Page 40 of Charlie Takes a Chance

It’s eerilyquiet when I get up in the morning. Max has already left to visit his family that lives five hundred hours away—okay, maybe only three—and I’m left alone.

It's funny how I’d been so excited to escape to the quiet when I first came out here, and now I’m so used to having Max around it feels strange without him.

This place is so peaceful I’m afraid I’m falling in love with the area. I miss Magnolia and Piper. But there’s something about this place that feels…well, homey. No wonder Nash and his grandpa love to come out here. I can’t wait to call them and tell them the house is all ready for Christmas. I promised Magnolia that I would get a tree and some decorations up, too.

Walking downstairs to the kitchen, I find a scrap of paper on the counter with a note scrawled on it.

Max must have debated about becoming a doctor once in his life because it takes me a few minutes to decipher his writing.

If you want a big Christmas tree, Hubert Jefferson said you could go out to his ranch, the Flying J, and get one. I left the keys in the work truck.

Underneath the note he’s scrawled a phone number. It must be Hubert’s.

That’s actually pretty sweet of him. He’s hooked me up with a Christmas tree for the lodge. That’ll do. The plumber is coming today, and I’m waiting on the electricians still, so I might as well go get a tree.

My phone chimes, and I pull it out of my pocket.

It’s a group text between Piper, Magnolia, and me. It’s still titled Roomies.

Piper: Bryce stopped by again today.

Magnolia: Let me at him.

Charlie: What did he want?

Maybe I have his favorite sweatshirt or something like that. I don’t know. He still hasn’t texted or called.

Piper: He said he was in love with you. Yuck.

Charlie: What did you tell him?

Piper: That narcissistic behavior will only get him so far in life.

It’s why I love Piper. She’ll say it like it is. She doesn’t put up with crappy behavior like I do.

I open my phone and call my Grandma. That woman has been getting up at five am since she was a baby. I never have to worry about waking her up.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Grandma, it’s Charlie,” I reply.

We spend a few minutes catching up on each other’s lives, and then I get down to business: why I called. “I’m not going to Christmas at Aunt Lisa’s this year, Grandma.”

It has nothing to do with Aunt Lisa. She’s actually really nice, and I don’t have an issue with her. I just am not ready for the big family get-togethers without Grandpa.

“Neither am I. I told her I appreciate her hosting, but I just…” She doesn’t finish the thought. I can hear a creak in the background, and I know she’s opening her coffee cup cupboard and taking out her favorite “Grab Life by the Horns” mug.

“I know. But I don’t want you to be alone. Besides, I miss you.”

“Listen here, Charlie. I know you understand better than most.” Her tone takes on a sharp edge. “If I go to Christmas, they’re going to fuss and worry about me. They’ll try and guilt me into moving into town or a home. Your dad will probably move me into your old room.”

“Meh, you’re not wrong. But on the plus side, you’ll get my old Justin Bieber poster that’s still hanging there.”

Grandma chuckles at that. “I’m old and sad. I’m not incapable.”

“Great, glad to hear that. It means you’ll be able to make the drive to Pine Ridge on Christmas.”

There’s silence on the line as my words register.

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