If you keep telling me you’re checking out other guys, I’ll have no choice but to come there
Eira
Almost like that’s my plan or something ;)
It’s been a long week being back in the city. So many asses. None of them yours.
Lucas
Better not be adding any of those guys to your drawing spank bank
Eira
Nothing but your not-flat butt and pretty dick, don’t worry
Did you drop off Half-Pint yet?
Lucas
I need to figure out how to catch her without bloodshed first
Eira
Give her a kiss for me when you do
Lucas
Fat chance.
The door chimes, and I enter the warm café with an exaggerated shiver. Coffee aroma swirls through the air, and the milk steamer’s hiss is louder than the hum of voices in the busy room. I slip between patrons, beelining for our corner table where Holly’s already sitting criss-cross in her armchair, resting a steaming mug on her knee.
“Hey, happy belated Christmas,” I say, folding my jacket over the back of an empty chair before sinking into it with a sigh.
“You weren’t murdered,” Holly states the obvious.
“And you sound less than thrilled about it…which I don’t love.” I pick up the flat white she ordered ahead of time for me, stirringthe candy cane around while eyeballing my best friend. “Arsenic or cyanide?”
“Thallium, obviously.”
I shoot a finger gun at her with a wink. “The poisoner’s poison. Good choice. How was your Christmas? Did you poison your in-laws, too?”
She blows on her hot drink before taking a careful sip. “It was good, Daniel’s brother was there with his family. We ran this ridiculous Santa 5K on Boxing Day where a ton of people dressed as Santa.”
I smile to myself, immediately starting a mental countdown timer until I can text Lucas about the running-family’s Christmas activity. We text as often as we can during work hours, and he calls me every night. Generally, there’s a light-hearted, teenagers-in-love style argument about who’s hanging up first when it’s time for bed.
“How about you? You look completely refreshed—or like you had Botox. Everything seems…liftedor something.” Holly’s fingers circle wildly around her face, pointing to nothing and everything all at once. “Take it your time away was good? Tell me all your thoughts on the cabin.”
I choke on air, frantically clutching my coffee and easing into a small sip. All at once, the room is unbearably hot and my clothes are too tight. Holly’s engagement ring taps against the side of her mug as she eagerly awaits my answer.
I knew this question would come. I just can’t bring myself to tell the elaborate lie I made up on my drive back from Fox Ridge.
“Well, the uh…wood stove was an issue. Consider yourself lucky I didn’t have cell reception, because there’s no way we’d still be friends after the choice words I had for you.”
“Shit.” Her entire face scrunches. “Should’ve known that would be a problem. Lucas and I argued before about gettingan electric baseboard heater or something as backup, but I’ll try harder to convince him we need it.Fuck.”
The thought of him spending more money on the cabin because of me nearly makes me ill.
“I would hold off. It was definitely just me being an idiot. Maybe print out somesupersimple instructions, in case somebody else is as bad at survival skills as I am. Plus, once it’s lit, it’s easy to keep going.”
