Page 50 of My December Darling

I battle between calling her or casually texting to ask where she is, but before I can decide which option seems less desperate, the front door swings open. A heavy gust of wind pummels into the people standing nearest to the bar’s entryway, parting the crowd that formed by the entrance. A red-faced Catalina is easy to spot with her off-white peacoat, jeans, and a knitted hat with two pompoms attached to the top.

She looks around before her gaze lands on me, and the rosiness in her cheeks intensifies as our eyes lock. My heart rate picks up, the beats gaining speed as she walks over to the booth I saved.

I slide across the leather seat and stand to greet her.

“Hey.” She rubs at her arms aggressively. “I’m sorry I’m late.” She pauses after every word due to her teeth clattering together.

I’m not sure what possesses me to wrap my arms around her and pull her against me, but one moment she is looking up at me with her head tilted back, and the next she is sinking against my body with a sigh.

“Did you walk here or something?” I joke.

“Yes.” She sighs and digs her face into my sweater. “Two different rides cancelled on me, so I braved the weather instead.”

I’m not able to enjoy the feel of her because my anger takes hold. “What the hell.”

I pull away, but she lets out a growly protest and tugs me back with a “Not yet.”

I hope she can’t hear the way my heart furiously pounds at her proximity, or actually, maybe I do. That way, she can be well aware of how much her closeness affects me.

I’m not the type to hide my feelings behind mixed signals and a game of chase. If I like a woman, I make it obvious where I stand, and with Catalina, I’m about as subtle as a flashing neon sign at midnight.

“You should’ve called me to come pick you up,” I say, fighting the urge to shake her.

“I thought the walk would be good for me.”

“Good for what? Pneumonia?”

She muffles her laugh with my sweater, easing my irritation slightly.

I pull her into my side of the booth and wrap my arm around her, tucking her body closer to mine until there is no gap between us. Catalina fits perfectly, like a missing puzzle piece clicking into place, and I wonder how I’ve spent the last two years avoiding her.

Because you didn’t know what you were missing.

Now that I do, I plan on taking advantage of every single opportunity.

“You’re lucky if you don’t get sick,” I say once she stops shuddering beside me.

“I rarely do.” She sniffles.

“I’d be shocked if you don’t. It’s what? Zero degrees out?”

She looks up at me with wind-burned cheeks. “Gabriela will kill me if I get sick before her wedding. Plus, my mom is planning aparranda?—”

“A what?”

“Unaparranda. It’s like Christmas caroling, but we go to people’s houses and have a party at the end.” She smiles, and all the noise in the bar and the worry I have about her getting sick fade away as I soak in the look of pure happiness on her face.

“Can I join?” I ask without hesitation. If aparrandamakes Catalina look like that, I want to be a part of it, solely because she clearly cares about it.

She bites down on her bottom lip. “Aren’t you working on Saturday?”

“Did you memorize my schedule?”

“No.” Her cheeks deepen in color.

“It’s okay if you did. I’ll think it’s cute, in a stalkerish kind of way.”

She exhales loudly. “Aiden might’ve mentioned it.”

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