Page 53 of My December Darling

“Bullshit.” My arm tightens around her until I can’t tell where my body ends and hers begins. “Being slow to warm up to people doesn’t make you unlikable. At least not to me.”

It’s obvious that Catalina isn’t stuck-up or rude like some people might assume based off one interaction, but rather, she is a shy, cautious person who dislikes the unknown.

She looks down at her lap again. “I guess.”

“Iknow. And for what it’s worth, I’m glad you’ve given me a chance.”

A small smile tugs at the edges of her mouth. “Really?”

“Don’t let it go to your head.”

“And compete against you for the town’s biggest ego? I’ll pass.”

I glare, earning the best, softest laugh from Catalina in the process.

Over the next two hours, I collect similar sounds of contentment while we work on her speech. We both have a couple of drinks and swap stories about the happy couple untilCatalina presses a hand against her stomach, claiming it hurts from laughing too much.

I tell her there is no such thing, and I plan on making her laugh loud and often for as long as I can before she needs to leave town for her next job.

Ifshe chooses to go.

I haven’t considered an alternative option of Catalina wanting to stay. It might be a long shot, but maybe—just maybe—she would consider sticking around for a little while longer if she had a good reason to?

Like what? You?

The idea sounds ridiculous in my own head, but then again, I’m already looking forward to the next time I get to see her, and I haven’t even said good night yet, so is it really that outlandish of a thought?

Only if you don’t mind getting hurt in the process.

I shelve the negativity. Spending time with Catalina feels like the most natural thing in the world, and I don’t want to say goodbye at the end of the night. There is something about her that always keeps me coming back for more.

More time. More laughter. More ofher.

Thankfully, we only made it through the first paragraph of her speech, so it looks like we will have to meet up tomorrow sometime during our shifts to continue working on it.

Convenient to say the least.

Driving Catalina home was a given after she nearly froze to death during her walk over to Nightcap. After spending the last couple of hours together, sharing stories about work, our friends, and the soon-to-be married couple, I’m reluctant to call it a night.

Catalina doesn’t comment on me taking the long way back to her parents’ house. Instead, I play a new album from an unknown artist we both bonded over, and we sing along to the song during the drive, with her hitting the pause button every few lines so we could analyze the lyrics together.

After one date, I feel more connected to Catalina than ever, and I’m already looking forward to our next one now that our night is coming to an end. I pull into her driveway, and our little bubble pops.

I ask her to wait while I head over to open her passenger door. The cold wind hits my face, but I hardly notice it as she slides out of my SUV with a smile.

“It gets colder every year.”

“You’re just not used to it anymore.” I shut the door behind her.

She turns to her parents’ house. I place my hand on the small of her back and follow her toward the front door, where she stops and fishes for the keys inside her purse.

My heart pounds against my chest, the beats rapid and out of sync as I wait.

“So.” I let the word hang as I rub the back of my neck.

Her eyes light up as she tracks the move. “What?”

“I know we talked about tomorrow, but…”

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