Page 61 of Courtside

“No,” David said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his hoodie to keep from reaching for her. “I don’t like cranberry sauce, so it’s all good.”

Snorting, Sage turned back to the cart, starting to walk slowly down the aisle. “So what are you going to make?”

“Loaded tots.” It was an easy decision. David was a simple man, really. Tater tots, Daisy and a woman in leggings were all he needed to be happy.

“Nice. I’m going to make burgers.” She paused, as though thinking. “And something green. You need to eat more green stuff.”

David scoffed. “There was lettuceandonions on the sandwich I ate yesterday.”

“That barely counts,” Sage replied. “You said your friend was coming too, right?”

Right. He’d invited Chuck, who had the same shortened break due to the swimming team’s schedule. His friend had teased him ruthlessly at the fact that they were going to be spending Christmas at his intern’s apartment, but David brushed it off. He and Sage were friends, and he stood by the fact that it wasn’t weird for them to be spending the holiday together.

Not weird at all.

“Chuck will make something good,” David said, grabbing a bag of marshmallows and tossing it into the cart. “He’s a good cook like you.”

Sage looked between him and the bag.

“What? I like my hot chocolate with marshmallows.” He scratched at his beard. “And sometimes I eat them plain when I’m feeling especially festive.” He waggled his eyebrows at her and grinned.

Sage laughed another one of her snorting laughs, shaking her head as she steered them up another aisle.

“I was also thinking,” David started, “that, depending on what you have going on, maybe we could hang out on Christmas Eve and do the book exchange thing you were talking about.”

The cart stopped, and David turned, trying to gauge Sage’s reaction by the expression on her face. She looked carefully blank in that moment, her lips parting as she stared at him.

Immediately, he tried to backpedal. “Sorry, that’s probably too much. We’re already doing Christmas, and I shouldn’t assume that you want to spend more time with me than you already are, I…shit, I’m sorry, and —”

“David.” Sage reached out and grabbed his wrist. Her skin was so cold against his, and he had the irrational urge to take her hand in his until some of his warmth transferred to her. “Spending time with you is honestly the best part of my week.” She smiled, and David’s chest ached. “Trust me, if I don’t want to hang out, I’ll tell you.”

David swallowed. “Okay.”

“So that’s a yes to Christmas Eve. We can do it at my place, and then Christmas at yours?”

“Deal.”

* * *

“What should I wear?” David shouted from his closet. It was midmorning on Christmas, and he was still wearing the sweats and t-shirt he’d slept in the night before.

He’d gone to Sage’s place, where they’d exchanged books — a new mystery by a British author he’d never heard of for him, and a Western romance set in Canada his mom had sworn was amazing for Sage. She’d made tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, just like she’d said, and they’d posted up on opposite ends of the couch to eat and read.

It was probably the best Christmas Eve he’d ever had.

“Wear that sweater your mom got you!” Chuck called out. He’d shown up early with coffee and doughnuts, and they’d spent the morning watching Sports Center and taking Daisy for a long walk.

“And pants?”

“Jeans, or those brown corduroys you never wear would be good.”

David grabbed the corduroys. “Seriously, what would I do without you?”

“Dress like a seventeen year old gym-rat,” Chuck shouted.

Chuckling, David finished pulling on his clothes before joining Chuck in the living room.

“You look good, man,” his friend said from the kitchen. Chuck was making some sort of baked mac and cheese casserole, and had already started cooking.

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