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“Twice,” Ford said. He bumped his shoulder into Cole’s and stayed there a second longer than he needed to. Out in the living room, Charlotte was making her mother open her presents in the correct order. Neither of them moved.
“Nadine takes her Sunday,” Ford said. “Through New Year’s.”
“I know.”
“Seven nights.” Ford said it low, to the counter, not to him.
Cole’s hands went still.
“I’ve been thinking about it since Thanksgiving. Every day of it.” Ford still wasn’t looking at him. “You should know that about me.”
“Ford.”
“I want to take you upstairs and shut the door and not have to be quiet.” He said it level, unhurried, the same voice he used for the weather. “And then I want to wake up with you still in the bed and not have to check the hall before I put my hands on you.”
Out in the living room, Charlotte shrieked at something her mother said.
Cole put both palms flat on the counter. “You can’t say that to me in here.”
“I know.” Ford didn’t move away. He set two fingers low on Cole’s back, under the hem of his shirt, where the counter hid his hand. “Tell me to stop.”
Cole didn’t.
Ford left his hand there a second longer than was safe. Then he took it back and stepped away.
“Sunday,” he said, and went out.
Cole stood at the stove and did not turn around. The water came up to a boil without him noticing, and it was a while before he trusted himself to walk back into that room.
They ate at four because Charlotte was falling apart. By six, she was under a blanket on the couch, and by seven, she was asleep and Ford carried her up.
Cole took his phone into the kitchen and texted Britt before he called because calling that house cold meant fourteen people at once and nothing said.
Calling in 5
Britt
ominous
He stood there with his thumbs over the keys longer than he meant to. Then he sent it before he could argue himself out of it.
First Christmas in six years I’m not alone.
The dots came up right away. Stopped. Came up again.
Cole
Are you crying? I’m crying.
WHO?
He called. She picked up on the first ring.
“I’m in the hallway,” she said. “Nobody can hear me.”
“Britt.”
“Are you happy? That’s all I want to know. I won’t push you for more tonight.”
