I slammed my cabinet closed in frustration. How the fuck could I be out of candles on the second night of Hanukkah? Oh yeah, because I hadn’t even thought to check since I spent the first night celebrating at my mom’s house.

This was disappointing. I couldn’t think of a single night of Hanukkah in my entire life when I hadn’t lit the candles. I could probably run over to my cousin Avi’s house, but most likely they’d already lit their candles for tonight.

I leaned against the wall and sighed, admitting defeat. Then there was a knock on my door.

Opening it, I was surprised to see Larissa standing there. She wasn’t smiling, but she didn’t look angry either. I thought she looked kind of...embarrassed?

“Hey,” I said.

“Hi...so, this might be a crazy question, but do you by chance have a spare menorah? I can’t seem to find mine in all my boxes and I was really looking forward to lighting the candles tonight…” she trailed off, her eyebrows raised expectantly.

“Do you have candles?” I asked.

She held up the small, blue box she had in her hand. “I do.”

“Here’s the thing. I only have one menorah.”

She dipped her head. “Oh, okay.”

I brushed my hand over her arm as she started to turn. “But I don’t have any candles.”

She turned back, her head tilted to the side. “Ah, that’s a problem.”

“We’re both in a predicament, aren’t we?”

She let out a heaving sigh. “Fine. Come over.”

I wanted to laugh. She made it sound like she was inviting me to torture her. “I think I will.” Grabbing my menorah and keys, I locked up and followed her back to her place.

Larissa’s apartment was similar to mine, although hers was filled with boxes at the moment. Or maybe that was her decorating style. No judgements.

“I was in the middle of grating potatoes for latkes before I got distracted with my menorah hunt,” she said.

Behind her, her kitchen island was covered in bowls, potatoes, and onions.

“I could help?”

A little line formed between her eyebrows. “Was that a question?”

I chuckled softly. “No, it was an offer.”

She rolled her top lip between her teeth and glanced over her shoulder. With a huff, she said, “Sure. My sister is concerned I’ll amputate a digit or burn the place down, so I could use the help.”

Coming closer, I said, “How about we light the candles, then get to work on the latkes?”

Larissa cleared a space on the island for the menorah, set it down, and added two plain white candles on the right, plus one in the middle.

“I usually get the rainbow-colored ones,” I said.

She waved a dismissive hand. “I just picked up the first box I found. Beggars can’t be choosers on the second night of Hanukkah.”

“True. Looks like neither of us were prepared for the holiday.”

“Well, luckily we get eight nights to get it right.”

I fished the matchbook out of my pocket. “It’s a miracle! I have matches!”

She almost smiled. Almost. Her full lips had the barest of curves and I knew I was close to cracking her.

Holding out the matches, I asked, “Do you want to do the honors?”

“You saved the night with your miraculous menorah and matches. I insist you do it.”

Smiling, I struck the match, then lit the middle candle—the shamash. After I blew out the match, I glanced at Larissa. “Ready?”

She inhaled deeply. “Yes.”

Together, we said the Hanukkah prayer in Hebrew as I used the shamash to light the other two candles.

“Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tsivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah.”

Our eyes met over the glow of the candles, and that was when she smiled. It didn’t last long, but it was there, and I realized I’d been mistaken before. Larissa wasn’t just cute or pretty, she was goddamn gorgeous. When she smiled, her eyes lit up, her cheeks flushed with pink, and her wide mouth had me thinking the dirtiest of thoughts about my new neighbor.

As the candles burned, we got to work on the latkes. I chopped onions while she shredded potatoes.

“Have you lived here long?” she asked.

I wiped an onion-induced tear from my cheek. “A couple years. I like it. It’s close to family, not too far from work, and normally pretty quiet.”

“You have family in Baltimore?”

“Yeah. My cousin and his wife live in Locust Point, so really close. They put up with my constant visits because I babysit for them. My parents don’t live very far either.”

“You babysit?” she asked.

“Don’t sound so surprised! I’m a boss babysitter. Ladies and babies love me. It’s a blessing and a curse.”

She rolled her eyes dramatically. Somehow I knew she would.

“Gross,” was her response.

“Wow, you’re super serious,” I said.

Her eyes were fixed on the pile of grated potato in her bowl. “Sometimes. I’m just not entertained by men who refer to their arms as guns and talk about ladies loving them.”

“Larissa...I was kidding. It’s a thing I tend to do. My daily mission in life is to make as many people laugh as I can.”

“How’s that working for you?”

“I gotta say, not too great today. You’re the only person I’ve seen, and the laughter has been severely lacking.”

Her eyes darted up to mine. “Didn’t you work today?”

“Nah, I took the week off. Vacay.”

“Hmmm...me too. I’m on...vacay as well.”

She was lucky I didn’t take her derisive tone personally. We were just two very different types of people, and that was cool. Everyone being the same would be boring as hell. I didn’t think she was trying to be hurtful though; she just didn’t find me amusing. And honestly? That made me even more determined to draw her out.

Maybe that made me an asshole, basically telling a frowning woman to smile. But my intentions were pure. I didn’t want her to smile for me—okay, maybe that was part of it. Mostly, I was just curious about what made her smile and laugh.

