becoming disappointed knowing she should have expected he would be taken.

"My mother, though the whole town has this Christmas swan tradition. They are all obsessed with swans this time of the year but my mother really loves them." He informed while looking down to Emma. He glanced over to the phone that was still sitting on the rack, "That dress would look very beautiful on you, could I possibly buy it for you and take you out to lunch?" he asked while closing her wallet for her.

"Ugh… but I just broke that beautiful swan and this is not cheap either." She stuttered, becoming very surprised by the suggestion.

He looked at the tag on the dress, "Please, I have an offer I would like to discuss with you. Besides, it's marked down" he informed, giving a persuasive smile.