Free Noelle's Christmas Crush by Angela Darling Page A

phone from her pocket and looked at the chart. “You can vacuum the rugs,” she told her brother.
    â€œNo way am I taking orders from Sergeant Birthday over there,” Andrew said, shaking his head. “That’s just not right.”
    Mrs. Winters sighed. “Andrew, could you please vacuum? That’s your job anyway. And when you’re done I’ll find something else for you to do.”
    Andrew rolled his eyes, but he didn’t object, and went back to his plate of chicken.
    â€œI won’t be long, and then I’m going to make some cheese balls and some other appetizers,” Mr. Winters said. “We’ve got all night.”
    Noelle sighed. “Fine.”
    â€œWell, it is the last weekend before Christmas,” her mom pointed out. “It’s normally a very busy weekend for us. But we’re making it work. Your party’s going to be lovely.”
    â€œPerfect,” Noelle corrected her. “It’s going to be perfect.”
    â€œPerfect is a tough word,” Mr. Winters said. “You know, some artists and craftspeople intentionally put a mistake in everything they create. Some do it because they believe that no one or nothing can be perfect, and others think that it makes their works more interesting. So maybe you shouldn’t aim for perfect.”
    â€œBut I just don’t want anything to go wrong ,” Noelle said. “What’s so bad about that?”
    â€œI think your father’s got a point,” Mrs. Winters said. “It can’t hurt to relax a little bit. You’ll probably have a better time.”
    â€œAnd so will everyone else,” Andrew mumbled.
    But the advice didn’t sink in. Noelle was too excited. She kept picturing the party over and over again . . . guests arriving in the perfectly decorated room, and then Noel would enter, and smile at her, and Noelle would walk up to him, and . . .
    â€œNoelle, are you listening?” her mom asked. “I was asking what you need me to do after I’m done baking.”
    â€œI still need to finish the favor bags,” Noelle said. “And I was thinking of putting some of the extra violet flowers in the downstairs bathroom. And I want to set out the plates and cups and stuff.”
    Mrs. Winters nodded. “Okay, you do the plates and cups and I’ll help with the favor bags when I’m done. I picked up a few more things yesterday.”
    â€œAll right,” Noelle said. “May I be excused, then?”
    â€œOf course,” Mr. Winters replied.
    Noelle helped clear the kitchen after dinner, and a few hours later, the Winters house was a busy hub of activity. Mr. Winters had returned with packages that he whisked up to his bedroom, and was now sliding a pan of cheese balls into the oven. Andrew hid in his room for two hours, but now the sound of the vacuum blared through the house.
    Mrs. Winters finished her brownies, and now she and Noelle were sitting at the kitchen table, filling the favor bags. Noelle had taken a lot of time picking out things that both kids and adults would like.
    â€œTiny box of chocolate. Check,” Noelle said, puttingone in a violet bag. “Lip balm. Check. Violet pen. Check.”
    â€œAnd I found these,” Mrs. Winters said, opening up a bag of tiny notebooks with silver covers, “to go with the pens.”
    â€œThey’re perfect!” Nicole exclaimed. “Am I allowed to say that?”
    Mrs. Winters grinned. “I think that’s all right.”
    Noelle filled a bag with all of the items and tied a silver ribbon to close it.
    â€œYou know what I like best about these?” Noelle asked.
    â€œYou mean besides the fact that they’re perfect?” her mom replied, teasing.
    â€œYes,” Noelle said. “I love them because there’s nothing Christmasy in them!”
    They finished the favor bags, dusted the furniture, and adjusted the decorations