“Now, when I think back to one of the most horrific nights of my life, this is what I picture instead of him,” she murmurs, referring to the memory on the canvas in front of her. She turns to me. “Because of you. Because of everything you did for me that day.”
I lean forward to kiss her cheek. Her eyes flutter shut. Tucking her hair behind her ear, I lean into the shell of it. “I’ll help you rewrite any bad memory you have, sweetheart, for as long as you’ll let me,” I whisper.
“Making memories with you sounds really good, Eighty-Seven.”
“Let’s add Ho Ho Hockeymas to the list,” I say.
“Ho Ho Hockeymas?” She giggles. “Who came up with that one?”
“Oliver.”
“He really likes naming things,” she says.
“My Christmas wish is to have you in my arms, with your head in a book, while wearing a ridiculous oversized sweater that Rudy picked out,” I say as she waits for me to continue. “Austin’s complaining about losing Monopoly because Brax is sliding a hundred dollars to Roman every fifteen minutes when he thinks no one’s looking.”
She laughs at that, and I carry on.
“Oliver is sulking in the corner, stuffing his face with tiramisu, refusing to play anymore games since he’s already lost three rounds of rummy to Hayes, as if he has some sort of secret strategy.”
She snorts because everyone knows there’s no such thing, except Oliver.
“In the background,Elfis playing. It’s Rudy’s favorite holiday movie. He turns into a little kid when it gets picked out of the hat year after year. What he doesn’t know is that weallwriteElfso he wins.”
Her eyes turn glassy at that, and I love just how much she appreciates our love for her brother.
“And for thefirst timeever, the votes crowning Hayes the champion of gift giving will be wrong because I’ll have you, and there’s nothing that will ever top that.”
She threads her fingers with mine.
“You with me—that’s what I want. I know there’s a chance that Bella and Brodie might be in California for the holidays but don’t go there. Spend the holidays with me, sweetheart. Be a part ofmy family.”
“You sure make it hard for a girl to say no. I’d love to spend Ho Ho Hockeymas with you Chase. There’s no place I’d rather be.”
My eyes flick to the clock above the sink. “It’s almost your curfew.” My hand stretches out to push some of her damp hair behind her ear. “I should get you home before your brother starts blowing up my phone, asking for evidence that you’re home safe and sound.”
She stands from her seat and moves for the door, leaving her painting to dry on the easel on my dining room table.
We head outside, and I fire Byrdie up. When Erin climbs inside, I take the drive slowly again, wanting to spend as much time as I can with the girl I’ve fallen madly in love with.
“11:26 p.m.,” she states when we get to her front door. “The Silvers would have really liked you. Punctuality was their thing.” She laughs, turning to face me, that cheerful sound dying down as she says, “I, um… Will you come with me sometime to say hi to them? Only if you want to.”
“I’d love to meet your parents, baby.”
Her lips lift just a fraction, but her gaze drops. I know that look. She’s holding back a thought. Her posture is hunched slightly, and she blinks fast, as if trying to reset herself.
“What’s wrong?” I ask her.
“What do you mean?” she asks, her brows pinching.
“I see you, Bookworm. I’ve memorized every one of your smiles and that’s not a real one.”
I intertwine my fingers with hers. Erin stares down at our hands, and I brush my thumb over her pulse point, making her shiver.
“Talk to me.”
“I just… I had the best day,” she explains, but her words tremble, the quiet shakiness in her voice betraying how hard she’s trying to hold it together as she gives her words to me.
“I did too, baby.”
