Page 7 of Back Home For Christmas

I rolled my eyes. I would have to stop doing that or else end up at the doctor. “I don’t want or need your respect.”

“Are you sure?” He asked.

“Do not act like you know me,” I said.

“Of course, I know you Kitty Cat. I’ve always known you.” He said the last part, leaning down and whispering into my ear to add emphasis or throw me off, which, of course, didn’t work.

“And I know you. That is why I know you would never give me respect either way,” I said.

“Fine, what do you want, then?” He asked. That gave me pause. What did I want from Jay Crowely? The obvious answer was absolutely nothing. The less obvious answer was to see him as thoroughly humiliated as he had made me through most of my life.

Before I could come up with an answer, Darren approached, holding a cardboard tray of steaming coffees. As he approached, his eyes darted between Jay and I. I wonder what we looked like from his perspective. Probably a woman ready to throw down and wrestle on the freezing pavement, glaring at a nonplussed man who could just as easily walk away without a care. I don’t know why I let him get under my skin.

“I come in peace,” he said, holding up the coffee.

“Thanks, buddy,” Jay said, grabbing two cups from the tray and holding one in my direction. I really wanted to Bruce Lee that coffee right out of his hand. Not sure why he felt the need to get mine for me. Before taking it, I reached into my pocket and pulled out my new coffee cozy. I had no choice but to take the cup from Jay before slipping the knitted sleeve onto the cup. I turned the cup in my hand, admiring my work with a pleased smile. It looked so cute.

The smile fell from face when Jay’s laugh bounced through the open street, bounding off buildings to amplify the sound.

“What is that?” He asked. My gaze burned fire as I looked at him. I was tempted to just ignore him entirely, but then I had to remind myself that he was the stupid one for not knowing a coffee cozy when he saw one. I couldn’t let him get away with that shit.

“It’s a coffee cozy!” I said, my chin up, defiantly. I saw Darren lift his eyebrow out of the corner of my eye. “Don’t you judge my coffee cozy too!”

“No one is judging, Cat,” Darren said. “Do I dare ask how things are going out here?”

“Great!” I said at the same time Jay said, “Not bad.”

“How far along are you?” Darren asked, leaning over to get a peek behind Jay and I. His tone had become more serious than normal.

“We will be ready,” I said.

Darren lifted his eyebrow, showing his doubt without any words. “Listen, I know you two don’t get along.”

“That’s an understatement,” I grumbled before getting another chiding look from Darren.

“But I need this booth to be perfect. You both need to work together and not let your differences show up in your work,” Darren said.

“Don’t worry, buddy,” Jay said, patting Darren on the shoulder. A look passed between them that I didn’t understand. Probably some stupid bro code that was meant to take the place of real human emotions they didn’t allow themselves to feel.

“You know I’m not getting paid right,” I said.

“You’re doing it for the good of the shop, Cat,” Darren said. “As much as you pretend not to give a shit about any of us, I know you secretly still care. You used to live for designing the booth.”

I rolled my eyes and took a peek at Jay’s expression in the process. Was he preparing to make fun of me with the revelation of just how important the booth had been to me in the past?

“Of course, I care about you,” I said. “I’m here, aren’t I.”

“Took you long enough,” Darren said. The heart to heart from the night before turned into a distant memory with this new, stressed out, bitchy Darren. “Just do a good job and don’t kill each other,” he said, turning on his heels and walking back into the store. I made a face behind his back. When I turned, I saw Jay staring at me.

“What?” I asked, throwing up my hands wide, daring him to challenge me.

“Nothing,” he said shrugging his broad shoulders in innocence. There wasn’t anything innocent about that man. As soon as the thought popped into my head, it sounded a little dirty, and I felt heat creep up my cheeks. Pull it together, Cat.

Chapter Seven

We stood in silence for several minutes after Darren walked away. I was looking at my table, but my thoughts were on Darren’s mood.

“So?” Jay asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

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