Page 4 of My December Darling

Her half-hearted shrug drills a hole through my heart. “You’re right.”

Then why have I never felt more wrong?

I’m irritated with myself as I say, “It was meant to be a joke.”

“It’s fine,” she says with a clipped tone that confirms the complete opposite.

“Then why won’t you look at me?”

It takes her a few seconds, but she manages to glance up from her plate. Her gaze flickers over my face. It lacks the warmth from a minute ago, leaving me yearning for…I’m not entirely sure, to be honest.

“Do you really want me to answer that question?” she asks.

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t.” A playful smile tugs at my mouth.

Her gaze follows the gesture, and her brows crinkle together from how hard she frowns. “I find you…”

“Yes?” I lean in toward her, my breath catching in my throat as I wait for what she might say.

“Repugnant,” she says with a small scrunch of her nose, as if the very idea of breathing the same air as me leaves a bad taste in her mouth.

“Repugnant?” Skepticism bleeds into every syllable. Never in my life has someone described me in such an insulting way, and definitely not after spending the last twenty minutes checking me out when they thought I wasn’t paying attention.

Screw that. I’ve seen the way she stares at me, andrepugnantis the last thing on her mind. That much I can promise.

She continues, “Yes. You’re like a Captain America wannabe, and I don’t mean that as a compliment.”

My mouth falls open. “Excuse me?”

She releases a dramatic sigh. “I know it’s hard to hear given your savior complex.”

Aiden, who apparently has been eavesdropping instead of listening to his future mother-in-law’s story about visiting the dentist, chuckles under his breath.

“Shut up.” I jab him in the ribs, making him wince.

He rubs at the spot. “You underestimate your superhero strength,Captain America.”

The little she-devil across from me sits back in her seat with a satisfied smirk, and my heart trips at the sight. I’m not sure what kind of hold she has over me, but her presence is screwing with my head.

Up until this point, we’ve hardly spent time together. It was easy to coordinate having other plans since Catalina only visits Lake Wisteria twice a year, so I never thought to ask myself what would happen if I enjoyed her company.

And worse, how would I feel if I wanted more of it?

3

CATALINA

Our entire small town is in full-blown Christmas mode by the time my mom, sister, and I head toward the Thimble & Thread alterations shop after saying goodbye to Aiden and Luke. Within the hour it took for us to eat lunch, Main Street descended into complete mayhem, with a hundred volunteers helping set up the holiday decor for this weekend’s Lake Wist-mas Holiday Extravaganza.

Cheery music softly plays from the speakers discreetly hidden along the road as a team of parents prepare hot chocolate to help volunteers fight against the brisk Michigan chill. Children run back and forth along the street, delivering paper cups to volunteers in hopes of securing their place on Santa’s nice list.

Usually, Lake Wisteria lets its coastal-inspired buildings attract visitors, but during this time of year, the architecture is concealed by the thousands of Christmas lights, tinsel, massive lawn ornaments, and blow-up decor scattered around the busiest part of town.

I’m hit with childish excitement at the sight of so much holiday cheer, only for my happiness to be snuffed out at the number of people looking in our direction. Unlike my mom and sister, I’m not a people-person, so I prefer to hang back while they engage in painful small talk.

I stew in silence while they stop to talk to multiple people along the way to the alterations shop. Most are checking in to see when Mom will start sellingcoquitoagain, and she gives them all the details before playfully asking them not to report her and my dad to the sheriff for selling alcohol without a permit.

The Puerto Rican coconut drink has quickly become highly sought after in Lake Wisteria during the Christmas holiday season, outselling eggnog recipes three years in a row.

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