We worked together to form the latkes, then fried them in oil. The smells of the bubbling oil and burning candles were like putting on an old, cozy sweater. I imagined this was what people who celebrated Christmas felt when they smelled pine needles or caught a glimpse of twinkling lights. Oil and candles would always equate to family and presents and some of the best days of the year.

As Larissa dished out the hot latkes, I opened her fridge and peered inside. “I have to ask: applesauce or sour cream?” But my answer was staring back at me.

“There’s only one choice,” she said.

I held up the white container. “You’re breaking my heart, madam.”

She switched the burner off and turned to face me with a look of horror. “Say it isn’t so!”

I laughed. “Yep. I’m an applesauce man.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “I knew we weren’t very alike but come on! I don’t get people who put applesauce on latkes. It’s just not right.”

“And you sour cream people are fuckin’ mysteries to me. Sweet and salty is the best combination.”

I carried the plate of latkes to her narrow table for two and she brought over a couple bottles of beer and silverware. After she set those down, she reached under her arm and pulled out a small jar of applesauce she’d tucked there.

“If you insist on desecrating the latkes, here you go,” she said.

“I knew you were an angel. Thanks, Larissa.”

She tucked a curl behind her ear and looked down at the pile of latkes in the middle of the table. “You can call me Riss. Everyone does.”

My eyebrows shot up. “That’s cute. Not Yo cute, but still cute.”

“I don’t think you can call your own name cute.”

“I didn’t know that was a rule.”

She gave me one of her almost-smiles. “It is.”

I watched as she dipped her latke in a dollop of sour cream and then took a big bite. She let out a soft moan while she chewed, and I leaned forward involuntarily. Her eyes met mine as she licked a smudge of sour cream off her top lip. She was so damn cute, I winked at her.

“Eat your latkes and stop trying to flirt with me.” Her cheeks had turned bright pink.

I crunched into my latke and it tasted like home. “Flirting paused, these are the shit. They taste like my mom’s.”

Her blush deepened. “I take that as a high compliment.”

“It is. And you’re too cute not to flirt with.”

“Oh, so it’s my fault?”

I took a sip of my beer. “Am I that unpleasant?”

She sighed. “You’re not at all unpleasant.”

“That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

She snorted and smiled at me. Her teeth were so straight and white, I wanted to lick them. I’d literally never wanted to lick anyone’s teeth in my life.

My hand moved before I could stop it. I reached out and brushed a curl away from her cheek. “I like your smile, Larissa.”

“Riss. And thanks. I’m glad you didn’t say I should smile more.”

“I had a feeling you wouldn’t appreciate that. I figure you’ll smile when you have something to smile about.” I took a long swallow of my beer and let her eye me. She looked stumped.

She ate her latkes quietly, still watching with what I thought was interest. And I was more than a little interested in her too. Though her interest was probably more in a science-experiment type of way, and my interest was to find out how her skin tasted.

“You’ve got a lot of boxes here,” I said.

“No shit. Normally I would have gotten a lot more done, but I haven’t felt up to it.”

“Need help?”

“From you?”

I set my beer bottle down with a clunk. “That’s where I was going with that question, yeah.”

“That would be amazing, actually. I’m slow going with my ass and leg injuries.”

I let my eyes trace over her. “I don’t know, you look pretty spry to me.”

“Are you flirting again, Yo?”

I steepled my hands under my chin. “Yep.”

A short giggle burst out of her. “This has been an interesting Hanukkah. Never had one like it.”

The giggle was a start. I wanted to know what it took to get her to laugh so hard her shoulders shook and tears ran down her cheeks. I bet she looked beautiful that way.

“Stick with me, kid. No day is ever the same.”

She smiled softly at me. “I have a feeling that’s true. However, I’m going over to my sister’s tomorrow night, so no repeats. Do you have somewhere to go?”

“I’ll find something. I can go over to my cousin’s or my mom’s or a friend’s. It’s more fun to light the candles with someone else.”

Her soft smile hadn’t left yet. “You’re right, it is. I’ve actually enjoyed myself tonight.”

I leaned back in my chair, running my hand over my full belly. “I’m kind of known for my good company.”

One eyebrow arched up and her smile turned sardonic. “Oh really? You’re known for that? Who are you known with? ‘The ladies’?”

I shook my head slowly. “No, the babies.”

I saw it. The laugh was so close, but she clamped it down and sent it right back where it came from. I didn’t know if it was me in particular or if she always kept such a tight rein on her reactions.

Larissa pushed back from the table. “All right, well thank you for the menorah and the exceptional company. It’s been a lovely night two of Hanukkah.”

I stood, carrying my plate to the sink. “Thank you for the candles and the latkes, and the more than exceptional company. Can I help clean up?”

She leaned one of her plush hips against the counter. “That’s okay, I’ll manage. Thank you though.”

I had the distinct feeling she was ready for me to leave. “I guess I’ll just take my menorah home. But I’m a knock away if you want to borrow it again.”

“If I don’t find mine, I might just take you up on that.”

With my hand on the door, I looked back at her. “Even if you find yours, take me up on it. I liked spending my Hanukkah with you.”

Her cheeks pinkened one more time. My work here was done.