He seems to think about it for a moment, which is a little scary. Does he actually know axe murderers? I shake my head to clear the ridiculous thoughts.
“Look, I just want to give Coach a Christmas tree. His cabin is like the saddest place on earth. Itneedssome Christmas cheer.”
Fletcher goes inside, and a moment later, Harrison comes outside. I’m starting to shiver again, though not as badly as before. Maybe the adrenaline from wanting to make this a surprise for Coach is keeping me warm.
“Fletch says you want a tree?” Harrison asks.
“Yes. It doesn’t need to be big.”
I follow Harrison into the forest next to his cabin, and ten minutes later, I’m carrying the most perfectly imperfect small Christmas tree back to Coach’s cabin. It’s a bit wonky, some of the needles have fallen off, and quite honestly, it looks a little sad. It’s absolutely perfect.
Harrison helps me place the tree by the fireplace using a spare stand he had in his cabin, then he leaves.
“Hello?”
“Fuck!” I screech.
“Curtis John Merroll. You never…or rarely curse. Which means you’re doing something you’re not supposed to do.”
I pick up the tablet and catch Juju up with the events of the day while I quickly check on the pork. It’s starting to smell divine inside the cabin.
“So let me get this straight,” she says. “The guy who you have a crush on, but is straight and seems to keep running from you, has invited you to the cabin he owns where he has only one bedroom?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Babe, that has bad romance written all over it. You be careful.”
“Psht.” I wave her off. “Nothing will ever happen. He’s straight. But it seems that we can be friends, and friends would decorate each other’s cabins if we thought they needed sprucing up, right? What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t give my friend the best Christmas?”
She drinks the rest of her tea and quirks a brow. “How many times can you say friend in one sentence? The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”
“And methinks it’s time for you to go and…do something.”
She laughs but blows me a kiss and hangs up the call. I put my tablet on the charger and pick up the box with the decorations.
I sit cross-legged on the floor in front of the tree with the box next to me. The last time I opened this box, Juju was with me. Last year, I couldn’t bring myself to take them out.
“Grandma, you better have a plan because my gut feeling tells me this is the right thing to do.”
15
COACH
I haveno idea how long I stay outside stacking the wood under the tarpaulin on the side of the shed. Two things are certain, I’m definitely not cold anymore, and I have enough chopped wood to last me all winter if I lived here full time.
Sweat runs down my forehead as I grab the last few logs. I’ll take those indoors to keep the fire going. Something tells me Bubble doesn’t do well in cold weather, which I sympathize with.
I’m still not sure what came over me, basically demanding that Bubble stay in my cabin. I only have one fucking room.
But it’s not like I could let him drive in this weather. I just hope I don’t come to regret my decision.
The conversation with my parents. The memories of my childhood best friend that I’m starting to think could have been more if tragedy hadn’t struck.
Everything runs on a loop in my head.
All because every cell in my body reacts when Bubble is around. Which is fucking annoying because most of the time, his endless positivity and happiness irritate the hell out of me.
I sit on the porch steps even though I can feel the cold snow seeping through my clothes. Christmas music plays inside the cabin, and the smell coming from the kitchen makes my mouth water.
