Tasha placed two mugs on the table and sat on the opposite end of the couch. A cushion separated them. “I…”
“Look…” he said at the same time.
Her gaze met his. The tension between them was palpable.
Elias picked up the coffee closest to him. The cup warmed his cold hands. “You can go first.”
She angled her shoulders toward him. “I’m surprised to see you, but I’m happy you’re here.”
He released the breath he’d been holding and set the coffee on the table. “Me too. I wanted to stop you earlier, but I didn’t know what to say. You nailed it in the note about me not saying what I’m feeling or what I want.”
“I struggle with that too. It’s hard.”
“Losing you would be harder.”
Tasha inhaled sharply. “You…”
“I own up to screwing up the first time, and I want a second chance.”
“I’d like that too.” She glanced into her coffee before meeting his gaze.
Her eyes were warm and thoughtful. It was all he could do not to hug her.
“I didn’t want to say goodbye earlier,” she continued. “But I didn’t know what else to say. Everything came to a head when I saw Drew. It was years of not speaking up. Things built inside me, as I tried to ignore what had happened with him, my parents, even my friend, Kristen. You got the brunt of everything. I’m sorry.”
“You have no reason to apologize. I didn’t do my due diligence. But we both need to communicate better.”
She reached across the space between them and held his hand. “I agree. We need to talk about what’s going on with us even if it’s hard.”
He nodded. “I want this to work.”
“Same.”
Elias scooted closer. “I’d like to spend the rest of Christmas with you. Will you come with Higgins and me to my grandparents’ house?”
“Today?”
“Now.”
She laughed. “Well, I didn’t want to be alone on Christmas, so that sounds great. Only I don’t have presents for anyone.”
“Neither does Higgins.”
She laughed. “Okay, then. I need to change clothes. Casual?”
“Casual and Christmassy if you have anything.”
“Give me a second.”
“You can have sixty.”
“Generous.”
“That’s one hundred percent because of you.”
“We can share.” She stood.
Elias pulled out his phone and sent a text.
