Page 117 of Scrooged for the Holidays
Avery’s brow rises, and she laughs disbelievingly. “Yeah, right. You don’t even like when I talk about coming here, much less on Christmas. You said as much when we last talked.”
I consider if this is where we should have this discussion—in the middle of the sidewalk between our two childhood homes, on Christmas Day, in the freezing cold. My eyes drift to the spot where Kai showed me the memory of us playing in the snow with Cooper, and warmth fills my chest. Actually, we’re in the perfect place to talk.
I turn to look back at her, collecting my thoughts before I speak. “I’ve been a bad friend, Avery. More than that, I’ve been a horrible boss, daughter, coworker, and person.” I chuckle to myself. “Basically a bad everything.”
Avery’s eyes narrow, and she shakes her head, mouth opening to speak.
I hold up my hand to stop her. “No, you don’t have to placate me; it’s true. I know it, you know it, the people in my life know it. You were right to call me a Scrooge, and my parents were right to call me an Ice Queen, because I was. I’m here not only because I wanted to see you but also because I needed to say I’m sorry. I know it’s not much, but it’s where I want to start.”
Avery stares at me without blinking, and for a second, I think she’s going to fall over. But then she reaches out and places her cold hand on my forehead. “Are you okay? Did you get into an accident or something and hit your head?” She says it so seriously I laugh.
Her features wrinkle deeper at the sound. I know it’s because I don’t usually laugh—or at least, I hadn’t laughed. Not until I found my way to Elysian Pines.
“I didn’t hit my head, but I did do a lot of thinking.”
Avery drops her hand, eyes not leaving mine. “At the Roads Motel?”
“Would you believe me if I told you I stayed at the cutest inn and met some people who helped me see a few things about my life I wanted to change?”
“Did you just describe an inn as cute?”
I smile. “I did.”
“And did you say you talked to people? Like actually talked to them and made friends?”
Her disbelief would almost be comical if it weren’t true. I don’t make friends. “Um,” I start, thinking of the three Nephilim and all the things they did to me. A coy smile works its way onto my lips before I continue. “I don’t know if you’d exactly call themfriends.”
Avery cocks her head to the side and stares at me, taking in the curve of my lips and the way I saidfriends. After a long pause, her eyes bug out of her head. “Wait, you became ‘friends’ with more than one at the same time?!”
The way she says it makes me flush, and I duck my chin. “Yes, that’s what I’m saying.”
She clicks her tongue against her teeth before a breathless laugh leaves her. Her eyes glimmer with amusement, and I can see she wants to tease me. It’s been a long time since we’ve acted like friends, however, so I understand her hesitance.
“Well, then, maybe you can tell me about it sometime?” The hope in her voice fills my chest with warmth.
“I would love that.”
Avery shivers, and I nod to her door. “You should get inside; it’s cold.”
She nods and turns toward her house. When I don’t follow, she looks over her shoulder and stops, a little smile at the corner of her mouth. “Aren’t you coming?”
My heart thuds in my chest. “You want me to come in?”
“You told me you’d tell me about the ‘friends’ you made sometime. This is ‘sometime,’ isn’t it?”
I nibble the inside of my cheek. “I suppose it is.”
“It’s also Christmas, and your parents are inside. I’m sure they’d love to see you. Josh will never admit it, but he’d like it, too.”
I lift a dubious brow because I know she’s just being nice.
“Like I said.” She smirks. “He’ll never admit it.”
I shift my gaze to her left hand, seeing the diamond ring sparkling on it. I had accepted that what I saw with Kai, Remi, and Sam was real, but this only confirms it beyond a reasonable doubt.
“Congratulations,” I say. Avery looks confused, and I point to her hand. “On your engagement.”
Realization lights her features, and she plays with the band. “I wish you could have been there.”
