Page 11 of Stuck With My Christmas Crush

I chop the vegetables into small pieces and heat up some oil in a wok. It’s simple food. There’s not much to it. Malaysian tasty soup is quick and delicious. I hope Charlie likes it. If she doesn’t, I have some eggs. I could make scrambled eggs. Maybe poached.

Rocko waddles into the kitchen and snuffles around just to make sure I haven’t dropped any tasty morsels. He slurps a messy drink from his water bowl and ambles back to the warmth of the living room.

“Hey.” Charlie stands in the doorway wearing my clothes. She’s small and swamped beneath layers of T-shirt, shirt, and a woolen sweater. “I feel so much better. Thanks for the clothes. Gosh. And thanks for not bursting in with that big knife and slicing me to pieces.”

“No problem. Should I do it now?” I say holding up the kitchen knife.

“Ha. You’re funny.”

“But blood is so hard to clean up. Maybe I’ll just poison you with my Malaysian curry laksa.”

“Smells delicious. I’ll risk being poisoned.”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer eggs lightly scrambled on sourdough?”

“No, really. Curry laksa is perfect.”

“I guessed that you’re a vege,” I say stirring the chopped carrot, broccoli, onions, and cabbage in the oil. They sizzle and spit. “Before you told me.”

“Oh, really? Am I that obvious and easy to read?”

“Yup. Let me see now. Fairy. Drives a VW Beetle painted to look like a ladybug. I’d say chances are high that she’s a vegetarian with hippy tendencies.”

“Yes. You’re right. One hundred percent.” Charlie comes closer and watches as I stir the can of coconut milk through the vegetables in the wok. “What can I do?”

“You can get some bowls out from the shelf there and spoons are in that drawer.” I point with my elbow. “You look almost human without your pink glittery makeup.”

“Ah, yes. I forget that I’m wearing it sometimes.” Charlie puts the bowls and two spoons on the bench top. “Just us for food, then? Or is your daughter joining?”

“My daughter?”

“The little girl in the truck with you when you stopped the first time?”

“Ha! No. I mean. Maddie. She’s my niece. She’s Meredith’s daughter. I was on uncle duty this morning.”

“Okay. That clears up that question… I thought you… Never mind.”

“Curry’s almost ready.” I use a ladle to scoop out a portion into one of the bowls then I hand it to Charlie. “We can eat in the living room. It’s the warmest place. Go make yourself comfortable.”

I spoon out a bowlful for me and follow Charlie into the cozy lounge. She sits cross-legged on the couch next to Rocko and I sit on the chair opposite. The fire crackles and my inherited property headache floats away. For a while, I forget about my financial burden. A fairy is in my house, and she is lovely.

Chapter 6

Charlie

Jason’s curry laksa noodle soup is piping hot and delicious. The heat of the soup and the chili heat warm me to my toes so much so, I pause eating to take off Jason’s homespun sweater. I sit cross-legged on the couch. Jason sits in the chair opposite. We’re quiet while we eat. Although I am aware of the noise I’m making as I slurp my noodles and of appearing less than cultured in the company of my fine-looking host. Sleet hits the window and the wind howls down the chimney.

“Whenwe’re done,” Jason says. “We’ll go and take a look at your car.”

“Great.”

“I have another rain jacket, so you don’t get soaked again. And you can try my hiking boots. They’re going to be way too big, but they’ll keep your feet warm and dry out there.”

“Thanks.” My nose is running with the heat of the spicy soup, so I get some tissue from the bathroom. In the steamed-up mirror, I see how my cheeks are rosy like a painted doll’s. I mop up a dribble of laksa from my chin and congratulate myself on being the messiest eater in the world.

“You okay in there?”

“Yeah. I always seem to wear my food,” I shout through the door. “It’s the reason I’m still single,” I say to my reflection before returning to the living room.

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