“A whole tray. Let’s dump this crap out into the sink. I’ll fire up the cappuccino machine, and we’ll cut into it.” She sat up and pulled me by the hand off the couch.
It was hard to take care of myself when I was still so worried about Anthony.
When I thought of the past couple of months, it still brought a smile to my lips. He’d made me feel like a true superhero, both on and off the page.
Right now, my only superpower had to be walking away.
22
Victoria
For almost a whole week,I’d managed to avoid Anthony. Dad had the mechanics finishing up orders on overnight shifts, and I was able to get most of the billing done mid-morning to mid-afternoon when most of them had gone home to sleep. I was setting my hours around avoidance, but I was able to get all of my work done. Dad let me come and go as I wanted, allowing me this somewhat childish attempt at self-preservation.
Even though Anthony and I weren’t there at the same time, everywhere I looked held a bittersweet memory of us. But I had to learn not to dwell on it. Falco’s was my family’s business and a permanent part of my life. I needed to find a way to look past all the reminders of Anthony, but everything was still too raw. I wondered if he felt the same pangs of regret when he walked by my desk at night.
He’d said a lot of awful things when he broke up with me, but did he really mean them, or was that the shame talking? I wasn’t sure, but if he was as miserable as I was at the moment it still didn’t make me feel any better.
Christmas was in three days, and tomorrow night was the holiday dinner Uncle Billy took the shop to every year. Dad said I could hold the billing until the New Year after tomorrow, so I only had to suffer through the day at the shop and dinner.
I’d manage, although I was clueless as to how.
“How about this?” Marley plucked a dress out of my closet and threw it onto the bed. “You’re allowed to be sexy at a holiday dinner, right?”
I rolled my eyes and pushed off my desk chair.
“You are when your father and uncle aren’t hosting it.” I grabbed the hanger and studied the green sleeveless dress Marley had picked out. It was a little sexy, but I could get away with it. The petty side of me wanted Anthony to eat his heart out, so green dress it was.
Marley clapped when I hung it on the inside of my bedroom door.
“You’re snapping out of it already!”
“I wouldn’t say snapping out of it.” A sad chuckle fell from my lips. “I’m doing what I have to do.”
A painful breakup at Christmas time was a special kind of living hell. Mariah Carey and George Michael taunted me everywhere I went with all the lyrics of holiday longing. The professional drawing set I’d bought Anthony for Christmas had come in the mail yesterday, and I’d tossed it right into the basement so I wouldn’t have to decide what to do with it. Throwing it out was awful, but giving it to him anyway was painful.
January 1st looked better and better every day. If only I could go to sleep tonight and wake up after the New Year.
“Tori!” My brother burst into my room holding up a fist. “I found chocolate!”
I snuck Marley a smile before I peeled his fingers off of his palm, revealing a half-eaten tiny piece of chocolate.
“Is this from the advent calendar, Bruce?”
He nodded as if it was no big deal. “DeDe said Christmas is only in three days, so I can just open the rest now.”
“I love how diabolical that little girl is.” Marley cracked up. “She tells her baby brother to do the dirty work, so her hands stay clean.”
“Want to take her home? You can finally have the little sister you’ve always wanted.” I heaved a sigh before taking Bruce into the bathroom to wash his hand.
“We could go to a bar, go to a movie, something to get you out,” Marley said as she leaned into the bathroom doorway.
“I’ll be out tomorrow, and that’ll be enough.” I lifted my gaze to hers. It was full of helpless sympathy. “Be a good friend and wallow with me on the couch. There is a kitchen full of Sara Kostas baked goods, and my parents will look the other way if we pour a little Bailey’s into our coffee.”
A slow smile spread on her lips before she looped her arm around my shoulders. “That sounds good to me. I hate seeing you like this, so if that cheers you up, fine.”
“I hatebeinglike this.” I patted her hand on my shoulder. “It will pass. All things do, right?”
“That, they do.” My mom agreed behind us before Bruce sped past her. “And not too much Bailey’s.” She motioned toward the stairs for Marley and me to head to the living room.
