Page 102 of A Winter in Wonderland
Chapter 44
Wearrived back at the staff chalet a short while later, and after Josh had said a few hellos to his fellow elves, he took me by the hand.
‘You want to take a walk?’
‘Back outside?’ I asked. I was just warming up.
‘Just over to the activities’ lodge.’
‘Isn’t it closed now?Oh.’ I got it.
We ducked out of the chalet and walked over to the quiet lodge. I still couldn’t believe he was back, and I kept sneaking looks at him, and more than once caught him sneaking looks at me, too.
Unlocking the door, Josh held it open for me, and I stepped into the darkened reception area.
From there, he led me into the hall and then disappeared, returning a minute later with an armful of fleece blankets from the storeroom. We took a seat together in the centre of the hall, facing the large glass windows that overlookedthe winter wonderland outside. Those wonderful, heavy, snow-blanketed forests that had become my second home.
‘I just figured, since I’m still off the clock for another … ’ he checked his watch, ‘nine hours, maybe we could spend some time together before I go back to being annoying again?’
‘Sounds good to me,’ I laughed. ‘You will be annoying by tomorrow, for sure.’
‘Oh, for sure,’ he agreed. ‘I hear you’ve been after my job, anyway.’
‘Yeah, I was really good at it.’
‘I bet. You must have loved being an elf.’
‘It was actually OK,’ I said, surprising even myself. But you know what, maybe I needed to change the story I was telling myself. After all, things were working out pretty well since I got off my ass and lit that fire.
‘I’m sorry I didn’t keep in touch more, while I was home,’ Josh said, sincerely, but I shook my head.
‘I didn’t expect you to. You were dealing with a lot.’
‘Yeah, my head was all over the place. But I still thought about you a lot.’
‘And your grandad’s definitely OK?’
He nodded, and told me all about his journeys and his visit, and how the hospital had been taking care of his grandfather brilliantly. I then opened up to him about what had been going around in my mind over the past week, and it felt good. Really good.
Our conversation faded, but in the best possible way.
Josh propped himself up on his hand. ‘I didn’t think I would see you again.’
‘Same. I surprised myself with how grumpy I got after you left. You must have some effect on me, Josh Roberts; I never usually let a guy get under my skin.’
‘Except Santa Claus.’
‘Yeah, that guy … ’ I shook my head. ‘I’m glad you came back.’
‘Me too.’ He kept my eyes in his, his eyelashes flickering, as he leant in close and kissed me again. He kept holding my gaze as we lay back. As he pulled the blanket over us. As we slowly, so slowly, peeled off our winter layers.
I caught sight of a grin spread across his face out of the corner of my eye. ‘What?’ I laughed.
‘Is that my shirt?’ he asked.
‘No.’ I shook my head, smiling.
‘No?’
