Page 42 of Wrapped in You

"My only other secret is I think we should order a bottle of wine for the table," Derek said.

Cara and Sophie laughed and flagged down the server. Derek ordered a bottle of Primitivo and asked for another few minutes with the menu.

"Where are the assistant directors?" Sophie asked.

"Good question," Cara said. She pulled her phone out of her bag and burrowed her face in it.

This left Sophie and Derek a moment to look at one another. It felt stolen; it felt like a secret. Sophie's cheeks were flushed.

"They aren't going to make it!" Cara said. "They're staying in cabins about a half hour from here. That snowfall that missed us this morning hit them pretty hard."

"They're snowed in?" Derek asked.

"It's romantic, isn't it?" Cara joked.

Sophie, Cara, and Derek ordered two massive pizzas to share: the sausage and mushroom one, plus a Greek-inspired one with black olives and feta and spiced lamb. Derek poured them glasses of wine and raised his glass to them.

"You've both been really patient with me this week," he said after a dramatic pause. "It's no surprise to me why everyone on set calls me Grinch."

Sophie was taken aback. How had he figured out his nickname? But Cara just laughed it off.

"I'm still resistant to all this Christmas spirit stuff, to say the least," Derek said, laughing nervously. "But I have to admit, I'm happy to be out of my cabin. I'm happy to be out at a restaurant with both of you." His eyes met Sophie's for a brief and intoxicating moment.

Sophie filled her mouth with wine and told herself: don't freak out. He's just being nice.

Derek was quiet for a little while. Cara and Sophie filled the space with an easy conversation about a few boutiques downtown and Cara's newly discovered favorite Willow Creek coffee shop. It felt as though Derek was brewing up something special; as though he was preparing to speak.

When he did, his words were enormous.

"I just want to say," he began, "that I don't want to carry this grief for the rest of my life."

Cara folded her lips with surprise. Sophie clutched her thighs nervously. It was clear he had more to say.

"I've used my grief as a crutch for too long," Derek offered. "But I'm well aware that that crutch affects everyone around me. If I'm ever going to be a real person again, I have to find a way to get rid of it. I have to find a way to walk out of this darkness. Maybe that means embracing Christmas. I don't know."

Cara reached across the table to touch his hand.

Sophie's heart pumped. She would have liked to touch his hand first. She would have liked to have been alone with him.

But Derek needed community. And Cara was a part of that community. Cara was his only friend.

It was likely that Derek hadn't said any of this to Cara before, though.

He'd said it because Sophie was there.

Derek bowed his head and laughed. "I'm sorry. I'm being ridiculous," he said.

"You're not," Cara and Sophie said in unison.

"We have to find a way to talk to each other," Cara said softly.

Derek raised his chin and looked from Cara to Sophie. He looked broken but grateful.

But suddenly, the pizzas arrived, still sizzling on their trays. The server was excited, saying, "I know two of you have never eaten here before, so we went all-out on the toppings. Enjoy!"

It was a feast. And over the next hour, Sophie, Cara, and Derek ate as much of the pizza as they could, boxed up the rest, and drove home through the dark, snowy night.

Chapter Thirteen

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