Page 44 of The Christmas Letters
Oh, he is not making this easy on me.
Drew holds my phone up to my face so facial recognition can unlock it, then finds the code Mrs. Greenly sent in her text. I carry the cat back into the garage, then wait while Drew uses the code to close me in.
As I make my way back to the truck, my brain cycles through the last five minutes. Drew’s arms around me. Ouralmostkiss. The way his nose brushed against my neck when he reached for my phone.
Drew doesn’t strike me as a player. He didn’t call me because he didn’t see a relationship between us going anywhere. That’s not typical behavior from a guy just looking for a good time.
So does that mean Drew just changed his mind? It’s a good thing if he did because he was definitely wrong from the start, but talk about crappy timing.
I liked him, and he wasn’t interested, now heisinterested, and I like someone else.
The trouble is, I can’t pretend like I don’t also like Drew. And that’s a very disquieting thought. Especially when I think about Max.
When we make it back to the pavilion, Chloe has Christmas music playing, and one picnic table is already covered with wrapped gifts.
“Excellent timing,” Chloe says as she meets us in the parking lot. “We’re out of wrapping paper, and we’re also starving.”
“This disgusting one is for you,” I say to Chloe, sliding the top box off the stack Drew has pulled out of the truck.
“Olives?” Drew asks.
“She eats them like they’re grapes,” I say. “It’s totally disgusting.”
Drew holds my gaze for a beat, his smile wide. “Thatisdisgusting.”
“I heard that,” Chloe says through her first bite of pizza.
As the night progresses, I try to keep my distance from Drew, mostly to preserve my own sanity, but also to keep myself from giving him the wrong impression. But keeping my distance is much easier said than done.
Every time I look up, he’s there, making eye contact. When he passes behind me to get more wrapping paper, he brushes his hand over my shoulder. When we’re wrapping presents side by side, he talks to me more than he talks to anyone else.
Somehow, he’s always in my orbit though that could be because I’m looking at him just as much as he’s looking at me. Whenever he moves, my eyes track to his new location, and I get the sense he’s doing the same thing. It’s like my body is tuned to him, like I’m some sort of shortwave radio, picking up his signal whether I want it or not.
Which I don’t.
Or at least Ishouldn’t.
So why is my body reacting like he’s the sun and I’m a freaking sunflower?
The only thought that brings me comfort is that after tomorrow, I’ll be able to focus on Max because I definitely don’t have plans to see Drew again.
Across the table, Drew laughs at something Deacon says, his smile stretching wide across his very handsome face.
Those two have been buddy-buddy all night which is exactly what I need. For Drew to become Deacon’s new best friend. Sure! Why shouldn’t my best friend’s husband who happens to be the brother of my exalsobe good friends with my temporary and probably unrequited crush?
I breathe out a sigh and force my attention back to the Barbie doll I’m wrapping in bright green paper.
I think about Max and the connection we’ve formed. I hope it’s more than just smoke and mirrors, that I’m not giving up something real and tangible and right in front of me for something that only exists on paper.
I don’tthinkthat’s what’s happening. But every time Drew looks my way, my certainty wanes a tiny bit more.
Chapter Fourteen
Tess
“He’ssogreat,”Deaconsays to me and Chloe as we’re loading the last of the wrapped presents into the back of my car. “He’s coming with me to the hockey game tomorrow night. And I invited him to the barbecue next weekend, which probably I should have asked you about that, Chlo. But he’s just so easy to talk to. I don’t think you’ll mind having him around.”
“Look at you and your cute little bromance,” Chloe says, patting Deacon on the arm. She shifts her attention to me. “So what was happening with youand Drew tonight? I was sensing some crazy energy between you two.”
