“Was offered free residence for life after an incident that happened in one of the cottages as kids,” Gretel explained. “Anyways, I came by to invite you to the Reindeer Games in a couple of days, and figured, since you were renting this placeduring the week of Christmas, that you might like to know about them.”
Before Eliza could kindly reject the offer, Lachlan came by her side. He lounged in the doorway, like the frame was made for him to wade in.
“Hi, Gretel,” he greeted her with a smile. “We’d love to go.”
“Except we can’t,” Eliza added on, looking at Lachlan in silent warning. “The snow is too high. We might get lost in all this.”
Blaming it on the weather seemed better than flat out saying,I don’t want to go,or,our door magically locks on us and we don’t want to be on the outside of it when it does.
She’d be fine if the door magically jammed again, only this time with Lachlan on theoutside. Puffcake could stay.
Gretel frowned. “Hansel and I would be happy to help shovel your driveway. All of the main roads are already clear. There’s a shorter way to the village, too, in case you didn’t pack proper winter gear.”
The oven dinged, and Lachlan was already moving to pull the desserts out of the oven before Eliza could.
“It’s also a great place to buy your husband a Christmas present,” Gretel leaned in.
Behind her, Lachlan snorted.
“Oh,” Eliza blushed. “He’s not my husband. I’d really love to attend but … I don’t want to get lost.”
“Nonsense. Hansel lays out breadcrumbs all along the route for the visitors. So you really don’t have an excuse,” she winked, recognizing Eliza’s reasoning for what they were: avoidance.
Lachlan approached again with a steaming pan of Eggnog Pudding. “Would you like to come inside and have a slice? We’ve been bored out of our minds with this weather and all. And Eliza’s been baking quicker than we can eat it.”
Puffcake glanced from his spot on the mantle with an expression that said, “Speak for yourself.”
Once again, Eliza failed to speak her objection before Gretel piped up: “I’d love to!” She smiled brightly, her teeth glistening like the snow behind her.
Great, Eliza thought.Now we’ll have even more people locked inside this Airbnbwith us.
Eliza turned, leading the way inside and shooting Lachlan a deadly glare. He smiled mischievously, knowing exactly what he did.
“Never been in here before, but have always wanted to,” Gretel said, stealing a look about the place. “It’s the perfect getaway, isn’t it?”
Was, Eliza thought, but nodded instead.
“Sort of. You see ...” Eliza leaned over the island. “We’ve kind of been locked inside.”
Gretel smiled. “You won’t have to worry about that. I’ve already texted Hansel. He’s on his way over now with a couple of shovels.”
Eliza’s mouth gaped open. She didn’t know whether she should feel grateful or irritated. “Th-thank you,” she croaked. “But I don’t just mean because of the snow. This house … it’s …”
“Haunted?” Gretel attempted to finish Eliza’s sentence, her brow raised.
Eliza flinched at Gretel’s word, knowing that the cottage was capable of listening, in its own way. “Well, the word I was going to say was enchanted, but?—”
“It’s a matter of perspective,” Lachlan called, the sarcasm practically dripping off his tone.
Eliza ground her teeth. Was Lachlan suggesting the cottage was haunted becauseshewas there? She made great company. If anyone was going to be trapped in a cottage mid-snowstorm, Eliza made the perfect candidate.
One: She was an excellent baker. Two: she didn’t wish to converse, and three: she kept her quarter-life existential dread to herself, thank you very much.
Eliza opened the cabinet drawer with more force than necessary. The silverware, which was a set of peppermint sticks, rattled around.
Hearing the jingle, Puffcake woke from his stupor and flapped his sugary wings over to the island to join the rest of them. Gretel greeted him with a squeal, interrupting the conversation to fawn over how cute he was. She reached out a hand?—
“Don’t boop him on the nose!” Eliza warned her.
