“You’re not helping,” I pointed out.
“Excuse me?”
“You cooked, I’ll clean. You go get ready. This won’t take me a minute.”
The look that passed across Holly’s features was one I couldn’t quite place. Then she sat the towel on the counter and folded her arms across her chest, pushing her tits up, and my brain short-circuited. It was on the tip of my tongue to ask if her bra today was pink or blue. Or maybe even black.
“You want me to come?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.
Now it was my turn to swallow down the words. I buried everything I wanted to say and stuck to the safer option. “Of course. I might even be persuaded to stop in at Sips on Main and get a decent coffee,” I suggested, shooting her a wink and trying to keep everything light.
“Throw in the bookstore and you’ve got yourself a date,” Holly replied sassily, but I saw the moment she registered her own words.
I wasn’t about to leave her hanging though. “Done. It’s a date,” I confirmed, turning my attention back to the sink full of dirty dishes.
seventeen
HOLLY
“Oh shit!”I swore as I stared in the mirror.
I had a date with Chris. At least I think it was a date. Was it a date? Oh my god, I’m a disaster.
I’d brushed my teeth and tamed the bird’s nest on my head, and now I’d barricaded myself in the bathroom trying to make myself presentable. I still didn’t feel one hundred percent, but it was Christmas and I had things to do and places to be. I didn’t have time to be sick and now I was back on my feet, I was getting on with it.
“It’s not a date,” I attempted to assure myself as I swiped the mascara wand across my lashes.
My mind was spinning.
Chris was exactly the type of guy I could fall for, but he was the last guy I should. We didn’t live in Evergreen Lake. Our life, our home, was hours from here, and long distance never worked. But there was something about him that I couldn’t resist. Or maybe it was everything. The way he was with Noelle was sexy as hell. He’d never once treated her like she was in the way or annoying him. Instead, he’d taken her outside and built a snowman. He’d played Monopoly and card games for hours.He’d looked after her when I couldn’t. Not to mention how good he’d treated me.
I’d been disgusting and sick and he didn't flinch. He’d done his best to take care of me without asking for anything in return. I’d been racking my brain trying to figure out a way to repay him for his kindness and his generosity, and every time I came up blank.
I chose my favorite pink lipstick and stained my lips, before smacking them together and blotting it. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d gone to this much trouble. The only reason I’d even packed my makeup was because I had been expecting to be at the lodge and Dad would’ve expected it. I didn’t even wear it to work. Today, though, I found myself wanting to look nice.
“Hurry up, Mom!” Noelle whined from the other side of the door.
She was getting sick of being cooped up. When we were at home, she spent most of her time running around, playing in the yard, riding her bike, or climbing trees. The kid had worms I was sure. She couldn’t sit still for more than five minutes so this had definitely tested her, and so far, she’d been the perfect angel.
I hurriedly packed everything away, spritzed myself with my favorite Dior perfume, and opened the door. “Okay, I’m ready. Where’s your coat?”
Noelle was a walking, talking rainbow in her purple boots, blue jeans, red sweater, pink scarf and green gloves. Nothing matched, but at the same time, everything fit together perfectly.
She reached for my hand and dragged me through the bedroom to the front door where Chris was already waiting. I shook my head as Noelle stepped up beside him and he helped her shrug on her coat. Where Noelle was a kaleidoscope of color, Chris wore basic blue jeans, a black coat, gloves, andscarf. But there was nothing basic about him. He’d tided up his scruff on his jaw, and I rubbed my legs together imagining what it would feel like scratching the inside of my thighs.
“Are you sure you’re ready to go out?” Chris asked, handing me my red scarf.
“I’m fine,” I said shortly.
“If you’re still not feeling up to it, I can take Noelle,” he offered before hastily adding, “if that’s okay, of course.”
“I’m fine,” I repeated as I wound my scarf around my neck and pulled on my coat.
“Okay. But you look flushed,” he pointed out, and I felt my cheeks burn even more. If only he knew the thoughts responsible for putting the color in my cheeks.
I zipped my coat and clapped my hands together. “Everyone ready?”
“Yes, Mom,” Noelle replied.
