“We should get our stories straight before we arrive,” she says, her voice touched by nerves.
I study her.“What have you told your parents?”
“Not much,” she admits.“I messaged my dad last night to tell him not to pick me up at the airport, and that I’d be bringing my...boyfriend.”She stumbles slightly over the word.“He had questions, but I told him I would tell him when I see them.”
I consider her words.“We started dating a month after you broke up.”
“A month?”She frowns.“Isn’t that fast?”
I glance at her amused.“You want your ex to know he was worth mourning?Or that you were able to bounce back quickly?”
“You make a good point,” Olivia gives me a reluctant smile.“Alright.Who asked wh?—?”
“I pursued you,” I don’t let her finish her question, my eyes on the road.“I’ve been in love with you for years, and as soon as you became single, I asked you out.”
She goes still, and after a moment, clears her throat.“That’s, uh, very well thought out.”
When I sneak a glance, her cheeks are tinted with a soft pink.“Yes, well.He might have cheated, but it will burn him to know that you had a suitor in the shadows, especially one better than him in every conceivable way.”This time I look at her intentionally, my voice serious: “I can reassure you my penis is in perfect condition.”
For a moment, she stares at me stunned, then a bright red color floods her face.“Mr.Castellano!”
I blink at her mortified expression before turning my gaze back to the road.“What?You said his lower part wasn’t functioning.”
“I never—I wouldn’t— I didn’t say that!”She covers her face, the words strangled.
“You said his penis was not very good, and you didn’t want to fight for it,” I point out.
“Please stop saying ‘penis,’” she moans, and I hide my grin.“I was drunk.I didn’t know what I was saying.”
Deciding to stop teasing her, I murmur, “Alright.But you can boast about it.You have my permission.”
“Alexander, stop!”She shrinks into her seat.
We drive for a while in silence while she gathers herself, and then she looks at me with trepidation in her eyes.“My dad will ask you what your intentions are.He’s old-fashioned that way.You don’t have to?—”
“Marriage.”
Olivia freezes.“What?”
“That’s what I’ll tell him.”I give her a small smile.“He’ll be satisfied with that right?”
“Yeah,” she says slowly, her eyes pinned on my face.I can see the wariness in them when I look over.
She’s so easy to rattle outside of work.
She turns to look out the window as the mountains rise around us.“One more thing.My family has a lot of Christmas traditions.Caroling, tree decorating, cookie exchanges.They’ll expect you to participate.”
“I’m an excellent caroler,” I say with a completely straight face.
She turns to me, eyes wide, before catching my expression.“You’re joking.”
“Am I?”
“You have to be.You?Singing ‘Jingle Bells’ with strangers?”
“I contain multitudes, Olivia.”
She laughs, the sound bright and genuine, before catching herself.“Just...try not to look so serious when you’re decorating a gingerbread house, okay?”
