Page 35 of Once Upon a Holiday Vacation
The words stung, even in the privacy of my own mind. I closed my eyes, picturing his easy smile, the way his blue eyes crinkled at the corners when he laughed. God, I missed him. But Laura was right. I couldn’t keep wallowing in self-pity. With a deep breath, I sat up straight and hit the call button before I could talk myself out of it.
As the phone rang, my heart pounded so loudly I was sure Tanner would be able to hear it through the line. My palms were sweaty, and I wiped them on my jeans, trying to calm my nerves.
“Hello?” Tanner’s deep voice came through the speaker, and I nearly dropped the phone in surprise.
“H-Hi,” I stammered, mentally kicking myself for sounding so awkward. “It’s Easton. From the cruise? You, uh, you gave me your number.“
There was a pause, and for a moment I was terrified he’d forgotten who I was. But then he chuckled, the sound warm and rich. “Of course I remember you, Easton. I was starting to think I might never see you again.”
I felt a blush creep up my neck. “Yeah, sorry about that. I’ve been... dealing with some stuff.”
“No worries,” he responded easily. “I’m just glad you called. What’s up?”
I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I was about to do. “Well, I was wondering if... if you might be interested in coming to a New Year’s Eve party? It’s at my parents’ place, nothing too fancy, but...”
“That sounds great,” he interrupted, his enthusiasm evident even through the phone. “I’d love to come.”
“Oh.“ I blinked, surprised by his quick acceptance. “Okay, great. It’s, um, it’s in my hometown. About an hour outside the city. I know that’s probably a bit of a drive, so if you’d rather not?—”
“Easton,” Tanner cut in gently, “I said I’d love to come. An hour drive is nothing.”
I felt a small smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. “Okay. Well, it starts around nine. I can text you the address.”
We chatted for a few more minutes, working out the details. As I hung up, I sank back onto the couch, my emotions a tangled mess. Part of me felt lighter, hopeful even. But then my eyes landed on an old photo of Weston and me on the bookshelf, and my stomach twisted.
I groaned, burying my face in my hands. What was I doing? The thought of seeing Weston at the party, with Tanner by my side, filled me with a mixture of dread and longing that made me want to call the whole thing off.
But I couldn’t keep living like this, pining after someone who’d never see me as more than a friend. I had to try to move on, even if every step felt like a betrayal of my heart.
I closed my eyes, letting out a long breath as I tried to picture the upcoming party. The familiar warmth of my parents’ home, the twinkling lights, the scent of cinnamon and pine—it all felt tainted now by the looming awkwardness.
“It’s just one night,” I muttered to myself, running a hand through my hair. “You can do this, Easton.”
But my mind kept conjuring up increasingly uncomfortable scenarios. Weston’s surprise when he saw me with Tanner. The potential for stilted conversation over punch and cookies. The midnight countdown, where I’d have to decide whether tokiss Tanner or not, all while hyper-aware of Weston’s presence across the room.
I groaned, flopping back on the couch. “This is going to be a disaster.” At least I’d have my parents there—my rocks, my constant source of support.
“Maybe it won’t be so bad,” I said aloud, trying to convince myself. “I’ll just... focus on Tanner. Be present. Try to have fun.”
But even as I said it, I knew a part of me would always be attuned to my best friend’s presence, like a compass needle forever pointing North—or in this case, West.
“Time to be brave, East,” I whispered, using the nickname only Weston ever called me. “Even if it breaks your heart all over again.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
WESTON
I sat on my couch,staring at my phone like it was a ticking bomb. Easton’s name glared back at me from the screen, taunting me with possibilities and regrets.
“Just text him, you idiot,” I muttered to myself, running a hand through my messy hair.
But what would I even say?Hey, East, sorry I broke your heart and ruined our friendship. Wanna grab a beer?Yeah, that’d go over well.
The silence between us since the cruise felt heavier than any weight I’d ever lifted at the fire station. I’d ended things to save our friendship, but it seemed I’d managed to destroy it anyway. The irony wasn’t lost on me.
My thumb hovered over Easton’s contact, memories of his shy smile and gentle eyes flooding my mind. God, I missed him. His quiet laugh, the way he talked, how he always knew exactly what to say to calm me down after a rough shift.
“Dammit, just do it,” I growled, willing myself to make a move. But I couldn’t. The fear of hearing the distance in hisvoice, of confirming that I’d irreparably damaged what we’d spent years building, paralyzed me.
