Page 41 of A Roommate for Christmas
Paige put her phone in her pocket and bundled up to join them.
***
“Well, well, well,” Carter said as Paige came out of the front door, shovel in hand.“Look who finally decided to come help.”He gave her a wink.
“How long have you been out here?”she asked.“It’s freezing!”
“We started around nine-thirty, then popped inside Carol’s place for some coffee after about thirty minutes because we could barely feel our hands.Now we’re back at it.”
“Paige, you didn’t tell me you had this nice young man hiding away in there,” Carol commented excitedly.“He so kindly offered to help me this morning when he noticed me slipping around the driveway.”
“We can’t have you falling out here in the freezing cold now, Carol.”Carter smiled, even though his tone had turned more serious.
Paige couldn’t help but smile too.“Well, put me to work!Let’s get you a clear driveway.”
Carter and Paige began shoveling piles of snow off of Carol’s driveway and sidewalk.
“So, what have you two been chatting about?”Paige asked.
“Carol was telling me about her glory days here in Chicago,” Carter said.“I asked her about what she used to do for work, how long she’s lived in this house, about her family.I must say, I had no idea we lived next door to such a legend.”
“Well, Carol is the best neighbor we could have asked for,” Paige called out.“Is your daughter coming this year, Carol?”
“She’s supposed to,” Carol replied.“But this weather has really messed up everyone’s plans.She’s hoping she can make the drive here tomorrow.”
“Tell me about it,” Paige groaned.“Well, hopefully she can make it now that the snow is slowing down.Looks like my flight to California is scheduled to go out tomorrow too.”
“Oh yeah?”Carter’s head snapped up, and he locked eyes with her from across the driveway.“I mean, that’s good.You’ll get to be with your parents after all.”
He forced a smile, but Paige could have sworn the look in his eyes was one of disappointment.
“Carter was telling me about the fun you guys have been getting up to,” said Carol, stealing Paige’s glance.“Said he never had this much fun with—”
“Man, is it cold!”Carter interrupted.“Carol, are you sure you don’t want to wait inside while Paige and I finish up out here?”
Now Carter had a panicked look on his face as he set his shovel down and walked Carol by the arm back toward her front door.Paige was confused by Carter’s blatant interruption but decided to keep on shoveling.It was probably best for Carol not to be outside anyway.
Carter returned a minute later and joined her.
“I’d hate to see her catch a cold before her daughter and her family get here.Best for her to stay warm inside,” Carter stated.
“Yeah, definitely.How’s your Gram, by the way?I hope she had a nice birthday.”
“She’s great.Seventy-seven but still sharp as a whip.”He beamed.“She tried giving me a hard time for calling so late, so I blamed it on you.”
He nudged her with his shoulder as he said it, not realizing Paige was standing on a patch of hidden ice.She lost her balance and fell into the pile of snow she had just shoveled.
“Oh shit,” Carter swore.“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean for that to happen.Here, let me help you.”
He held out his gloved hand for her.As he tried pulling her up, his foot slipped on the same patch of ice and he toppled forward on top of her.
They both started laughing as they situated themselves in the snowbank to face each other.If their faces hadn’t already been flushed from the cold, they would have been rosy from blushing.
They laid there, staring into each other’s eyes for what felt like an eternity.Paige’s body didn’t even register the cold temperature anymore.She felt like she was radiating heat being this close to Carter.
The next thing Paige knew, she was leaning in toward him.
Wait, what am I doing?She panicked.I didn’t think this through.Is it too late to pull back?
