Page 39 of Stuck With My Christmas Crush

“So, you’re telling me that this has nothing to do with Charlie?”

“Okay. I’d be lying if I said no. But she may not want anything to do with me. She hasn’t called back. I left a message. Meredith. I think I’ve blown it there. I don’t know.”

“But she invited you for Christmas dinner, didn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“So go.”

“I don’t know. People say and do things they don’t mean. Charlie felt sorry for me living in this big old place alone.” Rocko rolls onto his back and begins to snore. “She’s kind and I’m a charity case.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. Go find out. But come to us first, okay? I’m sure Daniel will want to hear about your plans. And bring Rocko, okay?” Meredith hangs up the call.

Chapter 20

Charlie

“Merry Christmas!” Calvin pulls a cracker with Lou as George Michael sings his classic on the sound system Christmas playlist. We laugh as the shiny cardboard rips. A slip of paper falls out with an orange plastic whistle and a pink party hat. Lou picks up the party hat, unfolds it, and puts it on. Calvin picks up the whistle and blows it, then unwraps the mini pack of playing cards from the previous cracker, clearly delighted with the dinky prizes.

“Ah, a joke,” Lou says clearing her throat in preparation for theatrical effect. “What do elves do after school?”

“We don’t know,” Calvin and I chime in together. “What do elves do after school?”

“Their gnome work!”

We all groan collectively. “Honestly. These get worse every year,” says Calvin.

“Where did you get these?” asks Lou.

“Ah, they’re left over from that corporate event downtown last week,” I say, sipping from my glass of mimosa. “Remember Tim, the organizer? He handed me a goody bag on the way out and the crackers were part of the swag.”

“Excellent. Cool. Cheers,” says Lou. “Got to love a big-budget gig.”

“It’s my go,” I say, carefully putting my glass down.

“Oh, well, we don’t have any more of those crackers left, but this box was sent to the office.” Calvin hands me a cardboard box with pictures of crackers on the top and the sides. “It’s actually addressed to you, Charlie. Looks deluxe. Special.”

“Ah, yeah. It’s probably from the family, that we did the wizard party for, who were let down at the last minute. Do you remember? They were so grateful when I said we could step in.”

“Yeah. Vaguely,” says Lou before she sips her mimosa.

“There must be a mistake,” I say, laughing, as I open the box. Strangely, there’s only one cracker inside. “Where are the others?”

I take out the lone cracker, hold one end, and offer the other end to Lou. We tug at the same time causing a crack and more ripped paper. As expected, another party hat falls out. This time it’s lime green. I unfold it and put it on. Then I shake my end of the cardboard tube, and a little box, tied with ribbon, drops on the table with a thin slip of paper.

“How intriguing,” says Calvin leaning over to get a better look.

I pick up the box, then uncurl the piece of paper, and read what’s written on it.

“Tell us another appalling joke, Charlie,” says Lou giggling.

“It’s not a joke. It’s a Christmas wish.”

“What?”

“That’s what it says here. It’s a rhyme.” I begin to read out loud.

If what you wish for is the same as me.

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