Page 13 of Christmas Wishes

Ten minutes later, I’d checked out the sizable kitchen with attached breakfast nook and living room. I hadn’t ventured down the hallway where the owner must sleep. I tried to get a sense of who lived there, but it was hard. I didn’t see photos of any kids, but I did see lots of gorgeous photos of the kinds of desert sunsets I’d expected this week and lovely rivers.

Arlo: Oh, here’s the Airbnb link. Now that the element of surprise is over, maybe this will help with amenities and stuff.

I flipped through the photos, and the third one showed the house and front yard covered in snow.You’ve got to be kidding me.I sent a screenshot back to Arlo.

Keaton: Didn’t know it was a snowy region, huh?

Arlo: Oops! Totally missed that. [grimace emoji]

Keaton: No more drunken trip planning for you, Mister! [wink emoji]

Arlo: The bright side is that snow looks way different from our snow at home with all those trees.

Keaton: Too soon.

Arlo: Anytime you’re feeling spicy about it, just remember the dolls I have to live with.

Keaton: LOL, fair enough.

I shoved my phone back in my pocket and rocked back on my heels.What should I do now?

Chapter7

Riggs

I wasready to crash by the time I reached the driveway to Nico’s—my—house.Am I ever going to get used to saying that?

An unfamiliar Toyota Camry sat on my side of the driveway. That was fine. All part of hosting people. I’d quickly learned that my preferences didn’t matter.

I released the flare of annoyance as I pressed the remote to open the garage door and parked in the other space. After turning off the ignition, I grabbed the cookie tin and my toolbox and entered the garage. I left the toolbox on my workbench and ran my feet over the boot scrubber before kicking those off on the rubber mat.

My stomach growled. More cookies wouldn’t help. I really should figure out how to do some meal prepping during the busy seasons. Doris would be thrilled if I asked her to show me how to make a couple of my favorite dishes of hers. Even something like burritos that I could pull out of the freezer and nuke on the go. If I crammed them with vegetables, I might get part of my daily intake. I wasn’t great about nutritious eating when my stress was high.

I hesitated before opening the door between the garage and the kitchen. I supposed the guest would’ve heard the garage door and, if I were lucky, made sure they were in their space so they didn’t have to talk to me. They had free range of the shared spaces, but I didn’t have the patience for thedid you settle in okaytalk.

My shoulders relaxed when I found the kitchen empty. I set the cookie tin on the kitchen island, added cat food to Joule’s bowl, and moved to the fridge to find something quick to shove down my throat. Condiments and a bell pepper wouldn’t cut it, and I didn’t want to dip into the breakfast options I’d left for the guest. I moved to the pantry and found a protein bar. I tore the top off and shoved it in my mouth while I pulled a glass from the cupboard and filled it from the water pitcher in the fridge.

I’d forgotten to top it off this morning after filling my giant water bottle, but it was full now. A considerate guest then. I appreciated that.

I turned around from the fridge, grabbing the protein bar hanging out of my mouth, and was startled. Standing at the kitchen entrance was the assertive twink from Jitterbug.

The glass fell through my fingers and shattered on the floor. Another piece of Nico gone. I pulled the protein bar from my mouth and tossed it on the counter.

“Oh no! I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It’s fine,” I grumbled, marching to the pantry to grab the broom and dustpan. When I turned back, he—Keaton—was in a squat and mopping up the water.

As I swept the glass, I kept glancing at him to ensure he hadn’t cut himself. That would knock down Nico’s stellar rating for sure.

I stalled in emptying the dustpan into the trash, but I eventually had to face the music. Keaton stared at me with wide eyes, dark like the gingerbread Doris made. My skin tingled uncomfortably.

“I hoped to run into you again, but I didn’t expect this.” His confident, dazzling smile made my head spin. Was there a thought he kept to himself?

I grunted.Don’t be an asshole.“I mean, welcome.”

Keaton tucked his lips between his teeth like he was trying to stop himself from smiling. I made people frown, not smile.

“Thank you.”

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